My pet peeve is REALLY really weird...

It's being called "CHEF" actually..

I turn around and around looking to see WHO they are calling...and its me!

I get all embarassed, even with all my education, certification, and experience..

Since I KNOW personally so many CHEFS...and I know I can't hold a candle to them.

I get annoyed at myself for getting embarassed after all I AM a chef.lol

White vinigar turned my tips to where I can barely see the #

I saw this post earlier, but didn't have time to chip in....now I'm way late in the game, but still wanted to share:

I get sooooo peeved when I do a practice decoration and it turns out great only to have the real thing flop or go shaky! I guess it's a nerves thing, but I'll make a perfect chocolate name, fondant, lace work, whatever when I practice a new technique, and then when I have to do the real order it just doesn't seem to go right at all. I end up having to do things twice, and by then it's midnight, my eyes are down to my kneecaps, and my 3 year old is saying "Mom, I want some water!" from her bedroom.

I'm not very fond of having to mix all those colors for the FBCT -- I keep thinking it won't be so bad, but then I'm in the middle of it all, and I can't stand it! I just wish that the icing fairy would appear and POOF there would be all the colors I need!

Oh, and I'm with you all on those tip cleanings too! Sarah

Do you keep the practice piece, in case the other one goes awry? I did a chocolate snowman couple (like color flow, not transfer) for a Christmas cake once. The practice pieces came out great. Something told me to save them. I did the pieces for the cake, and they did not turn out nearly as good. I used the practice pieces instead, and the ones that were done for the cake found a permanent home on my left thigh.

Theresa

Haven't seen this one yet....besides the tips stuck in disposal....next day using the garbage disposal, (especially when company is coming) and realizing that a lot of the excess buttercream didn't make it through the drain and getting a clog...and having to get out the snake.....and then using the snake too hard and breaking a pipe...then having to go to Home Depot to get some pvc...etc....This has happened three times already. We now keep excess pvc pipe and putty at home. We have gotten really good at fixing this problem about 1 hour before lots of company is coming over. Just a small pet peeve about decorating with buttercream.

People asking me for plain old sheet cakes... get creative people!

Had to throw in my 2 cents. When ppl call me the day of or the day before they need a birthday cake. HELLO!! Didn't you know ALL YEAR that your family member was going to have a birthday and you'd be needing a cake?? Did I mention I live 45 mins from Walmart ?? I do have a grocery store nearby, but the powdered sugar isn't as fresh ( it has clumps) although I wipe the shelves out often. Tip cleaning, diff icing colors all are at the top, too. Or when I get a call from my fav aunt who wants some elaborately sculpted cake that I couldn't do in a million years and she says " oh, it'll be easy-just do this, this and this" Grrr...she doesn't decorate or even bake if it doesn't come from a tollhouse cookie roll. I'm done now. My rant is over...until next time

Mine is not really a peeve, but it seems every time I decorate a cake, my DD (who is about to turn 1) always pulls up on the back of me and pulls my pants down. I seem to live in sweatpants so they just pull right down. Nothing like decorating a cake with your pants down to your knees!

Momof4 - you're cracking me up!! I can SO see that happening.

Hey, Momof4lovescakes -

If it happens all the time, you qualify, it's a peeve!

Theresa

I am glad I started this thread! It's so healthy to know that I am not the only one who takes their craft seriously and also gets driven nuts at the same time for one reason or another. I have no idea how I have done what I have done with a 2 year old and a 4 year old in the house!

Amy

cakemommy, I have a 6yr old, a 3yr old, and an 8 month old. People always ask " how do you do it with your kids around all day?" I always answer, " I don't know really. I just do it!"
I think you just get used to making things work. This is a really cute thread!

I have so enjoyed reading this thread. So many of us seem to have the same pet peeves. I can relate to most of my friends on CC. Cleaning up is THE WORST job, usually I am so tired at that point. It is all worth it tho'. I do love it.
June

My peeve is courtesy of my best friend. She will request a cake and ask for a quote at the beginning. I tell her the price and she oks. Cake day comes and she makes ask for payment, and totally makes me feel guilty for taking her money... she will even ask a few times... how much again? to see if i will lower my price. grrr. Irritation. I think, if she wants a cake for free, she should just ask... I would probably do it for free, but whatever.

Oh, and all the normal things too, like cleaning tips and couplers... and i hate to throw out the extra buttercream from all the colors i didn't finish up... It just makes me want to make a really really REALLY ugly cake to use them all up.

If you save the extra bc colors, you will be halfway done with a fbct! Or give it to the kids to decorate with - coordinating colors or not, they'll love it!

Another one -
Someone *knows* you are baking, and stops over to see how it's going. On top of that, they're sick. "But it's just a cold." And your point is??? No germs in my kitchen, get out! "How about if I just sit over there and watch?" "GET OUT! You may come in the house if you are here to see someone else, but you have to hold your breath and have less than 3 seconds to be where I don't know you are here."

Puhleeeeze! If you're sick, or know I'm busy, do NOT invite yourself over.

oh I have another pet peeve..the 18 hour days, having no personal life at the moment..not being able to get my facials, spa treatmens, manicures and pedicures..having no time for the gym and painful knees!

sob!

and gaining weight!! that's my biggest pet peeve!

For the person that didn't like to star tip the character cakes. Just use a round tip fill in the area with the colors needed and Viva. I decided to try it after star tipping one. So much easier if you're using a crusting buttercream.

I also found that if you use a crusting buttercream, let your buttercream crust in the bag before you wash. Turn bag upside down over trashcan and rub. Large chucks of buttercream will fall out. Less grease to go down the drain.

My pet peeve is family not wanting to ask me to do a cake for them. They all will tell me they will just get it at Walmart. Grrrr!

I know this is getting off the path, but I have to share this story nick made me remember.

I put a big container of macaroni salad left over from a party down the garbage disposal, all at once. Later the sink plugged up. I tried and tried and could not unplug it. I finally had to tell my husband the sink was plugged but didn't mention the macaroni salad.

He finally had to go in the furnace room where the pipes went and remove one of the pipes. Well, when he did macaroni salad came pouring out all over him and the furnace room. He was covered in macaroni salad and I turned around and booked upstairs before he could speak.

I love this thread!

My biggest peeves:

MIXING COLORS---Gah! My hands always start to hurt from holding the spoon and stirring. Ughhhh.

CUTTING TIPS OUT OF THE BAG--I have pointy scissors, and they help, but---those couplers and tips just BITE.

A CLOGGED UP TIP---OMG. Seriously. That's the WORST. I drag out the toothpick and start trying to ream out the tip. There! Got it. I think. GAh! What IS that GOB of stuff?! Must be...dang! D'oh! Gahhhh! Freakin'....Sh...D'oh!

*throws icing bag against wall and screams expletives while husband radios for a booby-hatch wagon for his old lady*

--Knox--

My biggest peeve is that no matter how hard I try I cannot get buttercream smooth.... I'm beginning to hate working with the stuff and I swear I'm switching to all fondant....

Ok cakemommy great thread

I had a good laugh on this thread. So many are so true.

I guess my biggest peeve is clean up and the dishes to wash. I don't have a dishwasher And out of highschool was a dishwasher(I hated it then and I still do) My hands are so hurting and cracking from washing.

Second mixing colors I get blisters everytime

Third I guess would be DD's love of frosting and fingers going in to the bowl or begging are you done yet so I can lick the bowl

Foutrh people staring over my shoulder for long periods of time.. (Ok look and go away) If you have a comment or tip fine tell me. But don't stand there forever it drives me crazy.

I work mostly on the overnight when DH is at work and kids are in bed. So it is more peaceful. But my kids are in school so I can sleep then

And Knox you got me with the old man radioing for the booby wagon. Again LOL

And star tips I have done them twice I think for a whole cake. I cheat and smooth if possible.

Cakemommy my DH is a pie guy as well but I found a few cake he likes. Spice Applesauce with cream cheese icing, And my Pumpkin cake I created. And the cake balls to match. So try some different flavors and you may be amazed at what he may like. I was shocked when he took a slice of the applesauce cake and ate a whole 8 inch 2 layer cake in 2 days So don't give up like I did. Thanks for starting this

Mine is getting the boards back damaged or not at all...I have collected a few over the years and cover them really carefully with stick on vinyl. I have had one lady who the first time 'couldn't find' the board after the party, I couldn't understand how you could lose a 2' square board covered in shiny red plastic! The same person returned the next one completely stripped of all the plastic and also the silver paper they are edged with, which would have taken some doing. I went out and bought a few disposable boards that cost me about $3 nz each after that last time. They dont look as nice though. I've started cutting styrofoam box lids to size and covering them, I don't mind if they don't come back.

My other peeve is people who don't pay without being reminded, especially when they are friends. I hate to say cash on delivery in future but it can get quite uncomfortable!

Most of my pet peeves have already been mentioned but my biggest one is that I can never get the cake to look like the mental picture I have in my head. Just like the last cake I made. A simple army helmet cake-yeah, right! I waited to the last minute to make it and everything went wrong. One layer collapsed and the other broke, the frosting would not smooth out, the colors bled. It turned out to be the worst cake that I have ever made. I absolutely hate it. And then, have someone who NEVER bakes or decorates try to tell me how I could have done it better. GRRR!