I'm ready to try another icing, but don't know which. I'm not a fan of buttercream for the simple reason of using so much shortening especially with the transfat I keep hearing so much about SMBC and IMBC, but from what I understand they don't stand up against the heat and shouldn't be stored in the fridge, so I'm lost. What are my options? What do you use? And why?

SMBC and IMBC can be stored in the fridge. It has a lower melting point than recipes made with shortening because of the butter. On it's own butters melting point is around 80 degrees and a high ratio shortening is around 94.
I use a butter/crisco cream hybrid if I have to, but I don't care for it.
I much prefer SMBC and lucky for me most people around here do to.

I too have been wanting to venture out of the box and try a new icing, my family loves AMBC but I jsut wasn to try somehting new, what is the difference between IMBC and SMBC and which one is easier for a first timer to make.

Thanks for any opinions.