I just got a phone call from a lady wanting a last minute groom's cake to be picked up next Friday (a week and a day away). She wanted a carved cake, 2D or 3D, of a hit-or-miss engine McCormick Dearing (do a google image search and it's the first one).

I turned her down because A) I don't think my skill level is up to doing a cake of that magnitude, B) I'm going out of town Friday afternoon and although my husband said we could have left sunday, my sister is following us down and can only go that weekend, friday through monday.

My question is: does anyone feel so horrible about turning a potential BIG money maker away? I gave her the website to someone else in town who actually does 3D sculpted cakes, so i have no doubt she'll find someone. I guess I feel bad because I'm not putting myself up to the challenge (in fear of failing big time), because my husband would have loved it if I had brought home some money, and because I don't want to be THAT cake lady that turned someone away...

Don't feel bad. You have to be able to say no and I'm practicing that myself.

I'm working on 3 cakes for OSSAS and a wedding shower cake for this weekend. My mom asked for the shower cake for the son of her best friend. So, last Friday, Mom calls and wants to know if I can do the wedding cake for them on 09/21. I felt bad but had to say no. So last night, mom tells me that they had decided to make their own cake. I ALMOST said that I would do it, but I remember CC and didn't want to get yelled at so I stuck by my guns.

I feel bad, but not that bad. You shouldn't either. She should have planned ahead.

just an idea: next time you have a big cake to do (pending you can stay in town) ask your fellow cake decorator in town (that you like) to do the cake together....work out the details on how the money/work would get divided. You can learn a lot but still get a piece of the action.
Dont feel bad about turning it down though!