without it looking tacky??? I suggested a "road of life" them, where it's like a jouney to the top (50th birthday) with event along the way. The customer didn't really care for that.

Here is what I have that she wants included:
REFEREEING: penalty flag, ref hat
PLUMBING: wrenches, pipes, a toilet
FIREMAN: shield, firehose, hydrant
OUR TOWN: town shield
POLITICS: republican party elephant
DISNEY: mouse ears

She wants the square cake (2 tiers) to be light and cheery in color. (Her father is having a hard time with his 50th bd coming). All sides of the cake need to be full with some sort of decoration and have everything tie together.

Any thoughts or suggestions???

I've been creating a sheet cake I call a "life quilt" for years. People call to order a fun, colorful cake for a milestone birthday (50, 60,70, 80 etc) or anniversary and have a dozen ideas about what design to put on it. Many times we just put them all. The cake is divided into sections, each representing a passion or hobby or a time in life. In each section, I make a little simple buttercream frosting design to represent each "thing."

Here are examples:
http://www.sugarfrosted.com/displayimage.php?pos=-2499
http://www.sugarfrosted.com/displayimage.php?pos=-1497

I think it would translate nicely onto the sides of a tiered cake as well. Fondant, if that's your preference, would increase your decorating possibilities.

I've also done this cake design for younger people with lots of interests/activities.

you could have a knocked over suitcase, with all these things spilling out and tumbling over the sides?
i would have chosen your idea! lol. its really difficult to actually tie that much together!
xx

You could do a "Fall" tree with the "chocolate" leaves each having a saying on them......

I just saw your newest cake! It turned out great! I hope the birthday girl loved it! It's so exciting that you liked my idea enough to use it! I posted a comment, too!

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1337803&done=2

PS. I know it's a different cake from the one this thread was about
And I think it's great you have introduced Quilt of Life cakes on your business website! I'm so happy to have been able to inspire you!

Have you ever seen those photo cube things? They hold photos on each side.

Could you decorate the sides to have an old photo sort of outline, and have each side represent the different things she wants incorporated. That gives everything separate yet equal billing.