Shame on you you dirty minded lil' blog reader, for thinking what you're thinking! This blog is about doing cakes, how I got into it and why we're crazy enough to keep doing it! It's my honest story and
my views on the industry and what I've learned about life from my travels in it!.
As some of you know I got into cakes by accident. My Mother is a renowned decorator and many years ago after moving closer to home in KC, I started helping her do cakes when she got busy. I don't know why she called on me to do it, but many a friday night was spent in the basement of my childhood home making cakes. I liked it but mostly it was yet another attempt to make my mother happy. I did every sort of cake, and even though I was a novice, I don't mind saying I had a knack for it, and very soon we had more and more orders for the style of work I prefered. Maybe it was purely coincidence, or maybe it was that people were seeing and in turn wanting my work, either way I was spending more and more time after my day job as a mechanic, in KC working on cakes sometimes all night.
My Mother had won the Oklahoma Sugar Arts Show in Tulsa Oklahoma several times, and one friday as she was finishing up the work on her showpiece, I decided to bust out a cake that had been rolling around in my head for a few days. That evening I made a 1950 ford woody wagon, with a surf board and cake on top, and the next morning we were off to Oklahoma. I hadn't had any interest in the competition at all at that point, but rather only in making something I wanted to make and since I was going to the show (I think it was my first time there) I figured I might as well bring something...
That silly little cake got an unimaginable amount of attention and was part of the reason why TLC contacted my mother and I to audition for Cake Off. Originally when we were making the video the intent was for it to be her audition video for the show. They had asked us to do the video together, and it turned out that I was the one that producers had chosen to be the lead, I'm not real sure this sat well with my mother as she had always been the one people came to and maybe I'm wrong but it seemed to hurt her ego a bit that I had been asked to lead. I was proud to have been asked but even more surprised by the reality of shooting a reality TV show and the strain it can put on people and relationships... The first episode was a pirate show and my plan was to create something that a man who truely believed himself to be a pirate, would appreciate. I didn't want to do a childlike version, but more of an off scale model type of cake. With the aid of my mother and my sister Tammy's amazing character modeling skills (which we practiced only briefly before we went to the shoot) we won. At the time the deciding vote was the clients. This made it easier in my mind to plan.
The second episode was a dog show. And it was in planning for this that tensions between myself and my family got tougher. I was having a really rough time in my personal life and working on the show with my sisters and mother was tricky as they didn't feel like I was really doing enough. It's easy to see actually how they could feel this way as they weren't used to working with me (My sisters didn't work in cake at all at the time) My style is pretty frustrating to those who don't understand it. My brain is a wierd cross wired silly little place... My head is full of dozens and sometimes hundreds of tv or movie screens. I can go through the process of creating things, like cake, countless times in my head before I ever take action. Even during taping, when you're asked to perform as you decorate, I can play a version of the goings on in my head. I can even fast forward a bit and try to anticipate what's going to be asked, or what's going to happen (no I don't think I can see the future... but I knew you were going to think that!) It gives me a bit of breathing room when I'm put on the spot and must speak or act. (It's also confusing as hell!) So, as I was planning and doing my best to try to live up to my own standards and still trying not to let my sisters and mother down, my apparent lack of action irritated them!
When we were asked to come back and do a third show, things really came to a head. They had already voiced thier opinion that I was not taking it seriously, and even went so far as to claim that I was taking too much credit for the previous success we had. Things had become increasingly dark at home and when they felt I wasn't doing enough they tried to take over. As I had said before I had done that third show dozens of times already in my mind... One of the toughest things was we didn't know who the client was or their style. So in my head I had devised a series of ways of customizing the design to please the unknown client. The design was a sand castle, part of the design included spires with sharply pointed cone roofs...Partly because I didn't like to do too much work before taping, and partly because I had planned to use the roofs as a point of customization I felt we could choose the color or design on set to suit the client, and we ended up doing so during the show as part of the client twist ! At the time I had gone against what my sisters and mother wanted and refused to finish them here, before heading to California. I remember being in the car on my way to get supplies, when my dad called and told me they were fed up and had decided that my design was to complex and they had chosen to get the spires done now and I'd just have to accept it. I called them, admittedly upset, and told them to stop, and that even though they didn't understand it I had a plan. It wasn't 15 minutes later that I recieved another call from Dad in which he explained that they had told him to call me and tell me they quit. Tammy was already heading home and my mother was steaming mad. They felt that they needed to teach me a lesson, and I guess this was their decided plan of action... less than a week before we had to leave to film the episode.
As anyone who's seen the final episode knows, I had a new team for the shoot. My friend Michelle agree'd immediately and she recruited Karen, who I met for the first time at the airport! Jamaica was brought in by the network to finish up the quartet. We met as a complete team for the first time in the lobby of the hotel at a small table in the lounge. I only had pictures of the structure as the supplies hadn't even arrived from the shipping company, and since the events delayed me a bit they wouldn't arrive until half way through the move in day on set! Using only the pictures I had taken and my explination of how it was all to work, we devised our plan and without any real problems we finished early and my team performed as if we had rehearsed it a million times! I seldom had to turn my head to explain anything, or check up on their work (well, unless the production crew asked me to in order to build their story) It was awesome and I was very proud of them all, yet it was bittersweet, as I really felt like my own family was almost pulling for me to loose. So I'd learn my lesson... Additionally the production staff used the situation to their advantage and some tense moments happened on set.
After all the shows were done it was right back to work. It's not the life changing event many people feel it is. I can thank my appearances for much of what I get to do now, traveling and teaching, but in the following year and a half things got worse and worse, and the differences between my mother and I grew too great, until litterally in one day it ended... I've heard all sorts of stories about what happened from all sorts of places, but none of the stories are accurate, to any valuable degree. I'm not going to explain that part, or share the details of the split, it serves no purpose in this story, but I will share what I learned from all of this...
I never wanted to be a cake decorator... Many days I still don't, I got started because no matter how old you are, or how many times you seem to fail at the task, we all want to please our parents. The only way I could think of was to try and help as best I could. This story isn't even about cake, it's about realizing that sometimes things happen and all one can do is learn from it and move on. I learned that on any given day, I can really only do the things that make me happy. The best way to make myself happy is to do the things that feel right to me. Some of the things are easy, some are hard, but only by being true to what I feel inside of me can I then turn that energy outward and share it with those I love. It doesn't feel right to me to be looked to as I often am because of a silly TV show, yet if it is to happen what feels right to me is to show the same kind of love and energy with whoever it is that honors me in that way. I have been so lucky to have met so many people, all of them so full of love (I can't think of a better word) and so happy to share it with me. The more I feel it the more I want to share it and build upon it. I have the truely wonderful people around me now to thank for that!(you all know who you are!) I've found that eventually I had to forgive myself for the things I couldn't do, the people I couldn't satisfy and focus on the positive!
So... Why CAKE? I can't say that as a career, the act of making cakes is a good one. seldom do I make enough to really justify the hard work and even keep bills paid. The hours are long and the stress levels are high. There's always a deadline and then even after the cake is complete there's the worry about an unhappy customer. (I'm starting to see a trend here... I think maybe I have a need to please). like so many cake people ( and other professions too) I pour myself into my work. It's a sort of expression for me and sometimes I even feel guilty charging for it, but when you're asked to create something for an event, or person that inspires them, that brings joy and happiness, it brings the same energy to me... It feels right and even if just in a small way, I've shared that energy with that person or group andI feel lucky. I feel like payment was recieved.
I get to travel and meet so many excited faces. Even a silly thing like a competition, when the viewers are allowed on stage to watch me work, or in a class when I get to share my techniques for doing my work, it's hard for me not to want to stop and chat, and meet them. The single greatest thing I learned from my experiences in the world of cake is that we're all in this together. Cake is by it's nature a thing that makes people happy... Being a person who makes them means that I get to share in that happiness with them. Many a day do I dread having to make yet another cake, but never will I get tired of the great people I meet because of it!
Thank you cake for that.
Peace N Love Friends!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
I'd like it like this, But crappier please!
Mike: "Black Sheep Custom Cakes"
Caller: "I'd like to order a cake. I want to feed 100 people... I want it really cool, sculpted, with lights and sounds and 4 foot tall please."
Mike: " Be happy to do that! That'll cost you about $X.XX delivered." ( Realizing in his head that the cost and time involved in the cake as well as the risk for such a design barely justifies the price asked)
Caller: "OH... well, can we do it for 50 people? What would that cost?"
Mike: "Umm.... well I could make it a bit smaller, but it's still about the same amount of work for me., so the cost doesn't go down that much."
Caller: "OH... well what if we do it for 25... do you do cupcakes?"
This seems to happen so often my head spins. Once again we can thank reality TV for inflating the expectations of our customers while providing them with no clue as to what it really takes to make a cake!
For those of you that are wondering what I do, here's my thoughts:
The above scenario is very common, but also common is the mind set now that since a client is having "other deserts" The need for a full sized cake is not as important to their wedding or event (seems to happen more with weddings).
Let's think about this.... When people come to a wedding, they expect to see a bride in her pretty dress and a decorated venue. After that they expect to see the cake. Every wedding I know of usually includes the cutting of the cake and a ton of photos of the bride and groom with the cake. Do guest show up wondering what the desert bar looks like? Can you imagine the bride and groom standing next to the bowl of red and blue Skittles or brownies? What a memorable pic that will be!!!
When faced with this scenario, I usually explain that if they called me looking for the 4 foot tall sculpted fire breathing cake, but because of the price decided to do the sheet cake with plastic dragon figure, they're not going to be satisfied! In the same light a bride may not think as far ahead to her wedding day, when her little cake fails miserably to impress anyone (herself included). But hey atleast there's a bowl of skittles and M-M's with the monogram on it! I find that clients usually agree once they've thought about it. We very often seem to forget that we are the ones with the experience in this field, and we can share that with our clients to make the experience better for them!
My job is to make people happy and I can't allow myself to cut corners in an attempt to reduce the price to do that! We all have our standards, and when we let the customer talk us down from them we'll end up with un-happy customers! It's a bit of a paradox as I will sometimes end up not doing the cake, but atleast I can sleep at night knowing I did my best. Never ever do I buy into the dumb it down so it will be easier to sell! I do cakes of every level and degree of complication, but most importantly I have to be satisfied with them when they leave the shop!
Well... With 2 more cakes to do I best get back to work! I've got a cake for Rockfest tomorrow and regular stuff too!
Peace N Love Friends!
Caller: "I'd like to order a cake. I want to feed 100 people... I want it really cool, sculpted, with lights and sounds and 4 foot tall please."
Mike: " Be happy to do that! That'll cost you about $X.XX delivered." ( Realizing in his head that the cost and time involved in the cake as well as the risk for such a design barely justifies the price asked)
Caller: "OH... well, can we do it for 50 people? What would that cost?"
Mike: "Umm.... well I could make it a bit smaller, but it's still about the same amount of work for me., so the cost doesn't go down that much."
Caller: "OH... well what if we do it for 25... do you do cupcakes?"
This seems to happen so often my head spins. Once again we can thank reality TV for inflating the expectations of our customers while providing them with no clue as to what it really takes to make a cake!
For those of you that are wondering what I do, here's my thoughts:
The above scenario is very common, but also common is the mind set now that since a client is having "other deserts" The need for a full sized cake is not as important to their wedding or event (seems to happen more with weddings).
Let's think about this.... When people come to a wedding, they expect to see a bride in her pretty dress and a decorated venue. After that they expect to see the cake. Every wedding I know of usually includes the cutting of the cake and a ton of photos of the bride and groom with the cake. Do guest show up wondering what the desert bar looks like? Can you imagine the bride and groom standing next to the bowl of red and blue Skittles or brownies? What a memorable pic that will be!!!
When faced with this scenario, I usually explain that if they called me looking for the 4 foot tall sculpted fire breathing cake, but because of the price decided to do the sheet cake with plastic dragon figure, they're not going to be satisfied! In the same light a bride may not think as far ahead to her wedding day, when her little cake fails miserably to impress anyone (herself included). But hey atleast there's a bowl of skittles and M-M's with the monogram on it! I find that clients usually agree once they've thought about it. We very often seem to forget that we are the ones with the experience in this field, and we can share that with our clients to make the experience better for them!
My job is to make people happy and I can't allow myself to cut corners in an attempt to reduce the price to do that! We all have our standards, and when we let the customer talk us down from them we'll end up with un-happy customers! It's a bit of a paradox as I will sometimes end up not doing the cake, but atleast I can sleep at night knowing I did my best. Never ever do I buy into the dumb it down so it will be easier to sell! I do cakes of every level and degree of complication, but most importantly I have to be satisfied with them when they leave the shop!
Well... With 2 more cakes to do I best get back to work! I've got a cake for Rockfest tomorrow and regular stuff too!
Peace N Love Friends!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Reality TV and "Super Hero syndrome"
In the past few weeks I've been contacted by two different production companies about two completely different shows. One is a newer show I'm not supposed to discuss and the other was Next Great Baker. It got me to thinking about the past few years and the rollercoaster ride they've been. ( believe me, I could go on and on about that, but I'll get to my topic) As many of you know I've done three "Ultimate Cake off'"s, a small christmas special and thats about it.... I'm fortunate enough to have won all 3 cake off, s and I can't deny that my appearance on them is at least part of the reason why I'm asked to do events, why I am able to call upon so many talented people to do KC Cakefest, and on occassion, I even get an order out of the deal. I can't really even say I'm proud of the work we did on TV, and I don't for a second think it was all of my own doing. But most of all I try to remember that it didn't then and doesn't now define who I am...
I can tell you first hand that reality Tv for the most part is total bullshit. The producers of said shows have a very narrow and limited scope of ideas and believe that there is a very small window of choices of subject and story line that "sells" to todays TV watching market. The term repeated so often is "DRAMA", which to a modern day TV producer apparently means people in uncomfortable situations, being pushed to the brink ( and frequently far past it) with little emphasis on whether the person/ people have any real talent, the story is relevant, or whether or not there's a mili-amp of positive energy produced inside the heart and soul of the viewer. I'm offended by the idea that the only thing that we the people want to watch or take part in is a version of Jerry Springer, combined with baking, or beauty pageants, or what happens in a swamp. Don't get me wrong, there are a few shows out there that actually have a positive vibe to them and rarely if ever have the negativity that stains TV today. Shows like Man Vs Food, Mythbusters, and... well... it's hard to think of them as they're so rare, But I like both of these shows!
Man vs Food is a pretty cut and dry show. The always enthusiastic host Adam, travels the country searching for challenges in diners, delis and resturants, and always ends with him undoubtedly shortening his life by downing a massive sandwich, steak or pancake! The idea is simple, but what makes the show great is the constant smile on Adam's face, the local flavor and good people he meets, and the fact that even though the show is ultimately about him taking on some sort of glorified Hotdog eating contest, it gets deeper than that due to the good natured people he gets involved with. He samples not only the local food, but gets to do even better... meet great people.
This brings me to my first point. I've done Tv shows, and in the following years I've been courted by this production company and that. I've had people dedicate large amounts of time and energy into "making it happen" for me. I've been approached with show ideas that on the surface seemed really great, only to find them hollow and essentially a clone of some show I've already seen a million times, just with a different spin. I've come to dred the idea of casting agents, producers and networks, yet I owe so much of my "success" to them. Would I be where I am today had I never done TLC? The best part of the last 2-3 years has been the people I've been lucky enough to meet. Many of them I would never have met, had it not been to three measily wins on TLC. I've traveled, done exciting events, the best and proudest being hosting KC Cakefest, and all the while meeting new, really great and energetic people. I"ve never felt like I was worthy of the excitement people have for you when they've seen you on TV. Even though it's been a while, I still get it. Just the other day at WalMart, I was on my way out the door when an elderly lady in one of those loaner wheelchairs asked me if I could help her. I stopped and as she requested, pushed her through the theft detectors, past the greeter and to the side so she could wait for her husband who was parking the car. At first I didn't think anything of it, but as I pushed her along, she said "Thank you Mike"... I know you're a celebrity, but I didn't want to sit in everybodies way." I was just happy to help a very sweet old lady, but the fact that she knew my name and thought so highly of me really did make something inside glow. I chatted with her for a while and shortly after her husband arrived. He told me how much she used to like to bake, and how she's been to my website. I'm still excited to have met them and as I walked out of the store I couldn't get over how excited she was, and in turn how good I felt. It's that type of energy that I live for. To share a moment with a stranger, to feel the bond of energy if only for as long as it takes to push a wheel chair. I felt and still feel very lucky.
And that brings me to my second point ( yeah, I have two! LOL) In the time since TLC I've met and spent time with so many of the people that have been on different TV shows. Many of them I'm very proud to call friends, some are a bit harder to "get", while others look to their Tv appearance as some sort of magical event that changed them at the molecular level, and these are the ones I have a tough time with. They seem to feel like the TV camera beamed some sort of radioactive radiation at them, or maybe they were bit by some crazy venomous producer, that transformed them into a super hero, flying over mere mortals bakeries, flinging buttercream at those beneath them with a ZAP, BOP, BOOM! They've convinced themselves that they are better and more interesting than anyone else. Their opinions are no longer such and are by nature of their super powers undeniable facts, and no one can say otherwise. Ater all, They were on TV! What the hell??
TV is at best a fleating moment. Yes the ride may take a while to come to a complete stop, and sometimes you may catch a ticket to yet another ride, but the idea that it defines you at the place it matters most or creates a super hero out of you.... No. (I wish!) I may be goofy, but I feel that inside me is the little Mikey that used to ride his bike barefoot on summer vacation wearing nothing but his shorts. That used to sword fight with sticks at the bus stop, and best of all looked at the world with wonder and amazement. I try very hard to keep in touch with him, after all, he created me. As an adult ( yuck) I do what I must. I work. I pay bills, I'm a dad ( which actually plays well with the inner youthful Mike) but I always try to look at myself from that point of view and my inner child says "yeah, you did some TV, now what?" Perhaps it's logical that the things I do that are the most rewarding are the things my three kids enjoy most and are most impressed by. I love to talk to people, learn and try new things. I'm still trying to find my place in the world, and maybe someday I will. I'm not concerned about not really knowing where I'm going... I've got some exciting ideas and plans, and the journey will be a blast, although every now and then that Mikey inside me does ask, "are we there yet?"
Peace N Love Friends! I'm off to decide what to do about my latest TV goofiness. To do or not to do? thinking not...
I can tell you first hand that reality Tv for the most part is total bullshit. The producers of said shows have a very narrow and limited scope of ideas and believe that there is a very small window of choices of subject and story line that "sells" to todays TV watching market. The term repeated so often is "DRAMA", which to a modern day TV producer apparently means people in uncomfortable situations, being pushed to the brink ( and frequently far past it) with little emphasis on whether the person/ people have any real talent, the story is relevant, or whether or not there's a mili-amp of positive energy produced inside the heart and soul of the viewer. I'm offended by the idea that the only thing that we the people want to watch or take part in is a version of Jerry Springer, combined with baking, or beauty pageants, or what happens in a swamp. Don't get me wrong, there are a few shows out there that actually have a positive vibe to them and rarely if ever have the negativity that stains TV today. Shows like Man Vs Food, Mythbusters, and... well... it's hard to think of them as they're so rare, But I like both of these shows!
Man vs Food is a pretty cut and dry show. The always enthusiastic host Adam, travels the country searching for challenges in diners, delis and resturants, and always ends with him undoubtedly shortening his life by downing a massive sandwich, steak or pancake! The idea is simple, but what makes the show great is the constant smile on Adam's face, the local flavor and good people he meets, and the fact that even though the show is ultimately about him taking on some sort of glorified Hotdog eating contest, it gets deeper than that due to the good natured people he gets involved with. He samples not only the local food, but gets to do even better... meet great people.
This brings me to my first point. I've done Tv shows, and in the following years I've been courted by this production company and that. I've had people dedicate large amounts of time and energy into "making it happen" for me. I've been approached with show ideas that on the surface seemed really great, only to find them hollow and essentially a clone of some show I've already seen a million times, just with a different spin. I've come to dred the idea of casting agents, producers and networks, yet I owe so much of my "success" to them. Would I be where I am today had I never done TLC? The best part of the last 2-3 years has been the people I've been lucky enough to meet. Many of them I would never have met, had it not been to three measily wins on TLC. I've traveled, done exciting events, the best and proudest being hosting KC Cakefest, and all the while meeting new, really great and energetic people. I"ve never felt like I was worthy of the excitement people have for you when they've seen you on TV. Even though it's been a while, I still get it. Just the other day at WalMart, I was on my way out the door when an elderly lady in one of those loaner wheelchairs asked me if I could help her. I stopped and as she requested, pushed her through the theft detectors, past the greeter and to the side so she could wait for her husband who was parking the car. At first I didn't think anything of it, but as I pushed her along, she said "Thank you Mike"... I know you're a celebrity, but I didn't want to sit in everybodies way." I was just happy to help a very sweet old lady, but the fact that she knew my name and thought so highly of me really did make something inside glow. I chatted with her for a while and shortly after her husband arrived. He told me how much she used to like to bake, and how she's been to my website. I'm still excited to have met them and as I walked out of the store I couldn't get over how excited she was, and in turn how good I felt. It's that type of energy that I live for. To share a moment with a stranger, to feel the bond of energy if only for as long as it takes to push a wheel chair. I felt and still feel very lucky.
And that brings me to my second point ( yeah, I have two! LOL) In the time since TLC I've met and spent time with so many of the people that have been on different TV shows. Many of them I'm very proud to call friends, some are a bit harder to "get", while others look to their Tv appearance as some sort of magical event that changed them at the molecular level, and these are the ones I have a tough time with. They seem to feel like the TV camera beamed some sort of radioactive radiation at them, or maybe they were bit by some crazy venomous producer, that transformed them into a super hero, flying over mere mortals bakeries, flinging buttercream at those beneath them with a ZAP, BOP, BOOM! They've convinced themselves that they are better and more interesting than anyone else. Their opinions are no longer such and are by nature of their super powers undeniable facts, and no one can say otherwise. Ater all, They were on TV! What the hell??
TV is at best a fleating moment. Yes the ride may take a while to come to a complete stop, and sometimes you may catch a ticket to yet another ride, but the idea that it defines you at the place it matters most or creates a super hero out of you.... No. (I wish!) I may be goofy, but I feel that inside me is the little Mikey that used to ride his bike barefoot on summer vacation wearing nothing but his shorts. That used to sword fight with sticks at the bus stop, and best of all looked at the world with wonder and amazement. I try very hard to keep in touch with him, after all, he created me. As an adult ( yuck) I do what I must. I work. I pay bills, I'm a dad ( which actually plays well with the inner youthful Mike) but I always try to look at myself from that point of view and my inner child says "yeah, you did some TV, now what?" Perhaps it's logical that the things I do that are the most rewarding are the things my three kids enjoy most and are most impressed by. I love to talk to people, learn and try new things. I'm still trying to find my place in the world, and maybe someday I will. I'm not concerned about not really knowing where I'm going... I've got some exciting ideas and plans, and the journey will be a blast, although every now and then that Mikey inside me does ask, "are we there yet?"
Peace N Love Friends! I'm off to decide what to do about my latest TV goofiness. To do or not to do? thinking not...
Monday, April 30, 2012
who's the expert here? Wedding consults
Recently, my partner Carey and I had a discussion about this... Carey had talked with one of our clients and couldn't get them to come up with a cake design. After talking for a while I realized that everyone has a different style of meeting clients and designing cakes. Some have a menu of cakes and brides to-be order cake #4 off the list. Others ask clients to bring photos of the cake they like and they copy that cake for them. It's easy to miss that your style of doin a consult can determine the style of cakes and types of cakes you get to do. We all have our way, but my thought is that there is only one cake expert at a consult... And it sure as hell isn't the client!
I used to work with my mother, and she had a style of taking several photos of cakes the client wanted and combining the pieces and parts of several designs to make a single "custom" cake. As a result I ended up helping produce a ton of cakes with dots, diamonds and stripes, with quilted patterns and pearl borders. I realized that even though we were meeting with a client and "custom designing" their cake, the designs reflected our style of consult. Since I started woking on my own I have found that the style of cakes I get "asked" for has changed.... Is it because they're just asking for something different, or is it that my own style of meeting with them has changed?
When I meet with clients, I frequently look at the many cake pictures they've gathered, I look at the dress, sample their invitations and try to get a feel for the personal style of the client... Many have settled on some sort of design they've created from what is essentially their first and only attempt at cake design. Why would we as cake designers be satisfied with that? Who's the expert here? As cake people we understand what it takes to make cake. We all have ideas and techniques that with a little thought could be just the right touch for a clients wedding or event. Our job as the cake designer is to help them get what they want, even if they don't really know what they want!
In a short amount of time it's pretty easy to get a feel for a clients personal taste. Most of them are drawn to a certain style or theme, the next step is to interpret that information and create something that they will like and that you as a decorator wants to do! It's much easier to work on a cake when you feel like the design is your own and especially so if you can talk a client into letting you do something you've been dieing to do. As we all know when we want to do a cake, we usually go above and beyond! Very rarely do I have to do dots and diamonds and I'm very happy about that! My customers are always excited to see their cake and proud to know it's truely one of a kind!
Finally don't be afraid to say no. Many times I've been asked to do a design that I know won't look right. Or it may be that a client wants a design thats done in fondant in the photos but they want it in buttercream. Again it's important to explain that your experience is that the combination doesn't wok.
so in short:
Don't be afraid to tell the customer what they want. be the expert!
Listen to them and design something that fits the bill, but is unique and pushes the design envelope.
let them know that their design is just for them and not just a copy or combination of copies.
I used to work with my mother, and she had a style of taking several photos of cakes the client wanted and combining the pieces and parts of several designs to make a single "custom" cake. As a result I ended up helping produce a ton of cakes with dots, diamonds and stripes, with quilted patterns and pearl borders. I realized that even though we were meeting with a client and "custom designing" their cake, the designs reflected our style of consult. Since I started woking on my own I have found that the style of cakes I get "asked" for has changed.... Is it because they're just asking for something different, or is it that my own style of meeting with them has changed?
When I meet with clients, I frequently look at the many cake pictures they've gathered, I look at the dress, sample their invitations and try to get a feel for the personal style of the client... Many have settled on some sort of design they've created from what is essentially their first and only attempt at cake design. Why would we as cake designers be satisfied with that? Who's the expert here? As cake people we understand what it takes to make cake. We all have ideas and techniques that with a little thought could be just the right touch for a clients wedding or event. Our job as the cake designer is to help them get what they want, even if they don't really know what they want!
In a short amount of time it's pretty easy to get a feel for a clients personal taste. Most of them are drawn to a certain style or theme, the next step is to interpret that information and create something that they will like and that you as a decorator wants to do! It's much easier to work on a cake when you feel like the design is your own and especially so if you can talk a client into letting you do something you've been dieing to do. As we all know when we want to do a cake, we usually go above and beyond! Very rarely do I have to do dots and diamonds and I'm very happy about that! My customers are always excited to see their cake and proud to know it's truely one of a kind!
Finally don't be afraid to say no. Many times I've been asked to do a design that I know won't look right. Or it may be that a client wants a design thats done in fondant in the photos but they want it in buttercream. Again it's important to explain that your experience is that the combination doesn't wok.
so in short:
Don't be afraid to tell the customer what they want. be the expert!
Listen to them and design something that fits the bill, but is unique and pushes the design envelope.
let them know that their design is just for them and not just a copy or combination of copies.
random thoughts and aimless wondering...
SO.... I've had this blogger account for a good while now and yet I never blog? Truth is I'm so busy that the idea of yet another thing to do seems a bit too much at times, but, since my head is full of all sorts of random things I figured it might be a good way to get some of it out and share some thoughts with some friends.... ( we'll see)
I'm going to try to do this more often in an attempt not only to clear my head but start a conversation with anyone out there who like me is crazy enough to get drawn into it!
For those of you who don't know I've spent the better part of a year working on KC Cakefest. It was the second attempt at a charity cake show established with the main goal of doing something really different and fun, but also to do it for a good cause... For various reasons I'm not going to talk about the charity, or even the show, but about what I learned about myself, my friends, family and even what it takes to put on a successful show. (but mostly what I learned about life in general)
Like a excited child I was very ready to get to work on Cakefest. I believed in the charity, and more so I believed that we could put together a great show. A show that didn't fit the cookie cutter format most other cake shows fill. A show that was fun, up-lifting and enjoyable to people other than just the hardcore cake people, in short a truely unique show.
As is true with all things of value and greatness, it was far more work than I could have imagined! My staff and I worked every single day, many hours a day searching for the right combination of details, sponsors and ideas to make the show fun. Most of my week was spent in Kansas City, talking to sponsors, vendors, staff and media, and it made for a very busy time. I all but shut down my business for the duration and can't imagine how many clients I lost because of it, as I was never at the shop to field calls and emails, not to mention I didn't have time to do cakes. All because we believed in the idea that doing something that no one else was willing or able to do was worth doing.
I'm proudest of the fact that the easy thing to do was the show it's self! I'm very lucky to know some really truely great people and all of them made the production ( well atleast the talent side of it) very easy! We actually had to turn great people down as I just couldn't accomidate any more, yet most of them came on their own accord! (and expense) I couldn't be prouder of all the friends who joined us here that week. In spite of the fact that I learned post show, that another cake show promoter was actually working to un-do what we were trying to do and even (as I've been told) threatening them with exclusion from TV if they were to do an event associated with me! I have struggled to understand why this person could find value in spending their energy and time to spread that sort of jealous negativity. I was and still am under the impression that we are all in this together and that what benefits one of us helps us all. But as was often the case, just because I felt that way didn't mean everyone did...
I've been to many cake shows and events, but never have I seen a group of people pull out all of the stops and create cakes that defy any TV show! It made for a very suprising challenge for myself and our judges. These cakes were all so good that I hated having them choose a winner. In my mind they all were, and I was proud of them all. We accomplished some great stuff, learned a ton and faced some very tough challenges. With the help of dear friends we overcame all of them (well most anyway) Next years planning is already underway and I can't wait to fix all the problems we had with this years show! I feel like we've really grown and believe me when I say, that next years show will be twice what this years was!
Peace n Love friends
Mike
I'm going to try to do this more often in an attempt not only to clear my head but start a conversation with anyone out there who like me is crazy enough to get drawn into it!
For those of you who don't know I've spent the better part of a year working on KC Cakefest. It was the second attempt at a charity cake show established with the main goal of doing something really different and fun, but also to do it for a good cause... For various reasons I'm not going to talk about the charity, or even the show, but about what I learned about myself, my friends, family and even what it takes to put on a successful show. (but mostly what I learned about life in general)
Like a excited child I was very ready to get to work on Cakefest. I believed in the charity, and more so I believed that we could put together a great show. A show that didn't fit the cookie cutter format most other cake shows fill. A show that was fun, up-lifting and enjoyable to people other than just the hardcore cake people, in short a truely unique show.
As is true with all things of value and greatness, it was far more work than I could have imagined! My staff and I worked every single day, many hours a day searching for the right combination of details, sponsors and ideas to make the show fun. Most of my week was spent in Kansas City, talking to sponsors, vendors, staff and media, and it made for a very busy time. I all but shut down my business for the duration and can't imagine how many clients I lost because of it, as I was never at the shop to field calls and emails, not to mention I didn't have time to do cakes. All because we believed in the idea that doing something that no one else was willing or able to do was worth doing.
I'm proudest of the fact that the easy thing to do was the show it's self! I'm very lucky to know some really truely great people and all of them made the production ( well atleast the talent side of it) very easy! We actually had to turn great people down as I just couldn't accomidate any more, yet most of them came on their own accord! (and expense) I couldn't be prouder of all the friends who joined us here that week. In spite of the fact that I learned post show, that another cake show promoter was actually working to un-do what we were trying to do and even (as I've been told) threatening them with exclusion from TV if they were to do an event associated with me! I have struggled to understand why this person could find value in spending their energy and time to spread that sort of jealous negativity. I was and still am under the impression that we are all in this together and that what benefits one of us helps us all. But as was often the case, just because I felt that way didn't mean everyone did...
I've been to many cake shows and events, but never have I seen a group of people pull out all of the stops and create cakes that defy any TV show! It made for a very suprising challenge for myself and our judges. These cakes were all so good that I hated having them choose a winner. In my mind they all were, and I was proud of them all. We accomplished some great stuff, learned a ton and faced some very tough challenges. With the help of dear friends we overcame all of them (well most anyway) Next years planning is already underway and I can't wait to fix all the problems we had with this years show! I feel like we've really grown and believe me when I say, that next years show will be twice what this years was!
Peace n Love friends
Mike
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Black Sheep update
It's been quite some time since I found the time to write a new blogg entry, but I figured I better get back on the ball! Since my last post I've been very busy! I've been all over the place including LA, San Diego, DC, Virginia, Minnesota, and even Brasil. I've found myself burried up to my eyeballs in charity events and I've volunteered my services for many different groups.
The last couple months have quite honestly been a blur!
I know it's been a few months since our BIG cake show, but I still can't get over what a success it was! we out grew our venue even before the event started! Some of the best people I've ever met dedicated themselves to that show and I cant thank you all enough! (You know who you are!)
In a few weeks we'll be releasing info about next years MUCH LARGER EVENT
KC CAKEFEST!!!!!!
The next comming months are just as crazy for me... I'll be doing a scale model of the worlds only existing airworthy B-29 on july 14 at New Century Air Center in Olatha. http://kcghostsquadron.squarespace.com/events/2011/3/24/fifi-at-new-century-aircenter-july-14-through-17.html from there I go to Charlotte NC to do demos and classes as well as having a booth where we'll be promoting next years show, demonstrating airbrush, and maybe even selling a few things! ICES convention runs from aug 4-7. After (19th) ICES I move back to Missouri where I'm volunteering to help with 4h at the fair, That evening I'm off to Newport Rhode Island for a wine festival. I'll be chillin Black Sheep style on a boat, with the occasional demonstration of cake sculpture! The following week, I'm back to the Mid-west to Oklahoma City! I'll be teaming up with Ruth Rickey at her Tour De Palate www.tourdepalate.com event and even teaching some classes at her shop!
It's no secret that life is a challenge.... We all have struggles and hurdles to leap. Some times the hurdles catch a toe and dump us face first on the pavement. The last year or so has been that sort of challenge for me. I've kept very busy, tried to do the right thing, inspite of all the negativity that drifts my way; a product of other people. I'm proud of the work I have done and the people I have touched. Even more so I treasure the people I have met and friendships I have made along the way. Even in the shadow of all the negative things that seem to pop up in life, it never ceases to amaze me just how good people can be. Many times I have doubted the road I am on only to be nudged by someone, sometimes a stranger, back on to the path. It may be an uphill battle, but I'm still climbing!
So for now.... keep doing your own thing, "BLACK SHEEP STYLIN" and I'll keep doing mine.
Love
mike
The last couple months have quite honestly been a blur!
I know it's been a few months since our BIG cake show, but I still can't get over what a success it was! we out grew our venue even before the event started! Some of the best people I've ever met dedicated themselves to that show and I cant thank you all enough! (You know who you are!)
In a few weeks we'll be releasing info about next years MUCH LARGER EVENT
KC CAKEFEST!!!!!!
The next comming months are just as crazy for me... I'll be doing a scale model of the worlds only existing airworthy B-29 on july 14 at New Century Air Center in Olatha. http://kcghostsquadron.squarespace.com/events/2011/3/24/fifi-at-new-century-aircenter-july-14-through-17.html from there I go to Charlotte NC to do demos and classes as well as having a booth where we'll be promoting next years show, demonstrating airbrush, and maybe even selling a few things! ICES convention runs from aug 4-7. After (19th) ICES I move back to Missouri where I'm volunteering to help with 4h at the fair, That evening I'm off to Newport Rhode Island for a wine festival. I'll be chillin Black Sheep style on a boat, with the occasional demonstration of cake sculpture! The following week, I'm back to the Mid-west to Oklahoma City! I'll be teaming up with Ruth Rickey at her Tour De Palate www.tourdepalate.com event and even teaching some classes at her shop!
It's no secret that life is a challenge.... We all have struggles and hurdles to leap. Some times the hurdles catch a toe and dump us face first on the pavement. The last year or so has been that sort of challenge for me. I've kept very busy, tried to do the right thing, inspite of all the negativity that drifts my way; a product of other people. I'm proud of the work I have done and the people I have touched. Even more so I treasure the people I have met and friendships I have made along the way. Even in the shadow of all the negative things that seem to pop up in life, it never ceases to amaze me just how good people can be. Many times I have doubted the road I am on only to be nudged by someone, sometimes a stranger, back on to the path. It may be an uphill battle, but I'm still climbing!
So for now.... keep doing your own thing, "BLACK SHEEP STYLIN" and I'll keep doing mine.
Love
mike
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A few thoughts from me! creator of Icing on the cake for Newhouse!
Hi Folks!
It's me again, burried up to my eye balls! My team and I have been working litterally around the clock to bring you a great show and as such I haven't had much time to blog!
In less than 2 months we have managed to create an event that will only get bigger and bigger as the years go on! When I was asked to do "something" for Newhouse that was "Big" I didn't hesitate as I knew that I could rely not only on the good of the people I work with, but also on the good of my fellow Kansas City cake people! I'm glad to say it's going really well but we can do so much better!!
It's funny when you achieve the level of , well, what ever you want to call it that I have.... Fame? Notoriety? But it opens up so many doors for you. Many think this is something that you just have given or that I have taken, but I can assure you I have worked and still work very hard every day for it! I have always believed in a greater good in people and I have always tried to be mindful of others and the needs of those around me. That is why I feel so strongly about events like this one and why I am so happy to use the momentum I have gained for the persuit of good. There's a good deal of dumb luck to be asked to do a TV show. There's a degree of skill and talent required to win 3 of them in a row, but even still you are at the hands of the producers to fairly portray you in the finished product. I haven't been overly proud of the way that we've been shown and feel very lucky that so many people are excited about my work and the ideas I represent! It's an honor to be invited to share that energy with others; and even more so it's sobering to have someone tell you that you inspired them... that is what pushes me to press on.
It is an honor for me to develop this show and an even greater honor to work with the great people who have stepped up to help. ( you know who you are!~ and I love you all)
Here is a list of some of the most recent developments:
thanks and all the best!
Mike
It's me again, burried up to my eye balls! My team and I have been working litterally around the clock to bring you a great show and as such I haven't had much time to blog!
In less than 2 months we have managed to create an event that will only get bigger and bigger as the years go on! When I was asked to do "something" for Newhouse that was "Big" I didn't hesitate as I knew that I could rely not only on the good of the people I work with, but also on the good of my fellow Kansas City cake people! I'm glad to say it's going really well but we can do so much better!!
It's funny when you achieve the level of , well, what ever you want to call it that I have.... Fame? Notoriety? But it opens up so many doors for you. Many think this is something that you just have given or that I have taken, but I can assure you I have worked and still work very hard every day for it! I have always believed in a greater good in people and I have always tried to be mindful of others and the needs of those around me. That is why I feel so strongly about events like this one and why I am so happy to use the momentum I have gained for the persuit of good. There's a good deal of dumb luck to be asked to do a TV show. There's a degree of skill and talent required to win 3 of them in a row, but even still you are at the hands of the producers to fairly portray you in the finished product. I haven't been overly proud of the way that we've been shown and feel very lucky that so many people are excited about my work and the ideas I represent! It's an honor to be invited to share that energy with others; and even more so it's sobering to have someone tell you that you inspired them... that is what pushes me to press on.
It is an honor for me to develop this show and an even greater honor to work with the great people who have stepped up to help. ( you know who you are!~ and I love you all)
Here is a list of some of the most recent developments:
- we have over 19 hours of demonstrations scheduled for the event! there is something for everyone!
- We have recieved support from Eric Woller, Pat Jacoby, Peggy Tucker and many great local Kansas City people! I will list the demos asap!
- Yve Rojas from Survivor Nicaragua has agreed to co- host the event with me! She is a very strong, beautiful talented woman and it will be alot of fun to share the event with her!
- We have some fun "trophies" in the works for this event!
- A Kansas City Girl Scouts troop is hosting the youth portion of the event! They will have cupcakes ready for anyone young or old to decorate and devour!
- We are getting sponsorship from many, but we really need your help to get more!
- registration for the expo is gearing up fast!
thanks and all the best!
Mike
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)