Well, not cheating......but I'm not really sure how I feel about using it. I'ld like to think of cake decorating as my art form.....does that then diminish my skill? (Not that I'm claiming great skill....but I'm improving)

More getting peoples opinions, not trying to stir anything up....

I don't think it's cheating. Especially for what I do because I don't use pre-made files. I make my own files and patterns and use the cricut to cut them out. For me it gives me the ability to make my own "cutters" and not have to buy them. I also like to use it to cut out letters. A cake I had for today had 3 names on it and I used the cricut to cut the letters. Way faster than cutting by hand.

I don't think it's cheating.

your cakes are really good! you have talent already - think of cricut as enhancing what you already have.

Can I ask you guys...I just ordered one...how do you create your own letters/patterns? Is it as simple as drawing it out and then somehow inputting it into the computer? I would love it if you can use it this way...also, I saw on HSN that you can use cold cookie dough in the cricut..have you tried it that way?

thanks aundrea....and I would like to know the answer to leslies question too...esp about the cookie dough.

I have seen alot of discussion here on this site about this lately. I believe it is a individual thing . I for one will love using my cricut cake, because I know it will save me lots of time and give me even clearner, nicer, professional looking cakes. I have been decorating for 20 years and I for one always love looking forward to the new trends. Any thing that makes my life easier, faster, and more profitable will always get my attention. Yes I still know how to do alot of skills my hand and sratch and I am glad for that., but I love learning about new things and techniques that make my customers go WOW and that really impress them. As some people say, you still have to be a good decorator even with cutters, cricut, edible images, molds etc. They are only tools, they will never make you a great artist, that comes from passion, learning and just doing. Sorry to rattle.

You can use software such as Make The Cut and SCAL to transfer files to your computer and cut with the cricut. What HSN didn't tell you is that the cookie has to be rolled very thin to cut with the cricut.