Miranda, your description of making a party cake, brings my childhood to mind. My mother was an artisan, much like you. She made all our clothes when we were growing up, but she also had one extra special gift. She could make gorgeous cakes. The week before our birthdays, she would hand us the cake folder. This was pictures from magazines she had ripped out thru the years. No directions, just pictures. We could chose any cake we wanted. For my 10 or 11th birthday, I chose the Cinderella Castle. Mom surprized me by making Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother, the Pumpkin Coach and the Castle! She really went all out on doll cakes, but for some reason she went overboard that year.
Some of my fondest memories of her was watching her sit making frosting roses on little squares of wax paper and filling cookie sheets with them. They would then go in the basement refridgerator to set. She was so talented and I miss her so. I am glad to meet someone like her. :D