AI've been following this thread. Anna is a straight shooter. Smart a$$ and all :-D Your cakes are wonderful. If this is something you love, or just want a bit of extra money, get legal & sell those suckers for a good price. There is a good possibility that you're going to get very taken advantage of in the future. I would nicely insist on getting the third party's information to discuss/confirm/get deposits/sign contracts/& deliver cakes from now on.

AAnnabakes I just saw all your cakes and you do great work! I don't give false praise either. I am in awe that you have done thousands of cakes. Hope I get there someday. Is that your little guy in your avatar pic? He reminds me of my boy quite a bit. I will pm you a photo if you're curious . There is def. a resemblance.

Annabakes, your cakes are awesome! I have to agree with some people here, that your hairdresser is passing off your cakes as her own. Has there ever been a customer that was not happy or has all the feedback been positive. If there was a negative response who does she say made the cake?  This situation probably started out innocently but has now grown to the point you are questioning it. Your gut feeling is never usually wrong, and yes it is an awkward situation but start posting your pictures. If she is claiming them as her own, that situation will definitely change pretty quickly. Good Luck.

Like others I have been following this, and it all seems a bit odd! I would just ask her more questions about orders and maybe the next one, insist that you need to deliver it to the venue and set it up as it is not able to be assembled before travel. That way you have to meet the people who's event/party it is. 

I don't think you shouldn't assume she is doing it until you are sure, but in saying that I don't think that having your hair done is worth having someone passing your cakes off as their own. Your cakes are awsome and I can see why she would do it if she is starting out and isn't that great. 

You have the talent to have a business out of these, I say go for it, and while your at it, create a facebook page where you put all your cakes, then word might get round and people in your area might see that they are your cakes not hers. 

Ok, it's the dawning of a new day and I thought I'd feel more charitable towards the hairdresser but I don't.  She's up to something.  She found a way to earn either praise, customers or extra money by pirating your cakes for profit.  She might be a great hairdresser but I do feel that she's scamming you and you need to disengage yourself from her.  The next time she needs a cake...........................please be too busy that week to do it.  Not everyone is a scammer but when you add it all up and get "that feeling" in the pit of your stomach - do what your Momma always told you to do when "that feeling" comes over you...............trust your gut and run.

AOk now that I've seen your cakes. 1. Wow they are awesome! You should starts making cakes on the side And make money to pay you hairdresser. Some things to think about.. 2. Don't you think it's odd that when your credit Runs out she magically has an event that needs a cake? 3. Maybe she is just doing it for family but then I keep thinking About #2 4. Maybe she LOVES all the praise and that's why she is Selling your cakes. She doesn't want to start a business she Just loves the attention. At some point this will bite her in the butt. 5. If she is showing you what she wants on the cake in more than a Theme then to me she is reselling. She's just passing on the clients wishes To you! 6. You could like others have said just say you're busy the next time she asks But she probably isn't telling them yes on a cake till she gets your Approval so I don't think that would slow her down.

Again I'd just say you are "thinking of starting a business" because you are! Too much talent to waste, and ask if she could help you? See her expression and the direction The conversation goes.

AI am going to put my 2 cents in and disagree here. Sorry. I'm not an expert cake maker but I still practise making cakes and give them to my mum. I am currently on a diet so I'm off eating cake for the minute. (Yes its extremely hard, I LOVE anything sweet.) Because she is my mum I obviously do not charge her. I'm not tight fisted but I wouldn't make cakes to get me experience for friends unless it was their birthday. However, I would bake them for friends if they offered me cost of ingredients and gas. I wouldn't want money for my time. That's just me. I know you said you get hair done for cake making and that's cool! If the cake is for her! I completely understand what you're saying about finding that one person who can do your hair just how you like it.

Look at it from this point of view, she clearly isn't giving these cakes to her friends, when I say friends, I mean friends not clients! Her friends would know she hasn't baked them. If she is giving them to friends, I bet she is saying, 'hey, I know a woman who bakes cake, I can get discount, let me know what it is you want and I place an order with her!' She then probably takes her friends money, which is rightfully yours! On the other hand, would you take a cake from someone and not offer them anything for it? I wouldn't, it would make me feel bad for not offering at least ingredient money.

If it was me, I would say that you're going into business so you will pay for your hair to be done from now on and if her 'friends' want cakes making that she passes your details to them as you would like to get a list of customers. I'm not saying that's what you should do, that is just personally what I would do as I feel she is mugging you off!

If she had any respect for you, she would comply with that. Anyway, that's just my opinion. Hope you manage to do what's right for you, and good luck if you decide to set a business up. :)

One way to "fix" her and catch her in the act is to take some clear shipping tape then print out a message on your computer saying that this cake was created by  - your name and phone number.  Put this in the center of the cake plate directly under the first tier.  She can't see it but when the customer cuts the cake the message will let them know that it was made by you - they'll call you for verification and BINGO, no more cake orders - and you never had to say a word to her. 

With all of the going back and forth over the circumstances, it is a bit difficult to determine what to do, if anything.

I guess I was just wondering if the hairdresser is just 'doing hair out of her kitchen' for friends and relatives, or is she certified by the state, running it as a business (for which she'd have fees, insurance, etc.), keeping current with training, etc.  If so, then there is more value in the barter for services than just 'a cake for a cut and color'...

Ok, I've been following this and have to pipe in here.  Your hair is gorgeous!  And I don't blame you for not wanting to find another hairdresser.  Mine moved away 2 years ago and I'm still struggling to find someone who can cut my hair without butchering it, and as for colour I'm terrified to try someone new.  If they can't cut it, why trust them with colour?

I'd love to be able to have an arrangement like this, especially when it's something you obviously love to do and are amazing at.

JUST A CAKE.................... you're kidding, right?  Does a hair dresser spend 6 - 8 hours on an involved hair-doo.  I think not.  But a cake decorator would.  Oh you're going to get a lot of backlash from that statement.

I don't think she meant "just a cake" the "just" was in reference to the arrangement the way I read it such as are they 2 unlicensed hobbyists trading their skills....just as she said "just doing hair". You cannot compare hours since the 2 are apples and oranges....although a good cut and color take a lot of time.... If the cake were valued in the market at $200 (provided it were legal to sell it) and the hair do's market value is $200 the it doesn't matter if 1 took 15 hours and the other 15 minutes.

Ok So this is going to be scary...... please feast your eyes on my hair before I started having it professionally cut & colored/styled. This was back in 1992 when I was a sophomore in high school. Yes, that WAS the style. I hope you all are gasping with horror right now.

 !!!!

 me on the left!!!

If your hairdresser is refusing to let you speak directly to the clients and insisting on delivering the cakes herself then these are HUGE red flags.  I'd bet she is reselling them as her own work.  Otherwise why not just give you the phone number or email and let you work out the details. 

I think you need to decide whether or not you are ok with it.  If you are then continue with your current arrangement.  If not then  you have a couple of options.  Labeling the cake board as others have suggested would be one thing.   I would tell her you would like to switch out the bartering system and go to paying cash for your hair and she pays cash for the cakes.  I suspect as soon as you tell her this you are going to see her squirm and if she asks why you can tell her your suspicions.  But you probably want to find a new hairdresser first.

AI'm a little drunk so this could be a stupid thing to say but if you put a sticker on your board what stops her replacing the board?

Every time you sell a cake, there is always a chance that someone else is taking credit for it, or even re-selling it.

We had that happen in town just before Christmas, one of my decorator girlfriends made a big cake for a lady, massively undercharged like a cake noob, but had original pictures of it.

The next day, a local bakery posted pictures of the same cake at a big office party, with guests commenting on how awesome it was, and tagging the other bakery.

It wasn't the first time she had sold cakes to this lady, we figure since she refuses tot charge enough, the lady just flips them for a profit.

Here's the rub, they bought the cake, fair and square, they were allowed to do whatever the heck they wanted with it. Her contract didn't say a word about no reselling, or telling people who actually made it.

If the bakery claimed to bake it themselves, they could get into trouble, but they were careful to say they would 'provide' the cake, not make it. (she managed to get a copy of the sale order from the office, lol)

The way I see it, you are giving her the cake and she is giving you a service, it doesn't really matter what she does with it. Taking credit for it is just dirty, but I think if something fishy is going on, she is more likely pulling the "I can get you a discount", and accepting money for them, which is also dirty... but you aren't a business, and aren't taking orders, so it isn't like it's damaging anything more than your pride and/or sense of ethics. It's up to you whether or not your gorgeous hair is worth sacrificing for that, lol.

My stylist and I trade services as well, no way would I risk that relationship! She could be throwing them off a bridge or entering them in a competition for all I care. It would tick me off, and anyone else would get more than an earful from me, but I don't mess with the hair dresser.

AIt seems to me that you really love your hairdresser, if you don't want to risk losing her I think it's better to just be honest about it and ask what she's doing with all the cakes. You can certainly frame it in a very casual way and mention that you're thinking about going into the cake business. There could be a very genuine reason behind it or it could be what you think it is, but sneaking phone numbers or stickers onto boards is only going to end badly for you if she is doing something shady with them. Just ask her.

I have my next appt. with the hairdresser in 2 weeks and I am going to ask her for some "customer testimonials" for my " upcoming business"...we will see if she follows thru. I will ask her to get the recipients of the cakes to email me the testimonial and receive so much off their next cake.. that way I can see names. If I don't receive any emails then I know she is hiding something.

I've never understood speculating about what someone is doing when it's just so easy to ask.  I can tell you that in this same situation, I'd just ask what's being done with the cakes and if the answer I got didn't feel right or I didn't like it, I'd stop doing them.  Nothing says that you can't just pay for the hair care, either from her or someone else.

IF she's selling, or giving away, cakes that you've made, YOU are still carrying ALL of the liability for the product.  IF you're not "legal" and/or don't have liability insurance and the final recipient has a problem, YOU ARE FULLY RESPONSIBLE--and in this case, you have NO IDEA how the cakes are being handled or stored once they leave your hands. It muddies the waters when there's a middle man, but it always comes back to the originator.  

It's the same way it would be if you went to a store and bought a wrapped box of "homemade" pastries and got sick after eating them.  You complain to the store and they immediately shirk the issue by referring you to the baker from whom they bought the pastries.  At least they likely have a written contract and both are legal/inspected/certified/insured.  In your case, it's just too murky.

I would NEVER allow someone else to take credit for my work or to make money off of my back unless we had a formal written agreement and understanding of each others responsibilities and liabilities.  Keeping someone in the dark is disrespectful of them and their talent.

Everyone has their own comfort levels for uncertainty and lack of control and mine is as close to zero as you can get.

A

Wait, WHAT??? Your hair used to be AWESOME!!! You are getting ripped off, you need to see about that business and start making money so you can get your spiral perm, curling iron, rat tail comb, pick, and Aqua Net, L.A. Looks, and get back rocking the totally RAD hair. ;-D

ALMAO @ Annabakescakes.. I see you grew up in the 90's as well!

A

Yes, in Australia we have to do a lot of that too, I have done it all myself. I was stating that she should set up a page as well as get registered and everything else. I know that with a facebook page your photos can be seen by more people in your area and by friends of friends, and one of those friends of friends might be the one who got it off the hairdresser and start to ask questions.

Shebysuz...really your hair is gorgeous..but you could be bald headed and still be gorgeous. At first when I read that was  you back in high school...I saw the first photo and though 'well she's still gorgeous and so is her hair, cry me a river'...then I saw the 2nd photo. hahaha. That is GREAT!! I"m not laughing at you by the way..but that is some serious hair. Best photo ever too.

by the way- you should seriously consider going into business making your cakes on a very part time basis (once you get licensed etc etc in your state/area) because you are at a professional level now. I know it's difficult working full time, having a life, family and even beginning to consider making cakes to sell. But if you can find the balance, then go for it. 

Thank you cakefat. I really appreciate the encouragement and all your nice words. Yeah, my hair was so atrocious that it is practically cool!  Back on to cakes.. I feel like I have just only dabbled in making cakes but I find that it gives me an outlet for creativity and without that I will go crazy. I work as an Emergency Dispatcher aka 911 operator and when I get home it is hard to unwind from that stress . Who knew that making custom cakes would relax me. I just love it. I mentioned I loved your screen name- I wanted to ask..is Cakefat meant as a noun meaning the fat content in cake, or something else? I would love to know the origin . I think of how funny it would be if Cakefat was a term for a person who loves cake..cuz if so, I am a total Cakefat!

You were TOTALLY getting ready to go see Poison, weren't you!?

And, yes, for just dabbling, you've got mad skills!

A

Well, I was 11 when that picture was taken, but I was mature for my age ;-) I was teasing and crimping and aqua-netting since I was 9. Blue eye shadow and all. I had no parental supervision!