I am starting out, and I bought an airbrush machine for my Cakes this Year... I want to find a way to be able to create my own stencils and then have something cut them out for me using Adobe Photoshop to create the images..

I have no idea how to go about this...lol

A Cricut Machine is expensive, all those cassette's!, All I want to do is find something that will cut things I make out from a program from scratch, not a cassette, or it could use the cassettes if I wanted...

I Do Fondant, Gumpaste, Airbrush, for my cakes....

I hear the Cricut Cake one can cut out fondant and gumpaste, but I havent heard great reviews about ease of use...and most people say their sugar sheets taste like envelope glue...

I would like it to be able to cut cardstock, or thin plastic sheeting, to make stencils, or patterns....


Also for getting needed items, where do you go to get the best deals??



If anyone could please help! Thanks for your time!

you can buy either Sure-Cuts-A-Lot (SCAL) or Make-the-Cut (MTC). both are software that you can use with your cricut to make whatever you want. no need for cartridges!

i like to find free dingbat fonts and use them in SCAL to make stencils out of cardstock, vinyl, stencil sheeting, etc.

and don't forget there are alternatives to the cricut that include software and don't use cartridges at all.

I make mine with the cricut and Make The Cut software.

where do you find stencils that will work?

Metria do you have a favorite stencil medium? I got the little cricut (not cake) for Xmas and want to use it for stencil on cakes? I'd love to use it for templates for letters but I don't have good luck cutting out letters even with a pattern.

Thanks. That's really helpful.

I have a question pertaining to cutting a thin plastic cutting board from a dollar store or cutting squares from empty plastic gallon bottled water with a cricut or any of the machines to make stencils or patterns. Would these be thick?

I use Sure Cuts A Lot (have a blog where I give away free files for it too) and make my own designs and cuts with the cricut. I started out as a scrapbooker so I already ahd this software and the cricut before I even started cakes.

With Sure cuts a lot you don't ahve to buy all those cartridges at $80 each. You buy the program once and you can cut any trye type font (there's all kinds of sties that have them free) along with all kinds of shapes you can make and any file syou find online that are .svg. There's all kinds of blogs out there they give away .svgs and there's a free program you can get (inkscape) where you can make any black and white image into an .svg files. It's REALLY easy.

I use Grafix, .005, that I got at the craft store in the art dept. It's inexpensive and it cuts easily with the cricut. With Make The Cut software I can scan images or get them off the internet and no need for expensive cartridges.

Where do you get that tiggy2?
I've tried stencil material that i bought in michaels and it will not cut. Then i bought a thinner one, but it bends and rips easily when being used.
The cricut stencil material has an adhesive on the back...not conducive for what we're looking to do with the stencils

If anyone could recommend a material that will cut with the cricut or silhuouette but not be so flimsy that it tears or bends when stenciling with RI, i'd really appreciate it.

I buy it locally but you can order it here http://www.dickblick.com/products/grafix-clear-lay-plastic-film-pads/

Thank you for this link. Does it bend at all in the areas where there are find details on the stencil? Do you have a fave site where you get your basic stencils that will work with decorating?

Yes, it's very flexible. I just search for whatever design I need and go from there.

is it firm enough to smear RI over it without it bending or tearing? I've got ones from culinary stencils that are so sturdy, even the smallest, close knit design, doesn't bend while smearing; But i'm assuming if you've done this, it works!! thanks so much for your help;

i just ordered the graphix from the site you gave and it will be here next week.
I guess i should go and collect a bunch of designs in the meantime....have you drawn your own designs to be stencils?

When doing intricate designs go in the direction away from the cut out (if that makes sense) and you should be fine.

I'll give it a whirl! Thanks!!

I buy the "cu tyour own stencil" sheets from wal-mart (craft setion) and cut that with my cricut. Full pressue, full blade length. It's like $3 for 2 sheets.

That's a $1.50 sheet, what I use it $.32 sheet. I use the deep cut blade and housing.