I just received a phone call (1:30 pm thurs) from a woman who stated she got my number from someone else ...yeah! 
...so I think...
she tells me she needs me to do a cake for her, it will be a grooms cake of a gator with a tuxedo on she wants the cake totally carved...yikes...not sure if I can handle that. She goes on to say well I have a picture of exactly what it is I want (great but still not sure if I can do it. I don't think I am at that level yet I want to be someday just not yet) I tell her to email me the picture and I will get back to her (still havn't received it). Before I hang up I ask do you know a date yet (allowing my self practice time and so on) she says I sure do it is for Sunday...I know it is a bit short notice! What??? Did you say Sunday, this Sunday? Yes Sunday!
I am amazed, I didn't ask why she waited so long I should have...ahh...Now I know there is NO WAY I can do this...my son has a school activity that I have dedicated myself to all day from 8am to 2pm. By then I will be exhausted to even think about doing anything....what should I do??? Actually I know I can't accomplish it in such a short period of time. What should I say? My DH said I should just tell her that I have a couple of other cakes I am doing (I don't and I hate to lie) and maybe given the time I could have done hers however it is way to short notice. any others suggestions?
Thanks in advance
Carmen
You don't have to lie at all! Tell her that you cannot do the cake she wants with so short of notice. You have other events planned, and you can't find room in your schedule for her cake. (Most definitely for such a specialty cake!). Be honest and as nice as you can, but this is HER problem, not yours.
Of course I tend to lean toward the smart-a$$ answer, but I envision a conversation in which I laugh out loud and ask, "Do you know how many DAYS it takes to make a cake like that?" and then apologize that it is not possible for me to make a cake like that on such short notice. Maybe even ask, "Did you ask the person who's making the actual wedding cake?" 
I'm going to throw my 2 cents worth in here and agree with everyone else. Don't feel bad about this - it's certainly not your fault, but I would be upfront with her and tell her there is no way this can be pulled off on this short of a notice.
It still amazes me that people think we can just pull these cakes off with such short notice and like we have nothing else in our lives to do. I certainly love doing my cakes, but I do have other things as well. I think everyone here is right. You simply should tell her that due to the short notice and the complex cake she is wanting, you can not fulfill her needs. Surely she will understand.
I agree w/ above. Just let her know you can't fill this order w/ the time constraint. If you don't want to totally lose the order, offer to do something that you do have time for.
personally, i would and have told people that there is just no way i can take on anymore work for the week.
Frankly, you are booked, she doesn't need to know what you are booked with, just that on such a short notice that you can't possibly squeeze her in.
Hello everyone and I thank you so much for your input.
But, I am a sucker for a sob story.... 
...the bride finally contacted me (I was hoping she wouldn't call back) Friday night by email no less to inform me in better detail what exactly she watned. Well, I didn't open the email until 11pm (she had sent it about 10pm) and knew it was too late to call her. I called her Saturday morning and she told me how it was her future FIL's bday and her fiancee's and it was their wedding day and how she searched for a full year and NO ONE wanted to do it. So I throw out a price $350 thinking she would without a doubt say NO but she said yes as if I would have quoted her $20. I made sure to repeat and confirm the price before we hung up and she was fine with it. It took me most of Saturday and 5 hours Sunday morning (and 3 heads later) but Mr Gator was completed. I know she went straight to her honeymoon so I haven't had any feedback from her however when my husband delivered it (I went straight to sleep after he was completed) he said everyone loved it. There are a lot of things I could have done different but hey for less then 24 hours in the making I am happy. (I can't seem to post it but I will be adding him to my pics in a few minutes)
Again thank you all so much for you help.
I would also like to give a million thanks to LaJuana for all her help and inspiration. I could not have done it without her.
It seems that people do not know what all goes into a cake! I was at a wedding last weekend..and it was 6 at night. Someone asked if I could have a birthday cake made for sunday(THE NEXT DAY).. how they thought i could, or would, make one after the reception was over at 10, or the next morning..i have no clue!
I had a friend call me about a month ago wanting something like 8 dozen highly decorated cookies for a baby shower she was having -- in a week! I wasn't home when I spoke with her (on my cell) and low and behold when I got home I realized the size of the order and with my already full schedule that I could not accomodate her. I called her back and told her that the size of the order and what she wanted was at least a 3 week order and I am sorry but I couldn't accomodate her. I told her next time PLEASE give me more notice and I'd be happy to help her out. She was bummed but realized that it was her error, not mine. No lying necessary! 
Amysue99 'crazy' is exactly what my husband and kids said! LOL... Thank you for the compliment. It was a lot of work but shoot it is done and over thank God.
I agree with everyone next I do not think I will do it on such short notice it took a lot out of me. Dang at least I hope I don't get another sob story...or I just might...I need a backbone when it comes to things like this because all other times I am a tough cookie I need to get my husband to handle all my business deals (would that be crazy) because I always want to undercharge...and I mean always.
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