I'm thinking about getting the Silhouette Cameo, but I don't have an edible printer. Do I need to print the image first before it will cut it out, or can I still cut out shapes without printing a picture first? I guess I'm a little confused.

The cameo will cut any lines you designate as cutting lines. You can use already printed icing sheets, such as Lucks:

https://secure.lucks.com/bpcsom/nxcsc.nsf/ListProducts?openagent&ListMenuEntry=9A0E2CDD65ECCF198825748700796DAC&MenuEntry=9A0E2CDD65ECCF198825748700796DAC&SID=8E6DAE573FFF2A2288257A0100585771

You may cut these in any desired shape, circles, squares, whatever.

However, if you want a specific design, then you would need to print it on icing sheets with an edible image printer. The cameo uses registration marks that are also printed on your icing sheet. It reads those marks and cuts out the image exactly.

Right now, I have to get ready for an appointment, later, I will make up a sheet and post a couple of pics to show you how this works..

Hi everyone! I'm new to the edible imaging stuff so I do have a few questions. Do you have to print out every image so that the silhouette cuts it? I thought you could design your own image and then have the machine cut it out. I thought that's what made the silhouette better than the cricut. I read that the cricut you had to buy the cartridges which made it more expensive. What's the difference if I would still have to buy ink for the printer in order to use the silhouette? Thanks!