Yeah, that is part of the reason I didnt pick the clocktower place, it seemed sort of far away. I thought it we ended up having to take the kids though, that is where we would go since they had the water park. BUT MIL is coming to stay with the kiddos! My DH and I havent been away overnight together in more than 2 years. ouch. I hope DH doesnt mind that this trip is more about cake than about our anniversary...! Oh well he said I should do it!

Hey ladies! Yes my name is Amie and OMG I haven't ACTUALLY gotren dinner tickets yet! Hmmm...better do that! Watch I will be the contestant who doesn't get to go to the party! I guess I had better win then so I can sit with Duff for FREE! Ha LOL yeah right!

You chickens! I just started decorating cakes about 5 months ago and I am doing this! I ifgured if little kids could do , I could do it! If I look like an idiot, then I will be taking off my CC shirt and hiding! Just kidding!

Yeah, no CC shirts! What's up with all their stuff being out ALL THE TIME?!?! OH, WELL! Could have been free advertisement for them!

So, are you all going to go at 10am to the Disc Center?? If so, meet at my cake! Can't tell you what it will look like since I still have NO CLUE!!!!!!!!

But thanks to everyone still giving out ideas!

Well I dont know if the lady who was taking my reservations knew too much about this event. So when I asked to get my tickets and she said "let me see if they are still available" I got nervous. But they were still available, so dont worry, but I would get them soon, just in case. It sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun. I read somewhere that the highlights of the evening wil be an "all cake menu" (both sweet and savory) hmm! "caketails..." competition, entertainment etc.

wow!!! what an honor. I would do the Sears tower.

how about a Jane dinosaur with a bobble-headed duff (made of cake) accidentally knocking it over?

okay so there wasnt very much apparel in the cc shop, so I did a seach and found some cute shirts here:

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/cake

I think maybe I'll order one of the "got cake?" shirts!

How about the Chicago skyline from the lake view? You'd have to do all the "famous" buildings - the red CNA building, the Sears Tower, the Hancock (make sure it's orange at the top like it always is in October, the ferris wheel on Navy Pier, etc.

It looks as if the Cubbies might end up in the playoffs. You could do something with Hary Caray or Wrigley Field.

OR something with all the pro teams - Cubs, Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire, Bears.

You could do something that represents different neighborhoods in the city - Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Lincoln Square, Chinatown, Bucktown, Logan Square, etc.

You could do a directional thing - Chicago for the east, the Mississippi for the west, farming for most of the rest of the state.

You could do a "sweet home Chicago" blues-themed cake.

OR how about a cake with the Blues Brothers as the theme? I think that's my fave - if they interviewed you and asked why you entered, you could tell say, "We're on a mission from God."

Man, I could go on and on. I really miss living in Chi-town.

Ok, I dont feel so bad that I haven't gotten my ticket yet. LOL I gotta get moving on that too! You and I will be the ones standing outside looking in the windows cuz we forgot. LOL

allie - LOVE your ideas!!! But it's in Rockford, not Chicago. We're bout ohhh 2ish hours from there.

I'm going to be competing in Rockford too!
I live about an hour away so I'm just driving.
I'm not going to give any hints about my cake, except that its not Rockford, Illinois, Chicago, or Rock and Roll related.
Unfortunately I also have a wedding cake for that night - which means that I won't be going to the dinner...(unless i win...) because if I don't, I'll be rescuing my dear hubby from making the cake delivery. (He's so nice!!! but delivering cakes makes him very nervous.)
I also know that a friend of mine who owns a bakery is competing too.
I would love to meet up with other CC'ers. But I don't think I'll have time to get a shirt..... maybe we should all wear pastry bags on our heads - lol
Good luck to those of you who are competing, and I hope to see a bunch of you that are going just for fun!!!! It would be so great to meet!!!!
I'll try to post pics after - I'm still getting the hang of the forums!
Good luck to you too Amiecakes! Just so you know, I'm really nervous too - just reading through this thread made my heart start racing!

Just started reading this post - Good luck to all competing....!!!!

Doug - I am originally from northern Indiana, but we used to visit Chicago all the time....you made me homesick for my Cubbies and all things Windy City!!!

Can't wait to see all the pictures from this competition!

Have a GREAT time - and I hope y'all enjoy meeting DUFF-man!



Lish

How cool to be competing in this! Good luck to all of you in the competition! You all have to promise to post not only your pics but tell us about the whole experience, etc...the rest of us have to live it vicariously, ya know.

Cake on and make us proud!

I would make a replica of the rockford museum complete with people walking around.

OR whatabout a replica of Charm City Cakes???? you could copy all of the people on sticks that are at the front of the show....

I think you should wear this shift...

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/cake/-/pv_design_details/pg_11/id_21879201/opt_/fpt_/c_666/

also, good luck. I really like the idea of the delivery van as a car kit.

I think that it is so cool that you guys are competing in this competion!

To be honest I don't think I would do the sky line of Chicago only because there will be lots of people in this competion and I think that quite afew of them would do that kind of cake. You want to do something so entirely different. I think that the leather coat idea was cool or the Rocking Rockford one is great too. You just want to do something so entirely different that the chances of the other conestants doing the same theme would be very slim. Also, I am sure that lots of people will be doing something that has to do with Charm City Cakes and Duff in it also which could become old for Duff to look at since there are 50 of you guys!!

Sorry, I hope that does not sound to harsh or anything. I just want to see you guys win and good luck!! Look forward to seeing pictures of the cake AFTER the competion!!

I would make a bust of duff and under it I would have a recording of his laugh

There are still openings if anybody wants to enter this contest. I left voicemails three weeks ago asking about space... then got an OK using email. Yesterday the contest director finally phoned me with "I'm returning your call about... and yes, we do have more spots available!" I had already decided to not do it, but good luck to all of you that are!

Her phone is (815) 972-2834
http://www.discoverycentermuseum.org/

Here's an idea

I would do a replica of the sears tower with a little (fondant) Abe Lincoln figurine climbming up the side of the building... (Like King Kong).

This incorporates, 2 different elements of your state in an unconventional way, therefore making it very unique and EXTREMELY creative...

Good Luck!

Congrats and good luck.

Okay, we have the BLACKHAWK statue in Oregon, From L. Taft. That and the river , the Rockford statue, in Sinnissippi park, and Tinkers cottage,
Rockford Riverfront,
then venture out to the whole state Galena,Chicago,anything within 100 miles would be good.
But I would have to push for the BLACKHAWK.
Ps, I live in Oregon. Have to go for the hometown thing.

I agree about staying away from "Duff". I would almost bet that half of the cakes have him or something about CharmCity. You want to be different from the rest. I like the ideas about Jane and Cheap Trick.

I was just reading up about Rockford on Wipedia. The Coronado Theater might be a idea. Also don't know how to incorporate it but the article said that yall's inspection stick is based on a 'new' Cheap Trick album called "Rockford"

Wow! That is exciting. I am just reading up now. I wish he would come to Florida!

Good luck! I hope that you come out a winner!

Hi Cakesherway...this is so exiting!
IN one of the comments in you gallery you say that your husband is a firefighter...so how about something with flames? It always seems to be better when it's close to your heart. And i think Duff would tell you that you've gotta love it!

Haven't a clue what you should do... but I like the Duff's laugh idea. LOL Rockford, IL, not to far from where my daughter lives. I'll definitely try to be there to cheer you on!

ok I would totally enter this if it was anywhere nearby ... my brother has proposed an idea for his birthday cake this year that is totally extreme and I am sooo excited to try my hand at it ..... he wants a replica of the hindenburg disaster with exploding blimp and all. definately a challenge but I think woudl be fun to make and honestly I would rather make it for a big event than just my brother's b-day that would be at home with him and my mom lol, he has no friends.

I'm so excited for those entering the competition. Sooo many great ideas! However, most competition judges have a criteria (checklist) to go by in the judging the contestants. How well you stick to the theme is certainly going to be a big part of how your score. Even though I luv the ideas using Duff or Charm City Cakes, the theme is not about him or CCC.

Working him into the cake design may come across as an obvious bribe attempt for a vote even though he would luv it, and everyone could hear him laugh some more. Whose ego wouldn't luv that? Competitors who didn't include Duff would complain about an obvious attempt to bribe the judge. You don't really want to create enemies. The other judges may not have a sense of humor about it either.

Give your cakes some more thought before deciding on your final design. Maybe this particular contest isn't that structured, but keep it in mind. I can't wait to see all your fun ideas.

Good luck to all of you!

Good luck!!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone! I started this topic as amiecakes and then midstream changed my user name to cakesherway just in case anyone is confused.

I THINK I have decided on a cake idea FINALLY! There won't be any moving parts or explosions, etc but will hopefully be cool. I just started doing this whole cake thing 6 months ago so I really don't expect to win or anything but still look forward to creating a new and challenging cake!

I am booked solid for the next two weeks so I am nervous about not having enough time to give this the detail it will need but you know how it goes, the paid orders take the front seat and all the rest, well...

I won't be attending the dinner either as we have a wedding reception that evening back home but if Duff asks me then...

Thanks again to everyone for all your great ideas and for you support!

Amie