Where Has My Passion Gone? Help!

Decorating By Hannahscakes Updated 21 Aug 2014 , 6:27am by ccruise23

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Hannahscakes Posted 19 Aug 2014 , 11:01pm
post #1 of 16

AWhen I first started making cakes I LOVED it. It was like a high for me. I got so excited about cakes I would be making and would just drool over ideas all week until the weekend when I would get to make them. All I did was research techniques and find new cakes to make. I would even dream about it because I was so happy doing it. Now that's GONE. When I get asked to make a cake I kind of cringe. I know that my whole Friday or Saturday night will be decorating and baking and that I will have a big mess to clean up after. I dread meeting with the customer and just don't absolutely love it anymore. But at the same time I don't want to give it up. I want my kids to know their moms job is a cake decorator. My whole town knows me as that and they love it. I get referrals all the time and so many compliments. I don't want to stop but I don't want to hate it. Has anyone lost their passion for it and gotten it back somehow??

15 replies
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kakeladi Posted 19 Aug 2014 , 11:22pm
post #2 of 16

It sounds to me like maybe  you are taking on too many jobs and are not getting enough $$ for all the work.

Are you UNDER pricing??  Most likely.

You mention kids - how many &what ages? They are probably taking up a lot of you time & energy.  Any of them old enough to help out?  Maybe they could help gather equipment or prep work - covering boards; planning; making simple gumpaste decorations - even piping simple borders. 

What's going on in your family life on the weekends.  I somehow get the feeling you work full time so you have to do caking at night.  You are over tired :) 

Hope something here helps you figure out something to help you.

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Hannahscakes Posted 19 Aug 2014 , 11:32pm
post #3 of 16

AI have the cake business out of my home because I'm a stay at home mom. I have an almost 2 year old and a 2 month old so they definitely couldn't help lol. Someday! But my passion went away before I even got pregnant with my second. Life really doesn't seem too stressful or anything.. Maybe it is the $ issue... People don't want to pay a lot around here. I live in Joplin, Missouri. It seems like once I buy all of the supplies I don't end up making a lot off of it. On a good weekend maybe a hundred bucks. But all of the work is worth way more. I have tried to quote higher and people just don't respond. It's frustrating.

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-K8memphis Posted 19 Aug 2014 , 11:33pm
post #4 of 16

Ait's definitely a love/hate relationship -- what you are describing is burn out -- welcome to the smoke dusted, singed club --

best to you

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-K8memphis Posted 19 Aug 2014 , 11:41pm
post #5 of 16

Aphysically, your body would just now be fully recovered from baby #1 but baby #2 snuck in there -- so physically you have some serious replenishing to do -- takes time -- you do need to raise your prices -- little by little -- peeps probably won't balk at a $4 to $5 increase -- and you probably need to start dumbing down the designs you do so you can do more in less time

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-K8memphis Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 12:05am
post #6 of 16

Aand cake burn out is not ay all dependent on the baby thing -- the baby thing exacerbates it though -- and you've got your hands full as is with a toddler and a new born so whatever you do -- don't waste any energy beating yourself up for anything -- figure out ways to make things easier on yourself

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mcaulir Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 12:05am
post #7 of 16

I understand loving the compliments for the finished product, but not really enjoying the work involved. It's OK to have a break - just because you can do something, doesn't mean you have to do it.

 

Your kids are too young to care what your job is.

 

I find I get sick of doing the same boring stripes and spots and cut out flowers. Start only accepting jobs if they're interesting and new designs, and you'll find the passion again. Or charge a lot more. More money, less cakes, less clean up, but less compliments.

 

Or accept that turning your hobby into a job means that it's now a job, and all jobs have boring, repetitive aspects to them. No-one loves their job 100% of the time.

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costumeczar Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 3:47am
post #8 of 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcaulir 
 

I understand loving the compliments for the finished product, but not really enjoying the work involved. It's OK to have a break - just because you can do something, doesn't mean you have to do it.

 

Your kids are too young to care what your job is.

 

I find I get sick of doing the same boring stripes and spots and cut out flowers. Start only accepting jobs if they're interesting and new designs, and you'll find the passion again. Or charge a lot more. More money, less cakes, less clean up, but less compliments.

 

Or accept that turning your hobby into a job means that it's now a job, and all jobs have boring, repetitive aspects to them. No-one loves their job 100% of the time.

This, exactly. Especially about the part where kids don't care what your job is.

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kakeladi Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 5:35am
post #9 of 16

I know what you are saying about the Joplin area :(  And like K8 said, maybe start raising your prices very slowly - that is IF you decide to keep at it now.  Again, K8 is right on about you are run down from having 2 very young ones!  You probably just need a break for awhile as those little ones grow.  When they are old enough to help I bet you will find it enjoyable again.  You don't have to set the decorating world on fire right now:)  What you know/have learned will not be forgotten.  When you feel like taking on work the knowledge will still be there - you might have to practice a little, but it will all come back to you quickly as soon as you start up :) 

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costumeczar Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 10:51am
post #10 of 16

ASomething else to consider is that a job is work and a hobby is for enjoyment. Realistically, if you want to keep loving cake decorating, you shouldn't do it for work. There have been multiple studies done that show that when people get paid to dosomething they enjoy it less, for a wide range of reasons. It isn't realistic to expect to feel passionately enthusiastic about decorating all the time, but if you actively resent doing something that you don't have to do you might want to reconsider whether it's the right job for you. It could be the right hobby, just not the right job.

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Claire138 Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 2:32pm
post #11 of 16

Maybe you need to take off a few weeks (or longer) break. Before August I was feeling somewhat burnt out, just exhausted from no break all week - bed at 12 or 1 and up again at 5-6. However, I've had almost no orders for the month of August and I miss caking - so much so I bought dummies and have been doing some wedding cake style cakes for practice. Try a few weeks of no cakes and see if you still feel the same way. Chances are you just need a break.

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denetteb Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 2:38pm
post #12 of 16

If you are only making a hundred dollars a week for all the time you are putting into it, maybe you should reconsider this as a work from home job.  Is that hundred dollars worth the stress, the time meeting with cheap customers who don't want to pay you what you are worth, time away from your kids or hubby or other tasks that you need to be doing to  keep the house running?  All the cleaning and organizing and ordering and shopping for a hundred dollars a week?  Since you enjoy the kudos and admiration of people in your town maybe you could come up with a different caking plan, maybe only do cakes for people and organizations you support as donations or for special events.  Then you could go crazy and do just what you want with no customer to please. 

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Hannahscakes Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 9:01pm
post #13 of 16

AThank you all for your reply. There are some sweethearts in this group for sure :) I think I'm just asking too much of myself and need a break for me and to spend the time with my babies while they are young. I can always pick it up again.. Thanks so much!

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Danilou Posted 20 Aug 2014 , 9:36pm
post #14 of 16

AHannahscakes I'm feeling the same as you, I told my husband the passion isn't there for me anymore! I know what you mean about cringing when getting a cake request. I'd rather spend time with my 2, 5 and 8 year old, in the garden and concentrate on my part time job. We have had the worst couple of years, my husband has been suffering from severe depression and last year we nearly lost him. He's doing better but it has made me rethink my priorities.Sorry if I've taken over your thread.

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mattyeatscakes Posted 21 Aug 2014 , 5:07am
post #15 of 16

ASame here! Before i dreamt of cake but now i can't wait to just get it over with. I think it's because we have babies (i have a 2 yr old and 6 month old baby)... I feel guilty because i have a full time job, then cake after work until the wee hours.. And then missing precious family time during fridays and weekends :( it also becomes something my husband and i fight about.

I know, why not quit right? I still love making cakes, it's what i'm good at. Never good at sports, music or crafts. So i am holding on to this, just for a while longer :)

There are moments that being a mother, wife and employee takes over your identity. Caking is my break, i get to be myself. So let's reignite this passion again! :) as the late robin williams had once said "we are only given a little bit of spark, we mustn't lose it"...

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ccruise23 Posted 21 Aug 2014 , 6:27am
post #16 of 16

AOMG.. You just described me to a T!! I feel exactly the same way and I also have a 3 yo and a 8 week old. I was doing cakes every weekend.. Loved it!! Even if I was only making $50 bucks off a cake.. I didn't care cause I loved to see the look on peoples faces when I delivered the cake! Well...that all went out the window.. I too cringe when asked about cakes.. When I can tell the question is coming on I try to change the subject.. Or tell them I took a break from cakes.. It's pretty sad.. But.. I have found a new hobby.. I started to do more cookies! LOVE it.. It's way easier than cakes.. No big mess and I can decorate at my pace rather than spending long nights and lots of $$ on supplies! Maybe it fills the void of cakes for me! Hopefully I'll get my passion for cakes back but I don't think it will be any time soon

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