So, I haven't shared any cake decorating stories in a while...well, I haven't had any! lol
so, last week I made this cake for my grampa and we had friends, family and neighbors over. Well, one of the neighbors was a long time friend and I grew up with her kids being my best friends. She starts talking about this huge graduation party that she is going to have in a couple weeks for her youngest daughter...while we are about to bring out the cake that I made for my grampa! So, she's like...OH! I didn't even think about you! I say that's fine no biggie...not everyone does. And then she goes on to tell me that she is having family over for the coming weekend and that I could make a cake for that! yeah...like...yeah, make a cake for that! but then she asks if I can and I say that I can do it....she is a long time friend/neighbor...I wanted to!
anyway...so, I call her and ask her if she wants anything special on it...and she's like..."whatever! i really don't care...it's just for family and you know us! " which is true but, with no specifics and a blank canvas I really was at a loss...I mean, I haven't talked to the kids in like for ever and I really don't socialize with them all that much anymore...I know that this girl did cheerleading most of her life but, I didn't think she would want that on a graduation cake, I figured she'd grown out of that!
Well, to make a long story short...the blank canvas was a BIG problem for me...I ended up just doing this cutesy grad thing...and she was like "well, it's cute! not creative like you normally do!" awww! I knew it was just cute and said that I didn't want to do the cheerleading thing on it...but, apparently that's what they were expecting...even her daughter!
So..should I have done what they were expecting!? I mean...I had one weeks notice and I got sick in the middle of it...baked and decorated all in one day...I didn't tell her that...but, it was short notice and I didn't know what to do! my hubby told me to stick with the grad thing! so I did!
feel like I kind of let my reputation down..all on my own!
Stephanie
This same thing seems to happen to me a lot. People see the really REALLY cool 3-D cakes that I do. Then they ask me to make a cake for some occasion, and I make a really REALLY nice sheetcake, and they're like, "Oh, that's cute, but it's nothing like those others you've done" What is the deal? Do these people think EVERY cake has to be a life size replica of an enchanted tree, or a purse or a book or a gumball machine or a castle or it's just not good enough? Drives me nuts when I put hard work and effort into something, and it is GOOD and people still act like they expected something more from me. Okay, I'm done. Can you tell you hit a nerve with me?!?!!? LOL
Oh, and I'm sure your cake was perfect. Don't let them get to you.
When someone tells me to just "do whatever" - I keep pressing them for answers.
"Ok, but do you have any specific color scheme or theme in mind?"
"Do you want me to include ________ or _______?"
You don't have to read their minds, but if you think you have an idea of what they MIGHT like, make sure you suggest it and see how they feel about it.
When someone tells me to just "do whatever" - I keep pressing them for answers.
"Ok, but do you have any specific color scheme or theme in mind?"
"Do you want me to include ________ or _______?"
You don't have to read their minds, but if you think you have an idea of what they MIGHT like, make sure you suggest it and see how they feel about it.
yes, this is good...this is what I was doing...and because she was a long time friend of mine she was just like..."oh! you know us!" I guess that didn't translate well for me...cause..."OH! you know us!" was to me...yeah...the girl does cheerleading but I thought she'd grown out of it...lol
so, I blame being sick...that's what I'm blaming it on! LOL
Thanks for sharing your story lilmansmum...that's exactly how I was feeling!
How could you have done what they were expecting, when they didn't tell you what they were expecting? You make beautiful cakes. You didn't let your reputation down at all. People need to give an idea or accept what they get, and accept it graciously! I think it's a little rude, actually, to say that your cake was not creative. Could they have done better? Especially on short notice? I know they probably didn't mean it in a nasty way, but there is such a thing as tact (not that anyone remembers what that is). So don't get yourself down.
Is the pic in your gallery? I'm going to go look. If it's like any of your other grad cakes then I know it looked great.
How could you have done what they were expecting, when they didn't tell you what they were expecting? You make beautiful cakes. You didn't let your reputation down at all. People need to give an idea or accept what they get, and accept it graciously! I think it's a little rude, actually, to say that your cake was not creative. Could they have done better? Especially on short notice? I know they probably didn't mean it in a nasty way, but there is such a thing as tact (not that anyone remembers what that is). So don't get yourself down.
Is the pic in your gallery? I'm going to go look. If it's like any of your other grad cakes then I know it looked great.
haha...she wasn't mean about it...actually, my mom said "well, that's just like her to say something!" so, I guess it's to be expected? but...she wasn't rude...it's just her.
and yes, the photo is in my gallery! Thank you!
Well that's to be expected with teenagers anyway. It's not rude to them, it's just being blunt, or speaking without thinking! I still try to teach my older son that you should be gracious when someone makes something for you, whether you like it or not. He can complain to me later, in private. I don't want anyone's feelings to get hurt.
Anyway, I did look at the cake and I thought it was very cute! I like how you did the cut-out of the grad cap. I thought that was creative!
Well that's to be expected with teenagers anyway. It's not rude to them, it's just being blunt, or speaking without thinking! I still try to teach my older son that you should be gracious when someone makes something for you, whether you like it or not. He can complain to me later, in private. I don't want anyone's feelings to get hurt.
Anyway, I did look at the cake and I thought it was very cute! I like how you did the cut-out of the grad cap. I thought that was creative!
aww! thank you very much!
I'm not mad at her...she did thank me...but I just thought "how crazy!" that whole situation was! lol
Thanks for sharing and talking it out with me all!
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