stefanie214 - we used to be in the same neighborhood! From '93 - '95 I lived in Edison Woods, the apartment complex behind CompUSA! I loved Menlo park mall. Now it's a bit too far for me to drive, but still go there on occasion. I posted a reponse to the licencing thread. Basically I got shot down. I would love to be legal and grow my business!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-325107-.html#325107

Perhaps someone will find a loophole! I'll have a basement in the new house and thought perhaps I could section off part for a bakery kitchen. Don't know.

I'm going to ask my SIL about this, gals, she has a catering business.....

Ellen,

Everytime I have to pump my own gas when it's raining, I think of NJ and miss the full service

I went to the Reignbow Beauty Academy in Perth Amboy...boy, was that area a trip

Hi Girls. I am in central NJ. I live in Middletown. I started decorating about 3 years ago. I took the first wilton class at Michael's, but I have not had a chance to take anymore classes. I am a stay at home mom with a 5 year old and a 2 year old. I have made some cakes for friends and sold a few for customers here and there. I have a website with some of the cakes that I have made so far its www.cakesbymegan.com.

A&P has DH cake mix on sale for $1 per box beginning next week...

Hi Everyone,

I am Kathleen and I live in Phillipsburg. I have only been decorating for 2 year. I took all the Wilton classes and am enjoying this hobby immensely. I'm not very creative, I copy other cakes. I love (L-O-V-E) this site. I shop at Candyland Crafts in Somerville and I also shop at Gail's in Easton on Northampton Avenue. I have only made a handful of cakes - mostly friends and family. I still very pokey at making cakes. It seems like it is almost an all day adventure for each cake. Nice to know there are so many right here in Jersey.

Kathleen, you aren't too far from me, I am near the Blairstown area. I was just at Gail's for the first time the other day. Unfortunately, she didn't have too much of what I was looking for but I did leave with stuff!

Hello fellow Jersians!
I'm new to this site, living and working in South Jersey.
I'm an ACF certified pastry chef (CPC), working on the next certification level ( CWPC). Anyone else? I'll be testing at Atlantic County Community. Can anyone tell me about the facility?
I work full time at a wholesale baking company and I also freelance, doing decorated cookies ( my current obsession), wedding cakes and special occasion cakes.
I'm looking forward to the Bakery Expo in October in AC. Anyone else going?
Happy to meet all of you!

Sharon

Hi to all,

I am a grandmother to 7 children, actually 2 in the military, 2 in college and the others still attending school. I have been decorating cakes for about 4 years. Maybe some day if I get to retire I could open up a little bakery shop not a big thing though. My personal opinion is that if you cannot open a business according to state regulations, just try to do your own thing very carefully. Issues like no checks involved in the payments, be extremely careful with character cakes as they are registered items and are for your own use purpose. To work with wedding cakes, just try to make an arrangement with a local bakery so that you won't be breaking any statutes of the law.

By the way, I tried to register for the cake event coming up in October and noticed that they are asking about the kind of business you own. Please keep me posted. By the way, I live in Passaic county.

My Walmart has DH cake mixes for 82cents a box. What a bargain! Maybe your Walmart has the same sale...check it out!

This thread is making me teary-eyed

I lived in NJ for 20-something years. Just moved from Toms River, NJ to TX this spring and I wanna go back! It's the lil things you miss. Like Wawa. Rich's Ice Cream. Traffic on Rt 37. The Freehold Mall and Monmouth Mall.

Hi everyone I did'nt have any chance today to check Cc at work I was very busy, but I'm happy to see that they are alot of us here. My name is Lizette and I'm from Northern Jersey, Paterson. I just relocate resently from PA. I don't have much exp. with my job and 2 kids under 4 I have my hands full. I will like to take some classes or partner with someone with experience that will like to teach.

Thanks CC and you guyd for this opprtunity.

Hi everyone, fellow Jersey girl here!!!! I live in Monmouth county in Oceanport. I am so happy to see so many other Jersey girls on CC. I am brand new to cake decorating and only in Wilton II at AC Moore as of right now. I recently decided that if I get good enough I'd love this to be a "side business" once my little ones are in school. I don't have a lot of time to practice with a 1 1/2 year old and feisty 3 year old but I am trying. I REALLY wanted to go to the show in Atlantic City but also saw it was for business owners only. I just want to go and watch not even enter the competitions, I wonder if that is possible??? Keep me posted as well. I was also thinking about pastry school in NYC but holy $$$$$$$$$$ Someone mentioned ACF certified, what is that and where do you get it Oh, I have a bakery right around the corner that will only take cash or check to cash. How do they get away with that??? And we have to worry about a home business, not fair Happy to know you are all out there.

One more thing, where does one go after Wilton to get experience It seems like that is it around here.

Hey Sue!
Replies to your questions:
First, I hold an ACF ( American Culinary Federation) certification. As an ACF member, you have an opportunity to achieve professional chef certification levels in pastry arts or general culinary through testing, both written and practical examinations, and education requirements in nutrition, sanitation and business managment/supervision. Anyone can join the ACF. You don't have to persue certification to be a member, but the dues are a little high ( $250/yr) and there are significant costs to the certification. Check out their website for full info (www.acfchefs.org). I'd also be happy to answer any questions! The RBA ( Retail Bakery Association) has certification levels as well. ACF and RBA have a reciprocal agreement, meaning they recognize each other's certification levels.
I will always encourage any baker to persue cetification. It provides a level of industry respect that you don't always get without it. This is especially useful for us hardcore freelancers! I never have to justify my prices. My family doesn't expect me to absorb the cost of the cake for every family occasion. My friends don't expect freebies. Someone very eloquently stated here that if you had a relative in real estate, you wouldn't expect them to 'give' you a house, so why should you be expected to give away cakes. Until I acheived that professional level, baking and decorating were always viewed as my hobby. All too often, we are shortchanged, most often by our very selves! Stop it!!

Second, regarding the AC Bakery Expo. This might be a PSA for everyone. Honestly, even though it's an industry-only show, they really don't require any solid proof of a business. I'm going with my co-workers ( on the bakery's dime..woo-hoo!), but I received a ton of ads for it in the mail at my home address as well and I don't have a business. Just register online and create a business name. I've been to tons of these shows and as long as you pay, they really dont care! Industry-only shows are meant to keep out people whith no real interest in anything other than free samples....think NY Food Show. I think it's safe to assume that most everyone on this board has a vested interest in attending.

Hope that adds something!

Sharon

Oh, BTW... adven68, I'm not a judge, but I'd love to see your cakes! Good luck in the show!

Hi! My name is Joan. I was born in NJ and lived there for 35 years. Still have my sister there and stepdaughter and her family. I still consider myself a "Jersey girl."

I never pumped my own gas until I left the state. Even then, paid more for full service until my husband caught me at the pump and realized what I was doing. LOL.

Miss the Jersey shore!! Jersey tomatoes!! Jersey corn!! And......PIZZA.

Hello everyone (Zamode thanks for thinking of me ) yes I too am living in New Jersey. South Jersey to be exact, I am a SAHM of 3 children, we live in Washington twp. Gloucester Co. our address is technically Sewell.......but we're in the Turnersville area...actually I can see Home Depot as I type lol.



MichelleG- I shop in Deptford..the A.C. Moore there is where I took Wilton class 1!!

Sandi64- My DH and I almost bought a house in Berlin....but decided on Wash. twp. instead Taxes are still rediculous in Berlin.....but man are they insane here!! ugh

Sophie-EM- My Dh and I used to live in Maple Shade right on Rt. 73 in the Village of Stoney Run apartments! Maple Shade was my first introduction to Jersey......the first few weeks I got a lot of middle fingers pointed at me trying to figure out all those jughandles LOL Making a right in order to make a left just didn't make sense!!! Now I have got them figured out.....only took 4 yrs LOL

Gingoodies- runnemede is where the nearest cake deco. store is to me...Cannon's Cakes and Candies do you go there??? I believe they're in runnemede....they moved, so maybe it's not considered runnemede anymore......they're on Chews Landing Rd.

In any case........I'm happy and sad to say that we are going to be leaving this great Garden State.......for Ohio. I will miss the Silver Queen corn the most I think ( man that stuff is good) I will miss all the produce markets that are sooooooo close and soooooooooo reasonably priced!!! However we will say goodbye to $4,000 dollar a year taxes and say hello to $400 a year taxes......and will say goodbye to paying $1500 amonth for our mortgage......to paying $0 a month.....yes that's right.....Jersey has been so good to us that our house will sell with enough profit that we can buy a house in Ohio out right and have no mortgage payments!!! I will always love this crowded, rude, beautiful, place for that!!!!!!!! Oh and we already have plans to come back to the shore every summer......Lake Erie is good.........but that Atlantic ocean......well, small town Ohio is just not as beautiful as our yearly trips to Ocean City......and hey with NO mortgage we can afford to stay longer than a week!!!

Tina

Tina, Wow! What a blessing, that's better than hitting the lottery! I can't even imagine a tax bill that's in the hundreds rather than the 1000's. I wish you all the best in you new home state. When are you moving?

well (fingers crossed) they are suppose to bring the contract by tomorrow already signed by the prospective buyer.....so if all goes well, we will be on our way to Ohio on Dec. 2........I am considering it my birthday gift LOL

And, I say again, after ordering in tonight:

NEW JERSEY PIZZA!!!

Glad to see this thread is still going! Tina, best wishes to you! The taxes here are ridiculous, my husband is thinking of putting up the for sale sign when he retires. I like it here but it is nuts--where does the money go?

Anyway, welcome new posters to this thread and keep posting where you get your stuff!

Hey just saw this post, my name is Maria. I have been decorating less than 2 years. I found this site when I was making my very first cake for my son's birthday and have been hooked ever since. I have not taken any classes but I have considered it. I have learned alot from this site. I am a nurse that and stopped working full time when I had my 2 boys. I make cakes on the side for some extra cash. To pay for those #%@&% taxes ours are $8000 a yr. I live in Bergen county and would love to partner up with someone for a bussiness. Would like to get out of nursing, need a change. I find cake decorating very rewarding and zen like.

cheekysweets,

I grew up in Bergen county and now live in Monmouth county. I am not sure which is worse with the taxes! I keep asking myself, what am I doing still living here???? but I am a true Jersey Girl.

I agree it is very expensive to live here but I don't know if I could live any where else. I think if I thing my biggest pet peeve are the bad drivers. yeah METS

It may be expensive to live in NJ, but if you sell your house there, you can move to a lot of other places and come out ahead.

HI everybody! My name is Jenn and I'm originally from South jersery, a little town called Franklinville. I left back in 97 and came back in 99 then left again in Oct 99! I now am living in Sunny San Diego but I must say I do miss the east coast Now that I know the leaves are changing and it's starting to get chilly I'm really missing it! i make it back about once a year or so. Just about my whole family is still back there so that's good. Don't get me wrong San Diego is beautiful but there isn't much of a change in season like the least coast and there is NO WAWA!! How can somebody survive without a wawa shortie and wawa iced tea? It's just unheard of!

Oh you want to talked about exspensive houses...check out the prices here in San Diego! It's crazy! You can pay about 300K if not more to live in a place like Camden. Out of this world! They don't pay us military folks enough to afford these prices out here!

Attn: All NJ cake decorators who use Duncan Hines, Shoprite has a 4 day sale next week for 69 cents a box!! Don't miss it!