ive been reading a lot of decorating posts and learning a lot
i have a question about the decorating stencils that everyone talks about

what are they made of??
are they cardboard, acrylic, vinyl??

I am asking cause I havent really found any locally
however i own a laser cutting and engraving machine and depending on what material they are made out of I could make my own

There are different types of stencils. There are the ones you use with Royal Icing, which, when done, gives a raised effect. These are made of heavier plastic, so they retain their shape when the stencil is lifted off the cake. These are the stencils which I have seen discussed lately (but I admit I do not read every new thread started).

Then there are the airbrush stencils, which are usually made of heavy gauge acetate sheets.

Here are links to two companies which I know sell food-grade stencils.

www.culinarystencils.com

www.designerstencils.com

Theresa