Okay...about 1 1/2 - 2 yrs ago I took a Wilton course to get out of the house and have a good reason for my friend and I to spend a couple of hours a week together. And, just as so many of you are, I am totally hooked. But ...here's the kicker. I suck.

I enjoy it, and the thought of being able to do it, but I don't seem to be getting it. Mind you I have a 5 y/o and a 3y/o DD's that consume much of my time. But I can't seem to find the time to practice since eveything takes soo much time to just prepare.

For example for my b-day I told my DH that all I wanted was one day at home all by myself so that I could bake a decorate a cake. And that is exactly what I got. A day to myself. But I am really unhappy with what I created in my time. I am one of those people who does it all the way or not at all, and I have tried REALLY hard to not give up on this just because I am not the best. YES, I know!!! It's an issue I have had my entire life!!!

I do not relly know why I am writing this. I guess I've got to just vent. After the $$ I have put into this obsession I do not dare tell my DH that I am on the verge of giving up. He is no quitter, and I do not want a lecture. Thanks for reading and listeneing.

You cakes look very nice. You shouldn't quit. While you may not be ready for a masters competition, your cakes look well iced, clever, colorful, and I'll bet they taste good.

If you want to perfect a particular technique, try just doing that one thing. Let go of the all-or-nothing. You can make some all shortening icing (lasts forever) and use it over and over to practice intricate borders. then scrape it off and do it again.

If there is something special you want to master, ask the board, or send a pm to me. I'm no master either, but I would be happy to help.

JoAnn

Don't give up - if you have fun doing it that's all that matters. We all can't be the Duff's of cake decorating (trust me I am way far below an amateur myself) but a lot of us do it just to have fun. I do it because it's a craft that my mom and I do together and it makes people happy.

Thanks JoAnn. I will probably take you up on you up on your offer sometime. Thank you for your words of encouragement. Your cakes are awesome. About that all or nothing thing...been workin' on that my whole life. Obviously still needs a little more attention. Have a good one.

Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a very novice decorator in the fact that yes, I took an 8 week beginner's course and a 10 week advanced course a number of years ago, but I have a full time job and just don't make that many cakes any more. I do know that in order to improve you have to do it over and over until you get it right. Some people have a natural artistic ability and their cakes will be prettier than mine, but that doesn't mean my cakes aren't good and if I had the time I feel certain my abilities would be just as good as theirs.

Don't give up - just keep plugging along. Your children will grow older and not demand so much of your time. When that happens you will have more time to devote to cake making and decorating.

you should see some of my first cakes I have some of the better ones posted. The icing slid off, terrible writing, uneven boarder, icing not smooth, etc, etc. Being part of CC has really improved my game.

I took the courses about 2+ years ago. I am still not happy with how my roses turn out. My husband says I'm too picky. When I did my sister's wedding cake last week, I finally accepted my roses (partly because they got better with the number of them I had to do) as being ok. No one even noticed they were not like the ones you get on the bakery cakes at the grocery store. Keep at it and you will find your own unique twist on decorating.

Still looking for a cake that "sucks" in your photos. I don't see any. Take a gander at the mess in my photos. I took classes 6 years ago. I do about a cake or two a year & I haven't done a cake since whenever I did the teapot cake for my Aunt. I know what you mean... all or nothing. I have that battle myself. I'm in school if I get anything below an A I cry sitting in class. I just bawl my eyes out. I have a 14 yr old girl a 9 yr old girl & an 8 yr old girl. Keep on keeping on. You have talent, just persevere.

Your cakes are very pretty. Please don't give up, you doing a great job. Everybody starts somewhere. In fact, check out this post for 1st cakes from all these wonderful decorator's here on CC:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-349793-.html

PLEASE don't give up !!! Have you LOOKED at your cupcake bouquet ? It is BEAUTIFUL !!!
Try keeping a few icing bags in the fridge, and IF and when the little ones are down for a nap, or locked in front of the TV, get one out and practice one thing that you have been aching to master.... before you know it , it will happen.... I didn't discover my passion for cake decorating until a couple of years ago, and now I am to old to do much with it........ DARN !! But it is fun, and I enjoy it, so I am going to go for it while I can..... Think how far you will be when you are MY age !! YOU GO GIRL !!

If you enjoy his, don't give up. Just take baby steps and practice one thing at a time. Before I lost use of my right hand, my best friend and I used to take one day and bake a few cakes and make icing. Then the next day we would actually do the decorating. It really helped to have everything already made up and be fresh for the decorating part. The only things we would have to do is maybe color some fondant, but other than that we had a great time. Keep at it.

((((hug))))) Don't give up!! You have to learn to crawl before you lean to walk. I am a buttercream nightmare! I can do just about anything with fondant, gumpaste, marzipan. . .I couldn't make a buttercream flower if my life depended on it and my writing is beyond horrible! I still have fun with it and am able to hysterically laughat myself and my creations that sometimes looked better in my head. I am still in it! I understand about that feeling of either being a prodigy or total failure. I am much that way! Instant gratification! Your cakes look great, just keep working on your execution. You'll get there, I promise. I am know for making upa 1/2 batch of easy buttercream and sitting at the table piping on top of an old cake pan, I don't have to mess with making a cake just to practice. CC is a wealth of wonderful women and men who are more that happy to help you out in anyway they can. Keep your chin up and keep plugging on.

Elle

Lots of (((hugs)))!!! Don't give up! I looked at your cakes and you definately DO NOT suck! It takes time and practice. Do what you can, when you can. I've not baked in 7 months (no kitchen) Just started again last week and I can't remember how to do anything and everything I touch just ain't cuttin' it. So...let's not get discouraged, OK?! Keep at it. More (((hugs))))

1. you don't suck. your cakes are great!

2. I think this happens to everyone. I had this moment last night actually. For about 14 hours, I decided that I may just give up caking. Now the bug is back again. I've realized that it's going to take a LOT of work and practice to get those "perfect cakes" that I have stuck in my head. Some will work out, some will not. It's all learning.

3. From my own cake tantrum last night, I've realized also that until you try the same or very similar cake more than once, eveything is pretty much new every time. So cakes will always be a work in progress.

4, we are our own worst critics. A cake that had you nearly in tears will drop someone else's jaw the next day.

5. Take a step back, put the cake away, and take pictures in the morning, when you've had some sleep, are more detached from the "offending" cake, AND the lighting is better for pictures! LOL. At least, I always like mine better the next day.

Keep at it! And if ever post an SOS post, you all better tell me the same! LOL (I know you will!)

You do NOT suck!!! I called my 14 year old over to look at your cakes with me. (She is my "heir apparent" and can critique a cake along with the best of 'em!). We both agree:

- Your rope borders on your green St. Patty's day cake are wonderful! YOu do rope borders very well.
- YOur roses on the white cake look good! We assumed this was one of your earlier or even a first cake and daughter said, "Wow! If those are her first roses, she's really good!"
- Your first fondant cake: I don't work with fondant but I respect the work and talent it takes to get it on smooth and looking as good as this cake does!
- We loved the "3" cake. Borders .... flowers .... really nice!
- When we popped open your cupcake bouquet, we both gasped! Really! That is a beautiful piece of work!!!!!

The only thing I can see that you need to practice on is smoothing your BC, but that's something all of us are always having to work on! Have you tried the Melvira Method yet? I've been making cakes for 25 years and just discovered Melvira 3-4 months ago! OMG what a difference this makes! Give that a try.

But don't hang up your wooden spoon! I see improvement with each cake and I see talent moving ever closer to the surface! YOur greatest resource for ideas and help is right here!