Well for days I've stressed over making my first for pay cake. Then when I posted the photo and everyone was so nice I figured maybe I'm just being to hard on myself. So I took the cake (airplane) and cupcakes to the party.

Everyone kept saying how cute it was and how much they liked it. I was feeling pretty happy.

Then one of my sisters came over and told me she knew no one would ever tell someone what a stupid looking cake I made. She said she was going to be honest with me and if she ordered a cake and got one of mine she would be so upset.

She went on to say I should not try to sell any of my cakes again. But if I was I need to spend years on practice cakes and give them to the neighbors until I get good.

With the exception of one or two of my cakes she has put down everyone I have done and points out every mistake I make.

The thing is I have felt the way she told it myself. Of course everyone tells me no to keep making cakes that I do a nice job. But I think my sister is right and I don't do a great job.

While I love to make them and I adore taking classes I see no reason to carry on. I feel like I'm just making a fool of myself.

It did hurt my feelings when she said everything and when I told her I thought she was being mean and hurtful she said "well you yourself say the same things about your cakes. I do too. But I was starting to think everyone does that.

I see all the wonderful cakes here and I know I'm no where near as good as most people on here. But I've only done this for a few months.

I am not good at art, I have a neck injury that at times make my hand shake badly and I agree I'm not good at this.

So, I guess I will just sell all my cake stuff on ebay and go back to buying cakes.

Has this happened to anyone else? You know, having someone tell you out loud how bad you are and saying all the things you have been thinking in your head is a real eye opener. I just think it's time to give it up.

Joanne

I'm sorry but I think your sister is blind!! I looked at your photos, and they are beautiful!! I think someone might be a little jealous. Keep on making thoses cakes girl!!!

I just looked at all your cakes, and i think you do good work. I just figure if someone is going to be as bold as to put your hard work down - they are nothing but jealous. When i make a cake that turns out not that great, i just remind myself it is 100% better than what the person critiquing did, so ignore the rudeness and keep on decorating!

ok first of all your sister is full of crap , your work is good! i looked at your pictures andthey are good . PS just because you can see flaws does not mean you are a bad baker.m Progression takes time ! No one is perfect and if your sister critisises every work why should you care sisters are supposed to be supportive not evil !

I just went and looked at your cakes, you are doing a beautiful job!! It sounds like maybe your sister is a bit jealous of the attention you were getting?? I am not putting her down but I REALLY do like your work. I think we all begin doubting our work at one time or another when things are slow but if this is her personality you have to not take it to heart.
Keep it up if it makes you happy!!!
Tracy

oh for heaven's sakes!!!!!

the next time so-called "loving" sister opens her mouth -- stuff the stinkiest, smelliest sock in it you can find -- as that sock will certainly match her spiteful, mean -- anything but "loving" attitude toward you and your cakes.

your cakes are perfectly good to sell.

she's got the green-eyed, green-skinned monster of jealousy raging inside her!!!

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don't you dare stop making and selling your cakes!!!

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ignore that witchy-poo sis of yours.

better yet .... tell her to PUT UP (as in make ones better) or SHUT UP!

Not to put down your sister, but is she blind, jealous, or what? I think you did a great job on the airplane cake (and cupcakes)!! If your client is happy and pays you, THAT is what you need to concern yourself with, not your sister.

Please think about it long and hard before you sell everything. Don't let one very biased opinion make YOUR decision for you!!

Best wishes and hang in there!

I just looked at your photos and your cakes are beautiful. It sounds to me like maybe your sister was jealous. Do not let her discourage you. You are very talented. But even more than that, you enjoy what you are doing and that is very important. Keep on decorating!!!!

Joanne--

Your sister is just trying to hurt you. She has given you low self-esteem. Come on, girl--that cake was AWESOME.

DO NOT QUIT DOING CAKES--
DO NOT EVER, EVER, EVER DO ONE FOR THAT SISTER.

Family should stand behind you and root for you and she is only interested in tearing you down.

I am sorry that you feel like your work is not good but you are sadly mistaken. That cake and all of your cakes are great.

Please, please do not quit. WE are YOUR cheerleaders, if your sister can't be!!!

Hugs and Love to you--Pam

BTW--my blood is boiling right now to have someone say that to you. I can;t get my fingers to move fast enough.

JoanneK, where in California are you? I think your sister needs a reality check along with a major attitude adjustment, and I have the perfect baseball bat for the job!

Excuse me for saying this but I think your sister is suffering from a good case of jealousy.

I don't think there is anything wrong with your cakes. Every last one of us on this site have to constantly practice. Every one of us on this site make mistakes. Not one of us is perfect.

If this makes you happy keep at it. Don't let what she said get to you.

And I must say that if you did not snatch her baldheaded, after what she said, you are a better woman than I am.

OMG......... i can not believe your sister said that to you, your cakes a fantastic. please do not let anyone put you down like that.

have you ever heard the saying GREEN EYED MONSTER!!!!!

well i think this applies to your sister. next time tell her, if you can make a better cake than me go right ahead.

kylie

Well, first off, I have to say that I'm sorry for the way that you are feeling.

Secondly, is your sister utterly BLIND?

My goodness, I just looked at your cakes and I can't believe how great they look! And you've only been doing this a few months? I say, don't sell your stuff - you keep doing what you're doing! If your cakes look this good now, imagine what they'll look like in a few more months!

I also have a theory on this. I wonder if she might be jealous of you and your abilities and/or any attention you might be getting from doing these cakes. The green eyed monster rears its ugly head sometimes, whether we want it to or not. Especially when it comes to siblings.

DON'T QUIT!! I think you do great work and if you love it, then keep doing it. Life is too short.

Deanna

Sounds like she is a jealous "broad" they look awesome to me! pretty cakes! don't stop decorating to please her!

OMG....I am starting to boil inside. I CANNOT BELIEVE that your sister told you that. I just looked at your gallery and expected horrible cakes, but all I found are STUNNING cakes, and believe me, I'm not just saying that. I hope you believe me. I made an airplane cake and yours is WAY better than mine. R u kidding????

Just reading your post saddened me that your sister would not be supportive of your talent (and you ARE talented). I understand critiquing someone's work (my hubby always does it to me and I hate it, but it makes me do better the next time), but your sister just sounds mean and jealous, in my opinion.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not stop making and selling cakes. Your pink and white birthday cake is absolutely gorgeous. I did not find one thing I didn't like about it. It was PERFECT.

Sorry to ramble, I just had to respond.

fine confidence in your own work and try not to look for so much reasurance from other people, especially your sister....yikes she was way too harsh. your cakes ARE good. maybe you need to make cakes in a different circle of people......I like when people tell me what they like and dont like, it makes the next cake better. But I have never had anyone be so rude about it. Dont stop doing something you are good at and can grow in b/c someone else made nasty comments. I dont know you sister but is there any possibilty that she may be jealous that the people did really like your cakes???

dont give it up, take a break if you need it but only stop if YOU dont want to do it anymore!!

Yeah, I think there's definately some jealousy going on. I, too sometimes feel like my cakes aren't that great, because I see just how awesome the cakes are on this site. But then I remind myself that everyone works at diff. levels and if I practice enough and continue my passion for baking and decorating, then I too can be awesome some day.
Plus it doesn't hurt to go by your local grocerie store and see all the flaws in their cakes! heheheheh Perfection isn't always attainable!!

omg! I just looked at your cake photos and they are so beautiful! Don't give up because of one persons comment. I feel the same way when my mom tells me not to bother and make the cake, she always offers to buy one instead. I enjoy baking and decorating cakes so much that I just ingore her little comments and bake the cake anyways. Don't give up what you love to do....I'm sure they bring smiles to many other people.

We all realize we can't choose our family, and we have to deal with the ones we get, but truly, your sister is a #$%#@! Don't let her ruin something for you that you are good at, and obviously love to do! Your cakes are all great, if your sister can't see that and admit that, then she is the one with the problem, definitely not you. Keep decorating, you do a beautiful job. Janice

I don't know guys. I have always felt my cakes lacked in the great department.

I mean I know I'm not great. I know I will never be a Colette Peters. I also am not blind. I can see how much better most people do then me.

My sister didn't saying thing I had not said to myself and to be honest I really don't think most people would be honest about the cakes I do. Of course they don't want to be rude or hurtful.

My sister said that is why I should trust her. She will tell me the truth when others won't. She said she knows most people would feel the same way about my cakes but they would never have the nerve to say so.

Yes I can do 100% better then her but as she stated she wouldn't bake a cake and try to sell it because she KNOWS it wouldn't look good and that I should KNOW mine don't either.

Reall guys, if someone told you this and it's what you thought of your cakes wouldn't you just give it up?

I hardly ever cry but tonight I did because I love making these cakes and it's been so fun joining in groups, taking classes and meeting new friends but now I feel like people have been laughing at my work. I don't know what I was thinking.

Joanne

First, let me say your cakes are wonderful! And second, you may want to brace yourself for this...... your sister sounds like a self-centered B--- to me Just my opinion

I also agree that she is probably jealous too. What right does she have telling you all this??? What does she do for a living?

I'm certainly not trying to hurt your feelings, but you in no way need to give up so easily. If you've only been doing this for a few months, you are certainly on the right track.

Keep up the good work!!! And tell your sister to mind her own business. K'ly ^,,^

I have no reason to lie to you...You are doing great! Your sister is trying to be hurtful and if you quit..SHE WINS!! Keep on making cakes. You have nothing to be ashamed of! Have fun and ignore her mean spirited jealousy.

No, no, no! Don't listen to her, your cakes are fabulous!!! I can't believe she said such things. My husband asked where HER pics are! Don't let her win, you are talented.

Ummm, hello have you taken a look at your cakes recently? You have some pretty great cakes in your photos!!!!!! I wish that I could make some of the cakes that you can. I can't make a rose to save my life and yours are awesome!

I agree that I think your sister is a little jealous of your talent. This sounds like something my sister would say to me. Actually, when I told her about my new hobby (making cakes that is) she kind of laughed and told me to get a real hobby! I just looked at her and rolled my eyes. But guess who will call when it is time for her two boys' birthdays and she needs a cake?!!

Do not, I repeat DO NOT give up! Your cakes are wonderful!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! Your sister is jealous, plain and simple! Your cakes are awesome! That sylvester cake is too cute and I love your unique style of cupcake cakes. As a decorator, you will see all your flaws--comes with the teritory! But, I will tell you one thing, I do know how you feel (though I haven't had anyone tell me that I should stop decorating --bad sister! ). I think we all go through periods of cake depression. I have been in a funk for a few weeks now and trying a horrible attempt at a cake sculpture for my hubby's b-day didn't help matters. Even with the daisy cake I just did, I just did not "feel" it and thought I could do a whole heck of a lot better.

Don't be so hard on yourself! Don't give up because one cruel person, which sadly happens to be family, says you ain't got it. You do!! Go stuff some cake in your sister's mouth and tell her to shut her trap! It might actually make you feel better

Joanne, wow, I feel really bad for you right now. But please know that we all have moments when we doubt our abilities!! I would hate to see you give up something you get so much enjoyment from. Although I do support your sister for being comfortable enough to speak honestly with you about how she felt, that does NOT mean she is correct. I see a lot of talent in your cakes. I'm sure your sister's comments were probably quite a blow so I'd take some time to contemplate what she said over the next few days or weeks, and THEN see how you feel. I do like her suggestion to make some practice cakes and give them out ... we can all benefit from that advice (but I don't think I'd ask her for anymore advice at the moment). You do have talent!! I hope to see more pictures in the future of your beautiful cakes!

By the way, my 12-year old son was just looking over my shoulder and he thought your airplane cake was adorable. He said he would buy any one of your cakes (as long as they aren't for girls he said)!

Please don't deprive the people who would buy your cakes of the happiness you'll bring them!

We've read many stories here from other decorators about that one person who just doesn't have anything nice to say, and I think your sister is just one of those people!

When someone has low self-esteem, they lift themselves up by putting everyone else down.

I don't know your sister, but I'm betting that she's somewhat negative about things in her life, and other people, not just you and your cakes.

If you're really concerned about it, ask the person who bought the cake to be honest with you. I'm sure she loved it. In fact, didn't you post earlier that she did, on your other thread?

I feel badly for you that she's being so negative, but please don't let her negativity cause the seed of self-doubt that she's sown in you to take over. Wasn't it Barney Fife who used to say "Nip it in the bud, Andy, you have to nip it in the bud!" ?

That's what you need to do - take that self-doubt and nip it in the bud!

Keep your chin up, and just avoid this sister when you can, esp. if there's cake involved!

Laura.

Please do not give up on making cakes. I do not know why your sister would say those things. Although I agree with the others that she is jealous. Please do not throw away all of your hard work.

Don't give up!!! When I get frustrated I just try to remember that I am my own worst critic! You are probably the same way!

I love the Sylvester and Tweety- it is a great cake and shows that you are very creative! I would not worry too much about your sister- I agree with the others- there must be some jealousy there.

What did the people say at the party you took it to? I am sure they were pleased!!

Another thing to remember when looking at the other CCer's photos is that everyone has (or is working on) their own style. I can't do everything that everyone else does, but I can sure go down tryin'!!!! Keep practicing and keep getting better...then come back and tell us how green with envy sister is when you are selling cakes for $100's!!!!

Joanne -

Well, I just looked at the pictures on your photo's and you have talent, I especially like your work with fondant and the butterrcream cakes without the plastic add ons....but for the age group you were making the plastic add ons...they were fine for that age group.


Your sister for some reason is not supportive of this effort, perhaps she has a certain idea of what type of cake appeals to her.

The one she criticized has 5 favorites posting from this site!!!! shoot that's way bettter than mine!!!!

I honestly think the fondant and buttercream work is actually good and some of those fondant ones are a match for not only others on this site but could be one of Colette Peters.....

Hey, follow your dream and stay with it and on this site.....
Listen: YOU ARE GOOD!

Mary Jane