Crazy Lady

Business By karateka Updated 4 Mar 2007 , 3:17pm by mbasic

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karateka Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:08am
post #1 of 36

I'm doing a lady's cake for a baby shower. It's big, and expensive ($145) I'll try to attatch the pic below. She just called to ask how it was going, and asked me if it looked good. What was I supposed to say???

No, it looks like crap.

Then she asked if it was turning out the way I wanted it to. I totally said it was going to be cute, even though I'm stressing the way I always do. You know, the sides aren't perfectly even all the way around or I see a small wrinkle or crumb in the frosting. But over all, I'm thinking I'm going to be pleased. But she's got me tied up in knots now, wondering if she's going to throw a fit no matter what. I have a no refund policy, to guard against those who would demand a refund no matter how great their cake was just because they can. But I'm smelling a refund demand. And I haven't even finished it yet!! Grrrr.....
LL

35 replies
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GrannieJ Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:12am
post #2 of 36

I would love to see the picture, is it in your photo gallery?

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mkerton Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:13am
post #3 of 36

I cant see the picture........but that is weird......perhaps she is just stressed because she is spending so much on the cake, she wants to make sure things are going ok (ie that you are not going to cancel on her last minute perhaps??)....just trying to give her the benefit of the doubt..........

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indydebi Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:14am
post #4 of 36

I couldnt' open the pic.

I might "suggest" to her in my most good-natured voice, "Honey, if you don't let me stay off of this phone and get this done, then I'm gonna have to charge you for overtime!" (Smile sweetly .... bat eyelashes!)

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mkerton Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:16am
post #5 of 36

yeah now I see it! That is really cute....looks to me like you did fine!

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sweetcakes Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:16am
post #6 of 36

i wonder if she was inquiring because she wanted to change something, or cancel it, Did you ask her anything on those lines, when is it actually due?

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johnniekake Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:17am
post #7 of 36

Your being paranoid the cake looks GREAT!!!!!

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GrannieJ Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:17am
post #8 of 36

It's lovely!! How could she not be pleased with it???!!! You have done a great job!! We are always our own worst critics! It's great!

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Nadya Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:18am
post #9 of 36

The cake looks terrific! I am sure your customer will love it thumbs_up.gif

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Aliwis000 Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:19am
post #10 of 36

Tone of voice is everything in that convo..did she say it in a mean way or are you interpreting that because of you being a little stressed?
That cake is amazing, absolutely wonderful and I love love love the color. She may be just as stressed as you are, that big a cake for a baby shower? How many people is she having to host? And we all know how stressful big parties are. I am sure she will love the cake, and keep us posted!
~alicia

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cocakedecorator Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:19am
post #11 of 36

This lady is crazy if she doesn't like that cake, it is awesome. Don't worry everything will be fine.

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Gale Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:20am
post #12 of 36

I think this looks terrific! Very pretty and I love the colors. I can't see where she could find any fault with it, but I understand the stressing part. I do the same thing sometimes.

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darby822 Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:22am
post #13 of 36

It looks fantastic. If she doesn't like it she really is crazy!

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Chiara Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:24am
post #14 of 36

Your cake is very sweet looking. You have nothing to worry about. It is the only one she will ever see like that and she will definitely get a lot of reaction when she presents it at the shower.
It is a very nice looking cake.
Claire

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newcakemaker Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:25am
post #15 of 36

I think that cake looks amazing! i would definitely not stress over it at all.

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JamesSweetie Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:25am
post #16 of 36

I have a customer, an aqquaintance, who does this to me for every, single cake I do for him. I HATE it (and always swear I won't make another cake for him because of it!). He will ask at least three times if I think I can do it, and "it better be perfect" and "well how are you going to do it?" even after I've gone over how I would do it. This is even for cheap cakes (oh yea, he will try to beat the price down to almost nothing). I have even told him before if he didn't trust me to do it, then I wouldn't do it. Although now that I've got a $40 minimum for any cakes, I don't think its going to be a problem anymore! icon_rolleyes.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

Your cake is amazing btw!

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angelcakesmom Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:29am
post #17 of 36

Your cake s absolutely adorable and worth every penny!(& more+) icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif
Be proud, be very proud!! thumbs_up.gif

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paolacaracas Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:30am
post #18 of 36

It's all in your attitude.
You need to believe in what you do, your cake is great and if you don't believe it is she will sense this when she comes to collect her cake. Look proud of what you did and if she complains look at her as if she's crazy

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freddyfl Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:31am
post #19 of 36

It could also be that she is super excited about the cake and is dying in anticipation of how awesome it is going to be. I am guessing that she is just really excited and didn't know how or what else to say. You did a really good job on it. I love all of the bows.

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Aliwis000 Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:33am
post #20 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesSweetie

I have a customer, an aqquaintance, who does this to me for every, single cake I do for him. I HATE it (and always swear I won't make another cake for him because of it!). He will ask at least three times if I think I can do it, and "it better be perfect" and "well how are you going to do it?" even after I've gone over how I would do it. This is even for cheap cakes (oh yea, he will try to beat the price down to almost nothing). I have even told him before if he didn't trust me to do it, then I wouldn't do it. Although now that I've got a $40 minimum for any cakes, I don't think its going to be a problem anymore! icon_rolleyes.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

Your cake is amazing btw!





We have customers like this at my parents shop. Jokes on them though, once we quote a job for them we always tack on an extra $20, so when they talk us down $15 they go away happy, and so do we! The extra $5?...lets call that a <naughty word> fee.

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RisqueBusiness Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:40am
post #21 of 36

I also get that ALL the time...I get call upon call ...especially from first time buyers.

They want to know how a cake is coming along...and if you know the kind of cakes that I do ..I just want to scream at them...

"HOW DO YOU THINK IT"S GOING!!!...IT"S ONLY A (blank) CAKE FOR GOODNESS SAKE"..I"M NOT A BLOODY GYNOCOLOGIST!" lol

But, I smile sweetly and say.

"OH, YOUR CAKE IS WONDERFUL, BEST (BLANK ) I'VE MADE SO FAR"....

bwwwwwwwwwahahhaaaa!!

EDITED TO ADD:

Please don't stress, your cake is awesome! So cute and well done!

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dolphins256 Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:41am
post #22 of 36

I think the cake is beautiful, the buttons, the rattle, the booties and the bows, who would not be happy with that. icon_smile.gif

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MeloMiMi Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:43am
post #23 of 36

Awesome Job.

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crumbscakeartistry Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 12:53am
post #24 of 36

I would love a shower cake like that. It came out great!

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nglez09 Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 1:17am
post #25 of 36

No demand for a refund in a million years for that cake- or any of your cakes for that matter. thumbs_up.gif

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karateka Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 10:54am
post #26 of 36

Oh, you guys are wonderful, but I goofed up!! That is the cake I'm copying, not mine! Mine has a green top tier and a couple other small adjustments. And I'm not finished yet. I will post a pic when I'm done.

I know it's expensive, especially for a baby shower, and I really shouldn't freak out, but those kinds of calls really bug me. She sounded like she was expecting me to start bawling and telling her all the problems I'm having and how she'd better not expect much. icon_razz.gif

I guess since I was up half the damn night my temper was kinda short yesterday. You guys are right, if I come off all confident it should calm her down. Theoretically....

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boonenati Posted 2 Mar 2007 , 11:20am
post #27 of 36

karateka i know exactly how you feel, i got an order last year, that i was really confident in doing and then when the lady came to pay, she sounded exactly like your customer "OH is it going to look just like the picture, is it going to look good, is it this is it that??"
By the end of it i was so totally freaked out, everything that could have gone wrong did but i still managed to deliver the cake, and the customer absolutely loved it.

Anyway i dont think that your cake is expensive. I dont charge for cakes by the occasion, it depends on the size and amount of work. I wont do any three tier cakes for any less than AU$300, so i think your customer is getting a bargain for a three tier cake.

im sure it will look awesome
cheers
Nati

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karateka Posted 3 Mar 2007 , 1:39am
post #28 of 36

Well, I finished it and delivered it. And she seemed totally normal when I got there! Her husband even gave me a $10 tip!!

So unless the cake itself tastes like doodoo or whatever, I guess I passed her test.

I had a moment of anxiety when the green frosting on the top tier bulged out at the bottom when I was placing the tier on. But I smoothed it out as best I could and with all the bling on this cake I don't think it's too noticeable. I am aggravated by the bulging on the white cake....I didn't see that beforehand, I wonder if I made my cake support too low and the weight of the top tier caused it?

Anyway, the only thing that seemed to go wrong is that I forgot to give her the label I printed out. I'll just mail it. Pic posted below!

Thanks for all the moral support!!
LL

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baker4life Posted 3 Mar 2007 , 3:32am
post #29 of 36

Turned out adorable!!!! thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

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kelleym Posted 3 Mar 2007 , 5:33am
post #30 of 36

I agree...there's nothing not to love! I love your little safety pins, are they freehanded?

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