yeah, so what? But I have to add that I went to culinary school too, but if someone wanted to pay off my business and every bill I had I'd jam as many plastic tchotchkes as they wanted on top of a cake. I just wouldn't put the pictures on my website

I have made a few that were totally butt-ugly, all client-designed. My favorite was one that the bride's mother made a topper for. The cake was pretty basic, I think it had lilac-colored piping on it, but the topper was about 16" tall with two giant birds sitting on a giant styrofoam stump with pearls wrapped around it and an arch over them. It was almost taller than the cake and super fugly.

I think i did post a picture of it at some point. I don't know where i would have found it though, i thought i destroyed all copies.

The competition for the fugly crown was the one with the 5 disney statue toppers and the yellow icing roses with foil leaves, staircases and yellow ribbons. The scary thing about both those cakes was that the clients LOVED them. Different strokes...but neither one is on my website, we'll just put it that way.

Originally Posted by costumeczar

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Originally Posted by carmijok

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Originally Posted by salokin

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Originally Posted by Sugar_Art_Cakery




No offense to yourself or any others on the forum that use these....but I wouldn't use a licensed character topper on one of my cakes if you offered to pay off my entire business and every bill I have. My cakes are custom, one-of-a-kind cakes....not Walmart cakes. Someone wants their Walmart cake with the Mickey topper...go 4 miles down the road and take a right and look for the pick-up trucks.

I'm a professionally trained cake designer. I didn't pay $20,000 for school to put some cheesy topper on one of my cakes.

As far as offering to do a simpler cake, I won't do that. I'm known in the area for the particular skill I have and that is sculpted cakes and/or theme cakes. I don't do simple cakes. You can go to Walmart for simple cakes or even hit Carvel if you want a whale shaped Ice Cream cake. That's not me and that's not what I do. My simplest cakes start at $250 and go from there. If you aren't willing to pay for my skill and effort, go someplace else....especially if I've offered to donate my time as long as you pay for supplies. I have bills to pay just like everyone else.

This comes off really bitchy.

So?

yeah, so what? But I have to add that I went to culinary school too, but if someone wanted to pay off my business and every bill I had I'd jam as many plastic tchotchkes as they wanted on top of a cake. I just wouldn't put the pictures on my website

After I had a chance to cool off, I took another look and saw how my post may have come across....lol Since I'm a guy (and an former 17 year Police Officer), being called bitchy was a new one for me...lmao

I do apologize for anyone that may have been offended by certain parts of my post. It was an enormous build-up of frustration from family members trying to take advantage of me with guilt trips....being Irish AND Catholic I probably shouldn't be all that surprised at the guilt trips though

As for what you said costumeczar, I totally agree with you. I was just venting that day

Original message sent by Sugar_Art_Cakery

I get your sister is entitled to her opinion but seriously she'll charge you full price for her services but expects your services for free??? Because that's what family does?! Get real. I know you've resolved this from reading the posts but goodness

There should be no reason for anyone to jump on you for your opinion on this. I completely understand your sentiment as far as your family doing things for each other. While my family isn't exactly the closest family in the world, we always help each other out when the other needs us and we do show our appreciation for that help.

My issue is that this is how I pay my bills. I don't mind throwing a free $50 or even $100 cake to family members because the time issue is fairly minimal for me and I like helping out when someone in the family wants a nice cake but they can't afford it. It becomes a major issue for me when my sis knows she can't afford the kind of cakes that my paying customers get and yet expects me to do one of these for her....at no charge. It's like telling me to my face that you don't appreciate the time, money, effort it takes for me to knock out a really intensive beautiful cake. "We know it takes hours upon hours of your time, supplies, effort and skill to do this cake for us....but we don't care - I'm family so give me free

$500 cakes."

My sister is actually a bookkeeper/accountant - do you think she does my books? She doesn't but she HAS offered to do them.....at the same rate she charges her other customers...lol It all has to do with her perception of what she is entitled to.

The best part is...when me brother-in-law contacted me to do my sis's birthday cake, I told him I would do it if he paid for supplies. I told him that $150 would cover it. He actually asked me if that was enough...lol He has said before that he knows how much effort goes into these cakes and he kept saying how much he appreciated me doing the cake for her on the cheap. As for the cake for his daughter, he has told me he agrees that they should at least pay for supplies....but if he wants to keep his head firmly attached to his body he knows that he isn't able to say anything out loud about this...lmao