My neices graduation party! 
When I got the cake there, everyone was gone. They said it was ok, but how awful. I feel awful. Feeling maybe I'm not cut out for it, you know?
I will tell you that I delivered a 4 layer wedding cake and grooms cake earlier in the day and when she (my sister-in-law) asked, I thought I could do both. I was off work... plenty of time... You guessed it.. famine, pestulance, locusts... husband sick - coughing all night for 3 nights, daughter gets sick - take her to the dr - 3 times this week and of course she stays home all week (she's 10 - so not like a little one or anything) and one of those nights me daughter was up "crouping" for 2 hours. Luckily, I have a lot of experience with croupe and she had an inhaler and we sat outside until it broke. Got in bed at 5:30, have to get up at 6:30 to take my 14 yr old to school. I bribed him to let me oversleep (he was only 30 minutes late - that extra hour sleep -- priceless 
I had my fondant done and had started baking on Tues. I thought I was doing better at planning my time. I know I couldn't have predicted all the stuff that happened......but I still feel awful
Did I also mention that both cakes were free. The wedding was a fundraising auction item and I don't charge family - especially when I don't deliver!!!
...and to think, I was actually going to go thru the paperwork to become a business. I don't think so. 
I don't know if anyone can learn anything from this...but I feel a little better talking about it.
don't feel so bad. i have done that twice. it kinda scares you and makes you doubt yourself and if you're cut out to open your own business. as much as i felt bad about those experiences, it still hasn't deterred me from fulfilling my dream! we just need to be better prepared and plan well. 
Oh, I feel your pain....each time I have a cake due, I swear I will be more organized and on time. And almost each time, I am right up until minutes before my deadline finishing up the cake. I am getting better, no doubt, but it sure is hard.
All I can tell you is don't let this define you. You are human. Learn from your mistakes, accept that what's done is done and then let it go. Sounds hokey but, for me, it really works. I have had many a disaster and almost let it destroy all my hopes. With each order, I am more organized and try to remember what caused me so much stress so I can be sure to NOT repeat it. 
Hang in there.....
I will stay up all night if I have to to finish a cake. You just have to make yourself have everything completely done the night before they are due.
I don't do anything the day cake is due except deliver. I also have a 2yr. old and 10 month old. You just really have to do it no matter what. Then you don't have to be stressed out the day of!
Thanks for the words of encouragement. Still feel bad today, but a friend said I should give her (my neice) a coupon for a free "late" birthday cake. Something about that just seemed funny.
I also went to a church we go to sometime (I had a weird scheduling prob and couldn't attend our ususal church - part of the story). After a night of being emotionally drained, wasn't sure anything would get thru to me and was so ready to give up. The preacher comes up and up on the big screen (they meet in a movie theatre) comes the sermon title:
"Deal with the setback, move toward the comeback!" (The story of Job)
I kid you not! I of course began to cry.
So, maybe I won't hang up my chef's coat or throw away those business cards just yet.
"Deal with the setback, move toward the comeback!" (The story of Job)
I kid you not! I of course began to cry.
Fantastic quote. And not a coincidence, lol. I love times like this when God jumps out attcha and says "Hey!" Well, you get the picture......and I rarely am able to get thru a service without crying. Not sure why though.....
I'm glad you got your mojo back
Try not to be so hard on yourself. The more you do this, the more you will get used to your time constraints and how much you can do in a day. Disaster happen to just about anyone (I know they follow me around 
but, I have to kick the negative thoughts out of my head and pick myself up b/c I love doing this. I was late this weekend b/c I forgot to glue the cake board to the base and it slid in the car into the side of the box and I had to turn around and repipe some of it, but I did get there and it turned out okay. It happens.
Thanks again. As I was putting stuff away today, I actually did some organizing. I now know where all my fondant cutters are, and my fondant tools. Hopefully another step... But just to add one point. I've been doing this for 5 years (but only maybe 2 big cakes a year). One of my main thoughts was, Shouldn't I be better at this by now?! I don't expect to never make a mistake, but I feel like I should be better. That's what is so frustrating. I don't do another cake until August. I'm afraid I'll mess up again because I would have forgotten, plus my technique gets rusty.
is there anyway you could practice on dummy cakes or cupcakes and donate them to your church for fellowship maybe that would help keep your skills up. i try to make sure that i have my orders done atleast a few hours before they're due-(today i'm completing 4 orders one of them cookies that i started yesterday) 2 are for early saturday. since i have to work 1130-730pm friday that doesn't give me much extra time. i also have a "cakecentral" area-it's in my livingroom for now as it's a large fold-out sewing cabinet that was built for my mother. it keeps almost all my cake supplies in one handy area. sorry this is long. you said you started organizing your things so that's a great start and don't give up for sure-we're all human! oh and i love how god spoke to you through that sermon-isn't it funny how he whispers in our ears (our straight out shouts) just when we need it most-and i also could cry on most sundays-when i'm there!
Sorry this happened to you, I also struggle with time. I am done on time but it takes me 3 days to get everything done. This last wedding I did my husband was ready to divorce me because I was always doing cake. I learned that organization is key, time wise and supply wise. I try to make list of things that need to get done and have a general time line. Hope this helps and good luck.
I think being organized will help immensely! I find myself walking around the kitchen looking for things and it wastes so much time. Another thing is I have to agree with lilyanddane - you have to make yourself keep working through the night to get things done. I even sleep better knowing I don't have to get up and finish anything.
Thank you for the quote - that fits so much in my life right now!
I (along with the 250 wedding guests) received photos of the wedding cake that caused me to miss the grad cake deadline. I have posted the wedding and groom's cake. I have received no message from the bride and groom. Interesting. The pictures of them cutting the cake (of course the wrong layer - I even marked the back "your layer" She didn't have a great look on her face. Oh, well.
Once again, thanks for the encouragement!
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