Does anyone ever feel like quitting? I'm having one of those days. I just wanted my husband to take care of our 15-month-old so I could make a cake for tomorrow. But.............No! The baby was pulling on my clothes in the kitchen and whining for hours. Men just don't get it sometimes.

I wish I could just get through a project without having to take care of everyone else. Nope. So, like Sunflowerfreak, I will be up until the wee hours of the night. I absolutely hate that. Sometimes I say, why do I try? Am I dumb to think I can handle three kids, a part-time job, a husband, all the chores.... bla, bla, bla, whine, whine, whine. My cake decorating, too?

I'm making a sheet cake with a cosmetic bag on top and make-up made out of fondant around the bag. The cosmetic bag is supposed to have Louis Vuitton symbols on it. Well, I finished the sheet cake, but the rest seems so unreachable with my family around right now. I could cry. I have no more patience.

Sorry to vent!!!!!! Thanks to anyone who listened.

Michele

Been there!!! Being a single mom of 2, it only took one time like that before I had to create a strategy: For years the only times I could decorate cakes was between the hours of 2 and 5am. I would bake, make the icing and get everything ready, take care of family, set alarm for midnight or 1 or 2 depending on how much time I would need, and try to get a little sleep before having to wake up.

People would look their cakes and ask, "when did you find the time?" and laugh at me in disbelief when I would tell them, but it was the truth!!

No lie, that lasted for a looong time. The first time I was able to do a cake during normal hours felt so strange!! But cake decorating is so rewarding that, looking back, I don't mind. As my kids got older, I became the cool mom

I hope your DH gives you more of a break soon.

I told my hubby last week that I just had to quit. I have absolutely have no "ME" time (which includes cleaning the house). My kids are grown (but of course one just moved back in... with his dog that sheds like CRAZY ). I work full time and each cake takes me so long. I'm booked through the middle of November with a couple of cakes each week and I already want to cry. I feel like I'm missing out on my life....

but then on Friday I delivered a toolbox cake to work and people went crazy over it... now I remember why I decorate... and it's NOT the money .

I completely understand. I too decorate during the middle of the night b/c of my little one. However, I have recently made some changes so I don't have to do everything at once. My strategy is usually bake & make my fondant one night, then ice and cover the next night. Sometimes I'll bake the prior weekend and freeze. I always thought that was the wrong thing to do until I tried it! Just defrost and use simple syrup and tada - quick cake . Good luck with getting your hubby to help more. As soon as you figure out the trick, pass it along!

Oh yeah !!! I have felt like quitting many times. susgene, I'm with you on "ME" time....what is that???hummm!! But then again, when that person is so appreciative of the creation that you have made, it's worth it all. Besides it is an art, a hobby, a job,,,however you're looking at it, it is something you apparently like to do. hang in there and yeah...if you figure out how to get the hubby to help pleeeasse pass it along !

Thanks! It's nice to hear I'm not the only one. The baby just fell asleep, so now I'm going down to finish the cake. I just decided not to even try anymore until he was asleep.

Thanks again.

Michele

Alwayz - I feel you, girl!!!! I have feelings of wanting to quit ALL the time. And my DH acts supportive until it comes time to give me my space...and why is it whenever it's cake time, THEN he needs something? Or when he schedules something for when he knows I have a cake due, so I have to take care of our son TOO.

I have recently developed a friendship with another pastry chef with a son the same age as mine, and what we do whenever possible is trade babysitting responsibilities when there is cake to be done. Or we work together while the boys play together. So it's working itself out. But I still feel like quitting a lot.

We're here for you!!! CC is chock full of great free Internet Cake Therapists at your service!!!

I am no longer doing cakes for people for all those reasons. It turned into something that I can't handle at this point in my life with two small kids and a small kitchen and a husband who hates messes. Maybe when they're older.....although lately I've really needed some sort of creative outlet.

OMG, I read your post and it sounded just like my situation. My 23 month old son does the same exact thing, often times, pulling my pants completely down to the floor! A pantless mother on the verge of craziness...LOL. I can so relate.

I used to do the late night baking but I couldn't see straight by that time since my mornings start early when he wakes up around 6am. My husband is very cooperative on the weekends when he's home but during the week, it was quite a struggle. I'd do my baking on weekends at a commercial kitchen and he'd stay home with the baby.

We have a nanny now that works from 9am to 6pm and she's a lifesaver. Not only have I regained my sanity, but my son is much happier and I now have time to bake and decorate my heart out. She's worth every cent and my business is flourishing as a result.

But yes, I have quit more than once. But there was no one to hand in the resignation letter to!

OMG, you guys are so funny! I'm laughing now! Yeah, now that the cake is done. It's not good, though. I know I could have done so much better. I'm lucky the cake is for my best friend's daughter and not someone buying it. It came out okay. You know when you do something, though, and you know you can do so much better? I just didn't have it in me today after that horrible day.

Thanks for the laughs!

I didn't just feel like it, I did for the most part, for about 15 years. I was making about 3 cakes a week for a year, so 6 nights a week, I was making my huge mess in the kitchen. I never believed in freezing cake so I make cake and icing one night and decorated the next. When I made a wedding cake, I also worked all night the night before the wedding. When my husband and I started dating, I didn't want to spend all day working in the office and all evening in my kitchen. Sooo, I stepped way back to only making a few cakes a year.

The passion never goes away. My passion has been renewed, I don't care about a 'career' anymore and now I'm trying to learn the techniques I never had time to learn before. I'm very lucky that my DH is so supportive, now if I could just train him to clean the kitchen after I decorate.

I was having the same problems. That along with my husband not feeling this was important enough to spend my time on, I finally lost my inspiration.

Recently, my desire to decorate cakes sparked up again and I am getting ready to make one for a school Fall festival.

I am not doing this as much as I would like, but will continue to make cakes here and there.

I always feel like quitting. The only problem with not making cakes is well, then I won't be able to make cake. Sure my house would be cleaner and I would have more time to spend with the kids, but then what about the cake? Its something I love doing and when everything else seems to be causing stress usually decorating and baking relieves stress for me. It is my favorite creative outlet and my "me time". So lets all vent and then go make some cake cause its what we love to do.