I'm with wysmommy. The idea sounds great and it's something I might consider trying but there is still the issue of liability, unsatisfied customers, and the health department.

I am really interested to know if you have considered these scenarios and how do you plan to get around them? Have you contacted the health department for your state? Do you have waivers drawn up for potential "customers?" and if so, are those waivers legally binding?

If you have thought all this through, please do share. It sounds like a wonderful venture.

I have to agree with wysmommy here. I love the idea and think it is a very creative way to get your name out and create opportunities. However....you are still getting"paid" to make a food item for others out of your home. I don't know that this is a way to get around the licensure issue. IMHO. But again, I do like the idea!

I love this idea!!! If you don't mind I would like to use this idea but exclude wedding cakes...my skill level is not there yet but like you I like to decorate and I can see where this would help me start my business...making cupcakes, character cakes and cakes for all occasions..

I am already doing something similar to what you are planning on doing. The reason I do it is I don't have a permit to make cakes legally from an immigration standpoint. Like you I found that there are only so many cakes the family can eat, so while I wait for the right permits to come through, which is taking for absolutely ever, I have been doing cakes as gifts and favors for people I know. I have done cakes for my friend's children instead of giving a birthday gift, and when other acquaintances have asked I have only asked for the cost of the materials (I make sure to include provisions for everything including the electicity) to make it.

It is obviously great to get the opportunity to do cakes, but there is a certain danger that people take you for granted. I have told my friends they will get one free cake per child this year, but next time around I am expecting them to pay provided I am legal.

Also when you ask for people to cover your cost they will know how much your overheads are, and may question your the amount you decide your time is worth when you get to charging. I find people never really appreciate the amount of time a very detailed cake can take. I make sure I drop it into the conversation some way or another how many hours it took me to do, just to plant the seed that the favor I did took time out of my day, just so that I won't have any problems when I do get to the stage when I get to do this as a business.

Also make sure you can only take on as much as you can handle. I was very busy for a while with 1-2 cakes every weekend, while that is not very many I do have 2 small kids and a husband who works all the hours God gave. So I did get a bit burned out for a while. I have now learned that I can say no, which has been a good lesson to learn.

I would say go for it as long as you are aware of some of the pitfalls.

Wondering if there's been any updates on this. Have you spoken to the bride?

Hi,

I was just thinking about her as I have not heard back. I do have two this week one will be a shipping box that will have Home shopping Network logo on it - she is turning 70. I will also add a purse cake and some fondant jewelry coming out of the package as well as visa, MC and Disvocer credit cards next to the purse.

The other cake is one I saw that is for a girl turning 15 or 16 I have to find out but she loves to act. I am going to do a stage and do a chocolate wrop around the cake and paint musical notes and something about Broadway. I am toing to try and form the back drop with curtains out RKT.

I wanted to also post this - I got this email from my add - now keep in mind they are responding to a email adress that Craig's List makes up

Now I think I shouldn't even respond back to this person - it seems really shaddy. What do you guys think?

Ummm...I don't think I'd be having a "site down" with MarkO anytime soon. Who gets together to talk about his cousin's party? I would think her parent's would be the ones doing that. This makes me nervous.

Please be careful.

I'd respond - but I'd drag out the e-mails as long as possible just to see how serious he is. I'd also ask for a phone number and confirm it by calling him.

Since I work out of my home, if there's ever a customer I'm nervous about, I arrange to meet them at the coffee shop down the street and I'll bring my laptop and portfolio with me. Don't ever let anyone in your home that you are not comfortable with - and always get a phone number so you at least have SOME sort of contact information for the person.

It does sound like a good idea really. As far as the licensure, I thought that it was onlu illegal if you were providing the service in exchange for money. I would think that if they are purchasing all of the supplies and then they are simply given to you, that it wouldn't violate any rules or regulations. But like others have said, you should check just to be sure.

I'm in the process of finding a kitchen and all that jazz right now so that I can become a legal business. What I plan to do is purchase dummies and practice on them and take pictures to build my portfolio. That's just another way that you could go about it if you find that the free route will be too cumbersome.

I would NOT reply back to Marko, you are a serious business and you need to decide what kind of busines you want. I personally don't have the patience to want to deal with punk kids.

I teach high school so when kids send me emails like that (yo teach, can I get the homework cuz my dog ate my notebook) I don't even respond. That is an inappropriate way to address a professional and shows me that you are not being serious or don't take me seriously. Either way... no dice!

Don't automatically assume he's a spammer. I had a 15 year old girl call me for her friend who has having a sweet 16 party. Later, the friend (the birthday girl) called me and arranged for her cake - I never once spoke to her parents, and she paid me in cash. She also drove her brand now sports car over to my house to pick up the cake...

Do whatever you're comfortable with - but honsetly, that's the way kids speak nowadays. I'd advise caution - but you don't need to be paranoid.