Tired Of Decorating For Money. Just Need To Vent.
Decorating By jsmith Updated 25 May 2007 , 10:17pm by ShirleyW
When I started decorating I never thought I would make any money off of it. I just did it because it was fun. But I got a little better and over the last several months complete strangers call me and want cakes. I keep raising prices to discourage them (still not that expensive though) But I get about two to four cakes a week. For a while I was obsessed with starting my own business but now I think I want to go back to just making a few cakes for fun. I keep telling myself I'll just not take so many orders but I have a hard time turning them down and then I take on too many in a day. Maybe I'm just burnt out because I made two today that I ended up hating. I guess what I want to know is if anyone else reverted back to decorating just for family and friends occasonally and how you handled it. It's not as easy as saying I just wont take anymore orders because I think I'm addicted to it. 
Sorry this is so long. Thanks for reading.
i just started decorating for money and i am already feeling it. i thought maybe a couple a month not 3 in one day. gonna go crazy. but your not alone!
I took a sabbatical years ago. Lots of factors .... I was getting divorced, it was not a "friendly" divorce, 2 kids to raise by myself, financial problems, blah blah blah. Then I had the stress of trying to fit cake baking into the already hectic schedule. It just wasn't fun anymore. So I stopped.
If you don't have the passion for what you do, you won't do it well. IT IS OK TO SAY, 'SORRY, I'M BOOKED FOR THAT DATE'.
Dont' lose the passion.
This was my cake "vacation" week and wouldn't you know it people t work wanted a cake. I finally stood up for myself and said if you want one you have to pay me and it won't be fancy. I was hoping that would stop them but nope by the end of the day they had collected enough so my cake vacation ended. I know how you feel, as much as I love it once in a while I would like to just do something for fun and not because someone else wanted it.
Wow. I cannot believe how similar our situations are. I started decorating about five years ago, and it has gotten so busy that I'm ready to call it quits. I'm also averaging about three cakes a week, and I also do cookies and catering. I raised prices, etc. to discourage orders, but it didn't work. And I also have complete strangers calling for cakes! I considered starting a business, too, but it's a big job, even if you keep things small and simple. Since I started decorating cakes, I have had two MORE children, and I'm pretty pooped. But I still love to do it and hate saying no. It's fun, and you can be so creative. I guess we just have to make a choice, right? Thank you for venting!
Your cakes are nice!
I now charge enough to make it worth my while, and I will say I'm booked if I feel I will overwork myself. I don't even really like taking on two big projects in one day but I will, and I just work ahead on them and get help from my husband with the kids. However if I just feel like that one more cake will be too much, I'll just say I'm booked...especially if the order is made only a week or two in advance and I don't feel like squeezing it in.
If you are getting enough profit and only taking the orders you want, then you won't get burned out. 
I have learned that I can do only so much and then I need a break. Right now, I'm on an eight week break. I have vacation and I'm doing portraits of my grandchildren, so THAT is my priority.
I don't do this as a living, so I have the freedom to do this. BUT, I did find myself in the position you are now in. Doing more cakes than I wanted. Not enough time to do what "I" wanted and suddenly it wasn't fun anymore.
Take care of YOURSELF and everything else will fall into place.
Beth in KY
your cakes are gorgeous, the flavours delectable and your prices are too cheap!!!! you need to up them considerably, put more value to your skill and time you are worth it. also why is a 2 tier cheaper then a 3 tier?
yep I now how you feel I think what it is or me is the lifestyle I have. I am a stay at home of 3 although my lie is busy and total chaos it revolves around us and none else, I have no boss and no deadlines. Makes it hard to have to have certains cakes due by... I would kill myself to have a cake done the night before the pick up day
Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to put together a few phone numbers of other decorators/bakeries and refer people to them when they want a cake. That might make it easier but I'll probably cave in if they beg though. The extra money is nice but I'd rather practice and get better so I'm confident charging more money. So a break is an investment, right. 
Sweetcakes, I know your right but I'm still trying to figure out the pricing thing. I charge less for two tiers because I don't have to deliver and set up those on site. I can put them in a file box and let them pick it up. It didn't seem fair to charge more. But thank you for saying I can charge more!
Good for YOU! That's a plan. As a rule, I only do a couple of cakes in the summer, by special request. Since I only do wedding cakes for friends and family....that saves my "summer life" and ONE cake per week is a BUSY time for me! LOL
My arthritis kicked up last week when I did two cakes in one day and I need to take care of my hands. So, THAT is now going to be my priority. I'll still do cakes for friends and family, but, not the "public".
RE: Begging people. I've had THAT happen to and it IS really hard. But, if they call me less than 2 weeks in advance I just tell them I'm unable to do it. It IS hard but when your sanity is at stake...it has to be done!
Beth in KY
Your cakes are gorgeous and your website is too! I understand how you can be burned out, but I agree with raising your prices and pick and choose what you really want to do. That will put you in higher demand and you can still CHOOSE what to do. Then it won't feel so hurried and unpersonal if that makes sense.
Good luck in whatever you decide. I think your cakes are too incredible to give up completely!
Thanks for all the great advice and support. It makes me feel better to know I'm not crazy. I'm going to try to slow down how many orders I take. It's funny that my customers try to promote me so much. They are always telling me to include a bunch of business cards because others ask for them and then I conveniently "forget" them. 
yeah, i am having one of those blah kind of days. i just need to vent on how tired i am of people who feel the need to haggle and waste my time. often i spend hours doing research, sketches, estimates, emails etc, just to have someone reduce a party order from 40 to 12, and then...hello? argh. it doesnt feel fun when i do it for people i dont really LOVE, even the money doesnt do much for me. i 'd almost rather go back to doing free cakes for those i love and feel the satisfaction of their joy instead of charging, haggling, stressing etc for what ends up feeling like a complete waste of my time. aaaaaack!
p.s. GIRL, RAISE YOUR PRICES!!! my jaw dropped and eyes popped out of my head when i saw your list. oh my goodness, you are worth way more.
Alright, alright! I give up! I'm just going to scrap my whole prices page. I thought I was doing ok. The good bakeries here charge $18 for a basic 8" while I charge $28 for a nicely decorated one. I'll figure it out eventually I hope. Although I think I would like to go back to decorating for free too just for friends and family. Oh why did I let it snowball into this? In fact I'm going to put on my web page that I'm booked unti mid October because I have enough orders to keep me busy until then. Thanks everyone!
GOOD! 28 for a nicely decorated 8" cake...hmmm....ok, ingredients, colors, fondant, ribbon, cake board, foil, box, "accesories" fillings, paper towels, parchment paper, luster dusts, utilities for the oven, water etc, shopping for supplies, gas for the trip etc....and how much does that leave you for a profit? how many hours alone goes into just making batter, baking, making the icing and fillings? at least 2? then torting, filling, frosting...THEN DECORATING and boxing. when you think of it this way, making 7 dollars on a 4 hour cake isnt that great is it? (IF THAT!!!)
glad to hear that you're putting more orders on hold. get those prices up, dont be ashamed, your work is good. better than average. enjoy your slow time.
oh yeah, forgot to say that making custom cakes sometimes for example, i may do a cake that only serves 12, but its 3d and complicated, taking 8 hours (not uncommon for me to spend 10+ hours on a cake), well believe me charging my "base" price of only 3 dollars a serving would only 36, and absolutely rediculous. for your own sanity, you've got to come up with a minimum dollar amount that youre willing to turn on that oven for...it makes it easier to deal with.
When I started decorating I never thought I would make any money off of it. I just did it because it was fun. But I got a little better and over the last several months complete strangers call me and want cakes. I keep raising prices to discourage them (still not that expensive though) But I get about two to four cakes a week. For a while I was obsessed with starting my own business but now I think I want to go back to just making a few cakes for fun. I keep telling myself I'll just not take so many orders but I have a hard time turning them down and then I take on too many in a day. Maybe I'm just burnt out because I made two today that I ended up hating. I guess what I want to know is if anyone else reverted back to decorating just for family and friends occasonally and how you handled it. It's not as easy as saying I just wont take anymore orders because I think I'm addicted to it.
Sorry this is so long. Thanks for reading.
Sorry but you are just too good to give this up, and the more people who see your cakes, the more orders you will have. Maybe you could scale it down to just doing wedding cakes, or just 2 cakes per week. You are in control of your own schedule, and as hard as it may be, you are the one who has to learn to say no when you know you have done enough.
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