If you know about icing cakes and cookies

[rubyshine]

I really want to get into icing and decorating cupcakes and cookies when I bake. Partly for my own entertainment and partly to entertain my daughter.
I've tried piping bags before but the bag burst (I think that was a combo of a cheap bag and icing that was too stiff)
So I've been looking to buy a basic icing kit to start out with, and wondered if anyone had any tips or pointers. Are the bags better than the icing "guns/pump" things? Are metal tips better than the plastic? Any good websites for a beginner? Any must have" icing nozzles for a beginner?
I don't want to spend a fortune on gear I will probably use only every now and then, but I'd rather buy a few quality items, than a huge starter kit that has everything but is junky.
Anything else I should know? Thoughts?
Thanks

[redheadbaker]

I'd get the Wilton 25-piece decorating kit, and a package of 12-inch plastic piping bags. I hate those "decorating guns." I prefer metal tips to plastic.

CakeCentral.com has a tutorials section (some tutorials better than others) and an awesome forum. There are a lot of pros and semi-professionals, but they are awesome about answer "newbie" questions.

If you have a craft or kitchen store near you, I strongly recommend taking a decorating course. Wilton is the most popular. But it helped me immensely to have someone physically put my hand in the proper position for piping. I think the Wilton class is about $40 + supplies, but you get a discount on the supplies.

[EloiseWeenie]

About the piping bag bursting- sometimes if you have a stiff frosting/dough, it helps to only fill the bag a little bit at a time.

[rubyshine]

Thanks for the ideas and pointers ladies. I'm in a small town in New Zealand so what we have available is a little limited, but I like the idea of a cake decorating course which I know I've seen advertised.

[writingwithheld]

I recently got a Wilton decorating kit as well. I didn't take a class, but I just did my first cake this weekend and it turned out better than I expected. I haven't done fancy flowers or anything, but it was still fun and a good start. The kit comes with metal tips and they seem relatively nice.