I am not naturally talented in the creative/artistic department... I have to practice, practice, practice and copy someone else's idea. Even so, I still turn out an inferior cake.

I'm not in this as a business--I donate my cakes to charity--but I'd like them to look at least half decent! Will someone with no talent like myself ever get better?

This is a link to two of my cakes. http://sweetpatscakes.wordpress.com/cake-gallery/ I had done like 6 or so before them, so you can see that I'm not a natural. ha ha Part of my problem is that I am impatient and like to hurry...

Just wondering if there's hope. Anyone else start out without any talent? How long did it take you to get decent?

First of all, those cakes are GREAT!!

You definitely have the skill. The best part about this website is the ideas! That, and that you also have the support of so many people to help you when you need it. I have used their expertise many times.

Keep your head up! You are light-years ahead of where I started

Listen Banana......
Everything takes time, somethings more time than other things. You will get great. You are already very good. Read a lot and play alot until you perfect that skill. You will be great. Never think otherwise. Be confident and practice.
I know you will and can

Kendi

Regardless of whether you think you have no natural talent, your cakes look very nice. You should be very proud of the work you have done. Everyone is a beginner at some point. And no one is above learning something new. Always strive to improve. Above all else......have fun.

Gayle
SE Michigan

Without a doubt you will get better! You already have a number of things in your favour 1) the desire to improve 2) you practice like mad and as the saying goes, practice makes perfect! 3) you are quite self critical (maybe a little too much) and 4) good old CC with all its tips, articles, advice and 'sisters' I think you should stop being so hard on yourself, relax, continue to do what you are currently doing and you'll be fine. My last piece of advice is to save this thread and a year from now, you will realise how far you've come

PS Your cakes are quite good by the way..........

Sorry but this is my first reaction after looking at your site, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? To be new at this craft you are doing awesome. Your cakes are beautiful and I am in love with the snowman cupcakes!!!!

I think that you are suffering from what the rest of us are. We see EVERY flaw in our cakes and only pay attention to that and not the cake as a whole. We all start out making newbie mistakes but once we hone our skills we can make fabulous creations like the veterans on this site.

With the wealth and generosity of knowledge on this site you will be a pro in no time. Good luck and I cant wait to see more of your fabulous creations.

Keep on caking!

I totally agree! I WISH my first cakes had looked this good! You definately have talent. We all have issues....
Mine is: I feel like I can't "create" my own designs...always taking someone elses and "tweaking." Which comes down to "no confidence!"
However, I notice in my photos...the ones that ARE my own designs??? Guess what? get tons of hits as favorites!!! So that tells me to VENTURE out of my fear box....I'm working on it....
You have a great source of help here, keep up the good work!

I'm totally stealing your cupcake idea for my kids!!!

It's not my idea... I stole it from someone else! Thanks for the kind words... back to practicing! LOL

....... I still turn out an inferior cake........

As everyone else has said you are far too critical of your work!
Your cakes are beautiful. Just keep doing what you are doing and you will not only get better but make awesome cakes for an awesome cause

I'm not a natural talent either, and I'm not especially creative. Once I've seen someone elses beautiful cake, then I can get some idea of what I want to do.
I have gotten better as I've made more cakes, as well as more confident. I've also learned to use chocolate transfers, fondant accents or fondant lace to make my cakes look more special. They're not very hard to do, but the results look pretty professional.
This is my latest with the lace. It's a simple buttercream 6, 9, 12, with fresh flowers. I made the fondant lace with a mold and painted it with Old Gold dust. They were very impressed, but the lace was pretty easy! It's time consuming to cut out the edges, but not hard to do!

As to your cakes, I think they're great for someone who says they're a beginner! Keep caking!

Jodie

Hey Banana!

Practice does make perfect!! You are off to a GREAT start, your cakes are very pretty!!!!

Jen

I don't know what you are worried about! I think you are going to be great!

I love your cakes too. I only started decorating last winter and am amazed at both how much I have learned and how much more there is to learn. Practice does make a HUGE difference and so does this site. I have also come to realize that I tend to be my own worst critic. I read your story and think that what you are doing is wonderful, both as a tribute to your mother and a help to your community. Good luck and be proud of your work!!!

I'm confused. Was the charitable website the right one? Because those cakes are wonderful! And for a good cause too! Kudos to you my dear. This is called "Good Karma". It's people like you that make this world go round! Much love

It takes at least a year to get you to a place where you feel confident enough about your skills. No matter if you are good or maybe a little slower learning, it has a process. I always say this to my students. And the other day one came and said, is so true what you say about the year, finally I am getting a grip on my deocrating. SO... don't despair. Cake decorating is a never ending learning process. I learn things all the time. Practice will only make you better and faster.
Wish you the best of luck!
Edna

those cakes were really lovely! im in a similar boat but i am trying to have a business as a sideline so im extra critical and nervous! im hoping eventually to get to the point where I dont feel sick with nerves before and during making each cake. ive have my first 4 offical orders in the next month and each one is making me in a state of panic! I see every flaw and compare all my cakes to those of others which always seem more balanced, sharper, cleaner, etc but what i keep telling myself is that i only made my first fondant cake in October and i can only get better from here.

Practice makes perfect! (and i too have to work from other peoples pictures as i just can;t put whats in my head onto a cake )

I hear ya!! My absolute first cake I ever did was my aunts, she was getting married and had little money, they always named me crafty b cause as a kid I always doodled etc (poorly), so she asked me to do her cake, at this time the closest thing to decorating a cake I had ever done was some cupcakes. I had never baked a cake and taken it out of the pan and decorated it but I said okay (true family love right there on both parts). I figured if she had enough faith in me to do it then I would try to do it. I went and bought the tips and go to work. I made a practice cake, yikes, what was I thinking!! Then she told me she wanted three tiers, what, I can't do that, I don't know that I can do it at all!! I just prayed that I could and you know what, it may not be that pretty or that great but I will always like it as I had no clue what I was doing and still managed to get all three tiers up and they cut the cake and there wasn't any left. Guess it went okay and because of this experience I feel in love with doing cakes. I myself am not great at doing them and I like trying new things. I work a full time job and babysit for my best friend 2 to 4 nights a week so I don't get a lot of practice time but over time I've learned lots of things and notice improvements. I don't think my cakes are even worth a buck a slice but they do take a lot of work and at the end of the day, as long as it taste good and the people are happy with it so am I.

Banana----

Your work looks great! Keep practicing! That's what we've done!

On a side note: We received a kind of vicious attack from a fellow CC'er who asked how we could possibly ever sell cakes with the way some of them look. We just threw out the email and said, "You know what! Our website shows our growth, our faults, and our triumphs."

We are very super-critical of our work and are not always happy. Yet people love our work, love the taste, and have noticed the improvements.

Keep up the great work and the accolades and satisfaction will continue.

Paul & Peter