it took me 20 years to make the cake on the cover of The Cake Bible, kindly proclaiming it as my graduation:
http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2009/04/hectors_cake_bible_graduation.html
it took me less than 1 year to make the cake on the cover of Rose’s Heavenly Cakes, for my nephew’s graduation: ROSE’S heavenly CAKES: Bernachon Palet d’Or Gateau (page 107):