Sorry if this gets long.....
My DH has a coworker who took the Wilton courses last year. She would bring in her cakes to work and would tell my DH how much fun she was having. This gave DH an idea. In February while out running errands he asks if I would be interested in taking classes. Four hours later I am sitting in my first class.LOL I have 4 kids, 13,11,2, and 6mos. It wasn't the idea of decorating cakes that excited me it was getting out of the house for 2 hours every week. Anywhoo, by course 2 it appeared I have a knack for it and my teacher started asking if I would consider teaching. My DH also took some of my cakes to work as I didn't need/want sooo much cake around the house. A coworker asked DH if I would make a b-day cake. Sure why not. The next day the coworker baker was all over FB telling everyone that if they need a cake to only order from her and to be loyal customers. Turns out she had been approached about the b-day cake as well. Thing is she never bothered to get back with the client. DH not wanting to cause problems at work called up the coworker baker and tried to explain we didn't know she was still planning on making the b-day cake and we weren't trying to steal customers. DH is a medical worker at a hospital, plenty of customers to go around but anyway. When the client called I asked if she was sure she wanted me as the baker still that she was doing it. "I like your work better and I am just going to tell her that I am ordering from (grocery store)." Okay. Well, she found out.....
Next my instructor decided to have a cake challenge of sorts on FB. Enter in a picture of a cake and all her FB friends would vote on favorite. She entered and although it was suppose to be anonymous she told everyone which was hers and to vote for her without looking at the others. I had no intentions of entering. I had the b-day cake that week for 70 ppl and had a kitchen fire so I had workers in and out and barely got my cake done for class that week. Instructor talked me into entering that cake from class for more choices so did. Came in 3rd, she came in last with only 2 votes.
The instructors at HB were having a cake challenge like on TV. You start out with a basic cake and have 1 1/2 hours to decorate there in the middle of the store and the customers vote and instructors judge. Asked if I would enter, couldn't as it was the same day as daughter's ballet recital. I asked who else was doing it. " So and so, So and so, Coworker baker..." I said " oh she's in it, she doesn't like me too much." Instructor asked why and I simply said that baker thinks I was trying to take customers and I have never even met her. Response, " You're the one...!!" Turns out she has been going around badmouthing me to anyone that would listen. That I am unprofessional, dry cakes, no talent, even said that I try to pass off store cakes as my own etc. I have now had a couple cancellations from other ppl DH works with for cake orders due to her hounding them to make their cake and they need a peaceful work environment. They apologized profusely and wished I was still doing their cake but between coworker baker and baker's mom who also works at the hospital, it was worth cancelling to not have the hostility.
What do I do? Now she is costing me customers. If she is more capable than me and her work is more desired, then by all means go to her and it justs give me a standard to try to rise to and make myself better. But this is childish. Now I am whining. Big sigh!! Thanks for letting me vent!
My DH has a coworker who took the Wilton courses last year. She would bring in her cakes to work and would tell my DH how much fun she was having. This gave DH an idea. In February while out running errands he asks if I would be interested in taking classes. Four hours later I am sitting in my first class.LOL I have 4 kids, 13,11,2, and 6mos. It wasn't the idea of decorating cakes that excited me it was getting out of the house for 2 hours every week. Anywhoo, by course 2 it appeared I have a knack for it and my teacher started asking if I would consider teaching. My DH also took some of my cakes to work as I didn't need/want sooo much cake around the house. A coworker asked DH if I would make a b-day cake. Sure why not. The next day the coworker baker was all over FB telling everyone that if they need a cake to only order from her and to be loyal customers. Turns out she had been approached about the b-day cake as well. Thing is she never bothered to get back with the client. DH not wanting to cause problems at work called up the coworker baker and tried to explain we didn't know she was still planning on making the b-day cake and we weren't trying to steal customers. DH is a medical worker at a hospital, plenty of customers to go around but anyway. When the client called I asked if she was sure she wanted me as the baker still that she was doing it. "I like your work better and I am just going to tell her that I am ordering from (grocery store)." Okay. Well, she found out.....
Next my instructor decided to have a cake challenge of sorts on FB. Enter in a picture of a cake and all her FB friends would vote on favorite. She entered and although it was suppose to be anonymous she told everyone which was hers and to vote for her without looking at the others. I had no intentions of entering. I had the b-day cake that week for 70 ppl and had a kitchen fire so I had workers in and out and barely got my cake done for class that week. Instructor talked me into entering that cake from class for more choices so did. Came in 3rd, she came in last with only 2 votes.
The instructors at HB were having a cake challenge like on TV. You start out with a basic cake and have 1 1/2 hours to decorate there in the middle of the store and the customers vote and instructors judge. Asked if I would enter, couldn't as it was the same day as daughter's ballet recital. I asked who else was doing it. " So and so, So and so, Coworker baker..." I said " oh she's in it, she doesn't like me too much." Instructor asked why and I simply said that baker thinks I was trying to take customers and I have never even met her. Response, " You're the one...!!" Turns out she has been going around badmouthing me to anyone that would listen. That I am unprofessional, dry cakes, no talent, even said that I try to pass off store cakes as my own etc. I have now had a couple cancellations from other ppl DH works with for cake orders due to her hounding them to make their cake and they need a peaceful work environment. They apologized profusely and wished I was still doing their cake but between coworker baker and baker's mom who also works at the hospital, it was worth cancelling to not have the hostility.
What do I do? Now she is costing me customers. If she is more capable than me and her work is more desired, then by all means go to her and it justs give me a standard to try to rise to and make myself better. But this is childish. Now I am whining. Big sigh!! Thanks for letting me vent!
