For this project we had originally intended to follow one of the instruction sets to make our own DIY cookie cutters-- there are a number of good methods posted online. Amongst others, you can make them from metal shim, from copper strip, from a baking pan, or from a kit.But, since we actually don't plan to make these on a regular basis, we ended up just cutting out the shapes (one by one) with a hobby knife. This is a clean method, but it is slow and takes patience. A sharp and fresh blade helps.