Need Inspiration For One Of My Most Important Cakes Ever!
Decorating By PinkZiab Updated 27 May 2009 , 7:07pm by sadsmile
So my boyfriend is turning 40 and we're throwing him a surprise party. That in and of itself may not seem like a terribly huge deal, but Alex has had some major medical problems (multiple muscle flap surgeries due to pressure sores from his wheelchair), and spent the better part of the last 5 years in and out of hospitals, and bedbound for much of his recovery. Since he was (and still is) living out of state, and he has really only had the medical go-ahead to travel for about the last year, he hasn't seen many of his friends in that time period, and he is now trying to find a job to move back to NJ, or at least a little closer. So this party is sort of a combination, Happy 40th Birthday/good luck with your career/congratulations of being done with (most of) your medical problems/reunion with all of his friends party.
Anyway, I want to make an AMAZING cake, but nothing that is coming into my head feels right. Frankly, I'm just stumped! He's a computer geek who loves playing MMORPGs (WOW, Warhammer, etc), and he never goes anywhere without his PSP or DS... he's really into Star Wars & Lego (has a massive Lego collection), D&D... he's really into gaming of any kind (board, card, pen & paper, RPG, video,etc)... you know, all the standard geek passions lol. But I don't want to do just another Lego Start Wars or something, you know? See that's the problem, I know what I DON'T want to do, but I have no idea what I DO want to do.
Anyway, any and all ideas, suggestions, photos and inspiration are welcome... Not sure the size of the guest list, but cost isn't a factor, as I will spare no expense on this baby. It'll be 2 tiers, at a minimum... more if need be (even if solely for design purposes--I can work with dummies or extra cake will never go to waste with this crowd, I can tell you).
The party isn't until August 1, so I have time, but when I tell you this is the WORST cake of artistic block I have ever had, I would not be exaggerating.
Is he still in the wheelchair? If not, why not make a wheelchair out of lego's and have him coming off the enterprise and kicking his wheelchair over the edge of the cake.
Yes he's is (and always will be) in the chair--since he was 17 years old. I would like to keep the wheelchair out of it (unless I wind up doing a figure of him, in which case, of course he'd be in the chair)--he's not sensitive about it or anything (he's the most well-adjusted paraplegic I've ever met), but he's about so much more than his chair, you know? He's an awesome guy who just happens to be in a wheelchair, rather than "a guy in a wheelchair, who's really awesome." So I guess what I mean is, if HE is on the cake, of course he'd be in his chair, but I don't really want the design focusing on the chair. Thanks for the suggestion though 
OK, how about a dragon made out of Legos eating some medical equipment?
How about have him in a lego chair at a control panel of some sort. The control panel can have all the bells and whistles - include little stars, etc on wires coming out of the panel or a monitor screen.
The chair I suggested can be like the captains chair on a starship
I've only been decorating for about a year and so this may be to simple of an idea but I figured I'd try to help out anyway. What about lots of smaller pictures of him and his friends through the years over several tiers. Maybe make royal icing frames to go around the different photos. Even some photos of the things he likes(star wars, games, ect) mixed in to the pics of him and friends. Since it's not until august maybe people could email you some pictures for the cake.
wow - that is alot for one guy! i think that it is awesome for you to do this!
as for ideas...why not a big ol' version of the game of life? set the game spaces as great things in his life - his games, you, friends...all that fun stuff! you could even scour junk stores to find an old game of life and steal the spinner and work it into the cake. use legos for the borders, too.
good luck! can't wait to see the pics of this one!
WOW I cannot decide what way to go for this. I just wanted to encourage you because I know that the cakes for the people closest to me are allways the hardest to come up with a plan for. Try thinking of it as you would for a client. Then see what direction it takes you. GOOD LUCK.
the two ultimate geek symbols:
"I see a bright future for you!" on/under a pair of those heavy frame black plastic glasses with the requisite piece of white tape to fix the broken middle!
and
When life and getting older get scary --- here's some protection (oh and you can write a call for help too!) --- on a pocket protector complete w/ multiple pens and pencils.
there use to be a third "high" geeky factor symbol -- the slide rule, but doubt he's every used one.
No really big grand ideas here...but I will say he's really a blessed guy to have you Good luck! You know he'll be pleased with whatever you do, you have to please yourself!!! LOL Don't stress over it, enjoy it.
I have to say that I think bebea's ide about the big game of life is a great idea!! You can do so much with this and can put everything and everyone on it. Good luck and don't stress.
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