characters sculptes how to charge

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Julia Marie Dixon on January 21, 2013 at 4:53pm

Danielle Dyskin said:

When we calculate the price of cakes we add $20 for a figure - they always take more time than baking the cake or even covering it in fondant.  If their budget is up to $200 say you can put 1 or 2 figures or that you will decorate with store bought plastic figures if they want more. 

Permalink Reply by Katy Nott on February 8, 2013 at 3:07pm

Julia, I'm a bit late coming in on this one, so this may be of no use.  But could you not just sculpt say 2 figures and do the rest in 2D around the sides of the cakes?

Permalink Reply by Joann Gottermeyer on February 27, 2013 at 8:31pm

I had a woman just want a 10 inch cake with 8 figures made to represent each grandchild. When I told her what it would cost, she actually asked if it would be cheaper if I just made 'generic' children. Really??

Permalink Reply by Julia Marie Dixon on March 7, 2013 at 4:24pm

So I charged 175 for the cake we she ordered the characters she watned. but a week before told me her sister has an allergy to eggs and asked for a top tier of cat in the hat. I made it with yogurt and no eggs.

I made sure to make that tier first so it didnt get contaminated by any crumbs from other tiers with egg,

The design was hard to draw. she wanted the tier to tie into each character we thought Dora an Spongebob come togther with a blue background

shrek and rapunzel had a purple background with castles and grass trees an clouds

hello Kitty and Strawberry shortcake had a large bottom tier so I clearly decorated each side differently.

while traveling the bottom tier began to sag with the fondant rippling  I pushing in more wooden dowels

the figures were too big for the one inch space around each tier so i used a cut wooden dowel to hold up the figures and some icing undereach one then stuck on flowers over the dowel it hid it well.

 they werent even complaining about the botton sagging I tried to fix it up the best I could for sure I;m using those big thick plastic straws for the bottom its much stronger. Everyone was happy and this is how it turned out thanks for the responses it really helped me feel valuable!!

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Permalink Reply by Katy Nott on March 8, 2013 at 6:04am

Julia - you did an amazing job!  So much work and detail on this cake.  I would say 175 was a bargain!!!!!  Have you posted these pictures to the main page?  If not, you really should - people need to see this!

Permalink Reply by Alicia Rodney-Valentine on March 8, 2013 at 7:42am

Awesome job Julia!

Permalink Reply by Marketta Roche" on March 16, 2013 at 9:34pm

you have to go by buy how much you think your time and talent is worth!!!! $15 - $20 dollars is a fair price per figurine, dont count your self short you spend way more on gumpaste then what you are charging for your figurines you will make no profit and you are just giving away your masterpiece, dont look at the fact of you being an ametuer that does not take away from anything but if you want to you can give a discount if thier is multiple figurines thats what i would do just say for 2 figurines at regular price and a third 10 -15 % off. i hope this helps good luck with evrything!!!!

Permalink Reply by nancy steinaway on March 27, 2013 at 12:24pm

oh how i wish i had found this page so long ago!!! i made 12 cupcakes, each with a different sculpted horse on it, they were adorable, but i only charged her 50.00 !! :(

Permalink Reply by Julia Marie Dixon on March 27, 2013 at 3:26pm

Im so happy I had your replies it really helped me I ended up using figures they ordered online . they did not have room on each tier i had to use a dowel to hold them on  i attached icing and flowers to cover the dowel

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Permalink Reply by Julia Marie Dixon on March 27, 2013 at 3:38pm

thank you! i loved the challenge it was fun to tie in each character to each tier

Katy Nott said:

Julia - you did an amazing job!  So much work and detail on this cake.  I would say 175 was a bargain!!!!!  Have you posted these pictures to the main page?  If not, you really should - people need to see this!

Permalink Reply by Julia Marie Dixon on March 27, 2013 at 3:39pm

wow! each a sculpted horse? your time is valuable dont sell yourself short

nancy steinaway said:

oh how i wish i had found this page so long ago!!! i made 12 cupcakes, each with a different sculpted horse on it, they were adorable, but i only charged her 50.00 !! :(

Permalink Reply by Julia Marie Dixon on March 27, 2013 at 3:40pm

Thank you!

Alicia Rodney-Valentine said:

Awesome job Julia!

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