A woman at work asked me to make 2 cakes for her daughter's birthday. The first if for a family party on Friday and the second is for the big party on Saturday. The Saturday party is a BIG castle cake but all she wanted for Friday was a small cake to feed 10 (yea right...) with balloons and Happy Birthday. Well, I don't do simple balloons and Happy Birthday...she can go to the grocery store for something that simple. Instead I've decided to surprise her with a ladybug cake with flowers and grass...she said her daughter LOVES ladybugs!!! She's going to be so excited about this cake. But I totally don't have the time to do this...why do I do this to myself?
I always like to plan something better than expected for family and friends and I never have enough time.
How about a small cake with small lady bugs all over. Still cute and not so time consuming. You could probably come up with a buttercream transfer of something cute.
Yep will do it to ourselves in a heartbeat. Good Luck
I get that same urge to do something more extravagant than those silly simple "grocery-store" cakes. Why would they come to YOU and not them? Because they want something better and you're the one to give it to them...well that's what goes through my head 
I'm sure she will love the cake, but I'd be careful about surprising her with something totally different than what she ordered. I might be ticked if someone pretty much said, "Well, what you ordered was ugly so in my far superior taste, *I* decided you should have THIS!" But I would be fine if somone said to me, "Hey, I was thinking about your small cake and since you mentioned she likes ladybugs, why dont' you let me go a little above-and-beyond for you and make a ladybug themed cake for you?"
She may be thinking "just something simple" since it's a small gathering and the traditional HB Balloon thing is all she knows for "simple".
I'm sure she will love the cake, but I'd be careful about surprising her with something totally different than what she ordered. I might be ticked if someone pretty much said, "Well, what you ordered was ugly so in my far superior taste, *I* decided you should have THIS!" But I would be fine if somone said to me, "Hey, I was thinking about your small cake and since you mentioned she likes ladybugs, why dont' you let me go a little above-and-beyond for you and make a ladybug themed cake for you?"
She may be thinking "just something simple" since it's a small gathering and the traditional HB Balloon thing is all she knows for "simple".
I've asked her to stop by my office this morning to discuss the cake. I was just going to surprise her and I know that she will love it but you are right...I will give her a little heads up. 
Yeah, I do this to myself too. This weekend I have my "nieces" party (all three of them) and it's a Halloween theme. Okay, for Lilly who is turning 1 my friend said just do a cupcake for her to smash and small cakes for the other 2 (Abby is 3 & Kaity is 11). So instead of a cupcake I did the tiny Wilton 3-D Bear and the other 2 are a ghost and bat. I do these for free as well, my friend does not expect anything from me - she'd go to BJ's normally. I just offer to help her out on costs (5 kids).
Another friend expects me to do for her 2 and I charge her the cost of ingredients. Her 2 are for next weekend - Curious George and the Wilton Topsy Turvy pan cake.
And even though all these are basically free - I still want to go overboard and don't have the time
Oh well....Good Luck!
Yeah, I do this to myself too. This weekend I have my "nieces" party (all three of them) and it's a Halloween theme. Okay, for Lilly who is turning 1 my friend said just do a cupcake for her to smash and small cakes for the other 2 (Abby is 3 & Kaity is 11). So instead of a cupcake I did the tiny Wilton 3-D Bear and the other 2 are a ghost and bat. I do these for free as well, my friend does not expect anything from me - she'd go to BJ's normally. I just offer to help her out on costs (5 kids).
Another friend expects me to do for her 2 and I charge her the cost of ingredients. Her 2 are for next weekend - Curious George and the Wilton Topsy Turvy pan cake.
And even though all these are basically free - I still want to go overboard and don't have the time
Oh well....Good Luck!
Wow, you really are going about and beyond. That's very sweet of you.
So I talked to the woman and she can't wait to see the new cake. She said her daughter is going to love it. Now all I have to do is work at my day job until 4:30, go pick my daughter up, run home and grab some movies for a friend that just had surgery and deliver them to her house, feed my daughter dinner, and decorate 2 cakes...that's totally doable right? LOL Oh and I have to bake the cakes for the castle cake I'm making for tomorrow night...hahaha
Now all I have to do is work at my day job until 4:30, go pick my daughter up, run home and grab some movies for a friend that just had surgery and deliver them to her house, feed my daughter dinner, and decorate 2 cakes...that's totally doable right? LOL Oh and I have to bake the cakes for the castle cake I'm making for tomorrow night...hahaha
and in your SPARE time..........! 
Whew!! Glad to know I'm not alone. I do it alllll the time. I just CAN'T do simple. If I'm doing a cake then that means a photo for me so I go all over board too. And when I say "Sure, I can do two cakes this weekend" (like I am doing this weekend. One 5 tier wedding cake for Sat and a 3D chinese Lantern for Sunday - did I mention I have a four year old and one year old??? Why, indeed!) it doesn't seem like that much work in my mind. But in "real time" OMG.....yes, why do we do this?????
It's for the love of the game, I guess!!!
Off to bed now....I've got some fondant to wrestle with in the morning!
Wow CakeDiosa - I also have a 1 year old, and I can't seem to even start on a cake until after she goes to bed! 
When I'm working on a cake, it's usually around midnight I say to myself, "oh, oh, I should add one more little thing over here". I think I just get excited in the moment too.
LOL...well I was able to completely finish one cake last night, get another one torted and crumb coated, and I baked all the cakes for the castle cake for tomorrow. Went to bed at 12:30 and was up at 6 Not too bad...now I need to work until 4:30 today, pick up my daughter, feed her quickly, take her to her soccer game at 6:15, then home to do two more cakes...lol I am truely taking a cake break next week
LOL...well I was able to completely finish one cake last night, get another one torted and crumb coated, and I baked all the cakes for the castle cake for tomorrow. Went to bed at 12:30 and was up at 6
Not too bad...now I need to work until 4:30 today, pick up my daughter, feed her quickly, take her to her soccer game at 6:15, then home to do two more cakes...lol I am truely taking a cake break next week
I know it's a lot - but you can do it!!
But what's the point of doing something more elaborate when all that's requested is something simple?
I understand professionalism and wanting to show off professional skills, but I don't see why balloons can't be professional.
You (and I don't mean you as in the OP, but you as in general) go overboard because in your mind you think you're way better than something simple, and feel the need to prove it. I'm not a professional but I understand feeling this way.
You're allowing more stress into your life that shouldn't be there.
But what's the point of doing something more elaborate when all that's requested is something simple?
I understand professionalism and wanting to show off professional skills, but I don't see why balloons can't be professional.
You (and I don't mean you as in the OP, but you as in general) go overboard because in your mind you think you're way better than something simple, and feel the need to prove it. I'm not a professional but I understand feeling this way.
You're allowing more stress into your life that shouldn't be there.
Very true, however, I take every cake as a photo opportunity to add to my portfolio. I would not add a simple balloon cake to my portfolio and I don't see it as a challenge and I love a challenge.
Ladies, I don't know how you do it. I am stressed out just working on one cake for the weekend. It is turning out not to be fun anymore!!!! I work til 4:30 and then start the minute I get home. What am I doing wrong? It takes me at least 1 1/2 hours to make the filling (tiramisu this time) and fill and ice one cake tier. Should I be faster or is this about average time to fill and ice a 10" tier? They say time is money and I think I work much too slowly. On average how long does it take you to fill and ice a cake?
Ladies, I don't know how you do it. I am stressed out just working on one cake for the weekend. It is turning out not to be fun anymore!!!! I work til 4:30 and then start the minute I get home. What am I doing wrong? It takes me at least 1 1/2 hours to make the filling (tiramisu this time) and fill and ice one cake tier. Should I be faster or is this about average time to fill and ice a 10" tier? They say time is money and I think I work much too slowly. On average how long does it take you to fill and ice a cake?
as time goes by you get faster and faster....Ever since I got my KA and Agbay I seem to be flying through cakes. I have a two tier cake to do tonight, one is a 6 layer 12"round and the other is a 6 layer 8" round. It will probably take me about an hour to make the filling, level, fill and crumb coat both of them. But like I said...it gets fast the more you do it and having the tools to help makes such a huge difference!
I'm in big trouble then. I have the tools but not the fast hands. Just slow I guess but it really takes away from free time. I really do love doing this, it just gets to be a little stressful want to do a good job and feeling you are pressed for time. Oh well as long as I'm happy with the end result, I guess I'll continue on. Thanks, I needed to vent.
Ladies, I don't know how you do it. I am stressed out just working on one cake for the weekend. It is turning out not to be fun anymore!!!! I work til 4:30 and then start the minute I get home. What am I doing wrong? It takes me at least 1 1/2 hours to make the filling (tiramisu this time) and fill and ice one cake tier. Should I be faster or is this about average time to fill and ice a 10" tier? They say time is money and I think I work much too slowly. On average how long does it take you to fill and ice a cake?
I second this! For you CC-ers with kids and FT jobs I have no idea how you find the time, but I applaud you. I do not have kids just yet (hopefully soon!) but I struggle enough with time management with my FT job, work travel, and other commitments. I think for me the key is to know my limit and what I will agree to do. For instance this week I just returned from a work trip late Wednesday night and knew I could only get one cake done for this weekend.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%