On Wednesday evening we had an Avon meeting/potluck dinner. I made a cake that was 11x15 that had the campaign 12 brochure picture on it. I decided just to do the regular gel icing transfer and just fill in the lines. I didn't do little stars (maybe I should have) but rather just filled in the spaces. On the cover is some lipsticks and then various shades of reds, pinks, browns and purples coming out from them. It by all means was not 'professional' looking, but I thought someone would have commented on who had made the cake or that it was really nice that someone thought to go to so much trouble. Not one person, not even the district sales manager commented on it...good, bad or indifferent. I was crushed. I spent 2 days working on it....I thought I would have gotten some response. My husband felt bad for me...he took it to his work and they all loved it.

I must admit that it probably could have looked better (and if I ever figure out how to get pictures posted or in my photos, I will post it) but it took a long time to get all the different coloured icings for lipstick colours. If you have a C12 brochure, you'll know what I mean.

Anyway...sorry for the vent

It's always nice to get some type of compliment. At least you did your best, some people are so rude.

Some people are just thoughtless and ungrateful. Don't take it personally----their rudeness is a reflection of their poor manners and character, not a reflection of you/your cake. I've made some pretty scary first-grade level looking cakes, but I still received kind words from others.
Forget them and keep having fun with cakes!!!

It is unfortunate that the Avon group was not appreciative, perhaps there focus was more on the meeting or their own potluck dishes! I brought some homemade cheese biscuits to work yesterday for a going away and got rave reviews from one group and NO response from another... go figure! Had to bite my lip to not ask the group that didn't respond how they liked them....

Glad you got the joy of knowing that your cake did get a kudo's response
from your husbands work.

I know that's frustrating! Its strange that nobody asked who made it-- but I wouldn't take it personally. I think that they were probably just thinking about the meeting or socializing. Especially since your husband's office really liked it.

IM SO SORRY THAT NO ONE NOTICED. MY MOM SELLS AVON AND IF SHE WAS THERE TRUST ME SHE WOULD HAVE PRAISED YOU, SINCE SHE KNOWS OF ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT ONE PUTS INTO CAKES. DONT GIVE UP KEEP DOING WHAT YOUR DOING!

Some people are too worried about themselves and their own accomplishments to give any credit to someone else's.

I once worked with a girl that, no matter what I did, she acted as if I (or my "work") didn't exist. If I ever got praise or "oohs and aahs" she would just turn and walk away. I never flaunted anything and never thought I was an "attention grabber", I just thought she didn't like me.

It was well after I had left that job that I saw her in the grocery store and she told me she had always been jealous of me.

ME?!?!?!?! wow - I had never thought of that.

Kittie, please post your cake when you can... I'm sure IT'S AWESOME!

I had a similar thing happen once, then found out why. EVERYONE thought it was a store bought cake because they didn't know I did cakes! Once they found out that I MADE it, people were falling all over it.

Maybe that's what happened to you - they all just assumed it was a purchased-from-a-store cake, so they didn't bother to comment.

From your description, it sounds like it was a really cool cake. Hope you get pics up soon! I can't explain how to do it, but once you learn, it's easy.

Awww countrykittie, I feel so bad for you.

Agree with all that's been said....
(Sadly common courtesy just isn't common.)

And since it was also a business meeting, perhaps some of the members were still distracted when it was time to eat.

Whereas your husband's coworkers had their priorities in order. Freshly baked with love and custom decorated to order CAKE - yeck yes

Look forward to seeing pics when you're able to post.

(My son is coming for a visit in May, so my photos will probably be up then.)

That is a shame that no one said anything. I think we have all been there with a group of people who just won't compliment you. Don't think it is because your work wasn't perfect. I know people who won't compliment someone else if they do something they can't.

Can't wait to see the pictures.

Sorry that happened to you. I know how it feels to have people be so rude. I just left a job like that myself. Never a kind word but they sure liked eating the free cake!!! Can't wait to see your post. My SIL sells Avon so I know which campaign you are talking about. That took a lot of work. Some people are just plain rude.
Don't let them discourage you.

ok, I am going to step out on a limb here... had I seen a cake at an event as you described that someone made and that cake wasnt really amazing in appearance, rather than open up the conversation to allowing others to take a pot shot at the poor quality, I would have remained silent. Its not rudeness, quite the opposite, I believe in the Thumper Theory... if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. I do not think its polite to say things that you do not mean like "Oh what a nice effort someone made," or worse, "what a pretty cake!" So, please consider that we don't all fawn over things that might cause embarrassment. Some of us choose to simply not say anything in order to prevent embarrassment for all.

As for your cake decorating effort, stick to smaller private events until you have built up your skill level and confidence level. If your hubby's workers love your cakes, then you have a great place to start!
Practice, practice, practice! Take a Wilton class if you can, or some cake decorating class. Study books at home like I did to get better at your craft. I baked and decorated cakes for years before I gave in and taught Wilton classes at a Michaels store for seven years. I was honestly very surprised at what I learned in teaching those classes. I refined my techniques, I learned to use tools that are inexpensive and a huge help such as an icing tip and 16 inch bag along with a turntable to apply icing. I learned what I had done wrong in making roses for many years. I learned that a cake level is cheap (under $4) and priceless! There is much to learn, for all of us. Stop licking your wounds (and your fingers... no icing licking please! Its not sanitary...) and dig in, get busy as you work toward improving your skills! Best wishes as you build your skills!

I am so sorry! Your cake sounds really cute! Some people think that cake is just cake and not that hard to make. People don't see the hours of baking, making the frosting and decorating that goes into the cake! Just keep decorating!

Dear CountryKittie, I do feel for you and I do empathize with how you feel I would feel exactly the same way. However I agree 100% with Mmichellew. As I was reading down the posts I was thinking to myself "What happened to if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all!". I do not think anyone was being rude! Would it really have been better for people to LIE if they really didn't think it was well done? Let's face it you admitted that you could have done better. And if someone did say "that was a good effort" you still would have felt bad. I know I would! We can all remember a few of our earlier cakes that they were not a good as what we can accomplish now, so as Mmichellew says, just keep practicing! Don't give up! Most of us have more we can learn and that's the fun of decorating!

It was a business meeting, and the business wasn't your cake.

Family needs to praise all our efforts. The rest of the world can't be expected to.

I would much rather get a cold reception for my work...and painfully learn that it needs to be better...than to have a bunch of people lie to me and make me think it was wonderful, when it clearly wasn't. It's a growing experience. Practice, practice, practice!!!! Pick a less challenging "crowd" until you've gotten some more experience. DON'T GIVE UP!!!!

Well, being from THE SOUTH....and being OLD....here is my thought (and like a nose...everyone has one....and it's only important to THEM! LOL)

First and foremost I think that anyone that puts forth an effort to bring a custom cake (1st grade level or not) deserves a thank you for your time and effort. The fact that you cared enough to BAKE AND DECORATE instead of pick up at a Costco or Sam's or WalMart (depending on where you are) should have been acknowledged.

I was asked to make a wedding cake (1 week notice) for a family member. Mom stopped by before the cake was finished (no roses yet) and made the comment "It's fine". No thank you...just the one comment. I WAS SOOOOO MAD!! I had taken the time and effort to make this cake, used my antique mirrored cake stand and all my own decorations for the cake table. Money was tight for these people and I understood that (cake was a gift) so, when mom called and asked what I thought of her decorations (plastic tablecloths, plastic serveware...etc...) I told her I thought they were lovely and I knew that her daughter would appreciate her time. Some people...have NO CLUE!!!

Beth in KY

I know exactly what you mean. I don't really expect to get compliments but I would love to know what are the thoughts and how they like it. I need the critiques to know how to better myself but sometimes I get nothing at all. Then I don't want to bring it up b/c then people would think that I am "begging" for compliments but that is not the case. I just would like to know what they didn't like/or liked so I could know what to improve. Chin up. =)

Unfortunately we live in a very fast paced society and people rarely stop to notice anything that doesn't directly impact their lives.

I grew up with the "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." rule. However, I have learned how important it is to notice how hard someone worked on a project now matter what it is.

I know I work hard at my craft and if no one notices it hurts. I also won't lie to anyone just to make them feel better, but even if you aren't impressed by what the person did, you can probably relate to how much effort they put into it.

I haven't seen your cake, but I am impressed that you would try to duplicate the cover of the catalog for your meeting. I am sorry that no one took the time to notice your effort.

I try to find some way to respond in a positive way to the effort someone has made without telling them a lie, because encouragement can really be important.

Just my two cents worth.....

I'll just add my $25.00 here, it's my own personal policy that whenever I see a cake that is spectacular I be sure and give a positive comment on it. If the cake is not so spectacular, I find the one thing about it that the artist did well and compliment that. For example, "I like the way you did those lipsticks, that's very cool." Or something like that. I must confess though, it's my own personal failing that when I'm not getting the accolades that my ego believes I deserve, I initiate the conversation, like "I hope you like the cake I made. It wasn't easy to get those lipsticks to look like that!" I'm not saying follow that example, it's just a failing that I have (I am striving toward letting others compliment my work because they want to, not because I want them to.)

Oh, and here's something that has nothing to do with anything, whenever I hear the saying "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" I always think of the "other" version of it, which is "if you can't say anything nice, come sit next to me!"

Cheer up sweetie, we all love you here at CC!! Keep practicing and believe me, it will come to you!

I sooo agree with what most of everyone has said. Countrykittie, I'm sorry some people were so rude. I always comment on cakes and things, even if its just to say the icing or the cake itself tastes good. Anyone that puts out effort like that should have a compliment of some kind.

a simple "Thank you" is always it style, always fits the bill and SHOULD be offered whenever someone does something for someone.

to expect anything less of self or others is to allow/excuse boorish, rude behavior.

Sorry but there is no excuse for bad manners. I am prepared to get my neck chopped off here but I dont think its the level of cake we should be concentrating on its the level of effort you put into it. I dont have to even see your cake to give it a thumbs up BECAUSE you did but a great deal of time and effort into it and for that you should be congratulated!!

I agree with bobwonderbuns there is always something positive to find in everything.

Big hugs to you
Kathryn

I felt embarrassed when my cake was ugly and everyone was giving pity "Wows"; sometimes silence is better than words. Not to say that your cake wasn't nice by any means, just that people nowadays are too critical. And then when I made a cake that was actually okay, some people didn't say anything either, so in the end, we have to understand that humans are weird.

countrykittie...I agree with Doug. A Thank You would have made your day. I don't think you were looking for anyone to "critique" your cake but just to acknowledge that you had taken the trouble to care.

For what it's worth, we all thank you for sharing your story. A huge hug and a smile is on it's way to you.

I am an assistant Manager for our local Avon district and am suprised that no one said anything! But I must say when everyone brings food it is hard to praise one particular thing. Perhaps you should ask your DM if you can provide a cake for the next sales meeting. At our monthly meetings I provide all the sweets but most other local district meetings do not have any desserts offered.
This could be a great way to try new recipes and practice! If she says no don't take it personally, the pot luck may be the only ocassion for snacks.
Sincerely,
Tracy

You KNOW we are all our own worst critics.... maybe it was good enough to think it came from a store !! It CAN'T be THAT bad if your hubby gets raves at work!....... Did you hear anyone else get "thanked" for bringing in a dish ? Probably not..... Yesterday was "Get Over it Day"... it applies for today....... suck it up and just keep going..... Soon you will be known as the "Cake Lady", and won't be able to keep up !!