My work station, the breakfast nook, watched over by Patricia Y's Great Blue Heron . . . Yes, those are the plants I repotted last week; they have to stay out of the sun for a few weeks, but still receive light. They're all doing well, thank you for asking. NOTE TO SELF: Clear ENTIRE table for use next time
The cake board is attached to the turntable with duct tape and the cake is held onto the cake board by a dab of frosting. NTS: Remember to cover cake board with FOIL next time. My first use of a pastry bag! This initial process is called crumb coating; it is to contain any crumbs so they don't come out in the final frosting.
Pushing the frosting toward the tip . . . Note that I already have frosting on my hands; this is a messy process, at least this first time.
There is a little blue thingie is is supposed to be put at the top of the pastry bag to keep the frosting from coming out that end My hands by now were so slippery from the buttercream frosting that it was difficult to do, so after this, I no longer used it.
First Layer of what has now become a three-layer cake. Each layer is one-half of a layer so this is actually going to be a one-and-a-half layer cake. I just wanted an excuse to lather on more frosting.	I brush sugar syrup onto the cake to keep it moist. NTS: Brush sugar syrup on cake BEFORE freezing.
I have yet to figure out how to squeeze out frosting with one hand, whilst turning the turntable with the other. Practice, practice, practice

NAILED IT! THE DECORATING CONTINUES HERE