Previously Discouraged-The Point of No Return

Inspiration: My mild attempt at some deep, thought provoking, self-reflecting thoughts...
(Wish me luck!)




Proceed with caution: This post features a whole lot of text, and not a whole lot of photography, but the time you take to read this is so appreciated!


Alright, here's the thing...
This past week I had cake orders for two Baby Shower cakes (one boy, and one girl).
Now usually, I cover my cakes in fondant just because you get that smooth, clean look effortlessly; however, the flavor and texture usually leave much to be desired by most.
In theory, you could just peel the fondant off, and eat your slice of cake; however, what's the point???
When you go to a bakery fondant easily adds a good chunk of change to your price per serving, and when you're a home baker, wholesale prices are not much of an option. So the cost of fondant really does add up.

So this weekend, I did my cakes in buttercream, and only used fondant for some of the decorations.

Buttercream... is so very flawed; it shows everything.
(It's like that prom dress or your favorite shirt! The one that by the time you finish dinner you have to suck in your stomach likes it's nobody's business! You know, just to hide the "food baby." Okay... I know you know what I'm talking about.)

Well, buttercream reveals every little flaw, if you flick your wrist the wrong way and nick the frosting with your spatula, or God forbid you get everything done, apply the last decoration and bump the buttercream with your knuckle.
(Alas, just like that, perfection is gone...)

So right, what do my imperfect and amateur buttercream skills have to do with your life?

Well, simple.

Cakes are what I do.
And they are something that I love.
And when you ask my friends what my thing is, "Cakes!" they will proclaim without hesitation.

So what happens when you realize that this "thing" that is supposed to be your "thing" is something that you are really not all that great at.

(Now don't get me wrong, I love my cakes. Yes, they are flawed, and unfortunately, they might not always come out as well as I know I am capable of, but at the end of the day, some of them are pretty darn cool.)



(This one is my favorite cake I have ever done. My directions were simple:
"They're are two twin girls, who are seven going on thirteen: bright and colorful, young but cool/hip, pink and green...")


But I want to take a moment to talk about that point where you are overwhelmed with unbelievable discouragement.
I feel like it's the "point of no return." (Dun dun dun!!!)
You have already signed on to do you friend a favor, make a cake, take their pictures, build them something, sew something, complete a project, take a class, cook a meal, do a chore, paint something, anything...
And suddenly you reach this point where you find yourself completely discouraged because you yourself believe it's not good enough or you fear that the person you are making this "whatever it is" for won't like it.
This is the moment where you would rather just give up and walk away.

(Oh how I hate that moment!)
(But what does that moment look like for me???)

Just look at that buttercream: flawed, nicked, air bubbles, potentially over-whipped, the lines, just not smooth...
It's just bad, and I fear it won't get any better...


But sooner or later we must press on!


And realize, really, it's not the end of the world.


So whether that means ending the semester with less than a below average grade, turning in a project that you are just not happy with, selling a painting that may not be the quality we had hoped for, or decorating a cake that you believe is beyond hope...
Sometimes, maybe you just have to finish what you start, just to give yourself the opportunity to see what you are capable of, even if dropping the class, calling in sick, or just giving up seems way easier at the time.
And believe it or not, you just may surprise yourself.

I remember the last time I was sincerely this discouraged was when I entered a "Green Friendly" Gingerbread House Competition this past winter.

And we all know how the ended.

But don't worry; they are not always happy endings. I have had a few bumps in the road when it comes to cake decorating.

(And a bump in the road is an awful thing when you are trying to
transport 200 cupcakes!)


So please, don't mind my slightly cheesy/morbid post; it's been a long week.

But just wait! The photos of the finished cakes are coming soon!!!

Thanks for reading my rant.
Sorry there were no butterflies or pots of gold at the end of this rainbow.
(Mind you, it was so mopey, that there was not much of a rainbow at all, just sort of a cloudy... murky... dreary storm... But thanks for hanging in there with me; the storm is sure to pass!)



Cupcakes & Kisses,
Paula-Marie


P.S.... You should comment... Thoughts? Questions? A joke? Something? Just so that I know I am not alone in blogger land...