My son's kindergarten teacher just called me and wants me to do a cake for her daughter and 2 brothers. She just wants one cake for all 3 of them, but wants it to reflect something from each of them. The daughter is turning 21 and likes country music and soccer, one brother is in the national guard and likes hunting and gardening, and the other brother is a teacher and a soccer coach. Any ideas on how to incorporate everything and still have a nice looking cake???
That's kinda what I was thinking, but she mentioned a sheet cake and only needs to feed about 25 people. 
So, now I'm stuck. I've also thought of doing 3 individual cakes (6" rounds) and decorating them for each individual. I told her I'd call her back and give her a few options and prices and let her choose. Thanks for the help!
how about a sheet cake with happy birthday in the middle then above that divide into 3 sections lines going to the top corners will give 2 side sections and 1 center section
in each section put a name and something like the soccor ball, music notes, a basket of produce ( I don't like guns) it could work.
(to symbolize gardening)??
Personally, I like the individual cakes idea. But if she doesn't go for that msmeg's suggestion would probably work.
OK, well here's my contribution to your cake design dilema. Hope it makes sense and you can see everything that I tried to put into it, per your description of what your client was asking you for.
Keep in mind that I am not a very good artist, and that I am very tired, due to the fact that my youngest girl(who broke her foot yesterday, 3 days after we get back from vacation) had to be carried up the stairs to the bathtub and then helped bath and taken out and down the stairs to the couch again. Whew.....so now to my idea...hope it helps you some.
P.S. I looked at after I posted it, and decided that I better leave a description too....
It's three 6 or 8 inch layers. Staggered.
Bottom layer is for the Teacher/Coach. Right side with the overhang has a soccor goal net, made of 20 guage floral wire, wooden bbq scewers covered in fondant, which also doubles as a support for the edge of the upper tier.
It also has a soccor ball. Next to that is the grass trim on the bottom of the cake, and piped "children" playing the game. Segway to a stair leading to a building facade of a school that takes up the remainder of the layer. Trim with 2 fondant books, and a fondant apple(for the teacher).
Second tier is for the Guard, hunter, gardener. Right side with overhang has a rifle/support. Rifle is done out of a wooden dowel covered in fondant and stood upright for support of upper layer. Beside that is a "brain bucket", or helmet made of fondant and turned open side down.(I orginally thought, put flowers in it, but that is on the other side of layer now)
Side of cake is short grass with a barbed wire fence which fades to Pine trees and a deer peering out of a bush. This fades to some grass again with a flower pot full of flowers and a long shovel and a hand shovel leaning against it. A cloud is somewhere in between all of these scenes.
Tier 3 is for the birthday girl! Right side of cake has a music scale with notes and a keyboard on the base of layer as trim. On the edge(top of lower layer) is a guitar and a soccor ball. Both made of fondant. Other side of cake has a soccor net and a scene of playing field complete with piped in players, and grass.
Top of cake is reserved for the birthday girl and is done in a fondant cowgirl hat, microphone( made of fondant), and a soccor ball that surrounds clay sculpted numbers covered in rhinestones. This she can keep to remember the day. I'd sprinkle some shimmer dust on this layer and perhaps I would tip the barbed wire with some sparkle dust for a "bling" effect.
Well that's about it.....did I leave anything out??? 
You could do three 6 inch rounds and tier them to that they middle one if offset - I've seen Colette Peters stack acake like this and it looks good.
Momkiksbutt--- 
Wow!! You went all out with this idea!!!! 
Thanks soooo much for the info. The customer has decided to go with doing 3 small individual cakes. She said then, the daughter could take her's back to college with her when she leaves Monday. So that will work out great. However, I may still use some of your idea to decorate each individual cake now. Thanks again everyone as usual you've come through for me!!
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