Imho Concerning Comments On My Cakes.
Decorating By justfrosting Updated 22 May 2008 , 4:12am by sweetness_221
I know there have been a lot of posts about this lately, I hope you can stand for one more.
I have been thinking a lot about this lately, concerning comments, reactions or more to the point, the lack there of.
It is one reason I do cakes, not for money but for attention. There. I said it. Comments, either on CC or from the buyer are REALLLLLLY important to me because I am terribly insecure about my cakes and basically everything else in my life. (I blame my mother, but that is another post 
)
I have come to the conclusion that this is MY problem...MY character flaw. My best friend told me today that people usually will not comment on something they have paid for unless there is something wrong with it...that is true I think.
And if I want CC'er to notice my cakes and comment more, than I need to work my butt off to come of with something eye catching and unique. I am tired of my own whining.
I love this site and all the help you all give me. Thanks for everything and for letting me vent. JMHO.
i agree, and it's funny how you can have tons of people choose to add your cakes to their favorites, which is awesome, but like i've seen pics with hundreds of them saved and like 5 comments. how is that possible. I always put a comment on one i save as a favorites guess i'm insecure too, okay im going to comment (honestly) on your pics now.
I know my cakes are nothing special compared to what I've seen on here but I truly appreciate the time someone takes to comment. (Especially knowing I'm not that great yet, those comments encourage me to keep trying. )
All that to say, "I hear ya!" 
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When do you normally post your cakes? I notice on weekends there are so many cakes posted that I think a lot of great pictures get missed or people run out of time and can't comment on every single one they like. I know I could sit here for hours admiring other decorators cakes but I do have to maintain a household too...lol Maybe try posting your cakes on a Tuesday or Wednesday when there might not be so many other new cakes to look at....just a thought. =)
i have spent many hours just staring at this screen and all these incredible cakes,i am only about 3 years behind and to see each and every one and try to leave a message is impossible..i try to leave as many comments as possible even if only one or two words...but that should let ya know that you are being noticed...and so appreciated for the great work that you all are doing.whether its the first or 100th you have done..i enjoy looking..can't wait till i can get some pics on here and get feedback also..happy to be here...keep caking..
Your cakes are beautiful! Don't doubt yourself! I know that is easier said than done 
I am the same way. I will post a cake and then sit at the computer waiting to see if anyone will comment. I am new at this as well and love it so much but doubt wether I am any good....we'll have to compare mother stories some day 
Girl I really understand you!!!!I dont have any mother story or anything to blame on her, shes been great and most of the things I know is thanks to her,(she have a bakery back home) and im just starting!!!!!But im really insecure with my cakes! Im just starting and for some reason everytime i have to do a cake, I design it really nice, I start dreaming about it and thinking that my cake is going to be all great and gorgeous and then i start all the process goes great the actual cake have a great taste, but my decoration give so much headache!!!!!
I wish i could do this gorgeous cakes like some people here, but well i also think that someday i will do this lovely cakes!!!Someday!!I hope that day is really soon!!!!
Feedback is very important. Seeing the smile on somoene's face when they pick up one of my creations and ask in awestruck wonder, "how did you do that". It's priceless. It makes me want to keep on decorating. So feedback is necessary...it's the blood that keeps us going!! Just my two cents!!
Yeah I can relate too, I get sad when I post a photo and my e-mail inbox stays empty...
But I am also guilty of not commenting on many of the cakes I see, I do put tons into favorites but mainly because that is quicker.....horrible, right?? 
justfrosting...I understand where you are coming from...but I have the opposite problem. I have never posted a single picture in any of the galleries because I am afraid no one will comment on them, because they are too polite to criticize.
In my heart, I love it when people say nice things about my cakes, but I see so many flaws (which most times I point out to the person who ordered the cake) that in my head I have hard time believing they are not just being polite to my face.
Isn't that nuts?!?
It is a compliment just to see that people add a cake to fav's. I don't think anyone should take it personally if someone doesn't take the time to write a comment.
I must agree. I love the attention that I get when I deliver a cake to a party. I just do cakes for my friends and family for birthday presents - don't have to buy present and the kids look forward to it the whole year. I am lucky that I only can do it for fun and would hate to "deal" with customers and their complaints. I know there is money to be made but this is my "safe place", my "escape", my "valley"... I'd hate to spoil that.
And justfrosting, your cakes are great. They look delicious and I love the colours - nothing wrong with a little praise now and then (especially if you work so hard at it)!
I too doubt myself - but I am fortunate to have a friend at work who sits right next to me and she is verrryyyy supportive - she thinks all my cakes are fantastic and that I a do way better than the other cakes she sees in bakeries (and I mean bakeries not chains!) Of course, I am no where near as good as she thinks I am but it is really nice to have the postive support.
That said, your cakes are beautiful - I know I especially loved your dog cake and was ever so grateful for the instructions - I plan to make one in white for this same friend who has a maltie-poo - your cake shape looks so much like her (the dog that is ha ha) it is scary! But anyway - I really think the cakes are great and even though I printed the doggie instructions I don't think I took the time to comment (I am so ashamed now!) I will try to do better....
It is a compliment just to see that people add a cake to fav's. I don't think anyone should take it personally if someone doesn't take the time to write a comment.
i disagree (not starting a fight here ). i used to do that, save to favorites but not leave a comment, for lack of time, slow computer, whatever. but then one time it was brought up and i realized that really, its a selfish thing to do. i have a couple that are pretty high, in the mid hundred, two hundred range, but realized that after the first ten or so comments, no one thinks it important to comment anymore. it started to upset me to a point where i felt like putting a comment with my photo,to please not save it if they didnt have the courtesy to take the extra 20 seconds to say WHY they liked it. otherwise, to me, it just feels greedy. someone wants to take, without saying thank you. now, if i save, i take the time to give that person some recognition. 
I too doubt myself - but I am fortunate to have a friend at work who sits right next to me and she is verrryyyy supportive - she thinks all my cakes are fantastic and that I a do way better than the other cakes she sees in bakeries (and I mean bakeries not chains!) Of course, I am no where near as good as she thinks I am but it is really nice to have the postive support.
I know!! I have a friend just like this - she keeps telling me I should go on the Food Network she's nuts but it's sweet!
I agree that commenting is important! I'm pretty new to cake decorating and for someone else to take the time to view something I've made let alone comment on it...well, it makes me want to try again and try something new! And if one is put into someones favorites....OMG!!!!
Justfrosting,
There's another post going around for newbies to get our 100 so that we can comment on the uncommented as there are so many, (so so many) wonderful cakes that we are still catching up on all the cakes and when we get our 100 we'll be there to BAM with our comments and without great cakes like yours I'm sure I wouldn't be inspired without them. 
justfrosting...I understand where you are coming from...but I have the opposite problem. I have never posted a single picture in any of the galleries because I am afraid no one will comment on them, because they are too polite to criticize.
In my heart, I love it when people say nice things about my cakes, but I see so many flaws (which most times I point out to the person who ordered the cake) that in my head I have hard time believing they are not just being polite to my face.
Isn't that nuts?!?
Try us. Without looking I can confidently say that your cakes would be great to be admired and an inspiration to us all.
I agree that appreciation and comments are really necessary for cake decorators! For me it is becasue I put so much time and effort into each one I do. Usually they are for gifts or I really get paid very little for time I have spent. Appreciation from the recipients or the cc community usually makes up for the lack of money! Now though I guess I have given too many away to family so they are like "oh wow, that's cool" and move on. I guess I don't need a ticker tape parade or anything, but not the reaction I was hoping for when I spend 10 hours on something and stay up half the night.
But that said, I dont feel like I need each and every person to comment on my cakes here. Sometimes one I do doesnt receive the comments or saves I was hoping for, but I realize I may have posted at a busy time, or it just wasnt a cake a lot of people are dying to save or inpiration. Sometimes I really feel that the cakes that recieve little attention are the ones that really need the comments most, not the "all time popular" cakes.
We should all donate money to CC so they can hire a cake therapist...we all need to be in counseling...
It's funny how men and women have different ways of communicating. Have you noticed that when us women want something, we just hope someone else will know what we want by us dropping "hints" and if men want/need something they just ask for it?
That being said, can I suggest that when you need a bit of encouragement or attention that you simply ask for it? For example you could say, "Hey, I just made this cake, would you mind telling me what you think?" Then we'll all get what we need and no one will get their feelings hurt, etc.
Happy Day,
Steph
In my heart, I love it when people say nice things about my cakes, but I see so many flaws (which most times I point out to the person who ordered the cake) that in my head I have hard time believing they are not just being polite to my face.
Isn't that nuts?!?
First of all, post your pics! We'd love to see them and believe me, I guarantee you're a lot better than you think (especially if you've got customers!). Having said that, PLEASE don't point out the flaws to the customers - let them point them out to you! I can find a dozen flaws with every cake that I do and I have the bad habit when my hubby or someone else compliments the cake of telling them "oh it's not that great" and then I prove it to them by pointing out silly little things that no one but me would notice. If there's a flaw that ruins the cake I guarantee your customers will let you know. If you've got slightly unsmooth buttercream or a few crumbs here and there, no one else is going to notice as they're looking at the finished product.
I just do cakes for friends and family so I know no one is really going to pick it apart (they're just happy to get freebies) which I think is part of the reason I point out the bad stuff because I want them to give honest feedback and in order to get them to do that, I go first. But, really, I'm realizing more and more how foolish I am to do that and that I should just give them the cake (a labor of love that I slaved over) and beam with pride rather than find reasons that I'm not good enough.
We'd love to see your pictures and as you already know cause you've been around here a while . . . not all of us are Collette Peters (though holy cow a lot of people around here sure are close!) but I have yet to see a picture on here that I thought the person should really find a new hobby. We're all different levels but the passion is there (which is why we're here) and that in and of itself elevates our cakes.
And if you want honest feedback on your cakes, just ask and ye shall receive . . . people really are helpful with their constructive criticisms but then when you get the compliments, accept them just as openly.
Sorry - off my soapbox now. I just do the same thing that you do and have realized that there's nothing worse than realizing that you're trying to convince someone else that you're not as worthy as they think you are.
I know I am in the minority here but I wanted to post my thoughts on the subject so that you won't be offended if I don't comment on one of your wonderful cakes. I am an addict and I look at all of your beautiful cakes while I am at work throughout the day. Most times I am just trying to get a quick fix when I have a minute or two and so I don't have a few seconds to post a comment. If I do have more time I will take the time to make a quick comment. The same is true for the number of posts I have. Mostly I just read what you experts have to say and I file it in my head for later use (hopefully). I just do occasional cakes but I enjoy viewing everyone's cakes. I wish I could be that good!!
Wow, I guess I'm guilty of saving many cake photos as my favorite but not commenting on them either. I know I LOVE to hear the comments on my cakes when I post them, I should have paid more attention to this and post responses more often.
I think it is a valid point.. especially when we get pages and pages of uncommented ones. It urks me as a GSM to go in to make a comment on one and see it already saved as a fav and not see a comment on it. I call doing my my GSM pages my homework to DH and he laughs.... I consider it almost like being a chance to study other peoples talents and learn a little something from every single one. I notice that some cakes GREAT ones and even not so GREAT ones get tons of comments and then on the flips side the same types get 1.... I agree it is all in posting time.... those who post in the middle of the night probably get more post because the night owls are up watching, swing shifters, insomniacs, you know But all of SAHM or home bakers or just plain ole folks sitting at work bored or pretending to work just uploading our daily mess of photos that baked all weekend long JUST TO SHOWOFF on CC, hehehhehehe at least for me..... ok just sometimes, some are paid flood the galleries and we get Cake and Cupcake and Cookie overload.. poor Jackie and Heath, if only they could sample each item, or would they really want too... personally I would have hated for them to have sampled my cake ball interpretation this past weekend... don't think it will be in my list of to do's! Anywhoo..... said all that jazz to say this.....we have GSM's for a reason, but we aren't the only ones out there who are capable... if you see a cake you like, or for that matter sees room for improvement **treading lightly be nice about it*** make a comment, everyone learns something new everyday in life, you never know, today your NEW could be cake related.... ENJOY LIFE!
I always make a comment first before adding them into my favorites, or at least make a comment because I know how important it is for us to have our cc members compliment our hard work. I have noticed too that sometimes some of the pictures will not have the comment option at all. You can still add them under your favorites, but can't leave a comment. Has this happened to anyone else? Am I missing something? By the way, your cakes are beautiful!!
THe fact that my cake(s) caught your eye long enough for you to take the time to go in and look at it is a comment and a compliment. The fact that someone saved it as a favorite is the ULTIMATE comment and compliment.
If there is a specific design element that attracted me to your cake, I will let you know, so you know what you did "right", so you know what attracted me to your cake.
With so many cakes posted (and I sit down every single night and browse the "last posted" photos), I don't and can't look at every single one, but the ones I DO look at obviously are attractive enough to make me want a closer look.
Why would you not consider that a compliment? 
If you do this for the love of cakes, then isn't that your reward? That you get to do something you really really love?
And if you are good enough to merit making a little money on side, which means people are willing to pay for your talent, isn't that a great compliment? And even if you don't charge for your cakes, the fact that people are asking you to share your talent by making them a cake .... isn't that a great compliment?
Don't overlook the beauty of the ocean while looking for the diamond in the sand. The compliments are there. You're somehow just not seeing them.
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