Miscommunication!!!

Decorating By peacockplace Updated 8 Aug 2005 , 10:46am by irisinbloom

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peacockplace Posted 7 Aug 2005 , 10:50pm
post #1 of 10

I am so bummed! I stayed up late last night making a cake for a good friend. She told me on Wed. that her Mom would be calling to order a barbie really girlie cake for her. She was turning 29 and thought it would be funny. I asked her if she wanted barbie or just the colors and she said it didn't matter, just really girlie. So her Mom doesn't call till Firday and I asked her if she wanted an edible image of Barbie and she said no just pink and barbie looking. So I made the pinkest round cake with purple swags, white flowers, and pink and white border. I talked to her today and she was like, " that wasn't a Barbie cake it didn't even have any Barbie on it. I was just floored! She was so disappointed and now I'm so bummed. Last night I kept thinking I should just print an edible image anyway. The thing that bugs me is that I could have done lots less work that way and she would have been happy.

Her mom brought it out to her and said "I think you're going to be disapointed, it's not what you were expecting. Maybe she just didn't understand what you wanted"...... Well I guess not! Sorry to vent, but my Hubby says to just move on, so I needed to talk to my cake friends!

9 replies
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ntertayneme Posted 7 Aug 2005 , 10:55pm
post #2 of 10

Oh peacockcake! I'm so sorry that happened to you icon_sad.gif ... it seems to me she was not very clear on what she was expecting you to do .. I don't feel the fault lies with you at all .. people need to be clear and decisive with what they want or if they don't know what they want and leave it up to us, they need to be happy with what they get! We cannot read minds too!! lol (thank God! icon_biggrin.gif)

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CIndymm4 Posted 7 Aug 2005 , 10:57pm
post #3 of 10

That is so sad....but Hubby is right, move on. That was very insenitive of the mother to say such a thing! Most folks just don't realize what goes into a cake, so somtimes we just have to know we did a fabulous job and move on!

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peacockplace Posted 7 Aug 2005 , 10:59pm
post #4 of 10

Thanks you guys... nothing like sympathy from another cake maker! On the up side, she said the cake tasted great! Thank goodness I got that right! LOL

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traci Posted 7 Aug 2005 , 11:04pm
post #5 of 10

I am sorry that happened to you. I am very sensitive too. I am sure the cake you gave her was just beautiful. You do such a good job on your cakes. Don't let it get you down....there are some people that are just stuffy like that! icon_wink.gif
traci

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debsuewoo Posted 8 Aug 2005 , 12:09am
post #6 of 10

I don't know..... seems to me that Mom and your friend just weren't in communicado, if you know what I mean. I mean, when someone tells me Barbie cake, I'm thinking BARBIE cake! When told "girlie" colors, I'm thinking pinks and purples galore. Now, did she want BARBIE or GIRLIE?

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tcturtleshell Posted 8 Aug 2005 , 12:27am
post #7 of 10

Sorry to hear about this Kristy. That wasn't fair for you to have to be in the middle of your friend & her mom. They should have talked it over & the friend tell you exactly what she wanted. I know how you feel & it's hard to move on like your hubby said to do. I always think a lot of "what if's". But you will move on & I'm sure they will order more cakes from you! Don't worry too much over this~

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melodyscakes Posted 8 Aug 2005 , 5:07am
post #8 of 10

didnt you know, as a cake decorator your suposed to be an accomplished mind reader? haha
people.
so what kind of cake was it? do you use the doctored cake recipes or from a box or scratch?
thanks
melody

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KayDay Posted 8 Aug 2005 , 9:33am
post #9 of 10

Kristy, your cakes are ALWAYS amazing looking, and though it hurts that it was for a friend...and I know everyone else has already said it but they should have been completely clear on what they wanted or quit the b**ching! Sorry...but that makes me angry when people aren't clear but want exactly what they imagine without telling you what that is! I am sure it was a gorgeous cake and if you are like I am with my friends...probably a great deal. I often think I wont do anymore work for friends because they want not ony discounts but darn near free work and will ask me for something short notice etc. I am honestly considering the phrase " I don't work for friends"!...well unless it is a gift or something....they say dont mix family or friends and business! And sure you gotta move on...but it does help to gripe to the rest of us, because we do KNOW how it feels.

I cancelled a whole wedding I was catering for a family and doing their wedding and groomscake..recently I got to know the family really well and was lending them plateaus etc. and did an anniversary cake (50th) posted in my pics , with like 2 days notice and for almost no $ and then to have her gripe because I charged $5.00 delivery...(no REAL delivery just my gas cost) and grumble that though my cake was amazing and delicious that she would have been happy with a SHEET cake! I finally threw up my hands and said..you asked me for a "NICE" anniv. cake for your parents GOLDEN anniv...and told me you liked my taste etc. and gave NO specs! She finally said OH we LOVED it!! ( of course they did I charged $70 for a $150(at least) cake!

End of my story being that I finally said if you want to quibble over $5 after the great deals I have given you ..find someone else. Then she begged me to go ahead and do the wedding but I refused! I am not letting people like that take the fun out of this!

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irisinbloom Posted 8 Aug 2005 , 10:46am
post #10 of 10

Ya know folks thats just it, we love what we do and take so much pride, for someone to complain and gripe over a few dollars is crazy. But I guess there is always going to be someone out there to try and steal our joy if we let them. So chin up and happy decoratingicon_smile.gif

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