when a cake your had planned for a long time is a big disappointmen? im working on a cake, and now its almost done, and im so disappointed. granted, there were multiple new things i was trying with it. i think the combination of all the "firsts" with this cake was too much. but now, all i can think about is how i shoulda done this different, or done it that way instead. and i can't get over my mistakes. how do you?
I'm with KiddieKakes, I had a few of those this week!
Focus on what you love about it, and take the rest as a lesson. I always start out with grand plans and high expectations, but nobody but me knows my cakes shortcomings, so appreciate the good parts.
Angie
That has happened to me numerous times. One in particular was a stacked snowman cake I was doing for my 2 year old son. I had it exactly planned out and was trying new things and I was so excited. But then it turned out nothing like what I had expected. I had so many problems with the stacking and smoothing the icing..it was a mess. But it only took about a week, and I was over it and ready to try again! You can't give up. Look at is this way, you got some practice and now next time you will do better. The more you do this the better you get..that is all there is to it!
take it as a learning experience...sometimes the best learneing experiences are those that we fail...
We can all empathize with you on this. You shouldnt be disappointed in yourself though because as you said, there were a lot of firsts with that cake. You challenged yourself and that alone shows that you love what youre doing and want to learn more. 
Practice makes perfect. Use it as a learning experience. Just don't do it never time. You will expand horizens and have a fun time next time making up some thing new.
Have a blast wilt it, it's icing, don't stress.
Patricia
Focus on what you love about it, and take the rest as a lesson. I always start out with grand plans and high expectations, but nobody but me knows my cakes shortcomings, so appreciate the good parts.
Angie
I totally agree with Angie!
And know that you are not alone! 
I am just glad I am not the only one that experiences those problems. I have felt defeated for about two weeks now. Everyones pics look so beautiful and when I try it....whew, what a mess. Don't get me wrong, I know everyone has to learn....but that doesn't help your feelings when you created the monster 
What I have found is even the ones I don't personally like still usually get raves from friends etc because most of them don't even know how to frost a plain old cake let alone "decorate" it. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off (from all the powdered sugar!) and keep on doing what you love!
Focus on what you love about it, and take the rest as a lesson. I always start out with grand plans and high expectations, but nobody but me knows my cakes shortcomings, so appreciate the good parts.
Angie
I agree with Angie on this one. Something else for next time too; my grandmother was a professional cake decorator. Being the one who initially got me started, she told me up front to try one new thing at a time. Then do it a couple of times until I was satisfied with how I mastered it. Then pick another new thing to do and incorporate some of the things I'd already learned with the next cake. That way each cake will have specifics I'd feel good about because even though the new skill might not be reflected well on the cake, what I'd mastered was. She said I'd be less likely to get discouraged this way. I've decorated cakes for over 25 years and I know I kept going when I got frustrated because of her advice.
From personal experence....Pick your bottom lip up off the floor, grab a slice (I am sure it still tastes great) put on a good movie and smile. Its a cake not the end of the world, my cakes never end up like I wanted them to, in fact even when I shoot low things go to heck! Today was not your day, but dont you dare give up! That wedding cake you did was amazing!!!!! Keep it up girl, we all know you will turn out great cakes! 
When my piece is done - it is done.
I truly believe in the concept that you can deplete your creativity by worrying about a piece or mulling over what you did wrong. Sometimes the Muse will just disappear. Would you hang around someone who believed that their creative endeavors were a disappointment?"
I don't want my karma drained of good energy. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale who died in 1993, was pastor of Marble Collegiate Church wrote a book the Power of Positive ThinkingI highly recommend it!
Finally for those of you who doubt your creativity you have to remember, making a piece is the first battle. Most people don't even create!
Then never, never, never compare your work to someone outside your talent range. Learn from the experts and teach the novice artists. It is the only way to grow.
I am glad you asked this question because I feel the same way a lot. Sometimes I can just not get over my mistakes and keep dwelling on them. Sorry I don't have any great ideas, but you got plenty of them from everyone else and know that your question helped someone else too!!
thanks for all the encouragement. im really new to decorating, and i see so many great techniques i want to try that i can't slow myself down! i've taken a step back, and got some rest. now i can look at my cake and see what i did right, now just what i did wrong. just gotta keep on keepin on!
Just file it under "Lessons Learned". But everyone who has no idea how to create a cake will think it's great!
One of my "disappointments" was my strawberry shortcake (in pics). NOt the doll, but a 3-tiered, torted strawberry shortcake. Only after I got the pics did I see the shoulda-woulda-coulda stuff. I listed my lessons learned in the pic caption. Everyone at the wedding just ooh'd and ahh'd over it (because it is kinda unique, if I do say so myself!). Not perfect to me, but still a hit! And that's what's important.
When I make a design that I question, I always ask a "non-decorator" for thier opionion, like my family! They usually make me feel better and then I try the same design in a different way the next time or never do it again 
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