Bronwen's Blog..what Did It Say?

Decorating By FeGe_Cakes Updated 10 Apr 2009 , 1:19am by ntertayneme

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FeGe_Cakes Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 9:46pm
post #1 of 126

I am sure this might be a big issue..but I did not get a chance to read Bronwen Weber's blog about the Home Baker's becoming legal. I missed the post from her husband about a day or two, and when I went to the blog the post for March 2009 was gone.

So..WHAT DID IT SAY?

Thanks

125 replies
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FeGe_Cakes Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 9:55pm
post #2 of 126

This is not a post to blast Bronwen..I just really want to know her opinion on the Texas cottage law thing and her reasons against it..in her own words.

Thanks

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SaraClassic Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 9:56pm
post #3 of 126

hmm.. I missed that topic. I'd like to know too. icon_confused.gif
-bump-

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tastyart Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 9:59pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaraClassic

hmm.. I missed that topic. I'd like to know too. icon_confused.gif
-bump-




Ditto

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janelwaters Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:00pm
post #5 of 126

I've never read her blog - what is the website address for her blog? I would also love to know her opinion. Nothing to blast - just curious.

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SaraClassic Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:01pm
post #6 of 126

IMHO, ANY baker who goes through the work of starting abusiness and going through the costs of it, and the legalities and the health codes is slightly agains a home baker. I knwo I would be a little, after all I do and spend on a shop then someone starts it in their hom and charges 1/2 my work Id be offended. ( I do not have a shop, and I do bake from home... but I dont try to bake out any local shops etc..) I have enough friends and family to do cakes for and keep up with my 2 little kids. So I think Bronwen gets a bit of a blast because the bigger the name the bigger the words. If anyone knows, Id like to hear it also.

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Kitagrl Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:04pm
post #7 of 126

Home bakers have legalities and insurance to pay for too, as well as alot less space and less ability to mass produce cakes.

Although I'm sure the "bakery people" may feel threatened by home bakers, they should not.

In my area there are millions of people. The 4-5 cakes I'm able to do per week doesn't put a dent in the business of anyone else.

Even if they feel jealous that they went through more work to get their bakery, they should not...because they are rewarded by more business and a bigger reputation than a home baker will ever have.

I will say I do try to keep my pricing up with the fancy bakery prices...I have four boys so I am not able to undercut pricing because I need to spend as little time doing cake (comparably) as possible for the pay.

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FeGe_Cakes Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:07pm
post #8 of 126

I probably will get flamed for this...I am for the Texas Cottege Food Law..but I can see both sides of it. I would like to open a bakery 1 day....but don't want the Texas Cottege Food law to bite me in the behind later.

I was just curious about her point of view..if her husband is out there lirking..I would greatly appreciate the info.

Again..this post is not to blast Bronwen or anyone else against the Texas Cottege Food law...i am a fan of hers..and was curious about her point-of-view.

Thanks

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FeGe_Cakes Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:12pm
post #9 of 126
Quote:
Originally Posted by janelwaters

I've never read her blog - what is the website address for her blog? I would also love to know her opinion. Nothing to blast - just curious.




There is no post found in March 2009, but here is the link:

http://www.bronwenweber.blogspot.com/

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janelwaters Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:18pm
post #10 of 126

Maybe I'm crazy (or just stupid) - but I only see a couple posts back in 2008? Does she not blog anymore?

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Deb_ Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:27pm
post #11 of 126

I read her blog about the Texas Cottage bill, she took it down after only a day or two.

She doesn't own her own bakery nor has she ever, she stated that in the blog.

She is against the bill, she named a bunch of different reasons why, i.e. sanitary conditions, pets, undercutting prices etc.

It was a long winded testimony. thumbsdown.gif

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j-pal Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:31pm
post #12 of 126

Her post was quite long and explained where she was coming from as a cake artist. She explained how she's been doing cakes since she was 14 - before it was the "in thing". She doesn't own the bakery she works in, but she loves what she does. She had quite a bit of personal information and background about who she is and where she's coming from.

I gathered from the blog that her two main reasons for being against the bill is 1) public health and safety and 2) the potential of bringing down the value of cakes by flooding the market with a lot more "businesses" that won't charge what a cake is worth, thereby causing bakeries to have to lower their prices. She indicated that she, herself, or the bakery she works in, probably wouldn't be affected adversely, but that it would be the smaller, currently legal in-home bakeries and other smaller scale shops that would probably be hurt by this the most.

I certainly don't claim to be quoting her blog and please don't anyone quote ME as quoting HER!! I'm relating what I took away from it when I read it. This was the overall impression that I got. I didn't believe she was being ugly or accusational in anything she said. She just has a different opinion from those of us who support the bill. Which she is entitled to.

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FeGe_Cakes Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:32pm
post #13 of 126
Quote:
Originally Posted by janelwaters

Maybe I'm crazy (or just stupid) - but I only see a couple posts back in 2008? Does she not blog anymore?




Hehe...i guess you didn't see this:

I missed the post from her husband about a day or two, and when I went to the blog the post for March 2009 was gone.


icon_biggrin.gif

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FeGe_Cakes Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:34pm
post #14 of 126

Thanks j-pal! thumbs_up.gif

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janelwaters Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:38pm
post #15 of 126

No, I knew that post was gone, my reason for going there was to read other things that she had blogged about. I love reading decorators blogs like the pink cake box blog and sharon (sugarshack's) blog - I guess she just doesn't blog anymore.

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Jayde Posted 1 Apr 2009 , 10:39pm
post #16 of 126

I am interested too....

I also totally agree with Kita. Home bakers pay licensing fees, have health inspections, and are generally treated the same as bakery bakers. I dont consider them a threat at all. In fact I applaud anyone with the courage to start up their own business, whether it is from their home or if they have the funds to open their own shop. We all have to start somewhere.

I dont usually get into pricing wars, because I can see both sides. I charge comparable to what others do in my area, a little higher actually. Some might argue that I dont charge enough and some might argue that I charge too much. Its a two way street. Only YOU can determine your prices and what your time is worth. If you want to pay yourself $10 an hour, awesome. If you only pay yourself $5 an hour thats great too.
(Let us not forget that you pros can decorate a cake a lot faster than some of the novices, so that might factor in a bit too.)

I say rock on Texas! I know there are some awesome home bakers out there that are just waiting to become legal so that way they can sell their cakes.

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SaraClassic Posted 6 Apr 2009 , 6:03pm
post #17 of 126

Yes yes, I know home bakers pay that insurace etc too... I was refering to home bakers who do not do it "legally" , like my state, we dont have that option, so here a home bakery dosent pay insurance, rent etc... because we cant even have one. So thats what I was referring to. I consider a business store front right up there with a home bakery that has dont it "right".
Id love to do a store front, and as soon as there is a financial break somewhere I will ! icon_biggrin.gif

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cylstrial Posted 6 Apr 2009 , 7:35pm
post #18 of 126
Quote:
Originally Posted by FeGe_Cakes

Quote:
Originally Posted by janelwaters

I've never read her blog - what is the website address for her blog? I would also love to know her opinion. Nothing to blast - just curious.



There is no post found in March 2009, but here is the link:

http://www.bronwenweber.blogspot.com/




Thanks for sharing her blog with us. I had no idea that she had one!!

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Janette Posted 6 Apr 2009 , 11:21pm
post #19 of 126

If I want to buy a food item from someone in the neighborhood that cooks out of their home - that should be my business - not the government. I am taking a chance on the health risk that may be involved, again that is my business.

This subject continues to surface from time to time. I am more than happy to express my views.

If someone wants to invest the time and money to open a bakery that is your business. I suggest you do your homework and make sure it's a profitable market area.

Some bake from their home to make ends meet or start towards owning their own bakery someday. I have friends that started in their home and have/or will have soon their own bakery. They would never have a problem with a home baker because that's how they got their start.

I bake from home (can you tell) there have been customers call and when they find out I'm not a bakery they don't want to order and that's fine it's their choice. I even go so far to give them the names of Bakeries that are in their area that I know does good work.

I keep my prices comparable with the Bakeries, I will not underprice them. Places like Walmart, Sam's I can hardly make a cake for what they charge.

I offer the best ingredients and time. I can't believe the sloppy work done in the local stores. With times the way they are people will get their cakes from them, every penny counts.

Don't worry about a couple cakes I may make here or there you have to compete with the stores. I don't think I'm the one that will make or break your business.

If someday I own my own bakery I will just have to make sure I am giving the customer the product and the service to make them want to return.

And there is the age old arguement: I know my kitchen is a lot cleaner than places that are inspected.

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sadsmile Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 12:19am
post #20 of 126

icon_redface.gif I have entirely too much time imagination and silliness. But still I must draw your attention to one little spot of her website. Her cakes are so amazing!!!

Endulge me for just a minute or two and go back to her homepage and click on create a cake. Now select a multi tier like two or three or even better 4! Wow!

OK

Now move your mouce down oin the Elevated selections and rock back and forth between the Yes and No...

Hehe belly laughing over here and watching that cake do jumping jacks! Who said cake wasn't good for you?

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SugaredUp Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 12:32am
post #21 of 126

Janette, I completely agree with you, and I've said it before - the same goes for licensing babysitters or hairdressers or anything. Just because your sitter is licensed doesn't mean you shouldn't do your own research, just because your baker is licensed doesn't mean that bakery isn't a dump.

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chefjulie Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 12:36am
post #22 of 126

Ummm....
Did the whole "Bill in the Texas House..." thread get deleted? I know there was a copy of the blog entry posted on there, but I cant find the thread...
I know I posted on it SEVERAL times, so I searched my "watched topics" and I cant find it anywhere.

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cakeandpartygirl Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 12:37am
post #23 of 126

jpal hit it right on the nose. I read it as well and came away with pretty much the same thing.

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chefjulie Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 12:39am
post #24 of 126

Wait, I just found it...
Now Im searching for where it was pasted icon_smile.gif

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indydebi Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 12:44am
post #25 of 126

To tell you the truth, when I read the blog, I didn't anything super signicant, meaning I was expecting a list of reasons why the bill was bad and that just wasn't what it was about. My impression was that it was a history of her career and everything that she's gone thru to get to where she is. It's a great story and I found it very interesting. She definitely has a passion for what she does. But when I finished reading it, my thought was, "Intersting background story, but what does this have to do with the bill?" Unless I'm just super dense and totally missed the point .....?

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chefjulie Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 12:45am
post #26 of 126

Crap, apparently it was just the link.

If you're really bored, you can go through and read the discussion about it. It's mostly in pages 40-50

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Wendl Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 12:57am
post #27 of 126

Janette - exactly!!! I can't afford to quit my nicely paying full-time job and just dive into having a bakery of my own. I am building my skill base doing cakes for friends on the side. I am trying to put together my book of what I am capable of, and getting to know bakers in my area so that I can maybe see about maybe going to work with them part-time. I want to take small-business classes because I know royal icing and fondant won't do the books on their own.

What I find horribly, HORRIBLY ironic is the story I heard on the way home tonight...about gun shows and that high-powered rifles, and any firearm pretty much available can be sold by private parties at said gun shows with no paperwork, no background check, no taxes - nothing but the money to change hands... and it's all legal here in TX - the Gun Show Loophole... Guns that take lives, maim, causing others to be violent in retaliation - and it's legal... BUT I CANNOT SELL A NICELY DECORATED CAKE from my home...?!???! A cake that is baked in a clean kitchen, with artistry and talent that will bring joy to people...nope, can't sell it. But I can take a firearm that I want to sell, to a gun show and w/no licensing, no tax number, no requirements...and that's okay.

Irony, thy name is Texas.
Bubba/Bubbette selling personal hi-pow'd gun at a show = icon_smile.gif go right ahead... Wendl selling non-lethal cake from home = EEEEEEVIL and must be stopped before she desserts again! ?!???!?

I respectfully disagree with Bronwen, and she's my cake goddess. I someday want to have my own bakery. But I am not going to stifle someone else who wants the dream/stress, too - I wouldn't be scared of them, I would be driven to stay at the top of my game.
Wendl

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7yyrt Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 2:52pm
post #28 of 126

poop. I was hoping to see pictures of her Life Story cake from the newest challenge.

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Ironbaker Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 5:00pm
post #29 of 126

Not a full view but you can see some of it....

Image

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7yyrt Posted 7 Apr 2009 , 7:26pm
post #30 of 126

Ooh,
thanks MUCH!

She put so much thought into that cake.

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