Let me say first I tried....I tried and failed miserably... I tried my hand at a Juicy Couture purse cake.. I had the best help also...but for some reason my attempt failed..

This was a paid order and I am going to give it to them, I am just tooo embarrassed to even ask them for ANYTHING... it was a large cake and I had trouble with 2 things...the 2 things that make this cake I screwed up on. The logo and the bow. I usually don't have trouble with bows but this one never turned out. I'm not going to send you a link to the cake out of my photos because I would hate for it to send you all bad vibes LMAO... All I can do is laugh right now because I have cried enough.

Maybe my ability isn't up to snuff at all..

Thanks for listening to my disaster rant!!!!

Christi

There is nothing wrong with that cake! OK it's not as perfect as Nashville's but you did an amazing job. The bow looks great and I dont see anything wrong with the logo.

Please dont give the cake away...give them a discount if you feel you need to but it's a great cake you dont need to be ashamed!

oh my goodness - if there is ever a case of being too hard on oneself - this is definitely it!

Girl - that cake is beautiful! Whatever flaws you see are just that, flaws YOU see! I certainly don't think you should drop your price even a penny!

Take a deep breath and look at the cake through your customers eyes - it truly is a work of art!

Hi Christi, I just saw your cake and its lovely. The logo looks fine to me. And the bow is nice as well. So you shouldn't be upset. I'm sure that your customer hasn't complain about it. If they have, then only you have to worry.

I don not see any reason for you to get upset.

Common Cristi, you have done a great job. To be honest with you, I wouldn't even try to do that. That is because I'm not confidence as you are.

And you don't have to put your price down.

One more thing is that, don't let you doubt about your own ability. That is your worst enemy.

I agree. I saw the cake come across the main page this morning and I immediately went to look at it. IT LOOKS GOOOOOD! You're being way to hard on yourself. I never like anything I do, but for some reason, everybody else does. I'm sure that whoever this cake is for is going to absolutely fall in love with it. Please, please, please, don't give it away. I agree with messyeater, if you must, just give a discount, but even that is totally not necessary. You worked very hard on that cake, and believe me, it shows.

Christi, I think it's time to take a giant step back! This cake looks awesome. I don't know what problems you were havng with the bow but I think it looks really kewl. Think you could give me some pointers? I have to make a similar bow for the top of a gift cake.

Christi your cake is great! We ALL are our own worst critics and this scenario is no different! I feel for your frustration and lack of sleep which certainly isn't helping you feel any better about the problems you've faced - but the cake looks good!

Please don't give them a discount because you are not happy with it. Your customer will love it and you don't want them thinking that you don't value yourself, your time or your work.

Trust everyone here - they will LOVE it!

okay, I am hard on myself...I think we all are, but this cake is great! PLEASE, don't give it away! I can only hope my work is that good someday! I agree w/ diamondsblackvelvet...look at it from the point of view of a non caker. they will LOVE it! That's the great thing about non cake people....they have no clue!...but even if they did, they would see nothing wrong w/ this one! Love Ya!

I think you are being too hard on yourself - it looks good to me.

I thank you all for the support I really do..

It might be that I have looked at it since about 4 yesterday afternoon and worked on it since then...

I just see SOOO many flaws... the bow was supposed to be done ON the cake in pure fondant...

Well... * laughing crudely* Just 1 of the loops were done in fondant because the other one wouldn't stay up there....even with gumglue and wire ... so I ended up making one of them in GP (which I am TOTALLY used to)

Probably didn't help that it was raining and the humidity was fierce...but there was NO way this big bad boy was gonna go in the oven... for one thing it was WAYYY to heavy to keep picking up (the board itself is plywood so that doesn't help) then the 3 9x 13's and the 1 7 x 10 isn't too light either ...I just really had my expectations high I guess.... and it all went really well...until I did that stupid logo... My stencil was perfect for the lettering but the rest of it wasn't going to happen ... the rest of the frustration was the bow.....4 hours trying to get that stupid gosh forsaken thing to look halfway decent.... then it elephant skinned on me. * shaking head * ... not to mention ..I spilled all of my orchid pink lustre dust and the nu silver all over my floor...cleaned it up..but 5 minutes later it comes back GRRRR... so I guess even though I am tired as all get out I'm gonna have to come back from taking the kids to school and clean my floor...

I can't wait till this thing LEAVES...bad omen bad omen LOL


(((hugs)))

Thank you for the comments..but beware...if you have a cake to do don't view mine LOL..it's cursed

Okay.. can you do something for me? Can you bend over and brace yourself?? Because I am going to kick you in the tush. That cake is NOT a disaster. You stayed up all night and you are tired and not thinking right. You can give her a discount if you REALLY want to, but you are not allowed to give this cake away okay? Your client is going to love it. (((hugs)))

LOL jkalman! You're so right!

Okay if you're going to start "giving away" work like that, then I'm going to start ordering from you to make all my cakes.

Repeat after me - "There is nothing wrong with that cake. There is nothing wrong with that cake. There ....." (You get the idea). So maybe it doesn't look exactly how you had planned it, but it came out great. With the way it looks and all the hard work that went into it, I'd think again if I were you about giving it away. Whatever price you agreed upon is what the customer should pay. You made a great looking cake and I'm sure the customer will be very pleased with it.

Now go get some rest and you'll feel a bit better about it the next time you look at it again.

Oh this cake is so pretty. We are our own worst critics. Your customer will never see the tiny imperfections you see. I don't see any! I haven't tried anything like this but I love the way yours looks! Be proud of your work!

I agree with Sugar_Plum_Fairy...I'm gonna start ordering from YOU so I can sell your work to MY clients! That cake REALLY looks GREAT! And Gale is right...we ARE our own worst critics. I HONESTLY think the cake is SO CUTE! I wouldn't think at ALL that a discount is necessary...ingredients are skyrocketing and your time is worth SO MUCH! And don't even let the client THINK for one moment that you are not pleased with it....BE CONFIDENT that you did a fabulous job... BECAUSE YOU DID!!!! Large Texas sized hugs to you!!!

OK... I have to agree with the other ladies and believe me I know what being your own worst critic is all about and I have given two cakes away because I thought that they were not up to snuff and both times the reaction was the same on the clients face.......... first they look confused and then they look like they just hit the jackpot for getting a free cake and then they look at me like what's wrong with this lady .

The cake looks amazing. It looks like it is supposed to gathered by the ribbon. I have never done a purse cake because I don't feel that I could pull it off and if I saw your purse cake I would think ...well, there is another perfect purse cake and it looks realistic. How do they do it?

And it is true what the other ladies are saying about non-cake people. They are usually not use to ordering sculpted cakes or even tiered cakes.

Your cake is wonderful. I would be pleased as punch as a client to get this cake and I'm a cake person!

bj

Christi I told you this morning that the crazy lady in your head doesn't know what she's talking about.If you don't get some sleep she will never go away!!!

Now go get some sleep!

((HUGS))

O.k. Christi are we looking at the same cake you are? That is a great cake and nothing wrong with your bow. I agree with the others as far as we're our own worse critics. Your cake is great and you should be proud

Okay now you may be tired,frustrated and your floor may even be a mess but , this cake is not you did a brilliant job on a very difficult cake it is worth every penny you are charging for it.

by the by sounds like you are in desparate need of a nap

You are high on luster dust right now
that cake is great
you better not give it away.

Your suffering from sleep depravation and perception distortion
you hate it cause youve worked on it so long
i wish I could make some that good

I did a cake recently that when I was done, did not look like the perfect cake in the picture, I was almost sick to my stomach waiting for it to be picked up.. I was so scared they were going to hate it. That's my biggest problem with just about every cake I do.. I see an idea off of this website, and get very discouraged/disappointed when it doesn't look like exactly like the picture. In the end, they Loved the cake and gave me a $10 tip.

It may not be exactly what you envisioned, however in the end, it's still a very professional, awesome one of a kind birthday cake! Definately step back, ignore the cake for a few hours, and hopefully you will start seeing how great it turned out!

Does anyone else think it's hysterical that she posted this in the Disasters Forum?

I would KILL to do a cake that looked HALF as good as this one!

I say Great Job!

Christi, (Mother of Big Babies) you know I'm your friend and try to support you in whatever you do....

BUT, I simply cannot agree with your assessment of this cake and your decision to give it away!!!

You're a little impaired from being physically exhausted and sleep-deprived (so it's understandable you're feeling a bit bummed out) but your creation is gorgeous.

I'd pay BIG bucks to have that cake to serve to my guests.
Your customer is going to be thrilled, and should throw you a huge tip (and more referrals).

Admit it, Christi, you're WRONG (and I mean that in the most positive way possible). Take the money for a job, exceptionally well done.

Amen.

Ok first of all I wanted to thank each and every one of you (even though some of the posts I can't see ) .. I have gotten some rest and I delivered the cake yesterday... I can honestly say that I still didn't like the cake but.... I got to talk to Dolittle yesterday and she made a lot of sense... the cake isn't going to look like NashvilleCakes ... for one it's A LOT bigger... her's were loaf pans stacked.... therefore would look different then mine...

I went in with my head held high though.... when I delivered it the woman was very pleased... in fact she wanted me there when her daughter seen it...and the little girl loved it... I was going to take a picture of the little girls reaction but.... had forgot my camera in the next parking lot... and it would of taken awhile to get my camera from my car.

But I have this question.... What would you all have charged? I got what I had quoted her which was 200.00 but it was a LARGE cake... 3 9 x 13's stacked plus a 7 x 10 on top for the top of the purse (I put that on so when I carved I'd have a good top base....and the 200.00 included the delivery.. Also the fondant was satin ice and chocopan mix.. the handles were 70/30 satin ice chocolate fondant/gp mix .. the band was satin ice dark chocolate fondant...
If or when I do this cake again if it is this large I would definately charge more due to all the time I spent on it.... at least 300.00 I think...

Funny thing is .. this 12 year old girl got one of these purses as her gift which kinda disturbs me... cause I'm 35 years old and don't have a 350.00 purse LOL ...



I'm gonna go back and try to read the rest of the posts, if they will show up ...

But thank you for your support!!!

(oh yes....I am SOOOO glad that darn cake is out of my hair!!!!)


Christi

I'm so glad you didn't give it away! Your cake is truly beautiful. The thing I think most of us strugge with is that we see every single flaw, and working on things late into the night only makes them worse! I'll bet that when you look at this cake in a few days, you'll feel much friendly toward it!

BTW - I don't have a $350 purse either, and I darn sure never got a $200 cake until my wedding day!

amysue, that's too funny I've never had an expensive purse either and I think my wedding cake was only $150! Christi, the cake is beautiful, I'm so glad you didn't give it away!

the most expensive purses i have are coach, and those were ones i bought myself cause i thought i deserved them!!

i'v always loved that cake, and i'm here in nashville with her..yikes!!!

honestly, i think that a client who would accept that cake for free when an arranged fee has been discussed would be a really dishonest, unethical person. i would never take advantage of someone that way. your cake is wonderful!!!, and trust me on this, IF A CAKE IS NOT THAT GOOD AND I SEE A POST LIKE THIS ABOUT GIVING IT AWAY, I JUST DON'T RESPOND, CAUSE I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH FALSE COMPLIMENTS.

YOUR CAKE IS TERRIFIC!! WAY TO GO!!!

You know how I feel about the cake.. and I am SO happy that you didn't give it away. I would peg that cake at 60 servings. A 2 layer 9x13 serves 50 and the 7x10 I'd just say 10 (though it's probably more). Carved cakes covered in fondant start at $6/serving for me.. That's $360. So with the details probably $400.00.

I would say that $300 would be more than fair for next time.

Again.. I am so happy that you were able to get some sleep and get paid for your hard work..