Hey cool, so I'm going to start being a Wilton Instructor for an ACMoore store by August! I'm going to an instructors meeting next weekend, kind of last minute but she wanted to get me in.
I think it will be a fun outlet...the hardest part will be remembering to keep it "Wilton only" I think, but it shouldn't be too bad. Have to go get a few Wilton things though, since my turntable and rolling mat, etc are all non-Wilton items. Also I've only ever been to one Wilton class (III) so I will have to be sure to do my "homework" to make sure I keep it "Wilton only".
Any of you PA instructors going to the Bethlehem, PA meeting next weekend?
I was a high school teacher before I had kids....don't like teaching school too much though (the overprotective parents drive me nuts) but I think a teaching job combined with decorating will be alot of fun! Hopefully we get alot of students out, this store has not had classes for awhile due to lack of interest but are starting them back up.
We'll see how it goes!
Wow! That is very cool. I totally know all about the teaching thing. I haven't come across too many over protective parents, but I know they are out there. Maybe it's because I teach elementary. Good luck to you and your new teaching job. Maybe teaching adults will be more rewarding for you. 
That's awesome!! I would like to do that but I guess I have to take a wilton class first. How do you get paid for that anyway? I know that being a wilton instructor you are not an actual employee of wilton...just wondering.
Nope, wilton doesnt pay you, the store you work for does. And the amount you make depends on how many students you have. The least you can make at Michaels is $33.50 per class and it goes up from there. Its probably about the same for other stores too.
Hey, I will be at the meeting in Bethlehem next Saturday! I live in WV but that is the closest meeting for me, so that's the one I'm going to. Also since Michelle is doing the meeting, (she's my supervisor) I thought it'd be a good one to go to.
I never had a single Wilton class, but based on my skills, they hired me anyway. It's a lot of fun!
See you at the meeting!!!
Jennifer
Hey, I will be at the meeting in Bethlehem next Saturday! I live in WV but that is the closest meeting for me, so that's the one I'm going to. Also since Michelle is doing the meeting, (she's my supervisor) I thought it'd be a good one to go to.
I never had a single Wilton class, but based on my skills, they hired me anyway. It's a lot of fun!
See you at the meeting!!!
Jennifer
Hey cool! She says she is doing one in Baltimore in August but I can't go to that one, anyway that's alot further.
I think the payment scale is the same, isn't it, its sort of set down by Wilton but paid by the individual store, right? (In response to earlier post). They pay based on how many students you have.
Yes, Wilton sets the pay scale, but we are paid by the store. And it is based on the number of students.
See you next week! 
The only thing I'm concerned about is that the ACMoore I'll be working at, is RIGHT next door, in the same shopping center, to a Michaels who has active Wilton classes going on all the time, with teachers who have been there for quite awhile. How can I compete with that?
Well, that's a toughy....We are located close to Michael's too, but not right next door. Sometimes our business is really slow, and we'll go a month with no one signed up, and then one month we'll have 6 or 7 interested. You never know....Just be sure to hang up fliers all over your store and even do a display cake in the front or something to catch people's attention so that they know you're there! Also, when we do cake demos (usually every 3 months) that helps recruit new students.
Well, that's a toughy....We are located close to Michael's too, but not right next door. Sometimes our business is really slow, and we'll go a month with no one signed up, and then one month we'll have 6 or 7 interested. You never know....Just be sure to hang up fliers all over your store and even do a display cake in the front or something to catch people's attention so that they know you're there! Also, when we do cake demos (usually every 3 months) that helps recruit new students.
Oh okay so I'm pretty much responsible for advertising, right?
What is that white stuff they use for the permanent cake displays? I know Michaels has been doing it awhile now and they have advertisements several places in their store, and with the cake stuff, regarding their classes.
Well, the AC Moore ads that come in the newspapers will have a small advertisement in them usually, saying that we offer cake classes and they are 50% off this month or whatever....but as far as advertising in the store, that is usually up to us. Make sure that your classes are listed on the store calendar (the stores usually have a calendar that they put out every month showing all the special events and classes that they'll be offering.) We (the other instructor at my store and I) usually have fliers and "take ones" hanging in the Wilton aisle at our store. We also have fliers up by the registers, and there's a big Wilton board we have that they sit outside by the front doors sometimes that says "Wilton Cake Classes Taught Here." All of this will help get the word out that you are there.
I'm not sure what "white stuff" you're talking about....I just meant that you could do a dummy cake to put on display somewhere, using styrofoam dummies.
That was my biggest concern of all. There are 3 other shops teaching classes right down the street from me and in what I think are better locations. But, nope, this month we had 7 students in my course 1. Just get a display in your store and you'll be set! Have fun!
You should see what times are the other places teaching classes and teach on different days/times. I am a Wilton Instructor and there are two of us at the same store. I do nights and the other instructor does days and nights.
I have only been an instructor for about five months and have been having a blast! Good luck!
Bethlehem? I'm right next door, in Allentown! Wish I could go! I applied for an instructor's position at a local craft store, but when they called me for an interview, I was out of town! When I returned their call, the position was already filled.
Theresa
Hey, since a couple of you gals are from that area, could you tell me if there are any good cake decorating supply stores around there? I might as well look around while I'm in the area....
Other than the craft stores, there are two locations which sell supplies.
One is Bev's Cake and Candy, in Fullerton, which is off the Fullerton Avenue Exit of Rte. 22.
The other is Gail's Cake and Candy World, which is in Easton, off the 13th Street Exit off Rte. 22.
I have not been to Gail's in about a year, so I do not know what she has in stock at the present time. The last time I was there she still had some old-school, discontinued Wilton plastics in stock, which I think are so cool that I've bought several. She also carries some back issues of the UK cake deco publications.
They both keep summer hours, which have them closing early on Saturday, or closed altogether.
You'd better call first, before you go trekking into unfamiliar territory.
Bev's - 610-266-2123 (tell Bev Theresa sent you)
Gail's - (610) 252-6206
Theresa
Theresa, thanks for the info.
I have another question for you....I thought about stopping at Fante's in Philadelphia....have you been there? I know it is a kitchen supply place, but I love to look in those kinds of stores, so I thought I might like it. I've heard they have some cake stuff too. Just wondering if you could tell me if it's worth my time to check them out.
I have dealt with Fantes via mail order, and I know that they are really cool people down there. They do have some cake stuff, but I don't recall seeing anything on the website which I cannot get locally.
Their website is www.fantes.com
I love kitchen stores, too!
Theresa
I've been to Fante's and its alot of bakeware but also alot of cookware too. Neat place. However I get almost all my supplies from Oasis Supply, near here in Bensalem. (They have a website as well, oasissupply.com I think?) They have some stuff on hand in their warehouse (its not really a store, just sort of a warehouse with some supplies up front) but a HUGE catalog that I just order stuff and pick it up. You could call their number and put in an order and pick it up on your way through maybe....? That way you don't pay shipping, except I think on fondant you do have to pay shipping since its so heavy.
As far as the cake displays....they have three cake thingys hanging on the wall in Michaels made of that icing that dries really hard...do you think they just used royal icing? I thought it was some kind of fake non edible stuff they used for fake cakes. The ones at Michaels are flat and hang on the wall.
I guess I could put a Craigslist ad too....
I can't start til August due to vacation end of July (and anyway, Michelle can't get ahold of the manager there as of yet!) but I'm hoping maybe to squeeze in a demo of some sort in July to strike up some interest.
The Michael's store does have two instructors so they do offer quite a few class opportunities. I'll be the only instructor, that I know of, for AC Moore right now, as they are only just now restarting classes. There's another AC Moore in Bensalem though, not sure if they found someone for there yet.
So I guess technically I don't have the job yet since she can't get ahold of anyone at ACMoore to call me yet, but she is basically working everything as if I'm "in".
Oh yeah....around here too we also have "The Restaurant Store" which is neat, it has some bakeware and cookie cutters and pans, but lots of other stuff like chef coats and aprons and scales and plastic/paper ware, gloves, and well, just anything for a restaurant you could ever need! That's a fun store too. We are really lucky to live in a place there are so many local stores to get supplies from.
We have a location for The Restaurant Store, too. I love the people who work at the one near me.
Theresa
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