Denise Porretto has been making, designing, and writing things since she was a young girl. As she grew older, when it was time to decide on a career path, she chose to go into writing. But even as a writer, she was still drawn to other creative pursuits and continued to dabble in arts and crafts. She worked with wood and felt, sometimes making seasonal decorations and sometimes creating felt-flower brooches. 

One day, she took a nondescript round cardboard box and turned it into a fake cake. Sweet ‘n Faux was born. Denise uses a variety of materials to replicate the appearance of a cake. Velvet looks like icing; chenille fabric resembles squiggles of frosting. Even vintage buttons, parts of old jewelry, rolled felt flowers, and glitter might appear on a whimsical fake cake. The lids are always decorated separately, so the box remains a box. It can be used for storage after initially serving as a wedding card depository, a table centerpiece, or a gift. Sweet ‘n Faux may have started with a birthday cake box, but the line has expanded to include cupcakes, cake slices, brownies, and tortes. Using requested colors or themes, Denise does custom work for weddings, showers, birthdays, or any special occasion.

Denise also makes unique greeting cards, many of which are for occasions Hallmark doesn’t acknowledge—getting married on Halloween? Is your best friend’s birthday on Thanksgiving? Is your dog’s birthday this weekend? Denise has a card for those special events and more. But if she doesn’t already, she’ll custom-make one for you.

Denise lives in Princeton with her little Yorkie-mix rescue named Bronte. She’s a freelance writer and copy editor focusing on health and medicine and a mom to two grown-up sons, Steven and Justin.