I was just surfing around where I normaly order my decorating supplies from and came across these. Can some please give me some information on how these things work. From looking at them I'm guessing you use them on rolled fondant or gumpaste. Do they just leave an impression on actully cut out the image? Is it all one piece or diffrent pieces you put together? I'm so comfused. On some it looked like one piece painted and then on others it looked like the diffrent colors were cut out and layered on. I really liked the look of some of these but don't want to spend the money if I can't figure out how they work. ANY advice anyone can offer concerining these would be appericated. Thanks, Sherri

Well I think it sounds like you found something neat! Honestly, it can probably do it all (all of the things you explained) It just depends on how you use it, your imagination is it's only real limitation. Buy it and use it however you see fit to achieve the design goal you have mind.

If you use it and press firmly to just imprint the design, you would get the impression effect you described, but if you press hard, then you would make a cut out which you could then put together like a mosaic or stained glass or quilt. You could even (maybe) use it to make cookies!

Probably used mostly for fondant, but think about making an impression into buttercream and then filling in the design, or outlining it to achieve similar effects as described above.

Your picture doesn't show up but, it sounds like the cutters that I have they are shaped and detailed. They are black plastic and kind of remind me of the break aparts that my brother got in his model car sets. You use them by pressing into rolled out fondant or gumpaste you shaped into a plaque, etc. Then you layer that impression you made by cutting out the separate pieces from different colors and layering and adhering them to the top of your impression. It gives a 3D look to plaques, etc. to use on top of boxes or cakes. I love mine. I made a cake for Christmas last year using them to impress into my cake then painted the impressions. Marion Frost has books on how to use them.

oops. Sorry I realized I didn't answer; Yes. they do cut out, you roll your fondant/gumpaste out thin enough to cut, so you can get a layered look. On thicker mediums, it impresses. If I make another cake like this I will make ALL my impressions first! Then start painting them all. It got harder to impress after my cake set up longer. (Fondant cake.)