There are those that are polite and tell you "Great job!" no matter how bad it is.
There are those who tell you "Great Job!" and really mean it.
There are those who think "Good work..but then again, isnt that what I'm paying you for?" and say nothing.
There are those whom you cannot satisfy no matter what you do, say, or make. They think can always do better. They look at the world as if someone pooted.
These are known as "The pooty people...from Pooterville."
These are the ones that need to be beat up.
By midgets.
With hammers.

Me...I just pretend that every parade that I see is for something that I've done. Arent they?

Dale,

Once again your good humor is shinning bright

You are cracking me up today...Pooterville , midgets , hammer

By the way, is this anywhere close to Hooterville?

I have to agree with the pats on the back. We work our tails off to make it as perfect and beautiful as possible and then they act like it is just a table decoration. It is kind of like being a Mom, lots of long hours and stress and not a lot of gratitude and then one day it is the best thing out there since sliced bread. My best kudos are when a new client says, 'I saw so and so's cake", or I didn't know wedding cake tasted good until I tried yours. We just have to take it when we can. Keep on baking !!!!!

To borrow from a noted NYC cake designer, Ron Ben Israel, a beautifully decorated cake is like a grand performance. I'm always nervously looking forward to the "grand unveiling" of the cake...for the WOW reaction. Most of the time I get it, but as long as I'm confident I've put forth 100% and have a good product, a less vocal response is ok. However, I have asked directly if the cake was to their satisfaction before completing the transaction, to be certain their were no misunderstandings.

Okay Dale, I am so red in the face right now. I have NOT laughed out loud and that hard in quite a while. Oh, thank you for that!

You need to write a book of nothing but "quips!"


Amy

Yup...I even crack myself up sometimes.

Hi,
I just wanted to add another take on this subject. Often I think a lack of reaction is simply because people have absolutely no idea how much thought/preparation/work goes into a beautiful cake! Anytime I've ever learned something new (eg. cake decorating) I gain a whole new appreciation for others who do it well because I hadn't initially realized all that was involved. Once you have an inkling of what it takes to make something beautiful, then you really oooh and aaah, otherwise you just take it for granted that it should be so well done. Example, my daughter is currently taking gymnastics and she has a whole new appreciation and admiration for gymnasts who can do a cartwheel on a balance beam. They make it look easy but she knows now that they've put hours of hard work into pulling off each little part of a routine.

I love getting a great reaction over a cake as much as anyone, but if it isn't forthcoming then I just figure they don't really know all the behind the scenes work! It also makes me more aware of complimenting others on their "thing" -- crocheting, scrollsawing, painting, whatever -- because I realize I'm not aware of the work behind these pasttimes.

Good posting.... I agree, when your close friends or family see you make something, they are impressed...but your clients, well they expect you to be good at what you do or they wouldn't be your client!

Well said.

Wow sounds like we may just expect everyone to share in our excitement. I seem to worry about every cake I've made. I don't think they seem happy with them. My DH says"do you want them to do cartwheels?" To which I always say"Yes!" Glad to hear I not the only one who gets these reactions. I was starting to think I should just hand up my bag and coupler.

What I hate is when, after seeing your beautiful cake, asks "where did you buy that?" at which you answer, "I made this" Then they just look at you as if you are the biggest liar and moron and say "YOU!?" then they just chuckle, smirk, and walk away!!!!!! Do these idiots think that cakes are manufacture from a plastic injection mold machine and stamped out ready to eat in some far off planet and transported here at the speed of light by some intergalactic space bakery run by aliens in people costumes for "home sugar crafters" to purchase and pass off as their own? NOW WHO"S THE MORON!!!!!

It is always nice to get a compliment when a client comes to pick up their cake. But some people just do not have it in them. I did a cake for this lady last year and when I went to deliver it...she was disappointed and said she did not want an edible image. I felt bad for the rest of the weekend. Anyway...surprisingly, she called me for another cake for this year's party. She wanted Thomas the Tank...she gave me specific instructions not to do an edible image. By the way...I am addicted to edible images and my canon printer. She wanted the Thomas drawn on there. I spent a lot of time decorating the Thomas cake....I had seven orders this weekend and that one took me the longest!!! She came to pick it up earlier today...and I got no reaction at all. I do not think she liked it...but I was expecting this so i did not get upset. Everyone else that I delivered to raved over their cakes so I am not a bit upset.

Well, 99.9% of the time I get the "OH WOW!!!!" type of reaction but every once in a while there is that one individual in the crowd who is the constant skeptic and doesn't believe anything that any body every says or does is real. As "DALE" once said ...
"...they need to be beaten up.
By midgets.
With hammers."
And I want to be there to watch.
With popcorn.
And a camera.
So I can remember it better!

Use a mini-cam...takes better video of the midgets. I dont know why.

Mommykicksbutt said

Do these idiots think that cakes are manufacture from a plastic injection mold machine and stamped out ready to eat in some far off planet and transported here at the speed of light by some intergalactic space bakery run by aliens in people costumes for "home sugar crafters" to purchase and pass off as their own?

What? You've obviously never heard of "Darth Baker"

Dale & Mommykicksbutt - you 2 are insanely hilarious!!! I don't know if I want ya'll to stop or keep going.... However, I do know that my husband heard me laughing from the opposite end of the house and had to pop his head into the office to see what the heck was so funny. When I said "just something on CC" .... he replied: "oh-yeah....I wouldn't understand." !!!!! HA!

I like getting those WOW reactions too. But one thing I've realized - some people just can't believe that someone could produce a unique, delicious, great-looking cake unless they're culinarily (sp?) trained or something. Or they're intimidated or jealous - plain & simple. Along with the WOW or "null & void" reactions, I have another one for ya that I've gotten quite often: "YOU did THAT? Are you SERIOUS??" (as if they're shocked, not impressed or happy for or proud of me) to which I reply - "Yeah! It was a lot of fun!" to which they further reply (but amongst themselves thinking my ears are temporarily out of order) - "OMG...that must have taken forever...and it's so perfect...I guess she thinks she's Martha Stewart or something" or "OOOOKKKKKKK then....hhhmmmm" - or something to that affect! Not that any of my cakes have ever or will ever be perfect, but to people that are too initimidated to pick up an offset spatula and a pastry bag, I guess they are perfect! And I also think that's why they're so snotty about it instead of thinking..."WOW! Now I know who to buy my cakes from & we'll have really fun, great tasting cakes at all our parties!"

When I see something someone else did/does that I like, I think.."Dang...wish I could do that, but since I can't, glad I know who can & will go to them for that (insert item/product) in the future!" I'm not intimidated or feel less than like some people do. Maybe that's why we get those "null & void" reactions, as I like to call them??!!

That's my sister~Mommykicksbutt! Once she gets going, there's no stopping her.

I do get really frustrated when I don't even hear back as to how the cake was. Sure I get or don't get a reaction when I deliver it or they pick it up but a call back as to how everyone else liked it and how it tasted is equally as important to me. Sometimes I'll call the person back and ask how it was! Sometimes I just get, "Oh, everyone liked it." I just have to take that and move on because if I pry more I might turn them off.

I have a lot of repeat customers so I must be doing okay.


Amy

Reaction!!!!!
There is one thing i have learned after posting my cakes on CC. Here we have professionals so i get professional "REACTION" i.e. you guys know what has gone into decorating the cakes, the efforts, time, money, time stolen from kids, sleepness nights etc.. etc.... while the REACTION i get from the people who i make the cakes for i would say are very different... some like "wow!!!, how did you do that", "for all the time you have put in, i would rather buy from out" (that really hurts), "can you make me a cake, i'll buy you the ingredients" (common my house is flowing with ingredients, what i need is that you appreciate my efforts). And yet at times i have some say "oh i dont want to cut the cake" the lovey dovey stuff, but i would like you to enjoy eating the cake too.. its not for decor.
And then the NO REACTION at all, as if to say it was expected of you, so there is nothing special about it. It happened once, when my son took all the efforts to decorate a lovely cake for his friend, which was a surprise cake and the cake was just pushed aside, no one at the party saw it, while my son insisted on his friend cutting that cake... oh i know what he went through, we learnt one thing never to make surprise cakes.

Well apart from the professionals (the cake makers, decorators, advicers, judges etc..) and the non-professionals, i always like the REACTION i get from my kids, really genuine, childlike.

I'm glad I found this topic. You all are just to funny! I don't do cakes professionally though. Just for family and close friends. I did a baby shower cake recently for money (first real paying customer) and she was really upset I didn't do exactly what she wanted. I explained I'm not a professional, and my cakes kind of create themselves as I go with a general theme, but, the finished product is not always what was in my head when I started. I'm just not that good. I was crushed at how upset she was about this. When she came to pick up the cake, I wasn't even going to charge her, but she insisted on paying. Was rather stoic when she got it. Then, about 10 min later she called me from her car and appologized for being so upset that the cake was perfect and she couldn't believe how much work I put into it.. ANd then emailed me later to appologize again and rave on how excellent the cake was (it's the baby buggy shower cake in my photo album). I'm not certain I'll ever do a cake for money again b/c it was so distressing though. I much prefer the reaction my younger brother had when he saw the wedding cake I made for my older brother "Holy Sh......t! You made that!!!!" or the screams that ensued when I had to cut the Harry Potter cake I made for my older dtr's bday a few years ago. Those are what I live for in the cake world BTW, my husband isn't very big on the comments either. He thinks everything I make is totally cool, but he doesnt get all excited about it. My kids on the other hand, they are contantly telling me how cool the cakes are. And I know I made a cool creation from the reactions I get online here too

SheilaF...I think all of your cakes are gorgeous. You did a great job on the baby buggy cake.

Thanks. I kind of thought it was my best creative cake at that point too. I doubt i'll get into it professionally any time soon though. I want it to stay fun

SheilaF,
That woman was just being a "pooter"!!!!! (quoting Dale)
I would guess that after others saw your beautiful work of edible art that this woman pulled her head out of her pooty hole so she could get a better look. Maybe it was just her hormones. She was preggers right?

Dale said:

What? You've obviously never heard of "Darth Baker"

Oh YEah!!! I forgot about them!!!! Is that who you use? Are they still as good as they used to be? YOu know, "a long, long time ago..."

In a bakery far, far away...

I just checked out your cakes Kim and they are AWESOME!! You do very nice work, so creative!! I know what you are talking about, some people just go nuts and some just don't say much. I think that must be their personality! I wish I had time to look at and leave comments on all of your cakes but I have to get to bed!! I did leave a couple though. Anyway, I don't think you have anything to worry about, you do beautiful work!!

~luraleigh~

Thank you all so much for replying to this post. I'm so glad I'm not alone in this thinking.

I guess that's yet another reason I love CC. You all KNOW how I feel and go to as much if not more effort in making your works or art than I do so you know what the "wow" factor means.

And Dale, I don't know if you realize but many of us love reading anything you write. I too was cracking up, out loud after your pooter comments.

Have a great day!
KimAZ

This is really interesting because I'm just starting out making cakes and I want to practice a lot because my niece wants me to make a cake for her wedding next spring. So I'm trying out a lot of new stuff on my family.

At first - they seemed receptive - but now, a month down the road -they look kind of green when I present them with a new cake - like "do we HAVE to eat that?"

My son asked me why I couldn't make a loaf of bread once in a while, instead of a cake - and my husband told me not to get too wrapped up in it -because I'll never be able to make cakes to sell, cause I lick my fingers.

But I enjoy it - and I'm going to keep doing it - no matter what they say. I'm doing it for me. It makes me happy. And it feels like art class. I wish we had a decorating class nearby - but I live way out in the country.

But this website is fantastic! I go step by step through the how-to's and just try and try again. I love seeing the cake pictures and all the creative ideas.

Now my family is the opposite. they get upset when I do a cake for someone else b/c they want it too. The coolest part of mom making cakes is they get to eat the cake tops! I make them go outside though so I don't have to keep sweeping. four kids can make quite the disaster from cake tops. I usually send my "practice" cakes to work w/my husband. His company has over 500 employees and most of them young single guys (computer programmers) and they will eat cake every day if they had it. THey were really bummed when my cake classes ended because I wasn't making them every week anymore

I agree that it's great to get a big positive reaction from someone you've made a cake for.

Since I make cakes mainly for family and friends, and they know how much time and effort I put into designing and creating a cake, I usually get that big reaction. However, sometimes I don't and it bums me out!