and now I can't get it out of my head and heart. Seems like everything that could just about go wrong did. Due to cold weather party had to be moved inside, so furniture had to be move from 3 rooms into 2 bedrooms. Then we had to sat up tables and chairs (I rented), then find places to sat up 3 game booths, then do all the decorations.

So I didn't get to start on the cake till almost 7:30 that evening, nothing seem to go right, had trouble with my 10in. cake bulging, trouble with my 8in crumbing, then my BC didn't want to smooth for me, some places on my boarder wouldn't stay on kept falling off, the cake was nothing like I had draw out, didn't get to make the things I wanted to put on the cake, my fingers swell so bad and my hand couldn't stop shaking, couldn't remember how to do some of the boarders, had to wake hubby up at 6:30 in the morning to cut dowel rods...last rod and he almost cut his finger off, try to get him to go to ER (he wouldn't) so we doctor it.

Got in the bed at 9:40 am, woke up at 11:00 am to start cleaning up the mess.

Went to sat the cake up on the table, and the 8in and 6in I couldn't get stable, so I knew there was no way I could put them plus the topper (balloon made out of fondant) on the pillards with out them tipping over. So we took the top layers sat then off to the side of the bottom cake and place one of her toys on top of it. Then just place the balloon topper on the top of the pillard. Didn't have time to doll the top of the pillard up, because by this time people where knocking on the door for the party.

This was the 1st cake I had decorated in over 20 years, I was excited and scared at the same time, but what I had in my mind and heart did not come out that way, it did not look like a cake for a child. I feel I did not give my best to my DGD, wish I would have kept the practice cake I did...LOL. But the cake tasted great only had 2 slices left. I have to say I a learn lot of what not to do's and what to do's with this whole experience.
Hope the pic up loaded, if not I put it in my photos.

How old is the granddaughter? Because I think the cake looks great! And you DID do your very best.... under a lot of stress & pressure! You've got nothing to feel bad about - especially if the cake tasted good!

Thank You for your comment.

This was for her 4th birthday..... I over heard someone say it look like a wedding cake , I really had plan for it to be like I had draw it out(more whimsical for a small child) it was nothing like I had plan, time was not on my side.

It should have started out with the bottom layer decorated with grass, trees, flowers and candy transfers of little ponies,the 8in and 6in should have been blue with clouds and stars, on top of the 6in. a cloud with the balloon topper. Inside the pillards was to be a sign made from candy that said "Happy 4th Birthday Adeana". There was also to be small butterflies placed here and there.

It did taste great, guess it could have been worst they could have spit it out . Oh well I will pick myself up, dust off the PS and get over it and live to decorate again...

LOL at 4 years old I'd say she felt pretty darn special to have grandma make her a cake..... and 4 year olds aren't too critical in my opinion - at least not most of the time. Since it was a pony cake, let me tell you - I'm 26 and I still love My Little Ponies (especially since they brought them back in the stores and they don't look like those freaky long-legged ones they brought out in the 90s). So you can do it all again next year and do it even better!

Oh and the comment about wedding cake - that's b/c they've probably never seen a cake that wasn't a sheetcake or a one-tier round..... I don't think it looks like a wedding cake at all.

I don't think it looks like a wedding cake, but a really beautiful birthday cake! In fact my little ones were looking at the photos and are mad I'm typing this because they want to see the cool pony cakes again. If you can do this after 20 years of not decorating a cake---you are one amazing grandma!


Also, being told it looks like a wedding cake isn't a bad compliment. I've only been told that about one of my cakes (that's not in my photos because it has to be scanned in) it made me smile all day long.

She's FOUR! She probably had more fun playing with the boxes the toys came in!

It's a beautiful cake. You were stressing out over YOUR expectations, not your granddaughters. Your granddaughter expected a party with a cake and presents, and that's what she got.

I'm a grandmother of a 4-yr old girl who is a self-proclaimed diva and swears the world revolves around her and even she would probably overlook all those details that you think are screaming out at everyone.

Trust me....she LUV'D it!

Thanks you guys so much for the up lifting words and the laugh, I needed it after the weekend I had.....

But I am finding it easlier to laugh about it and myself , all but my Sweet Loving DH almost cutting his finger off, I dare not ask him to cut anymore rods for me lol.

She was very happy with her cake and thats what it is all about, but I told her one way and did it another way, I was just to worn out to do it the way I had plan, guess that is why I feel like I cheated her on her cake...thats it I am having grandma gilt .

Thanks again for making me feel so much better about the whole thing.

awwww, Granny-you did a beautiful job! Your story made me get all teary eyed. I can imagine how much you love your babies to stay up all night fretting over every last detail to make it perfect. It wasn't the way you wanted, but it's a beautiful cake!! You deserve a great big hug and so does your sweet DH!!

Please get that man (or yourself) down to the hardware store and buy a pair of all purpose snips to cut those dowels straight across without cutting a finger off!!! ((((HUGS)))) to you both!!!!

"Regular people" think wedding cakes are any nice tiered cakes, so take it as a compliment!

I think your cake is lovely. We are our own worst critics so take heart people rarely see our mistakes. (I made a cake of the earth and put Australia upside down OOPS. I couldn't fix it and no one even noticed.)

As for the wedding cake comment I agree you should take it as a compliment.

well, if that's cheating the granddaughter....

I'd be afraid to see what you called "spoiling" her.

YDG....be proud and remember to say to husband ....

keep away from the dowels!

Mgdqueen Thank You!
I told hubby what you said in the post about the snips and he laugh and said I was using all purpose snips lol. I do love my grandbabies so much.

NgleZo9 & MelZ Thank You Both!
And I will take it as a compliment . I am my biggest critic, guess 99.9% of us are.

Thanks Doug,
Spoiling, ohhh it is so easy to do with those grandbabies .

Leave it to CC'ers to make you feel better over a cake that made you cry. Again I say Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

Anytime granny.

you are so sweet to do this for her!! its great, remember nobody knew the plan you had, it looks like a great presentation.
i have a 4 year old granddaughter too, and ive never made anything like that for her...wowser!

Thank You! qtcakes for your comments in your reply.

I thought more about what indydebi said, I was stressing over my expectations, not hers, and I really thank her for saying that...because I was not looking at it that way, and thats just what I was doing. Thank goodness for C.C. and the wonderful people in it .

I will be doing Lighting McQueen & Towmater cookies in May for my grandson's birthday, and I have learn from this experience......if they don't turn out like I picture in my head.

I will not stress out about it and let it pull at my heart, because in the end they will still love their Mammow .

I think it looks great! You didn't cheat anyone! She is a lucky little girl--how many 4 year olds get a cake like that?

WOW!! I think the cake looks wonderful!! I'm sure your granddaughter loved it! Not many 4 year olds get a cake like that! You should be proud of your work!

Thanks so much for your comments birdgirl & Sunshine93,

I am feeling much better over this whole experience now, thanks to the wonderful C.C.'ers helping me to see it with a new set of eyes .

I think the cake is beautiful!! I'm sure your granddaughter felt so special having a pretty cake like that! I know I would have

I hope your husband's finger feels better soon!

Always remember these 5 words -
I MEANT TO DO THAT

Works for me!

Thank You! mommyto2cuties for your comments, hubby's finger is healing but slowly....he really should have went to the ER to get it sew up.

Thanks 7yyrt for the wise and wonderful saying , I will try it next time something like this ever happens again...but I really hope I never have that experience again .

Would you like to be my granny? Your cake is absolutely beautiful. I wish I had a granny like you.

beautiful cake

Just be glad the whole ordeal is done with and sit back and put your feet up A job well done. I'm sure she LOVED it.

Thanks grandchild heavensgaits for your nice words, I have been bless to be mommy, granny, sister, auntie, to many so I can be your granny to .


Thank You LaSambra for your comments on the cake and for the advice to sat back and put my feet up. almost a week later and my legs and back still are hurting from my ordeal . She did love her cake and had a wonderful party.

I am so sorry to hear Lazy Susan that you have not got to see your grand daughter yet. I wish you and her the best time of your lifes when you go to visit her in April. Thank You for your comments. I could have very well misunderstood the remark but I take it as a compliment now.

My grand daughter was happy with her cake and was all smiles, she would have been happy with a cupcake. It was me who had the trouble over the cake. It wasn't a material thing for me, but special and important to me in my heart as one way of sharing the love I feel for her. With wise advice from CCer's it don't hurt me now. I can laugh at it and myself now for letting a cake get to me and the stress of that whole experience.

I am so happy for you that you will get to see your grand daughter soon, get as many hugs & kisses as you can and pictures .

wow my daughter would have loved that cake when she was 4 she had a huge collection of my lil ponies and to this day she is a horse freak. She drives a horse and carriage in the tourist area of Montreal and owns a horse for riding. The clear separator plate with the pony on it makes me think of a riding ring for horses dont you fret I think it's great and any lil 4 yr old would love it with all the pretty colors.

Granny, that is such a beautiful job -and after 20 years of not decorating! Better than I could ever do! When my grandson was turning one, I too wanted to do a cake, but they could not decide on a date/time........ so my daughter calls me early one day and says they will party that day, can I make a cake! Yikes! So it ended up being a quick, simple cake and since I was playing with learning to make chocolate transfers, did that for design (in my pics). Turned out ok, but not as "fancy" as I had been wanting to do. Basically I made up for that with his christening cake a couple of months later! LOL!!! You are right, the kids would be happy with cupcakes, as long as Grandma made it specially for them. I remember how special even grilled cheese sandwiches were when my grandma made them (of course she almost always burnt them and anytime I hear someone scraping burnt toast, think of her!) It has been about 30 years since she passed and I still miss her (and hope mine feel the same about me the way I did of her)..........I love my grandson so much and luckily have another grandchild on the way. Like you, I think the world of them! Again, wonderful job on the cake!

I think this is your Aries personality coming out. Always wanting to be above perfect and feeling bad when it is perfect.
No one at your party could have even attempted such a cake. It was a great cake and it was very appropriate. For those who compared it to a wedding cake they were envious since theirs might not have had so many tiers. It's the height they were referring to since those colours are definitely a little girl's.
Pat yourself on the back.