ORLANDO, Fla. — Making the most of a not-so-sweet situation is the attitude Stacie Turner is embracing through the government shutdown.

“I wasn’t going to wait,” said Turner, with a handful of ingredients in her kitchen. “I think this might be enough.”

The NASA electrical engineer had a plan from days before the shutdown even happened. She knew she would rely on her passion of baking to get her through.

“When the government shutdown, which has happened three or four times since … I launched the business,” Turner said.

She launched Velvet Confections by Stacie in 2011. It was never a full-time commitment — in fact, over the years she has started and stopped it. But the recent government shutdowns over the last few years have really pushed her to focus on it full-time.

To add to it, she’s not alone. Stacie’s husband Brian is a furloughed ATV contract employee, and is now taking part in the dessert business operations.

“Being that we are home, he helps me with the business, and that is what we are doing to keep ourselves busy and to try to hopefully inspire other people to fulfill their passion,” Turner said.

So while they wait for the shutdown to end, the Turners hope their backup business plan inspires others to find one of their own.

“If there is ever another shutdown, you can turn to that in the future,” said Turner.