Perfectionist Or Just Plain "anal"???
Decorating By noosie Updated 3 Aug 2007 , 3:51am by alanahodgson
I just spent 6 hours making 50 fondant sailboat cutouts to go on top of sugar cookies I plan on baking tomorrow. I found myself making sure that every detail was perfect as can be on each cutout. At this rate I will barely break even when you count all the "labor" I put in. I wish I can just crank it out but for some reason I feel that someone will notice the imperfections. Is it perfectionism or just plain being anal???? 
Am I alone or are there more of you out there???
P.S.- I am one of those people who hate people picking at my dishes before they are brought to the table. I am a firm believer in "eating with your eyes first" and always try to make pretty presenations.
Oh well..... 
I am sort of the same way...However because I am a cake decorator/baker 40 hours a week working for someone else who requires production I have learned to let some things go or slide...I have mostly learned that customers do not even see the imperfections that I quicly catch..My point is, I guess, ligten up relax and have fun with it and always remember Practice Practice Practice and more Practice makes us all better
I am the same way when it comes to baking. I also feel compelled to point out any flaws. My dh asked me why I do that. I don't know. So I have been working on stopping the pointing out.
MOST PEOPLE wouldn't even notice a minor flaw. don't beat yourself up. You are great, and anyone would be lucky to have you make their cake/cookies. (God bless you, I don't even make cookies because I can't get it perfect...what a pain in the ...)
I am the same way when it comes to baking. I also feel compelled to point out any flaws.
I'm the same way! I figure if I point them out then nobody will be talking about how I screwed up this or that behind my back....I'll get to it first. Wow I said that out loud? Most people DON'T see those mistakes. I've tried to be easier on myself. I figure if I squint my eyes when I look at one of my finished products, that's probably about how most other people see it 
I used to point out all of the flaws, but now I only do it at home. Most of the time I have this perfect image in my head of what I want it to look like, but we all know that never happens. I wait for others to comment and most of the time I get the "Wow, how did you do that?" they are looking at the overall presentation, not the little details.
A great decorator is not a perfectionist,
A great decorator is one that can hide their mistakes and no one notices!
Take a step back, take a deep breath and just keep going. You won't notice any flaws when you are done and look at them all together.
You guys! Don't you all dare point out your flaws. There are already enough people in the world who do nothing but that. Just keep your mouth shut if you have nothing nice to say (about your own cakes). ; )
Here are the finished sailboat cookies I spent 6 hours in making the MMF cutouts for. Thanks for looking!
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=863373
Well heck....I added those to my favorites a while ago before I saw your post.....and didn't notice a mistake, even thought they were perfect! I was even trying to see how you cut out separate pieces and lined them up on the cookie so perfectly!
I am the same way when it comes to baking. I also feel compelled to point out any flaws.
I'm the same way! I figure if I point them out then nobody will be talking about how I screwed up this or that behind my back....I'll get to it first. Wow I said that out loud? Most people DON'T see those mistakes. I've tried to be easier on myself. I figure if I squint my eyes when I look at one of my finished products, that's probably about how most other people see it
Hahahahahahahaha, Both of these are me and my daughter does call me anal???????
Well if you're anal.. so am I. I like everything to look exact and "perfect" when it comes to my baking too. The cookies came out flawless.. though if you are anything like me you will be able to point out at least 30 "flaws".. 
After my partner and I started decorating, we would look a photos of cakes done for weddings and it's funny what flaws you find when you know what your looking at. Before that we never would have noticed a thing. Most client's don't see the flaws that we do.
It was pointed out to me years ago that people who point out flaws on a compulsive basis (as compared to the once in a while things) are really looking for compliments to feed their insecurities.
"The leaves are not exactly the same length" usually results on someone telling them how wonderful it looks and how they couldn't even tell, etc.
I worked with a lady who made her own clothes and she did a wonderful job, but she was always pointing out flaws (like in the inside seam!) etc. Her daughter told me that when her mom went to a therapist, they talked about this compulsive trait that fed off of her insecurity. She was striving to be perfect, which no one is, so she was compulsive about looking for reinforcement of perfection .... if she pointed out the flaws, everyone would tell her how "perfect" she was.
The point of this story is we all just need to be confident in the work we do. No one is perfect. Even God's roses have jagged edges once in awhile! 
It was pointed out to me years ago that people who point out flaws on a compulsive basis (as compared to the once in a while things) are really looking for compliments to feed their insecurities.
"The leaves are not exactly the same length" usually results on someone telling them how wonderful it looks and how they couldn't even tell, etc.
I worked with a lady who made her own clothes and she did a wonderful job, but she was always pointing out flaws (like in the inside seam!) etc. Her daughter told me that when her mom went to a therapist, they talked about this compulsive trait that fed off of her insecurity. She was striving to be perfect, which no one is, so she was compulsive about looking for reinforcement of perfection .... if she pointed out the flaws, everyone would tell her how "perfect" she was.
The point of this story is we all just need to be confident in the work we do. No one is perfect. Even God's roses have jagged edges once in awhile!
I pondered this for a bit and tried to decide if this described me. Was I in denial? I don't think so. I think I really do it because I want them to know that I know what I've made was not perfect. Do I want the attention??? yeah, I like the attention I get when I create something nice. But I don't want the others to think that I think I'm great because I know that I'm not. Its not false modesty. Its real modesty. The actual compliments make me feel a little uncomfortable. I just want them to tell their friends how great I am. Whoops! Did I say that out loud? 
I'm working on just accepting the compliments and beating myself up on the inside only. Or I guess, not beating myself up, because you're right--nobody's perfect.
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