I've been debating about sharing this story, but I know you'll all understand my subject/response/feelings.

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from an acquaintance that I have made cakes for before. She wanted me to make a cake for a baby shower and it was to be patterned after the nursery bedding. I informed her that I will be out of town at that time and cannot make it for her. It turns out that she had picked out a design from a local bakery and said she could just call them. I think no more of it.

The other day I got a text message from her with a picture of a 2-tiered buttercream cake. Her message said, "How hard would it be for me to do this? I'm a pretty good cook." I responded truthfully that the design was simple enough to recreate, but stacking cakes is a bear and asked her if the bakery was booked. She said they were too high $$ (They weren't). I explained that the costs of supplies to make the cake (pans, etc.) would easily add up to at least or more than the bakery's quote.

I suggested the same sort of design on a 9x13. Then I sent her the site for some cupcake liners that matched the bedding and suggested that I make her some flowers to match those on the bedding and she make and serve cupcakes. Her response?

"Oh no. Not cupcakes. This has to be wonderful!"

Ummm.....OK then.

It'd take me a moment (longer, I'm sure) to shuck that one.(response, not friend). She may not have been able to visualize a cupcake display being wonderful. If you had the time and the notion...find a few examples of what you meant. She may just respond with, "oooooooooooooooooh! That is so not what I was thinking when you suggested cupcakes!"

First of all, being a " pretty good cook" has NOTHING to do with whether or not you can stack a cake OR decorate one.

Would love to see a picture when she's finished.

Wait a second, the same thing happened to me! First, I thought you told her you would be out of town anyways??? Someone, I won't say who, wanted me to do a baby shower cake. The date they gave was one I already had booked 9 months ago to do a wedding cake and it was a 6 hour transport to set it up in TN. So, I said no.

Then she again wanted me to do it and I said ok, if it is another date. She would never tell me the date, so I ended up when she texted me, telling her "sorry, I'm booked completely up until so and so date"....after I knew the baby would be here. She didn't like that at all. But, I finally made my point and didn't take the order.

The other day I got an invitation to the baby shower. It was still set for the very original date I turned her down for. The nerve. I wouldn't do it if I was you. She wants your quality of work for less than she'd pay elsewhere. I would tell her, take it or leave it while secretly praying she'd walk away.....

It will be in that very moment, face covered with corn strach, hands filled with sticky fondant, that she will realize how affordable the cake seems all of a sudden.

I've often said I don't get paid so much to bake and decorate as I do to do all the shopping, prep, clean up...with a little engineering thrown in.