reading through the forums i've seen a couple of people mention dragees... i know what they are but i'm not sure how to use them. how do you stick them to the cake, and what's the best method for getting them on the cake in the first place, do you use your fingers or tweezers or what? pardon my ignorance here, lol

I use tweezers- dip them into a little piping gel to adhere

I just shove them on the cake before the icing crusts. Easy.