I am a process engineer working full time in a papermill. I have one son (5 yrs old) and 3 step-sons (13, 14, and 19) so I keep very busy at home. I started making cakes when my son turned 1 and was doing them for family until last October. I have begun selling cakes (and building clients) so I can be a SAHM hopefully sometime this summer.

I am a Computer Professional and work full time out of home, here in Atlanta. I have a 5 year old daughter and a 9 month old son. I like decorating cakes as a hobby. My husband thinks that someday i should do it fulltime!

take care
kirti

Hi everyone! I'm a retired nurse. I've been decorating for 23 years. I work in a bakery.
Still learning the computer. I'd love to post some pics---as soon as I can figure out how to do it!!! I need SIMPLE directions!

I'm a SAHM to an nearly 11 yr old and twins who are almost 6. Took all 3 Wilton courses and just surf the net looking for ideas. I make the cakes for my own family and friends. I love seeing everyone's cakes here. Awesome job everyone!
KimAZ

I'm currently an accountant for my hubby's company, a Human Resources assistant for a well known University, an ancient numismatic dealer, volunteer tour guide for a historical theatre, wife and mother to 3 beautiful cats , oh and of course, a cake decorator

I currently work 40 hours a week as a Production Scheduler for a telecommunications company (we make the boxes on the sides of your house) and bake cakes on the side. I started baking three years ago for extra money and have kept busy mainly taking orders from coworkers. I usually have two cakes per week to do. I am also the mother of soon to be two year old twin girls. And as if I didn't have enough to keep me busy, I have started taking classes at our local junior college pursuing a nursing degree. After reading the previous post I have come to the conclusion that cake decorators are definately major multitaskers....but we seem to all love it. I was so excited to read the post and see all the things everyone is involved in. Wishing all, many years of happy baking!

Hey guys! Thought this would be a good place to start my "forum posting career"! I'm just a college student trying to graduate and I make cakes and other yummy goodies for family and friends. Since I found this site, I've gotten so excited about baking again and I'm so eager to learn how to make the outstandingly beautiful cakes you make! Thanks for the inspiration!

I'm a stay at home mom and part - time substitute teacher at my boys' school. I have twin boys who will be 11 in June. I've always wanted to learn to decorate cakes and started taking the Wilton courses last April. Just finished the third one last week. We had to drive almost an hour and a half for each class we did - there are none around my area. But we loved it! I have made several cakes for friends and would like to start doing this full time. I'm working now on "advertising" my cakes.

Hi all! I am a chef, hair-stylist, maid, chaffeur, activity planner, wardrobe planner and caregiver in other words a stay at home mom. I have 2 beautiful daughters a 10 year old and a three year old. I also keep my nieces while my sister works. (twin 20 month old girls who are into everything and then some! and a five year old) I have dabbled in cake decorating for several years. I have made birthday cakes for my girls since my oldest daughter was two. Like so many of you I learned to do the basic character cakes because I didn't want to pay someone else to do something I knew I could do. My darling husband knew how much I enjoyed dabbling so for Christmas this past year he enrolled me in Wilton classes. He gave me all three classes and the kits for them and came home early on my class nights so that I could go. Yes, I know how lucky I am to be married to such a thoughtful guy!

I am really getting into doing cakes and spend a lot of time searching for new ideas. I love cake central and am so inspired by all the talent here!
I am starting to get orders for cakes from some friends now but I'm not sure if I want to keep this a hobby or make it into something more.

Hi there! OK so the list goes on let me tell you about me. I was in the USAF for 3 years got out when I was pregnant with my daughter. Did the Reserves for 1 year active and 4 inactive. I am a FULL TIME MILITARY SPOUSE and Mommy, which at times means single parent, teacher, cook, driver, maid, pillow, dishwasher, landscaper, construction worker, babysitter, extremely over-worked and totally underpaid. But January a year ago I "opened" CremaCakes out of my home. So I have people call me up or email me and I design cakes for them for $$$. I love it but boy can it be stressful when the hubby is away and you have a 5 year old and 10 month old who you can't do anything until they sleep! SOOOOOOOO NEXT

well, i'm a stay at home mom, and do cakes on the side, but when i get back to the states i will be going back to school to finish my degree in elementary education...my first love!!

I am a director of human resources and just do cakes for relaxation and fun. I don't even have kids to make them for or any family in the state so I make my husband bring them all to work. He's making lots of friends!

Jeepers! I go away for awhile and you guys start this cool new topic!

I can't exactly say that I am a stay at home mom. My daughter became horrible ill 7 years ago (when she was 12) and has not been able to walk or even care for herself these past 7 years. So, I guess I'm more of a caregiver (unpaid). I spend my days tending to her personal needs and also driving her to dr's appts., physical therapy, work (yep, she works 3 hrs. a day-isn't that cool!), helping with her water therapy, etc. I also have an older and younger daughter, husband and 3 dogs. I started cake decorating because my oldest daughter is getting married in June and I thought "I can do that!" when I saw some wedding cake show on TV. Now, my family is thrilled when I bake and decorate because it is a big stress reliever for me. Sometimes I bake for other people, not for money, but just 'cuz I like to! I don't want to do it for a living, just continue with it for fun!

Nifty topic, thanks for posing the question!
Sandi

I am 37 yo full time night shift nurse, an 8yo boy and (2) 3 year old boys, no they are not twins (seem to have alot of those here), they are 5 months apart, long story. Do books for my husbands contracting business, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.
Have been decorating for about 8 years, took a few wilton classes, rest is self taught, I do a paid order now and again but mostly for church and my sons school, I love the whole design and actual decorating part.
As soon as I get a chance will post pix. I have a poker cake I am really proud of. I love this site, can't believe I havnt found it before now.

The Confectionist

Oh, me too! Me too!! Man, I was only gone for a day or two, and you guys went and started this cool thread. LOL

I have a BS in Chemistry, used to be a haz-mat responder for a chemical company, then a research chemist at a pharmaceutical company. Then I started my own business making hand-made soaps & toiletries and had that going really well. Quit when my 1st child was born. Now I am a stay-at-home-Mommy of a 3yo daughter and 2yo son. I love all of the extra 'official' titles you've all added- they are so true!

I have always been a foodie, and started baking when I was in college. Just last year I took the dive into decorating cakes, and I've been hooked ever since! I am starting to get requests for cakes now, and hope to start selling a few before 3yo's first pre-school payment is due at the end of the summer!

I loved reading about all of you, how fun! Thanks for starting this topic!

Hi all,

Great thread...enjoyed "meeting" you all. I am an administrative assistant (fancy word for secretary) at a municipally owned recreation complex. However, I am currently on maternity leave with my second daughter. Luckily, in Canada, we get one year off on maternity leave and that has left me some extra time to do cakes. My daughters are currently 2 1/2 and 7 mos. My husband is an elementary teacher.

I started doing cakes because I am CHEAP. In 2001, I had a wedding in Vegas for 22 guests, honeymoon and reception back at home for 100 guests all for $3,000...EVERYTHING included. So, I wasn't about to pay $400 for a wedding cake and thought it's only eggs, flour and sugar right? LOL What did I know. Anyway, got a video from the library and looked at pictures on-line and away I went. So, my first cake EVER was a three-tier, fondant-covered creation. I did my sister's wedding cake one week later and haven't stopped making them since.

I haven't taken the Wilton classes yet but would like to. I have my own web site and sell quite a few cakes now. I'm considering not going back to work if business stays up. I'm only worried about the legalities as I'd rather have a "legitimate" business.

Thanks all...sorry this is so long,
Suzanne M.

I work for a Copy Service for Medical Records. I really don't have a title but I do everything. I am stationed at our corporate office but I travel to different hospitals to help out. I am enrolling tomorrow to take classes for a Medical Assistant. The cost of living here is so high I can not afford to work one job anymore. My husband and I are planning on moving to AZ in one year. I'm excited but scared. I am also putting my application in at Michaels Arts and Crafts for a part time job to make Xtra spending $$. I love to bake and decorate cakes and I don't want the decorating get into our personal budget so I use the $$ that I make selling cakes for more supplies and classes. Cake decorating keeps my stress level down and this is how I relax. I am 23 years old now and on the 15th of this month I will be 24. In July my husband and I will be married for 3 years. My husband is the best support and assistant. He helps me when I make BC icing. I love him. We have zero children for now. We have been trying since we have been married but are having difficulties. I guess we are not ready and God will bless us when we are. I can't wait to have children though. Then I can hopefully be a SAHM

Okay enough about me...

Thanks for this great question...

~~Happy Mother's Day to All!!!

~~Connie

Ok I am disabled from birth defects that went untreated or un discoverd until it totaly changed my way of life in 1996 where I had to stop working spent a year bed ridden over came that started back walking but still not like I use to be found out in 2003/04 I have all these heart problems and decied I was going to over come that as well. Prayed and ask God to show me what I can do and the adult school book came on the mail and what I pick yep cake decorating I love it and I can do cakes on my good days and turn down cake orders on my bad day I only do them for family and church so they all understand i started 10/04

I am a full-time cancer research technician, currently focusing in breast cancer. I just found out I was accepted to grad school so I will be going part-time this September. I'm pretty excited about that because I got into my 'dream' school on a full scholarship! I wish I could go full-time to school but I can't because I need to maintain health insurance because I received a double lung transplant three years ago. I am married to a very supportive husband! I am currently taking Wilton class III, and I absolutely love it! i wish I had more time to do it, and I'm not sure how I will find time this fall, but I hope I will continue to learn more in the future..! Nice to meet all of you!

i have my own business. at first i was just doing chocolates and now ive branched off and im doing cakes cookies and everything else. i work from home. and i love it.

I find it very interesting to see the variety of "jobs" we have!!! Yet we all have someting in common...

I am a retired nurse practitioner. I retired after 30 years of nursing. After planning my daughter's wedding in 2001, I became more interested in making wedding accessories, favors and, finally, cakes. I attended the Wilton courses and am now a Wilton instructor. Love the challenge of any new cake I take on. Mainly do cakes for family and friends.

Wow, I didn't expect this thread to take off like it did!! It is definately interesting to find out what everyone does and how/why they got into cake decorating...

I was actually suprised to see that most of us don't have actual jobs doing decorating...most work from their home. I am such a sad, statistical person! LOL

Thanks all for your responses!!!

I´m a trained confectionery here in Germany since 15 years and running my own business from home since 12 years. I was introduced to cake decorating by a friend of mine from England and so I started visiting courses in GB. I´m now specialiesed in fondant and gum-paste decoration, a mixture of American and English style, with a little bit of German. As my husband runs his own business as well and has to treval a lot, I can combined the interests of my 9 year old son and my business. But I really would love to run a small shop...

This is a very interesting topic, realy loved to read through all biographies

hi everyone this is also my first post... my husband and I own a carpet store (we sell and install floorings) i also work at the local video store as a nighttime clerk, so with all that i only make cakes for friends and family..actually i mainly do it for "relaxation" if that makes any sense lmao! i also have 4 children and an 18 year old add on that lives with us .... yes i know WOW!!!!

I am a stay at home mom with 4 kids ranging from 3yrs to 12 yrs. I started making my own cakes about 6 yrs ago. Everytime I needed a cake the bakeries were either out of cakes or I had to give them 3 weeks notice (overseas military). I thought it was so ridiculous to be so much trouble to make a simple cake with characters on top, so I started making my own cakes for my kid's birthday's. I've been hooked ever since! I just started doing them for other people about 9 months ago. I am amazed at how much there is to learn and experiment with!

I would have never thought i would say i enjoyed cake decorating. I came across a book and it seemed like something i could do, so it snowballed from there.
I work as a housekeeper at Lemonthyme Lodge Tasmania, i also work as a cleaner on a boat, so cake decorating is a welcome change for me.

Hi, I'm a stay at home mom to two kids. Ages 4 and 1. I also do a few hours of baking a week for a friend who owns a coffee shop. I've worked in 3 different bakeries (before my second child was born) and have done everything from counterperson, product wrapper, and donut frier, but I always wanted to learn how to decorate cakes. So a few years ago a few friends and I all took the first wilton course and two of us made it all the way through the third. I enjoy doing it as a hobby, and someday when my kids are grown (or almost grown) I'd like to have a certified kitchen so i can sell cakes from my home.

Hi nernan
nice to see another Aussie.....I wonder how many more there are on this forum.???
By the way I am a KG2 teacher in the UAE. I make cakes for anyone who asks me to because you can't get a decent cake here...(the other cakes are all fluff and no taste). People are so happy to get a home made cake and they look pretty too!!!! A friend encouraged me at a kids party as we looked at the cake from a hotel chain that cost a fortune, looked ordinary and then tasted of nothing!!! I made 2 cakes the next weekend and now I make about 2 a week and I love doing it...excpt I am a bit over critical. I also have to be very inventive as I can't get a lot of the decorating things I need here. I will go crazy in the decorating shop when I go back to Aussie.

I am a retired Air Force welder. I now teach welding at a Technical College. I started decorating cakes when I was 14. I have 3 boys and have decorated all kinds of cakes for them from Pokemon to Metallica. I also do a lot of cakes for our church functions.

I'm a Tech Analyst for Washington Mutual Mortgage and recently took the class with my sister in law. It wasn't until the last night in class that I made a pretty decent cake and was so proud of myself. I have a 2 yr old so I only do cakes on the weekends. I am extremely slow at decorating. Someone please tell me I'll get better/faster. I do not sell my cakes simply because I can't make them fast enough to make a living ! Can anyone share with me the typical time it takes to decorate an 'average' cake?