I have spent all day defending myself to a very rude individual, attacking the same ad that other lady did last time in my post about us TX bakers being misinformed thread.

At any rate first he accused me of being illegal so I offered to fax my credentials to him, then he apologized but told me that venues have no liability if someone gets sick at an event held at their facility that the entity who rented the facility would have the liability if someone got sick from the food and he stated he knew this because he use to be an HD in Houston. Okay fine, but I also know that many venues in Houston including one I use to work for, are now either doing the catering & cakes themselves or only allowing caters and cake people who are on their preferred vendors list to bring food into their establishments...WHY because they are liable for anything that happens in their venue! So I emailed him back an explained this.

Then he sent back another blasting email stating that my ad is bashing other bakers...No it is educating the consumer not bashing anyone! He further called me a hypocrit since I am very open even on my site about my faith. This hurt me most of all. As he was calling me judgemental yet he was being very judgemental towards me! Telling me he decided he would rather take his chances with an illegal baker than with me because I was underhanded in my advertising! I am so crushed right now!

I even had a baker who wasn't legal who was posting ads on CL call me and asked questions on how to get legal, thanked me for giving her info on how to be come legal as she didn't even know it was illegal in TX to bake from home!

I had a bride last year call me less than a week before her wedding panicked because her baker was caught by the HD and couldn't do her cake. I felt so sorry for all the stress thrust upon this girl just days before her wedding! Also, the baker called me to refer all her other cakes on the books to me. I felt just as bad for her because all her dreams went down the toilet! The fines totally did her in, and she lost all that income from the other bookings! I truly put that disclaimer in my ad for educational purposes, not to bash those flying under the radar!
But now I feel that if I remove it then it will be like an admission that I was trying to bash.

I even told him of all my efforts to get the cottage food law passed here in TX so all home bakers can become legal. I am not afraid of competition, I know my product is good. I truly am only trying to help potential customers from getting burned not so much by the unlicensed baker, but by the HD who traps unsuspecting home bakers with fake ads!

Every single ad that blatantly states they are working from their homes I have emailed to let them know that the HD scopes out CL purposely to catch unlicensed bakers. Most have no clue they are doing something illegal, I tell them about this site, tell them about the efforts being made to make home baking legal and answer any questions they might have about getting legal. I truly want that law to pass! There have been a few times in my life that I didn't have a legal kitchen and had to stop doing what I love to do because of it. Had the cottage law been in effect I never would have missed a beat!

Sorry guys, I am just feeling so hurt right now over all this. Once March 1 hits I am removing the ads and never placing another ad on CL again! There are just too many looney tunes out there that get their jollies from hurting others.

Sounds like you did what was right. Just remember there will always be people who will put you down because your Christian but don't forget we are also human, and we will all at one point in our life make mistakes, and Satan see's that and trys to point it out and let the world know how bad we are. Don't worry what others have to say just keep walking and blessings will continue to come you way.

I'm sorry you're feeling so wounded when you thought you were trying to be helpful. My advice is if you know you're right then just drop it. Why do you care what he thinks? You don't even know him, do you?

As far as e-mailing everyone on CL and informing them that they're illegal, personally I think that's just a bit much. I think I'd probably tell you to MYOB. It's not your job to send an "alert" to everyone who may be violating the State law. It's really just not your concern.

As far as being so visible about your faith, I think it's just another example of the fact that many people just don't care what your faith is and don't see what it has to do with your business. It seems a lot wiser to keep that to yourself and then you don't open yourself up to ridicule. If you're as faithful as it sounds like you are, you don't have to wear it on your sleeve.

This is awful. I believe you have honest intentions and can't believe the nerve of this "hd" guy bashing you for trying to help. You should have him flagged on CL...just a thought, if there is such a thing for people.

I do understand your frustration over this. Instead of removing your ad which seems to be agitating quite a few in your area, change it to simply read something like....Proud to say I bake from a licensed and inspected kitchen! It doesn't sound like you're minding the possibly unlicensed and uninspected bakers' business and more mindful of your own.

Please, I mean no offense by my comment.

It's not a religion issue- just a RUDE issue. Many hide behind the anynomous nature of the net to "let loose". That is why there is a "delete" button... use it! Who said you had to reply? Walk away (figuratively speaking).

hang in there... Everyone on the net is NOT a crazy, but the few who are can drive the rest of us nuts.

I'm sorry you've got to deal with such rude people. I recently sold some stuff on Craig's List and almost unlisted everything because I was getting a bunch of psychos contacting me. I was just selling regular household stuff not anything weird! I like to buy stuff from CL but I'm weary of listing anything to sell there again. I probably would ignore any emails from that guy again.

Here's my two cents.

Stop trying to justify and defend yourself to them. Ignore it, delete it and move on.

Let them remain ignorant or knowledgable of the law and choosing to break it. Sooner or later it will catch up to them.

As for those blasting your faith, it's the real world and it's going to happen especially if you are open about it with your business. It's just the way the cards are delt. Let him be ugly to you now but remember if all you believe is true then when his day comes to meet the Lord he'll be accountable for his actions towards you and will have to answer to him.

Keep your chin up and don't let the combative ones get you down. They are either feeling guilty for knowingly do wrong, or are just shocked at the realization of it.

Maybe you could put something on your website about the legality of it and just pray that those interested will look at it. You know that any other decorators seeing your ad will check you out and see it that way too.

*hugs* and I'm sorry he upset you so badly. Don't let it get to you or get you down.

Bake on sister, bake on!

Honestly, if I were an unlicensed baker and unaware of the law, I'd be very grateful if you sought me out to inform me. I wouldn't tell you to MYOB -- I'd thank you for your concern.

Hang in there, and like many others have said, you're not accountable to this loony guy, so just quit responding to him.

Sounds to me like this is the reason the person is a "former" HD person. I'd want to know why they aren't HD anymore and why it matters so much to them.

I highly doubt this person was an HD inspector. It's probably someone just wanting to cause a big stink who's got no life and picked you to take it out on. Ignore them and move on.

to further address the faith issue...

The name of my business is Cakes Divine - I have an angel as my logo and my tag line that I trademarked says A Taste So Heavenly, It's Deligtfully Sinful!

If someone actually goes to my "about me" page they will learn why I call my business Cakes Divine. I also have a community rebate program and a fundraising program. But if you just go to my site and don't look at those pages (and most don't) You wouldn't think anything about my faith, nor take offense to it. I certainly don't preach to anyone or try to change their minds about their beliefs, I don't feel that is my place. Each person has to find their own path, and I certainly won't begrude someone who chooses differently than I...case in point...My oldest daughter is agnositic even though she was raised Christian. I don't push, I don't prod, I don't judge her stand at all. It is her life to live not mine.

I am a textbook pisces...I wear my feelings on my sleeve, I take everything personally, that is just my nature. But I am extremely compationate, and would give the shirt off my back to anyone in need. So I do feel that I need to defend myself when personally attacked. I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, and as others can testify on here, when I am wrong I admit it and laugh at myself and shortcomings in the process, then learn what I can from the experience.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts (thus far) They are appreciated. Just waiting for the bashers who don't like me anyway to have a field day with this.

I'm sorry this guy has upset you. I know how much you've been doing to try and get this law passed so that people CAN bake LEGALLY from their homes.

It's easy for us to tell you to not let it bother you, because it will, you're only human. I would just delete any future e-mails from this guy or block him completely if you can.

I'm a firm believer that the good do outweigh the bad although sometimes it doesn't seem so.

Try to keep your chin up, I'm sure there are a lot of TX home bakers out there that will want to personally Thank You for all that you are doing to get that law passed.

Keep smiling and you know you can always count on your CC family when you need to vent.

Kelleym deserves the credit for the momentum of this movement to get this law passed, I just jumped on the bandwagon whole heartedly, totally following her lead!

cakesdivine...my thoughts and prayers are with you...God Bless You.

I would love to have my own cake decorating business one day...right now it is just a hobby, and something that I do for family and friends. Sometimes my family pays for the ingredients for me to bake cakes for them...I sure hope that I am not breaking any laws by accepting their monies for this...forgive me of my ignorance about all of the legalities of this...just don't want to do anything that is wrong. I have learned a lot on CC...

BIG HUGS to you.... hang in there sister!

Ruth0209 wrote:

"As far as being so visible about your faith, I think it's just another example of the fact that many people just don't care what your faith is and don't see what it has to do with your business. It seems a lot wiser to keep that to yourself and then you don't open yourself up to ridicule. If you're as faithful as it sounds like you are, you don't have to wear it on your sleeve."

Why should she have to keep it to herself? Our faith is a beautiful thing and should be shared with everyone who wants to hear it. What she has on her website is not pushy. The "gays" wear it on their sleeve and think we are required to listen to them. Don't change a thing there will always be people who want this world totally without faith whether Christian or another religion. This world is far better with people like you in it gently sharing your faith.

This has totally nothing to do with thread....I just noticed I got moved up to a junior level . Sorry.....excited!

No need to apologize...derail all you want! Congrats on the new ranking!

and the "gays" get bashed for it too. Anything you put on your sleeve is opening up yourself for public opinion. If you're down for that - great. If you'd rather not hear the differing opinions - keep quiet.

I don't think business and personal life need to be commingled publicly like that, but I also keep my opinions on other ppls stuff to myself too

Sorry that you were bashed by this guy. I agree with others. I think there are people on the net that just surf to different sites with forums to just bash someone there. It speaks volumns for them...low self esteem. It's like how some people drive so crazy and make rude gesters at others on the road. They do it because they think they can get away with it. Nothing wrong with talking about your faith. I encourage it. If you are not trying to ram it down someone's throat there is no reason not to let others know your faith. As somone mentioned on here other people with different religions, non-religions, certain lifestyles, different beliefs. etc shout it from the rooftops and expect all to listen to their opinions. Why should we as Christians, be told to be silent. Hang in there and just ignore him and any others that are being rude. When you reply back to these people, that just stirs them up to say more. Not replying makes them silent.

I know debi...I even told him that the reason the event hall (in Houston) I use to work for changed their policy on the acceptance of outside food was directly due to a lawsuit that had been brought against them. The event hall won, but it cost them almost half a year's income in legal fees to battle it. So they decided to only allow foods from a preapproved list of licensed vendors. No more bringing your own food.

The more I think about this guy, I think he or his wife must be an illegal baker and got pissed that I alerted anyone to the fact that it is illegal in TX to bake from home.

My opinion is to not get into it with people. There will always be people out there who want to make you feel small. It's unfortunate, but it's true. If you don't respond to it, they don't get what they want. If any future correspondence occurs, ignore it.

I'm so sorry this has happened to you-you seem like a sweet lady, and you don't deserve this.

Sorry you have be attacked by this person and that you are upset. I think it is best if you just drop it and don't continue to defend yourself to him or email him anymore. Just leave it knowing you are doing the right thing by having a legal business. He is obviously feeling defensive. If it were me I might add that I work in a "licensed and inspected facility" in my advertising. Leave it there. Let the consumer figure out that not all people are "legal"

just going back to your original post last week, this person is a former HD and wedding coordinator? Now a legal cake baker? hmm

Oh no, it is two separate people.