ok... lots of questions on this. First of all, can you use your regular printer and switch out the ink cartridges. Is it expensive to purchase the sheets and ink. Last of all, is it better to use an edible image or just do a buttercream transfer. I have never done either of these methods but would love to try. Any comments welcome.

You need to devote a printer just to this. You'll find that the printer is the least expensive part of this process. Many are finding them on closeout tables for around $50. The ink for the model I use costs about the same as the non-edible ink for the same model. The frosting sheets run a little over a dollar apiece. It's not that expensive to get into anymore....but once you have a system, you'll want to put edible images on everything! You can go through a lot of ink and frosting sheets before the "new" wears out.

I might still use buttercream transfer for some applications. Don't know.....it all depends on the look I'm after. But, for basic cartoons and logos...the speed factor usually wins out for me. I worked all morning on a FBCT, and I could have printed it in less than a minute.

I bought a Canon Pixma printer off of ebay for around $50. Then I purchased the icing sheets & ink from icingimages.com. I priced around and found that they had exactly what I was looking for at the best price. I also think their icing sheets are quite yummy! Once you get one, you will realize how much easier it makes decorating cakes!! I just wish everyone wanted printed images!!

I bought a canon Pixma i3000 last year from Office Depot. I gave $99 for it and get a $20 mail in rebate back. Thot $79 wasn't a bad price. I want to purchase the ink and sheets now. I can't remember what kind of sheets I heard were best for edible images. I just read about potato wafer paper at one site. What do you decorators use? I've got a lady wanting a b-day cake in June for her son, and she's looking at the 3D bear. I think I can persuade her towards something trimmed out with an image wrapped around the sides if I can get myself set up. What do you think? What paper is best for you and why?

The wafer paper has its uses, but it produces a much less intense and less sharp image than the icing sheets. Plus, I've noticed significant ink wicking out of the wafer paper designs when kept (in the fridge) for a few days. I haven't noticed this on the icing sheets.

For the primary image on a cake, it's icing sheets for me every time.

Thanks for the quick reply. And where do you get your icing sheets?

Icing sheets are available from many online suppliers. The same people who provide the edible ink cartridges. Just Google "edible image" and you'll get a bunch of options. I buy from KopyKakes, but there are several others.

icingimages.com is a very good site. They ship fast and sell a quality product. I purchased and use the high end canon i9900. it has 8 different color cartridges. I use the refill kits from icing images and it is very inexpensive and relatively easy to refill the cartridges. Also note that you can print regular documents with this ink with no ill effects. i print photos, directions, whatever with regular paper. you just can not use regular ink in it EVER. I have done 30+ photo cakes. It is great on graphics that you can then ice over. They also leave a nice smooth surface on the top of the cake. Check out a couple i have in the gallery, the bratz and tauren cakes:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos-by-djjarrett88.html

Try putting the bear on baby blocks. make the blocks by printing out graphics and letters on the icing sheets and outline with tip 16 i have done a couple of these and they turn out beautiful. email me if you want to see a pic of one.

Another question, now are frosting and icing sheets the same stuff and what about wafer paper? I find this confusing. I'm seeing different things at different sites. I've heard cautions about using certain kinds for certain things but it's been a while since I last looked at this info. I want to get supplies soon so I have to figure this out. I also just found out about a supply warehouse in Knsas City.

i prefer the icing sheets over wafers, etc. Frosting and icing sheets are the same. The have a thin layer of icing applied to a backing sheet. You then remove them from the backing sheet and place on the cake. they make beautiful pictures and you can cut them if you need too. They are a little tricky (i've learned my lessons), but once you learn the do's and dont's they are very easy to use. I use icing images icing sheets for any photo cake application and have had little trouble.

Would someone please send me a link for edibleimages.com? I have tried several times to get there and it goes nowhere.
Thank you!!

Im confused---- Im I reading this right? You can pretty much buy any printer and the edidible ink can be used in it?

Why has edible images.com been banned? Do they still exist? I too have been trying to find it and can't. Can anyone shed some light on this?

I'm sure they still exist. I don't think it'd be appropriate for me to go into detail as to why they were banned but even the mention of the company name is prohibited and automatically converted to edible images which is why you're having problems with the links.

Thank you Lisa! I am going to order my supplies today from Sugarcraft. And I've gotten your wonderful e-book out of my file to re-read so I'll have an idea what I'm doing by the time my order arrives. Thanks again!
Carol

Thanks Lisa!!!! That is soo cool. I would love to have one to do this.