IRON HAND

You must be wondering what this photo has anything to do with cakes. Believe me, there is. This is what happened when you overworked your hand. So,to all cake decorators out there, take good care of your hands....have correct posture and rest your hands in between your decorating work. Insure them if you must!!!




My problems began end of last year. At first, my whole right arm was so stiff and in pain but after a few massages, it was bearable. December was a busy season here, with lots of weddings in the air....you know, wedding cakes! By then squeezing piping bag was so painful. So was writing and typing. Turning the steering wheel while driving hurt a lot,so I tried to utilize more of my left arm. Yeah...but to pipe icing with my left hand? Oh no...not possible.
So 2012 started with visits to my Orthopedic. Nerve test and MRI scan showed I have mild Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) in my wrist and a tendon tear in my elbow. Wow...that bad! Cake Decorating is dangerous after-all!!
Then began my twice a week sessions with the Physiotherapist...and of course, medications. So I decided to give myself three months rest...in hope that it would help speed up the healing process.
So now, I am back....lesson learned though! Any cake makers-decorators out there who are having the same problems? Wanna share your experiance?

Happy Birthday to ME…+ 1 year

20 May 2010

How time flies…another year has gone by and I am now a year older.

Well, it is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun…365 days, here I come!

 

View Full Album

 

 

"Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

- Jack Benny -

My first post

Finally…my first entry on my ‘new’ blog. Thanx to my son for designing the page & making me write an entry. This blog is basically to share my ‘work’…or maybe to “show off” what I am capable of. Photos of my decorated cakes will follow soon. (I hope!)

I love baking. I love the smell of baked goods…heavenly! I love decorating them. I guess I could say it satisfies my creative energy. I enjoy decorating the cake….it’s a good stress reliever (you’d need one when you have 4 growing up kids!). And the feeling when I’m done decorating is indescribable. Proud…happy…and a lot more positive feelings I guess. Basically it makes me feel good about myself.

When I was about 10, my mum taught me & my sister to cook…local dishes for lunch & dinner, bake cookies & cakes. But I fell in love with baking .I baked my first cake at 10 years old! My mum even commented what I’m going to feed my husband…cookies?! Well, ‘cheeky’ me replied that I’ll find one who can cook. And lucky me, I found one who can & actually love doing it! So I bake & he cooks…good combination hah?!

Why I didn’t pursue baking & decorating after my high school, I don’t know. Maybe the current trend at the time was to go for Professional courses like Architecture, Accountancy, Engineering, Medicine & whatever equivalent has influenced my decision. Choosing to be a pastry chef for example, is unheard of. The thinking at the time was “u wouldn’t get good pay for being a chef”. Hey, Chef Wan proved it wrong, didn’t he?

Now, after going for short courses in baking & decorating, I found my old “passion” reawaken. Here I am & I have been doing this for almost 2 years now. Currently I am taking orders from friends & neighbors. These orders have in fact improved my skills. The latest decoration is always an improvement of the previous ones. Maybe I’ll spread my wings in a year or two. Who knows!!!