I work full time and get home around 5.30 each day, I then have to start baking or decorating as well as looking after the house.
I don't do a huge amount yet, maybe 3 or 4 a month as a rule, but have just had two orders for two days following - one for 50 mini cakes and one 6" topper and the other for a 3 tier, all with sugar flowers.
Now I love baking but some days getting home and having to start baking and decorating when I would love to have a lazy evening ..... But doesn't it give you a buzz when you finally finish something and everyone goes 'wow'!!

But as I have a passion for baking guess I will continue until i can ever afford to work part time.
How do you other guys find this as I know there are many of you in the same boat..

cheers
Jan

Hi janbabe - that's me too! You summed it up perfectly. When I know I have a cake/project to do for the weekend, it seems to consume all my evenings the week leading up to it (baking, making icing, coloring, board prep, etc.). But when I'm done, I love the finished product and am proud to see it.

Oh,I am so glad I'm done with the full time job! As I look back, there is no way I could go back to doing it that way and I wonder how I just didn't collapse! Weddings every single weekend that included buffet catering AND the cake. I was running on about 4 hours sleep a day. A 'day off' meant I only had to run and pick up supplies for the week.

I do too, except I don't get home until 7pm!!! It's definitely challenging.

I know how ya'll feel. I teach 3rd grade, so by the time I get home I'm ready to rest!! I love to bake, so it's worth it when you make someone happy, but I do enjoy the weeks where I don't have too many things to bake. But you know it's always that occasion week when you have 3 or 4 orders to fill. That's tough, but I would miss it if I didn't bake, so it's worth it. Maybe one day this can be my full time job!!!

Have fun baking!

I limit myself to only 1-2 cakes a month if possible. This weekend I have 3 and just turned down another this morning for this weekend. I do this because I love it and I do love the WOW factor as well. But, I am now learning to respect my limitations. Also, I start teaching Wilton next month, so the cakes will become even less, if I really like the teaching.

Actually, I don't WANT to do this as a business, because, then I would HAVE to bake cakes. Now, I do them because I WANT to do them and if people don't want to pay what I ask (NEVER the case...I'm CHEAP!) or if I just don't want to do a cake...I don't. No excuses, just I'm unable to do your cake.

I think not overwhelming your schedule is a big thing. Indydebi can verify that I bet! Can't you girl? My cousin just stopped catering because she simply COULD NOT handle the full schedule at her age and the demands of her full time job. It's better to know your limits than to have clients upset because you may not do a 100% job because of being exhausted! Am I right?

Beth in KY

I too work a full time job, am a Wilton Instructor and do cakes. It has it's challenges! I am really worn out some weeks. I have several weddings booked for this summer along with a ton of cake orders!

I long for the day I can give up the day job, if my boss doesn't straighten up.................it may not be much longer

I certainly understand being worn out with baking,family, FT job,wife, extra activities for the kids. I have three children, work as an Assoc Dir of Marketing and have five states as my territory BUT I love to bake.

I've set my goals to practice at least one cake a weekend and my coworkers get to eat the product.

Grateful as I am to have a full-time job (teaching), I often feel frustrated that I don't have more time to do cakes! I find I can do ONE cake-related task per night - whether that's baking a cake, making frosting, making a fondant or gumpaste decoration, etc. - but only one. I'm working on a very small (4" square) gift cake, and it's taking d-a-y-s! One day to bake the cake, another to make the gumpaste loops for the bow, tonight I assembled the bow with royal icing, tomorrow maybe I'll get to make some frosting. Eeeek! I confess that I have had to throw out a few undecorated cakes simply because I could not find the time to finish up with frosting and decorations and too many days went by.

Good thing this is just a hobby for me. At this rate I'd never make a living!
patti

I work fulltime, too (teaching 7th & 8th grade & coaching basketball). I do cakes and catering, too. I just opened up last June, thinking I would get off to a slow start, and slowly build up my business so that it would be in full swing by the time I retire (1-3 yrs). However, the business just BOOMED!! I'm doing fine - I'm lucky I can run on 4-5 hrs. of sleep. DH is wonderful help, family is supportive. Just hoping I can hang in there until I'm ready to retire - which may be much sooner than I planned!

Yes, it is! And to top it all off, I am having the time of my life! I've met so many new people, experienced different cultures. It's so interesting. I'm in Louisiana, & there are just so many different customs associated with weddings. You can travel just 30 miles in each direction from where I am located, and the cultures are SO different. I actually look forward to going to the "next wedding".

I agree with all of you. I work FT, have a home, DH and 2 young boys. I bake as as hobby only, family and friends reimburse me for supplies + a little extra. I'm averaging about 1 cake a week, but last week I did two, which was a lot! I really love baking and decorating because it usually destresses me. Fortunately I'm a pretty organized person and I always work backwards in my mind from the day the cake is due in order to determine what needs to be done each night. I usually try to bake during the weekend for whatever cake is due the following week and freeze it. That is an amazing time saver and the cake comes out great!

I'm also really amazed at the finished product, and no matter how much time it took me I always can't wait to do it again. I also get so much satisfaction when someone really loves their cake and thinks that I'm a creative genius!