re: Feelings about copying others work?...

I agree with most of what Calli has said. A bit of courtesy in any industry, can go a long way… I get the impression a lot of caker’s don’t mind, if you ask first, and give credit for the design after.
As a person with a law degree though, I believe people should be aware of copyright that can be attached to brands/characters.
Here is a link to an article by CakeBoss…
http://www.cakeboss.com/Cake-Stuff/Articles/Copyrighted-Cakes