AHonestly, I am pissed, and we teach others how to treat us, so I am considering canceling an order for next week. I have been booked on Saturday for months, but accepted an order for Sunday, and I just asked her again what time she would pick it up Sunday and she says,"actually it's for Saturday." Witch, I told you I was booked! It is fairly simple, and I can have most of it made beforehand, but that is not the point.
I didn't sleep for 3 days last week, and then slept 14 hours straight to make up for it, and dragged butt until I could go back to bed. I am getting too old for this staying up all night crap.
ATough one. I would want to cancel on principal alone. I HATE it when people try to manipulate and take advantage of situations and people.
A"Well, I'm booked on that Saturday, but I may be able to squeeze you in for an additional X% rush fee."
AYou are all right. It isn't even a cake I want to do, and she gave me the writing part of it today, and I thought,"wow, that's redundant." It is a prescription pad, and I would really like to focus on weddings and tiered cakes, though it is within the realm of the minimum order I am thinking of requiring. I just can't get excited over sheet cakes anymore. It's been years, actually! I'd so much rather be doing something frilly and flowery or colorful and challenging.
I am "husband subsidized" to where I don't need to make a ton of money, and I am rent and payment free in the bakery, just my overhead such as licensing fees and permits and insurance.... But I am such a people pleaser, dammit! I hate to disappoint, I bend over backwards, and I need to draw a line, and there is really no better place than here.
Heck, last week a regular client contacted me last minute and I told her I was booked, so booked, but I thought at least 5 times I ought to call her and offer to do a dessert cake with a plaque or something. I wound up not sleeping from Thursday morning (after 4 hours of sleep) to Sunday night after 11pm. I thought I was going to die, and my whole body was swollen. I had to drive like that and almost fell asleep at a light. I stopped at an intersection that didn't even have a sign, too. It is as bad as drinking and driving, and I would sooner crawl home before I did that.
Bleh.
AWe first talked on the phone and she asked about "the 16th" and I said, "that's a Sunday, right?" And she confirmed, and I asked what she had in mind, because I couldn't get too big and fancy, since I was booked Friday and Saturday. It wasn't until after she said 40-45 servings, until I even said I could do it.
I SPECIFICALLY told her I was booked Saturday.
annabakescakes you are so like me it is insane. I have such a hard time saying no and many times that means I end up with sleepless nights and way too much stress. I also do daycare and the paperwork portion of my business during the day and the actually baking and decorating at night. I rent commercial kitchen space now but this weekend we start construction on a commercial kitchen in my house. I am hoping having my work here will make it a little less stressful and easier to get going on my work. (less carting tool etc back and forth - I don't have a lot of storage space at the rental) I know in the back of my head something needs to give... I need to cut back on something. I find it way too tough to have 4 kids here during the day and then put out 4-7 cakes in a weekend. I love the cakes so don't want to cut back on that. but the daycare is always constant where cakes seem to have seasonal highs and lows here. although this year is my busiest year yet.:) anyway, farting around on cake central is not helping me get my orders done for this weekend..lol. good night all!!!
btw- at my last annual checkup I found out I have slightly elevated blood pressure... (no medication required) just got a stern talking to from my doctor. I don't thing it helped that I had not slept that night because of a last minute squeeze in order...lol.. still elevated blood pressure is not good when you are only 30...yikes! need to find some more relaxation and me time... or any for that matter.
Years ago they did a study on young doctors who were working extremely crazy hours and their results were the equivalent to people who had drunk high levels of alcohol. I can't remember the figures but it was enough to show that sleep deprivation is a scarey thing.
AYeah, 33 here, and 4 kids. DH is going for the old "snip and tie" next month, because we had a scare last week... I have enough to do with the cakes and kids, I would die if we got pregnant! I have high blood pressure with anemia and arthritis and chronic back pain. I have no discs left in my lower back...
I have no business squeezing in another order when I am booked.
This is why I have had to step back from doing cakes for a bit. The last ones I did nearly killed me (plus cake pops, and IMHO, those things suck!). I work 40+ hours a week at my "real" job and then have to stay up until all hours doing this as a hobby. I have no interest making it a business after 15 years. My health sucks, I barely sleep, and it's time away from my husband. I have to ask myself if it's really worth it. I have started turning people away left and right and honestly I feel great! Obviously for those who rely on the income you can't do it. But if you're booked, you're booked, and you shouldn't overextend yourself.
So know the feeling of not wanting to turn down jobs! Especially when it's your job and you have rent and overhead to pay every month! We have 10 jobs this weekend (although most of them are fairly small orders, so not like 10 wedding cakes or anything) and there are only two of us to do all of the jobs AND run the storefront. Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy! But I really feel like we can't afford to turn jobs down at this point, unless there is just no feasible way we can do it.
Although I have been turning jobs down for next week because we are going on VACATION!!!! and I'm not sorry at all. 
I would just cancel the order. It's not your fault she doesn't have her days straight. It's not worth the hassle. As for saying you can't afford to turn down cake orders, it makes me glad I work out of my home and am husband-subsidized as well. Sometimes no is the only thing you can say.
Anna, cancel it. Or say you can do it on Sunday as scheduled. If you don't actually need the money and don't have time or energy for it and she said it would be a Sunday cake, why even question it????? Isn't a big reason people go into business for themself so they can pick their own hours and how long and how often to work? So then why kill yourself when she messed up on the date?
AAwwww i feel sooo bad for you!!! I would say cancel it aswell,she doesn't even deserve to have a cake made by you. If she messed up on the date AFTER you told her your booked she can go find someone else to make a fool of, your health is more important and you should rest up!! Take care of yourself xx
A
Original message sent by cazza1
Anna take some advice from an older person. Look after yourself better. You may think you need the money but it is not worth ruining your family life and your health over. Stress and lack of sleep always flow over to the people around us.
Agreed 100%. Once we had enough orders to fill three 5-6 hour shifts at our commercial kitchen we stopped accepting new orders. And when we started selling out regularly we raised our prices to get closer to an equilibrium where you just about sell out without having to turn away orders.
We would never book to the point where an all-nighter was required to complete the order (although at times it was necessary if problems arose) so adding a small order with an extra rush fee was a possibility even if we were booked.
I do think she misled me, but in the back of my mind there is just the tiniest shadow of doubt that she said the 15th, but I specifically remember our conversation, so I do know she didn't... I WANT to cancel, I really do, and while we don't NEED the money, it is always nice to have! I am so tempted to see what that "refund" button does on my Square Register... is it a 1 step process, where if you touch the button, you better mean it? Or is it going to ask me to confirm? It is a curiosity, lol. I have been meaning to find out.
The other part of me wonders if I am going to be left twiddling my thumbs if I don't do it, or if there is a way I can swing it and still be comfortable? You know what I mean? I am a terrible judge of how long things will take! Since all my work is custom, it is not like I have done it before and know how long it will take, (unless it is one of those damn ribbon border and scroll or swiss dot cakes, or ribbon and scroll and swiss dots...I can practically poop those out, I typically make $50-$60 and hour on them. ) and there are times things run so smoothly I am shocked, and others where I just don't know what else could go wrong! I remember last year, doing a stenciled cake, it took so long, and I had a 3d cake and a smaller 3 cake to do, that after working all night, it was 7 am, and the cake was about to be picked up at 9, and I had just iced it! I actually started crying, I was so tired! Then I ran in, woke up my husband and begged him to help me, and he did and it worked out in the end, but it was pure stress!
Cancel the order. Do it now so that she has time to get someone else.
You made it clear to her that you were not available to make a cake for Saturday. She changed the date. You are not obligated to still make the cake.
I have pulled my share of all-nighters to get cakes done. I have taken on way more than I should have but it is almost always because I truly NEED the money. Usually it is just not worth it, especially since not only are you suffering but, let's face it, you're probably not doing your family any favors by becoming sick and exhausted. You do not NEED the money. Walk away.
ADefinitely cancel the order, and be sure to mention 'as I said when you placed the order, I'm fully booked for that Saturday'.
I guarantee you'll be wondering if you should have done it all the way until the day, and maybe after, but you have to remind yourself that you set limits on how many orders you take for a reason. Even if your week goes great and you wind up having lots of extra time, it could just as easily go the other way. Don't put yourself (or the kids you drive around) in that position. It's just money, that you don't need.
I will wait until tomorrow to refund, just incase she gets back with me... I generally wait until last minute to do everything, how long do you think a cake could sit, fully decorated, if it is covered in fondant? I refuse to do it Friday, since I am booked for Saturday, but do you think it would be old or weird if I did the cake on Thursday? And it just sat in the air conditioning? It will have a pill bottle, a diploma, pills, and just writing. I was thinking of using tic tacs for the pills, a reall pill bottle, and piping the writing, rather than tappits, it will be really pretty easy. And she will still get her cake, and I will still get my money. It won't be as clean and crisp as I like, but it will be like this one 
The cake I posted really looks super simple...
Only you know your baking requirements next week, what family commitments you have, etc, etc. I don't see why she would get back to you, she thinks she has a cake ordered already. You need to just make the decision knowing all the factors. It looks like you have been taking on too much, period. And that you should be looking at your schedule and making a more firm amount of orders and that is it. Then it is just a no. And that you aren't thrilled about a sheetcake really shouldn't be part of the decision since you took the order. If you don't want sheet cakes then say no to those too. Take a step back, maybe have a chat with the hubby and family and re-assess how many orders you can take. If you are pulling overnighters, that can't be too popular with the family either.
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I talked to my husband about it, and we went over everything I have to do this week, and he volunteered to help me get it all done. We are going to get more organized, and pre-make a lot of the items for the other cakes, and cheat for this cake. The tic tacs, edible images and plastic....And then make sure it never happens again!!!
I love that your husband supports you so much! And, it's a good thing that you go to him when you have issues...it gives him the chance to help! I agree with what some have said here...no money is worth your health. Please take care of yourself first!
I love that your husband supports you so much! And, it's a good thing that you go to him when you have issues...it gives him the chance to help! I agree with what some have said here...no money is worth your health. Please take care of yourself first!
He is VERY supportive, almost too supportive! I came home from Sugar Cwaft yesterday, after spending $250 and he was like, "Cool! What did you get?" He was making scrolls with one of the Wilton molds one day, and he told me, "We should get 2 sets of these, so I can fill and freeze one, and start on another." And a couple months ago he got his first smart phone and he says, "Now that I can download the 40% off coupon, I could stop by Michael's everyday and get a mold or a pan, whatever you need." He was with me all the way when I got the Agbay, and encouraged me buying my Duke Convection oven, and text me from work to tell me that one of his co-workers mother is selling all her chocolate molds and I should see what she wants for them if I buy them all!
The only thing he was iffy about was putting the bakery in the garage, because he skateboards, and wanted to use it to build ramps! So he thought he would compromise and just ask for half of it, but now we are talking about adding a shed-like closet to the side and he sees that we could never have just used half of it.
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