Aaarrgh! Bitten Off More Than I Can Chew!
Decorating By tporbz Updated 19 Mar 2007 , 5:40pm by tporbz
I took an order 2wks ago for a 1st birthday cake. It was to be a 12"x18" sheet cake, and after seeing the numberjacks cake I made for my son (in my pics), she wanted a number 1 as well. Cool! This week, a friend called to say please can you do my wedding cake (wedding is on 17th March, yes, next weekend), my cake lady has cancelled on me. I say fine. I need the exposure.
Then this morning, I get told that the sheet cake has grown into 17 individual 8" cakes cos mummy now wants the baby's name fully spelt out (12 letters) "IS ONE". I am so nervours I am shaking. I want the business - Lord knows I need the money - but I'm afraid I won't be able to cope with the work!
You can do it!! Just start baking and freezing now. If you do it one thing at a time it won't seem so overwhelming. 
Well you have to tell her she cannot simply change the order and expect you to be able to manage all that. Why would you need 17 individual 8in cakes for a 1st birthday? That's loads of cake and should also be priced as 17 individual cakes, loads more expensive than the sheet cake or the #1 cake for sure. What pricing did you give her for these 17 individual cakes?
When does she need the 17 cakes? I would seriously go back and talk to her - that's a heck of a change in an order. Does she even realise how much more it's going to cost her for 17 cakes?????
One step at a time. Cakes can be baked and cooled, torted and frozen in advance. That will help. Take a deep breath, and spend a few minutes getting things organized. Be sure you eat properly and get sleep, that will make the long hours more comfortable.
Wow, thats alot of cake. Take a deep breath. I would make sure I have all the details correct before I start making 17 cakes. Does she know how big an 8" cake is? Maybe you could get a friend or family member to help you bake them. When does she need them? Let us know.
Gosh, I wish I were there to help you. It can be done. As some of the other cc family stated start baking now,torte them,freeze them and make sure you have everything organized. Hopefully your friends wedding cake is not to complicated. That is so much cake. I would make sure she agrees on the price before I start baking though. I know you can do it. Your pictures are great. Get some rest and don't get stressed, you are great at what you do! Post the pics.
Faye
YOU CAN DO IT!!! Take a deep breath, remember that we're all here any time you need to take a break to vent, and just think about how proud you're going to be when it's all done and it's AMAZING! It's a ton of work, there's no denying that, but you've got all the support in the world, right at your fingertips! 
Good Luck!!!
17 cakes!!! How many people are they feeding?
tpor, you can do this, you know you can, you just need to make sure you are organized. The small cakes will be a pain, but after a while you'll get a system down. THAT said, is this woman nuts? It's a first birthday for crying out loud. Junior's not even going to remember it. Must be an only child.
BTW, I just took a look at your pictures, and they are fabulous! You'll be fine, please post pics for us to admire!
Okay 1st~~~GET OF FTHIE COMPUTER!!!!! LOL 
just kidding
Take a deep breath and do one thing at a time,it'll all get done. Just remember to tell that lady that nexttime she places an order that you need so many days notice before the due date to change her order after that NO CAN DO...
Good Luck YOU CAN DO IT
Well, an update. She's now not so sure - says she CANNOT spend £500 on cake (go figure), so I might be let off the hook, but she knows what she wants and it's 17 cakes. . . One has to laugh. I've said she's welcome to go to a store and see what she gets.
Heave a sigh of relief!
Maybe suggest 17 4" baby-block style cakes? I would think they could be cut down from two large sheet cakes, and the decorating wouldn't be nearly as complex as your numberjacks style. That way she could have her 17 cakes, you could keep your sanity, and you could give her a lower price for a 1st birthday cake while still getting yourself a little paycheck.
12 letters for baby's names, 2 letters for "IS" and 3 letters for "ONE".
I give up. I'm not interested in doing this anymore, actually... I don't like to deal with people who want quality and quality for nothing.
Wow. I hope she names her next kid Bob or Sam. You know, the blocks idea is a really good one.
just a thought. What if you made and baked 2 sheet cakes then cut the rounds out (use a cake ring or biscuit cutter). That way you cut your labor down and still can have "cakes" instead of cupcakes. Kind of like giant petit fours.
Good luck!
-michelle
Cupcakes is the way to go! Does she realize she'd need 96 inches, plus board and frosting space, just to spell his name out? With cupcakes, it would still be 2-3 feet long with all 12 letters in one row, but that is a lot more manageable. I've done character cakes, and used cupcakes to spell out the words before. One letter per 8# would have to be HUGE to look right.
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