Memory Makers Cakes

2012-01-01T19:42:00.001-08:00

2012-01-01T19:39:00.001-08:00

2012-01-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

In my three years as a cake artist I've noticed that the main question of newbie cakers is "how much do I charge?" Admittedly it was my main question as a new baker as well. It seems that everyone wonders the same thing, "am I charging too much?"

Fortunately for me I jumped in feet first entering the Oklahoma State Sugar Arts Show in 2008, a few months in to my new career. This enabled me to meet many experienced, talented and in some cases famous cake artists who were more than willing to give the advice I so desperately needed.

On the subject of pricing they were unanimous. DO NOT UNDER VALUE YOUR WORK! Your time and talent is marketable or you wouldn't be in the business. The best way to determine if you are offering competitive pricing is to check other bakers in your area. And I am not referring to the big box stores! I'm talking about small personal bakeries and home bakers. Some may post their base prices on their websites or in their stores. Others may provide base prices over the phone. The few that feel that you are "trying to steal all their business away" will require a visit under the guise of a potential customer. Daughters, nieces, younger sisters make good pawns for this task. Arm them with a list of questions, a date months in the future and a wedding cake photo. Encourage them to take a friend that will be "in the wedding party" to ease any nervousness during the recon. I know this sounds very sneaky and underhanded but if you are very rural and there are only a handful of bakers in your area it may be the only way to get the information you need.

I was educated on under valuing my work when I made my first magazine. They photographed my cake in New York and then requested that I send in specific information for the publication. I penned the required background info, inspiration for the design and price per serving. Imagine my surprise when I got a call from a Brides Magazine editor to discuss my pricing! She explained that they research the market areas for the cakes included in their magazine and that my pricing was 1/3 of the going rate for my area! She further explained that under cutting would hurt me as well as the two other Texas bakers included in the issue. I took her advice to heart and allowed her to adjust the number. Shortly after that I did the area audit as she suggested and found that I was in fact too low. I charge a competitive price and I'm always totally up front when asked because in the end it can only help me and my fellow bakers. If they do not know and under value their work, they are under cutting me and losing money they deserve so it's a lose lose situating. Given the information most will choose to price competitively.

I found a blog site on a Cakes We Bake forum that explains this beautifully. Jen Montalto posted this link to Stacey's Sweet Shop. It's a great read and so very true! http://staceyssweetshop.blogspot.com/2011/08/howd-you-arrive-at-that-number.html?spref=fb

Rotary Club Celebrates 90 Years of Service!

2011-05-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

I was honored to create a cake for a fundraiser hosted by Burdick's Antique Car Museum last Saturday. The Rotary Club, an outstanding organization celebrates 90 years of service
1921-2011. I recreated their logo using a reverse butter cream technique and "blinged" the cake up with edible glitter and handmade gum paste rotary accents.

First Birthday Celebration!

2011-03-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

I made this cake for a beautiful young ladies' first birthday. It was enjoyed by all.

2011-01-30T17:48:00.000-08:00

Yahoo! Mail: The best web-based email!

2010-10-15T21:45:00.001-07:00

These are a few pictures of the huge sugar showpiece I helped build at the Oklahoma State Fair. The finished dimensions were 28’X30’ and included a multi-storied haunted house, Frank and his bride at their wedding in the graveyard, haunted tree full of bats, spiders, ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, a mummy, witch, ghosts, Jack Skellington, and much, much more…all made of tons of cake, butter cream, and fondant!

Yahoo! Mail: The best web-based email!

Technorati Tags: OSSAS,Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show,Rosemary Galpin,Bronwen Webber,Sherrie Elder,Kerry Vincent,Fondx

Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show

I Won, I Won, I Won !!!!

2010-10-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Just got back from my third Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show and Competition. I competed in the Professional Division this year with five entries in four categories. I was blessed with THREE first place blue ribbons for my efforts!

My hubby Leon entered a tool belt and tools made of cookies in the Adult Beginner Division and took home second place!

Can't wait for next year. I'm gonna bite the bullet and try a grand wedding cake and at least one entry in the masters...

Life is good...

Our Brilliant Talking Pug...

2010-07-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

OK everyone... I'm sure many of you have seen the cute little dogs screeching out words on YouTube. Some of them are actually pretty good. But you have not heard the best yet! Please go to the link I provide and listen to our pug Frankendumplin' saying "I love you" and "I love you too" to his daddy Leon. He is amazingly clear!

We think he sees Leon as his dad because when we rescued him after he was dumped near our home, he took to my husband like a shadow. He sleeps with him, loves to ride on his lap in the wheelchair, and is the first one up in to the van to go everywhere with him.

Of course he loves me (the momma) just as much...at least until dad rolls in to the room!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DjYBx5jcuF_M&h=2f93b

If You Build It, They Will Come...

2010-06-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

A short year ago I decided to start a wedding cake business. To that end, I began my plan of action, which turned out to be no "plan" at all. I decided on a grand opening date (now long past) and obtained the proper tax numbers from my friendly comptrollers office. Having seen more than my share of back kitchens in our area restaurants I felt confident in what I needed and began construction on my 640 square foot commercial kitchen.

Building on a shoestring "pay as you go" plan requires time and much patience. Anyone who knows me well, knows I am sorely lacking in both requirements. I borrowed, begged, and bought "used" on Craig's List and eBay whenever possible. Over the months I collected commercial ovens, sinks, cabinets, counter tops, light fixtures, ceiling fans, and oh so much more. I spent hours fantasizing about my kitchen. In my mind's eye it would be something straight out of Martha Stewart Magazine's glossy pages! I was so excited!

Then my good friend, and fellow baker, Don Beard told me that I needed a triple sink. I thought he was pulling my leg. Who ever heard of a triple sink and why would I need one to wash a few cake pans? I already had a wonderful Koehler double sink that came with the Corian counter tops that I got for a song off my beloved Craig's list. The thought of giving them up for some hideous stainless steel monstrosity was more than I could bare, so I simply ignored the whole issue.

Eventually, guilt and worry got the best of me and I decided to get the rules from the proper authorities. I called my county health department who told me they had no requirements, and therefore,did no inspections. They told me my little kitchen fell under state rules. I booted up my trusty computer and got busy. I waded through tons of useless and obscure information to find the health department requirements that pertained to my particular type of business. Let me say that this is no easy task! There is no place that says "click here" for commercial kitchen rules. I finally found the dreaded "sink rule."

Sure enough, I needed three compartments, plus a separate hand washing sink. Refusing to give up my Koehler, I called one of the state health inspectors for help. He was a lifesaver! He suggested installing two double sinks side by side and then placing a partition between the third and fourth basins. This would satisfy the requirement of a three compartment sink while creating a "separate" designated hand washing area. That man was brilliant and I told him so!

The taping, floating, and painting is finally done and I am looking for another sink to match the one I have. I have faith that I will find one soon. Meanwhile, I have a wonderful friend that loans me time in her commercial kitchen to fill my cake orders. I really appreciate her generosity but I dream of the day when I can walk the hundred feet out my front door to my own little kitchen.

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

2010-04-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed, speak, have an opinion, think, or even breathe. I'm sure you have all had them. The days where absolutely anything you do is an excuse for a verbal assault from another. An explosion of unnecessary, unprovoked, unwanted, and undeserved hostility made exponentially worse having been done in front of others.

Today's faux pas was telling my husband how to drive. This consisted of two separate remarks while we were driving to a charity event 35 minutes from our home. The first "you can do 60 now." I only mentioned it because we were already late having made two unscheduled stops for my spouse to sell a motorcycle. He was excitedly talking to me about the bike sale and didn't notice the increase in the speed limit. My second remark was "watch the guy on the bicycle." Once again he was talking with me, looking my way, and the cyclist was in our lane. Apparently that was enough to elicit a loud tirade in front of his friend that went with us. Never mind that I was deeply hurt by this. After all, it was justified. I deserved it.

One little half-hearted apology later, not in the presence of the witness, is supposed to erase all the pain. News flash! It does not. You are still hurt and sad while they think nothing more of their behavior.

At what point do we stop accepting the disrespect? If they do not see what they do as wrong, or at the least feel they had a part in the problem, what comes next? When is enough?

Why Can't Everyone Just Get Along?

2010-04-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here helping my daughter hash out the agreement between her and her husband for their divorce. Ten years down the drain. I want her to be happy and do whatever it takes to make that happen but it is still very sad.

It seems to be an equitable split. Both of them will retain the house and land splitting the assets and debts equally. He moved into the spare bedroom and they plan to remain living together as roommates. This type arrangement seldom works, but we will see.

I would love to hear from anyone out there that this arrangement worked for. I just can't see continued harmony after the first one brings a new love interest home. Just can't picture them sitting together watching TV and socializing...

Can you spread yourself too thin?

2010-03-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

It's 10:16pm Friday night and I'm sitting here wondering, yet again, when I will have time to sleep this weekend. I have two cake orders for Sunday. The first is a full size standing guitar cake for the 8th Annual Tom Webb Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser hosted by Cory Morrow. The second is a sheet cake for a young man turning 18 and headed for college in Nashville.

I allowed adequate time for both projects, then boom, I lose a crown while eating a Jolly Rancher. No problem...I'll call my dentist and have him slap it back on. No such luck! He tells me I've broken the tooth (with the expensive root canal) off below the gum and it had to come out. Can you say oral surgery? OK, not such good news but he was a sweetie to work me in on Monday so I say, "let's do it." Two hours later he says it was one of the most difficult extractions he has ever done. Did I mention he broke the crown on the tooth beside the one he was extracting? Yep. Thanks goodness Leon drove me. We made a "bee line" for the pharmacy to fill the pain medication. The pharmacist mush have realized I was about to "go postal" because they got it filled in record time.

Wednesday rolls around and I have an appointment to get fitted for a replacement for the broken crown ($300+.) Leon asks me if I can drive myself. I think sure, it's only a fitting. In and out. Did you know that a crown "fitting" involves removing the old crown? I didn't. Of course it couldn't come off easily. No sir-ree. He cut, chiseled, and peeled it off only to find a huge cavity under it...below the root line! Filling this involved shoving pieces of cork the size of tree bark deep down in to my gums to separate them from the tooth. Talk about painful! Since he was in the area he also filled cavities on two other teeth on that side. Within five minutes of leaving his office, I was in agonizing pain and my pain medication was at home. I cried all the way across town to pick up a portable air conditioner for my son. I stopped at Walgreen's and overdosed on Ibuprofen, which did little for the pain, and headed home.

Here it is almost midnight two days later and I still cannot go more than four hours without pain medication or my jaw feels like it is exploding. Is that normal? If it is not better by tomorrow I'm calling Clint at home. There are perks to your dentist being married to your daughter's best friend from high school. Full access to home phone numbers!

That Takes The Cake! Cake & Sugar Art Show & Competition 2010

2010-02-21T11:43:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures of the reason for my latest lack of sleep. Sugar Paste Magnolis & Dogwoods. I am entering them in the "sugar not on a cake" division this weekend.

Not Enough Hours in the Day...

2010-02-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

When Ginger set this blog up for me, I promised myself that I would be diligent about setting my thoughts to "virtual" paper. But alas, here I am months later, posting at the gentle reminder of my sister-in-law to post or lose my site. The fact is I really enjoy blogging. It helps to clear some of the constant chaos in my mind; set things in a bit of order. Unfortunately, when I try to prioritize my busy schedule, blogging falls at the bottom of my list from sheer necessity.

Husband, kids, animals, two jobs, a new passion for sugar art, and my bodies demand for a few hours sleep keep me keep my days full to over-flowing. I'm not complaining. I'm blessed to be up to the task at 51 years of age.

I guess I just pictured life at 50+ a bit differently. Kids all grown and educated, home paid for, retirement looming, and an RV for hubby and me to run away in. Oh well...guess it's time for a revision. Maybe I'll just bump my game plan to age 55...

2009-11-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Samson (Anonymous),

I am surprised that you took the time to check out my new website. As I recall, your last words to me were " Do not e-mail me back, our business is finished."

I was not familiar with websitegrader.com so I had a look. Thank you for pointing out the one typo in the Meta Description. I will have it corrected with the one typo on the website. I took the opportunity to include our only competitor in the Competitive Intelligence section. They scored a "7" and they have been in business for 47 years! My site is at 37 and it has been live a mere six weeks.

I don't really understand your reference to substandard meta info. According to websitegrader.com, the only thing they suggest is 10 key words or less. My web page has 11 keywords in its meta data. Hardly a serious problem if you ask me.

I would venture to say that if you had any real skill you would know that my website is not hosted by Blogspot. It is hosted by GoDaddy.com, one of the TOP hosting companies according to the BBB, TRUSTe, ICANN, and TrustWave. You left your childish comment on my blog, hosted by Blogspot, which has a link to my website.

I am extremely happy with the website Tony built for me. It is beautifully designed with excellent functionality. He included the things I asked for and so much more. Mr. Shams, President of Zyguyz, Inc. is a consummate professional. His skills are verifiable and irrefutable. I would be very interested to see how your education, experience, and resume would fair against his. Mr. Shams also possesses two attributes you are obviously unfamiliar with, honest and integrity. He would never use a public blog to slam another professional and sign it as "Anonymous."

Your little dig, "Guess you get what you pay for!" was what gave you away. I suggest you follow your own suggestion. "Do not contact me again." Our business was finished months ago. Grow up and get over it!

For those of you that read my blog and are confused by this post:

Mr. Samson is a partner with Icon Web Media. I initially dealt with a woman named Lucy about bartering for a website. I sent her the web address of a cake site that I liked. She assured me that they could build something similar for me. I paid the contracted price through PayPal and they built a website for me in Feb 2009. I also paid them a monthly fee to host the site. It was functional, but lacked many of the features that I desired.

Zyguyz was the company that built the site that I liked so much. I contacted them and after several emails, Tony offered to add the items in question free of charge! He told me what he needed from Icon Web Media to make the changes. I contacted them and explained the situation. I assured IWM that I was not changing hosting companies. I was simply trying to take advantage of Mr. Shams' generous offer.

Icon Web Media, specifically Mr. Samson, took my request as a personal insult. I received multiple unprofessional emails, which I still have, from him. He refused to provide a phone number or even his name to discuss the problem! I found his name when I did a bit of sleuthing on the service he set up my hosting with. He refused to release the information, or my website, stating that he owned it and all of the content, including my cake photographs. After two months of email requests, and a consultation with our attorney, he sent a few unusable files to me, took my website down, and sent me the email not to contact him again. He billed my account for hosting after he pulled the website until I filed a complaint and stopped the direct drafts through PayPal.

All in all, it was a very nasty lesson learned. Always, always, always, check out the companies you deal with.

Life is Good...at least last week!

2009-11-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

It’s Sunday night and I’m sitting at our kitchen table writing and thinking about my life. My daughter just left after giving us all haircuts. It’s so nice to have a really good stylist in the family. Who else would make house calls? Hubby is out in his shop working on his latest project, a vintage 1981 Goldwing motorcycle; he lovingly named “The Black Pearl.” It cracks me up when he says “I’m going to go out and rub on Pearl for a while.” Boy with their toys. My youngest son is in his room next to me singing, playing guitar, and recording some of his songs. Several of them are really good and I find my self expecting to hear them on the radio. Maybe some day…

I love the internet and use it every day. I can hardly remember life without it. Surfing brought the kindest man into my life. Tony lives in Louisiana and is president of Zuguyz, Inc, a web design company. I contacted him about a website for my fledging wedding cake business about a year ago after viewing the one he built for Sweet Southern Ladies. We emailed back and forth for months while he tried to help me deal with the crazy person that made my first site, and later as I tried to use a template-based service to build my own. Tony patiently responded to my random requests while I dealt with caring for my husband after major surgery, housing my brother and his fiancée after a motor vehicle accident, and most recently caring for my youngest son who was broadsided by an 18 wheeler while at work. I guess it’s lucky I’m a nurse!

In the past two months Tony selflessly donated his personal time to building a fantastic website for my new business, Memory Makers Cakes. I was very happy to have a working site. My sister-in-law built me this blog site to match. When Tony saw it, he surprised me by spending hours coordinating the two to match and work seamlessly together. He has definitely renewed my faith in the kindness of strangers.

If you find yourself in need of IT services, please consider Zyguys. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed in the first class, personal service they provide.

Sweet Rewards

2009-11-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

I got my son Clint’s Elvis costume done yesterday with hours to spare. His sister did his hair…Elvis on steroids…very big and cartoon like. Picture Elvis meets rock-a-billy meets punk. It suited him perfectly. I didn’t need to make a costume for my youngest son Philip (age 20) because he went as a cowboy. Mind you, he always dresses like a cowboy and I did mention that fact to him. He explained that he looked normal to us “country folks” but in the “big city” he would looked costumed up. Ok…made sense to me. We did the photo op thing and I promised to send copies to their cell phones and emails for later inclusion on facebook, MySpace, and others. I sent them on their way with the usual warnings that drinking, drugs, driving, unsafe sex or any combination of the four being a bad thing. Childless, my hubby, Leon suggested a date night. I suggested dinner and a movie. Twenty miles later (closest town with a theater) we enjoyed great Mexican food and margaritas. Yum! I love frozen strawberry ritas with a salted rim. My honey suggested that I have a second one since I had a designated driver. How could I refuse? An hour later, I was half asleep and headed home, the movie forgotten. Its hell to be old and a light weight drinker. The good news is I got a good night sleep. Not counting the 12 times Leon’s very spoiled rat terrier work me up trying to steal my pillow or cover.

I got up, made the coffee, and spent the entire day (including the extra hour for day light savings) playing with my new iPhone. Finally, electronics easy enough for technologically challenged baby boomers to enjoy! I have everything at my finger tips, phone, email, messaging, great camera, games, internet, and music. Did I mention internet? Imagine, Craig’s List, and eBay programs with their own little icon buttons. One touch and I’m shopping! Now if I can just stop buying applications…

A Day in the Life of a Sugar Artist

2009-10-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

At the ripe old age of 50, after 30 years in nursing, I finally decided I wanted to be a sugar artist. Make that a famous sugar artist. Famous enough to command the prices that would allow me quit my two “real” jobs and spend the next twenty years making beautiful cakes. In order to make that happen, I’ve taken basic classes, bought videos and books, networked with other artists, entered cake competitions, won several awards, had work published in magazines, plastered my name over the internet, and, of course, made cakes. Since I’m a bit long in the tooth, I seldom turn a customer away. I need all the experience I can get, as fast as I can get it, which is why my weekend generally goes something like this.

I stayed up until 5am Saturday morning making a Sponge Bob Square Pants cake for a three year old. The three year old would never notice that every one of the sixty hand cut fondant pieces fit together perfectly, but my OCD will not let me be sloppy and the cake turned out beautiful. After three hours sleep, my husband, son, and I delivered said cake fifty miles away for a noon party. We then met my mom, in-laws, and brother-in-law for lunch with three minutes to spare, went back to their house for coffee and cake, I made ribbon decorations for a western shirt and Leon worked on computers and his brother’s truck. We took everyone out for supper, and stayed over for a good long visit until after 11pm then drove the hour home, loved on the dogs, let them out to do their business, put them to bed (except for Frankendumplin’ our pug who sleeps with us and has a pot-belly pig for a brother…but that’s another story) then stayed up talking and cruising the net until 3am. Sunday morning I hit the floor running to meet our oldest son for lunch thirty-five miles away at 12:30pm, met with client in same town at 2pm. She ordered a Louis Vuitton purse cake and 250 cupcakes…yeah! On to the outlet mall to buy my son work pants, delivered them to the Fudgery where he works, watched them make a fudge roll on the marble slab, went to Lowes, Circuit City, Office Depot, and picked up chicken for supper. Got home, ate, cleaned off the table, cut out Elvis costume for son and Santa Suit for friend (will sew them on Wed after work), burned copies of five DVDs on sugar arts (for personal use) and transferred two talking books on CD to my iPod to keep me awake while making the hours drive to and from work, helped my wonderful hubby (a T4 paraplegic) with his shower, gave him his ten minute backrub (we alternate rubs each night) and got to sleep by 11:30pm!

If this sounds like a typical weekend at your house, I’d really love to hear from you. Surely there are kindred spirits somewhere…hello…is anybody out there?

Blogging for Cakes

2009-10-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

In this, my first “official” post, I want to thank my sister-in-law, Ginger, the brains behind this great blog site. She very generously donated her time to build it, as well as create the beautiful background work. More importantly she patiently educated me on the ends and outs of blogging. I spend a lot of time talking to people about my cake business and answering cake related questions on several different web sites. Her suggestion that I use a blog was perfect. I can post my thoughts, show cake pictures, and answer questions in one place, then simply invite everyone to visit my site. You will understand how important that is to me when you read my next posting “A day in the life of a baby boomer who finally decided what she wanted to be when she grew up.”

Please use the link to Ginger’s blog to check out the other amazing things she’s doing.