Information for using MTC

Here is a link to the MTC forum. Several questions are answered here about cutting machines. The MTC forum is a great place to get answers on using your electronic cutter.
http://forum.make-the-cut.com/discussion/13688/mtc-facts-and-questions

Isn't this interesting?

Here is an article I just ran across on line. As you know, I am patent pending on my technique of using electronic cutters for cake decorating. I presented my idea to Provo Craft and they basically pirated my idea to make the cricut cake machine. You can read the story of all of that further down in this blog.

I used the cricut create ( the smaller cricut machine) in the classes I taught. The machine did a great job and I taught people how to create their own designs for cake decorating using Make the Cut. Make the Cut is a great program and you are able to use your cricut and are not required to buy expensive cartridges. If you have a cricut, I say learn how to use the machine to its fullest potential. If you want to up-grade to a machine that is superior, then you may want to consider a Silhouette. You never need to buy expensive cartridges and the print and cut feature is fantastic for cake decorators.



Make The Cut Settles Cricut Software Lawsuit With Provo Craft

By Nancy Nally on March 11, 2011



Documents filed in US District court on Wednesday reveal that Make The Cut has reached a settlement with Provo Craft in the lawsuit over 3rd party Cricut software created by Make The Cut. Provo Craft had sued Make The Cut in April 2010 alleging that Make the Cut’s 3rd party software for Cricut machines illegally circumvented copyright protection on Provo Craft’s products and violated copyright on the company’s Cricut Design Studio software code.



Provo Craft had appeared particularly to be targeting in the suit the recently introduced “back-up” feature in the Make The Cut software, which allowed users to create back-ups of their Cricut cartridges. (The feature was only available to users for a two week period in March 2010 before being pulled from distribution as a result of the litigation.)



Terms of the settlement were stipulated to the court in joint documents filed by the companies Wednesday with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, which had been hearing the case. Under the settlement, Make The Cut is permanently and immediately disallowed from selling software that is compatible in any way with Cricut machines. The company is also required to destroy all copies of the software’s Cricut-related source code.



For the existing software, Make The Cut also is required to take measures within 30 days to disable the 600 copies that were sold of the software with the cartridge back-up feature. Make The Cut is ordered to render these copies of the software completely non-functional until these users update their software to a copy that eliminates the back-up function.



Provo Craft also recently filed suit against another 3rd party Cricut software creator, Craft Edge, in an attempt to stop distribution of their Sure Cuts A Lot product.



Update: Neither party is receiving any financial award in the settlement.

New videos on YOUTUBE

We finished the new video class package. I decided to put 2 clips from the video on youtube. The first is a demonstration of the print and cut feature of the Silhouette. You can view it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNISY5d_qCg

I have a clip on youtube showing the print on gum paste method but I thought I would put another demonstration of this technique. This is such a great technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XqcEz4kHJ4

The video class package is on sale and if you are interested you can order it from our web site.

http://www.deseretdesigns.com/custom_1.html

I tried to put as much information as I could into this project. The information is as up to date as possible. The book and video files that accompanies this project take you through the designs process. After you learn the basics of design you will be able to create any design you need for your cake projects. This is great news for everyone who uses an electronic cutter, but especially for cricut owners. You do not need to invest in expensive cartridges, but you can now create your own designs.

I decorate a basic cake with several of the designs I showed you how to create in the video files. I then decorate a 5 tier wedding cake showing several techniques that you will be able incorporate in your own cake decorating. I include a CD that has over 200 designs in a jpeg format and also ready to cut in the Make the Cut format.

As much as I enjoyed all the traveling and meeting so many people, it is not possible to continue teaching classes. My goal is to share this great method with as many of you as possible and the best way for me to do this is through the video class. Thank you for the great support and encouragement.

Cake for Hunters

I have made several camo cakes as wedding cakes or grooms cakes. This is a very easy cake to make. I scanned a piece of camo paper and printed it on a frosting sheet. I chose a design that reminded me of grass for the side of the bottom and top tier. The middle tier was just a band of the printed frosting sheet. The top is from Colorado Carla, a plastic deer and foilage from Hobby Lobby help complete the look. This is a very easy cake to decorate. I used Photo Frosts frosting sheets and they cut very well.

The cake was covered in a dark avocado green. The designs were cut and applied to the sides. I put the frosting sheets on a piece of cardstock. I use apply shortening to the back of the frosting sheet and stick it onto the card stock. I cut the designs out, and when I remove the designs there is enough shortening on the back of the design to stick to the side of the cake. I give greater detail in the section on getting the perfect cut.

New instructional DVD in final editing

I finished the DVD that covers the entire class I taught. I take you through the entire process of creating your own designs and pratical applications of the techniques. I also have a section on making sugar flowers using the Silhouette. The set will have 5 discs and include a book. One of the discs will have a collection of over 200 designs ready to use. We will have everything ready for sale at the Austin cake show.

Close Out on DVDs! New Low Prices!!!!

Check out my web site at http://creativedesignscakes.comcreativedesignscakescom/ to order all of my DVDs at a reduced price.

As you know, I have 3 DVDs that feature the Cricut machine for cake decorating. I have discovered that the Silhouette is by far the superior machine for cutting gum paste. I LOVE the print and cut feature! I am selling the rest of my cricut dvds at a reduced price. They are full of great information, so if you want to improve your ability to get great cuts with the cricut, now is the time to get the dvds.

There is such a great demand for me to travel to teach this technique. I have loved every minute I have spent with each of my students. Jeff took a sabbatical from teaching last year so we were able to travel to the cake shows and teach classes through the US and Canada. He is back to the classroom so our traveling will be limited. I still want to share my method with as many people who want to learn this new technique, so I decided to put my entire class on DVD! I will show you everything I have developed up to this time. Included will be instructions on making gum paste, how to prepare it for cutting, creating your own designs, working with the Cricut Design Studio program for unique designs and much more. You will get the book that follows the DVD, a CD with a great new collection of designs and much more. I will be sharing several cakes decorated with this method so you will see what you will be able to do

I plan on having this ready by the end of February.

Making Gum Paste

I learned how to make gum paste years ago. I tried several recipes but the one I liked best was Rosemary Watsons. I learned alot of my basic flower making from her and have tweaked her recipe to work for me. When I first developed the cutting gum paste with electronic cutters method, my recipe worked the best. I have shared this recipe with many people and several are sharing it as their own. This is what I teach in class and use for my own cake decorating projects.

Gum Paste


½ cup cold water

2 tablespoons Knox gelatin

1/3 cup white corn syrup

2 tablespoons shortening

2 lbs powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons Tylose



Small sauce pan ½ full of water, put on medium heat

½ metal measuring cup with water, pour into a 2 cup glass measuring cup with open handle

Add 2 tablespoons Knox gelatin and stir until well mixed

Set timer for 5 minutes-no longer then 15 minutes

Melt at least 2 tablespoons shortening into a glass measuring cup

1/3 cup of white corn syrup

Put gelatin into sauce pan-cook until melted and you see swirls

Add corn syrup and cook until no longer stringy

Add 2 tablespoons of shortening-stir

Pour into bowl, add 2 pounds of powdered sugar

Mix with bread dough hooks until well mixed

Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of tylose powder into mixture, mix for another 2-3 minutes. Scrape into a plastic bag coated with shortening, let rest overnight


When you are finished making your gum paste it is best to let it rest over night. It can be left out for several days, but if it is not going to be used right away, you can store it in the freezer or refrigerator.

When you are ready to use the gum paste you will notice that it is very firm. You will need to use a sharp knife to cut off a section of the gum paste. Put it in the microwave for a few seconds, usually 5-10 seconds is long enough to warm it up enough to soften it. It should be the consistency of a marshmallow.

You need to condition the gum paste. Work in a small amount of shortening into the gum paste and work it in your hands. Pull it and stretch it out. Run it through the pasta machine and wad it back up again. If it feels too soft add a little bit of corn starch. If the gum paste firms up while conditioning it you can put it back in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up. When you feel like the gum paste has been conditioned enough then you are ready to roll it out.

You really need a pasta machine for the best results. Most pasta machines will roll out a piece of gum paste 6” wide and as long as you need it to be. If you have a fondant sheeter you can roll your gum paste wider than 6”, but you really don’t need it to be wider than 12”.

Most issues with my method are gum paste issues. You need a firm gum paste to start with. It needs to be well conditioned and for best results it needs to be rolled out with a pasta machine. I really like my kitchen aid mixer with the pasta attachment. I find I get the best cutting results when I roll out the gum paste to a #6 or #7. This is something you will practice with and you will determine what works best for you. Before you put the gum paste through the pasta machine you need to take your softened, conditioned piece of gum paste and roll it out using a rolling pin the desired width and thin enough to put through the pasta machine. With a little practice you will be able to roll a 6” wide pieces of gum paste as long as you need it.

When the gum paste is as thin as you need it to be, put it on a plastic mat and trim it to about 12” in length. As you fill your mats with your rolled out gum paste stack them on top of each other. When you have rolled out as many as you need, store the mats in a 2 ½ gallon baggie. For the best cutting results, let your gum paste rest over night. In fact, you can let your baggies sit out for several days before you use the gum paste. Keep the baggies sealed so the gum paste doesn’t dry out. You can even store your gum paste sheets in the freezer until you are ready for them. I can’t stress enough to not rush this part of the process. The gum paste needs to firm up, but not dry out.

The hard part of this process is over! When you are ready to cut out your design all you need to do is apply the gum paste to the mat. If you are having problems with your gum paste sliding around the mat when you are cutting out your design, it could be that the mat is too slick. I have found that my older, well used mats work the best. If I have a new mat I will scratch up the surface with some sand paper. This will give the mat some “tooth” and the gum paste will stick to the mat better.

You need to apply a thin coat of shortening to the mat. A pastry brush works well for this process. You can use a paper towel with shortening on it if you don’t have a pastry brush. You only need a light coat of shortening. Too much and the gum paste may just slide around the mat during cutting. Don’t put the gum paste too close to the sides of the mat. Watch where the roller will go and don’t get the gum paste in that area. Use a soft paper towel to smooth the gum paste onto the mat. If there is any shortening on the gum paste then you can work it into the surface of the gum paste. The paper towel will help to polish the surface of the gum paste.

Now that the gum paste is on the mat you are ready to cut out your designs. With experience you will learn how to tell if the gum paste is ready to be cut. If it is too soft it will just drag around the mat and tear. If the gum paste is too dry then it will crack. Your goal is to get clean, precise cuts. If you have followed my suggestions and allowed the gum paste to firm up at least over night, you are on the way to successful cuts. Use the deep cut blade for the Cricut and set the blade pressure to #5. Set the pressure on the machine to 3 bars or medium pressure.

You can apply your decorations to your cake as soon as you cut them out. You may have enough shortening on the back of the decoration to stick it onto your cake. If it doesn’t stick then you can apply some more shortening with a small paint brush.

You can make your decorations ahead of time and store them in the large baggie on a cake board. They will be fine for a couple of days left out but if you want to store them longer then put them in the freezer. When you take the decorations out of the freezer they will get soft as they come to room temperature. Let the decorations firm up some before trying to put them on the cake. I have had good luck with spraying the backside of the decoration with vegetable spray. All you need is a very light spray and the decoration will stay in place. Use a soft brush to lightly brush the top of the decoration. This will help the decoration stick to the cake and help clean up any shortening on or around the decoration.

For more information and a great video tutorial view these youtube videos. They are found under “working with gum paste”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7tVl_Y_EeY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpq_bXhD3c4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhl50MMcyU0&feature=related