doing the same cakes over and over

I have done so many Winnie the Pooh and Spongebob cakes that I actually think that I could do them in my sleep...running out of ways to try and make each one look a little different.

Just wondering if anyone else felt this way?

YES!!! Ecept for me it's flower cakes. Mums, roses or sunflowers over and over and over again. ARGH!!!

Trade you for awhile.lol

Hey, Stephanie! My repeat order was my golfball cake w/grass. I have made about 5 of them so far. They are pretty easy though. Thankfully, I have had customers (paying customers I might add) that let me do what I want with a few of their details thrown in so I haven't really had any other cakes that are duplicates. I hated Winnie the Pooh! He wasn't the easiest cake to put stars all over. My hands were killing me after that one.

You may want to offer alternative options - for Spongebob, see if they'd be interested in an "underwater" cake, w/ fish, etc., for Winnie, maybe do a beehive or honey pot cake - show them what talents you have. Get creative! If you don't want to do these cakes (which I do little of anymore), is simply raise your prices. If they're willing to pay more, it makes doing them less frustrating! Doing less character cakes, allows me to take more orders for cakes I enjoy creating!

I just looked at your photos...you have a beautiful assortment of cakes that you made!

I very rarely do the same cake twice, so it's always a new challenge and unique to that customer!

fytar,

I now use the tip #18 or 21 and haven't had any complaints...just don't add much pressure.

Mostly, I get to do what I want to some degree.

Had to add faces on the flowers to try to make it look a little different. Once they start seeing that...will want the faces also.

Thanks MrsMissey,

I love looking at your cakes.

cakesbyallison,

Have tried that...for the SpongeBob $45.00 and up, Winnie is $65.00 and up.

One lady placed an order yesterday for three cakes...and yes, one of them is Spongebob Under the Sea...sorry I started that one

I just looked at your cakes, Stephanie, and you do beautiful work but I can see what you mean. You have a lot of Pooh cakes on there
They all look great though and at least have there own personality!
Great work,
Heather

Thanks HeatherMari,

Think I need to go on strike

I swore when I started decorating that I would never do anything I didn't enjoy....been there.....done that.....for many years!

I think if you're starting to resent the orders then come up with something new. I don't know if this works for you, but my "rule" is that the customer can give me their theme, flavors and servings......the rest is up to me.

If you REALLY don't want to do them anymore, just tell the customers you found out about copyright infringement laws and that it's illegal to do them. Of course you'd have to quit doing anything that's copyrighted but if you never had to do another pooh or spongebob cake it might be worth it!

Wow....I just started getting some orders from my practice baby quilt cake I did. I sent the cake in to my husbands work, and they went crazy over it. Well, now, there is a woman who ordered a baby cake for her friend. I just bought all these gorgeous baby pans @ hobby lobby (the little bear, the baby buggy) and printed out some fantastic cakes that I want to try. Of course, she orders an identical cake to the one I just did!! Oh well, c'est la vie!!! At least she liked it well enough to re-order.

Just letting off some steam...love the money

I guess it's because I see everyone's wedding, anniversary, etc. cakes and want to do more of this type...they are so pretty...not much that you can do to Pooh and SpongeBob.

Hey, Stephanie, did you do the Care Bear using the stand-up Pooh pan? I got a friend that borrowed my Pooh pan this week to make a Care Bear. I'm going to show her your picture.

Tarina

Hey Squirelley,

I like that idea...you crack me up.

Now how would I do this?

ellepal be careful, don't want to get trapped into always doing those character cakes. lol

fytar, I have the 3D Care Bear pan.
When I started shopping on e-bay, I went pan crazy...not to crazy that I couldn't wait for a good deal ...got Winnie for only $12.00 which included the shipping which was higher than what I paid for Pooh.

I know what you mean I just got a repeat fro a shower cake and they were very specific that they wanted the EXACT same cake...I was what why would you want that your paying for uniqueness here.....but oh well I guess that means they just loved it that much .....or maybe some just lack imagination they want what they see and figure thats about what can be done....

either way I feel your pain....although my rule is to family that I will not do a repeat for them ...I get to come up with what I want....My brother hates this rule....because he usually wants what I make every one else...

stephanie...I think Squirrely has a good point about doing dummy cakes. I am doing something similar. I am just trying out new cakes on a very small scale (6 inch rounds) and sending them out to people. Why not do a very mini 2 tier wedding cake, and take it to a bridal shop on a busy Saturday morning for the employees there? That way, they taste the cake, the brides see your work, and the employees spread your name around. I am going to do that once January hits and the stores get busy. This way, I can add to my portfolio. I am thinking of it as an investment.

I took the Puppy cake to my sister's club meeting and they loved it.

One man said that he could not eat it because it would be like eating a real dog.

Everyone else had no problem eating it and wanted to know if I could make practice cakes and send it to their meetings.

I have so many cakes that I want to try out...guess they will be the dummy eaters. lol

Every so often when I really want to try something different, a customer comes along that has no idea what they want for say an anniversary cake or something like that. They might specify colours or writing, but they don't care about the decorations. So basically I tell them, I want to try something new and I will do it for cost or close to it, if they are willing. Well, it works out well, because they get something unique that would have really cost them and I get to try out a new idea. The bonus is, people see it and it generates orders. So I may not make anything on that specific order, but I get a chance to experiment.
I just love customers like that, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly

Squirrelly Cakes wrote...

I do this too! When I want to try something new and the customer likes the idea, I give it to them at a discounted price. I get the experience and they get a cake they love at a great price. I have a baby shower in November that I will be doing the whimsical tilted tier cake for, the customer is only allowed to tell me # of servings needed, color scheme and basic theme and I do the rest!

And you know, it is so much fun when you get some free rein over the design, you are likely to knock their socks off with it, aren't you? I just love doing this, I can spend forever on a cake like this and not even notice the time!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

very true! and I don't know about you but I find that I'm at my "creative best" when given a little more freedom in the design!

For me, it's SHEET CAKES!!

Don't people know there are other shaped cakes besides sheets???

And BLUE cakes!!

Don't they know there are other colours to chose from???

I'm also about to do my 4th sheet cake with fondant booties and onesie diaper shirt. I've already done it in pink, green and yellow. With my luck, they'll want blue for the next one!!!

Haha, well I rarely have to make a sheet cake, but I do have a couple of people that always want one. I have to say that out of all of the different shapes, that is the one I like the least, especially when they only want one layer. If I have to do a sheet cake, I prefer it to be at least 4 inches high, geesh!
Guess we all have our pet peeves, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly

I'm feeling my cheerios...yeah!!!

Got to do 2 round cakes for adults...yepee!!!

Did one last night in basketweave and flowers and the next one is for drop strings...free rein on this one.

Then its right back to the character cake ...at least this is a Care Bear sheet cake!!!!