I have been beating myself up over the last wedding I did and the cakes I did in the months since January. Then I it came to mind that I have been going tru alot of changes and stressful situations since January. I believe that mood and situations definately affect the way my cakes turn out. My moods and stress are starting to take a turn for the better and it shows in the graduation cakes I've done lately. What do you all think?

Sure, been there, done that. The stress causes depression, the depression puts in I Don't Give A Hoot mode, and mode, and even though you know you have to do something, you just do enough of it to get it done, regardless of the final outcome.

Get over it. Unless you invent a time machine within the next few days, and can go back and fix things, there's really nothing you can do about it except be more aware of your emotions with your next big project, and only take on what you know you can handle.

Theresa

Thank you. That is wonderful advise!!

Oh yeah, for sure. When I'm stressed or sad, my cakes don't turn out, from the baking all the way down to the decorating.

When I'm in a great mood, great cakes!

So I usually turn on some good tunes, have a glass of some adult-type beverage, and try to turn my mood around if I'm gloomy before a cake.

Cakes are my therapy.

Usually normal everyday stress doesn't show in my cakes. Unfortunately I recently went through some really hard times and it showed in my cakes so much so that I started turning people down because I knew my heart wasn't in it. DH was actually worried because I normally use baking to calm me down/cheer me up. I've pretty much been doing experimental and absolutely necessary (I bake for a restaurant - so I can't tell them no)baking. You are so not alone.

Funny that you mention that as I have the opposite problem!!!!! I can handle everyday stresses with no problem!!!!! I am new to cake decorating and it is the actual cake decorating that makes me stressed out!!!!!!!!!!

I go through the same thing. Here's a 'hug' for ya.

Normally cake stress is not the same... that's a good stress!

I certainly agree with you cjstor. I made a cake yesterday for my first major client that was an absolute disaster because I was so nervous and worried. I so wanted to make a good impression but failed miserably. I am beating up myself about it so much! However I knew that if I carried on like that I would not be able to make the cakes that were due today, so I forced myself to switch off and got a grip on myself. The result was that the cakes I made today are so much better! I still need to deal with yesterday's major disaster though. Any tips or suggestions will be gratefully received.........

Whew! At least it's not just me!

I definitely have this problem. I haven't made (or enjoyed) making a cake since Christmas. I've been really stressed/anxious since January and finally am reaching normal life again. It showed because I made the first cake that I actually enjoyed making this week (still not perfect but it came so much easier!). The cake I made for my dad's birthday was supposed to be fun but I hated it. Hoping my latest cake is signs of a much improved mood!

I totally agree! Love and Happiness are ingredients That's what makes our cakes, cookies, cupcakes, etc. so wonderful and awesome.

See, now I can handle every day stress. Cooking, cleaning, cake deadlines for family requests, etc.

It's all the stuff I have no control over - my missing mail (some genius at the PO processing center decided that my mail to my new address is undeliverable). I'm missing my new checks, a credit card, and all my monthly trade magazines. And of course, even though they're bar-coded items, my local PO says they can't trace the items to see where they went.

Thanks for letting me vent, All!

Theresa

I feel the same way. If I'm stressed, my cakes suffer. If I really don't want to do the cake, my hearts not in it, then my cakes look awful. I'm going to have to leart to tell friends and family no if I'm not feeling the cake. You are not alone!

I agree that your mood can affect your caking process. Sometimes when I'm really down, I don't even feel like baking/decorating. Then as things change, I feel better and start itching to make something. I guess it's the yin and yang of life. Always know that the good thing is that you can still be in control by not taking orders when you are down and using that down time to focus on you, do something for yourself, so when you get back in the swing of things you'll be ready to do what you have to for others.
Oh yeah, remember that even on a bad day your customers are not likely to notice anything anyway.

You all are sooo uplifting!!! Mommak got to listen (read) the brunt of it and she was so encouraging. Thank all of you for your responses!

since we are talking about moods... I'm supposed to help host a baby shower and provide the food and desserts. I am so bummed that I am actually going to buy a cake from Walmart.

I definately know that mood and situation affect, I have been trying for a few months now to get back into the swing of cakes. It is slow going, but each new one helps me more and more. August 2006, my husband left me and about 4 months ago was when I did my first cake since he left. I miss doing them, but just cant always get motivated to do one, but like I said it is getting better each time. I always have to remember how happy the person will be when they get their cake.

frstech - many hugs to you!

To everyone else here at CC thanks for helping me through my tough times with all your funny, interesting, and innovative posts!

I completely agree !! Yesterday I made 3 cakes just to get one good one because I was in such a foul mood. I did have the I dont really care mentality. Its so sad....cause I love this soo much!

Stress in my life does show in my cakes. Because it is a passion for me naturally when I am feeling "down" there isn't a drive of any type there. That is why I know that for me I just need to do it few and far between and at MY pace. I have learned that when someone asks me to do one and I am busy (as I am at the moment working seven days a week and Sat & Sun being 12hr shifts) it is in my best interest as well as theirs to tell them I can't make a cake at this time. I let them know why and everyone seems to be very understanding! Just life I guess!

Kim

In the last couple months a death and family illnesses have really affected my cakes and my mood. Im just about ready to quit making cakes all together. Im taking a couple of months off to think about if i still want to make them or not. Some of the last cakes I've made in the last month I have not been happy with and I think its because I just dont feel like making cakes. I call it the Cake Funk.

OOOH I completely agree, I had got done making a 3 tier cake and my husband was complaining and saying that I am neglecting my kids, from that point on, I lost my motivation all my MMF was too soft and was really close to stop making cakes all together. I was ready to put all my molds, pans etc on Ebay.


Then, I figured out that you can't convert pounds to ounces, before i was converting a two pound bag of powdered sugar to 4 cups of powdered sugar. Finally I bought a scale and noticed that I was 4 cups short and I found my MOJO again......

But yes..I AGREE!!! We are all artists, some more talented than others (me being the least talented) and all artists work is affected by their moods........

a very popular and no longer with us cc'er once told me that being on your cycle or near your cycle can really cause problems... I didn't believe her until it happened to me.... I was sooooooo moody in the 1st cycle after DS was born that every cake I touched that week looked like poop to me.... nothing was even, colors running, borders awful..... so yes I think your life issues can cause major problems with your baking and decorating. Good luck to you, hope all gets better!

Even when you are feeling down.... you can't let your cakes suffer. If you are charging money, you should be a professional no matter how you feel. If your mood affects your work that much, I would suggest turning down orders during the stressful times. I totally understand feeling blue/busy/stressed/unhappy etc, but it isn't fair to your customers to only do great things when you feel good. I'm directing these comments to the people who are charging for their cakes. I have been extremely stressed out myself lately (2 family deaths, husband working out of town for a year, 2 kids home for the summer, and booming business.) Believe me... I know stress. Sometimes cake is the last thing i want to think about but I force myself to make that cake just as special as any other.

I feel the same way. Dealing with all the stress around here drives me crazy! Plus I'm so hard on my self, I know I can do better with my cakes...yet this all makes me not want to do anymore sometimes. Ugh.

Yep my mood affects my cakes usually my family just stays back and lets me create. Cause if momma isnt happy nobody is happy!!
But seriously...we are all obviously creative artistic people or we would not do what we do, we need to set the environment to create in.
I have to say that I had a ugly neck surgery the end of last year and decorating really brought me back because it puts me in a happy place.

It is all in how you look at it. Making cakes and the national gingerbread compitition pretty much saved my life. I lost my seventeen year old daughter Laci about six years ago. For the first 3 years I did nothing but exist if that. The Pink Cake in my photos begin to change things for me. I made it for our nephews wedding and it was the best theropy a person could get. I found that making and baking and designing things gave me a very happy feeling so if I'm feeling bad I start baking cakes. I call it cake therpy. Most occasions requiring a cake are happy occasions and If i am feeling down I just pour all my thought into designing a happy cake. I do alot of freebees just for that reason. So if your feeling down just bake a happy cake. If your baking a happy cake and are probably going to give it away then there is no stress about making it perfect. Alot of people think I'm crazy for doing so many freebees but trust me cake ingredients are a whole heck of alot cheaper than a good psychiatrist. And now I have another happy place to visit called cake central.

Since I charge for my cakes I try very hard not to let my mood affect my cakes. On the other hand there have been times when my cakes affect my mood!