Visual Designs by Chris

Chris Durnan

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This week there was an accident here in Tucson. A beer run where the driver lost control of the vehicle, he got thrown out and it rolled over the top of him. When they identified the person, I paused for a moment and thought, I know  that name and remembered a smiling boy in Middle School. Through some conversation, I came to realize it was indeed the same person and it has been said by many that there were many difficulties he was trying to face and overcome. Although our lives had passed at one time, they hadn’t had the opportunity to cross again. I can remember we had many classes together. For some reason it seems in school the same group of kids get chunked together in classes even if you have a separate teacher for everything. Watching this on the news this past week, it has made me think about so many people who have come through my life. I don’t think that as a person you can hang on to all of them. There is usually some kind of piece that they add to your life even for just a moment and then move on. But I can appreciate that our lives touched as we went on our separate journeys and that his life has now perished in such a manner that to me seems senseless, but for him was the path he was on. I guess I wanted to pause and mark it down that every path I cross I should feel the blessing of it in some way, because you don’t know where they will lead you to or where they will end. May God Bless his family & friends in this time.

 

-Chris

http://www.visualdesignsbychris.com/835/

Bountiful Baskets food co-op in Peoria grows by word of mouth

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Bountiful Baskets food co-op in Peoria grows by word of mouth

I always get asked about my addiction to Bountiful baskets. Here is an article about it (above) And can I say today the truck was an hour late and the coordinator Jan had everything ready to go. When the truck got there anyone who had volunteered to help before jumped in to help load the baskets. The truck landed at 6:55 a.m. and there were only three baskets left at 7:30 a.m. when my guys and I decided to leave. It is a real sense of community when you have 12- 15 people jump in to help. I know I have heard other pick up sites are difficult to volunteer at and those who try don’t feel welcome to try. But this site really breeds that positive community environment.

What did we get in our haul today?
Welll… for my $15.00 …..

1bunch of Swiss Chard, 1 head of Lettuce, 2 bunches of Celery, 8 Bananas, 1 Cantaloupe, 1 carton of Strawberries, 8 Apples, 12 Plum, 3 Tomatoes, 1 red onion, 2 bags of Mini-Carrots, a bag of red grapes. And because we helped we got an extra carton of Strawberries. (man I hope I didn’t forget anything I am sure I did)

I freeze anything I can after the first few days. We can’t make it through the bananas all at once so after they get fully ripe from the green stage. I slice them up and put them in little individual baggies in the freezer. These are great for smoothies. The strawberries will be gone, but one time I bought the “strawberry extra” for 7.00 we got 8 containers of them (around that) we ate some and I sliced and froze a bunch of those. we are still throwing them in smoothies or over the top of ice cream. Today when I got home I went through last weeks and froze the green beans, and a bit of broccoli and rearranged the lettuce. So the older stuff was on top. Sliced up all the celery so they are easy to grab for the kiddo and put cream cheese or peanut butter in them. then sliced open the cantaloupe and used the melon baller to prepare them for quick eating. The first week I did Bountiful baskets. I knew it wouldn’t fit in my drawers in the fridge so I bought some tupperware and they are deep and long. This helps my romaine lettuce stay crisp for about 3 weeks. and/or swiss chard. I break down the fruits and the veggies into two more narrow containers.

Tonight we make Swiss Chard pizzas. (Swiss Chard, Bacon bits & Provoline Cheese on gluten free pizza crusts) Can’t all be healthy all the time, but we wouldn’t have tried swiss chard before we got it in a basket. and today at the site my Hubby was telling all the other volunteers the recipe. And my son was woohooing because he gets pizza tonight.

When I went to freeze the green beans. I had a nostalgia moment of sitting with my sister at my Grandma’s when we were little and snapping green beans with them. I had to call my sister and have a “remember when” moment.

I can’t say enough about Jan the site coordinator and her willingness to take anyones help. The site time moved from 11 am. to 7 a.m. and helps us all get out of the heat. I know some folks seem to be unhappy about this, but I am relieved. my veggies have an advantage to not sit in a basket in 110 weather. as do I. Also, it gets my pickup out of the way so we can run the rest of our day.

Thank you to the coordinators for Bountiful Baskets for taking such a phenomenal idea and expanding it. Our family appreciates it and our eating habits have changed tremendously. In fact, my hubby grabbed some cantaloupe to go with his sandwich today when their is a big of chips under the counter. woohoo!! Made my heart just smile. It is hard to not eat a piece of fruit when their such variety in the fridge.

Yeah Bountiful Baskets!

Well more on BB later this week as I have purchased the 25 lbs of peaches. I plan to let them sit and ripin’ just a bit more before I try my hand at canning (or I might just freeze). I am soo nervous. Canning is something I have never done before, a new adventure to try!

Enjoy your weekend!
Chris

Digi-Cutter Files offered in SCUT, GSD, KNK, WPC & AI (SVG) at www.visualdesignsbychris.com

Fashionista Card!

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This layout uses digital personal cutter files CD00706 – If The Shoe Fits that is a file available in the QMC that Chris runs in her Store on a quarterly basis.
 
I have used styles and textures to add dimension to the Cutter files and created this card using Photoshop CS3. A ready made card to celebrate the birthday of a “Fashionista” and who doesn’t know one of those  LOL
 
Designed to show that cutter (Cricut, Pazzles, Klic N Kut etc) files can be used digitally!
 
Thanks for looking,
 
cheers, caz

Grab Bag Giveaway & Quarterly Membership Club

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Hello to all… Hope you are ready for an awesome weekend… I am gonna kick it off with a June Grab Bag giveaway. There are two ways you can enter you can comment on my facebook page to this post. or you can comment to this post in the forum. I will compile the two lists of entries and draw a winner. If you have the June one (I’ll check my store records).. I don’t want you to miss out, I will give you the July one. And the June one is super cute and fun and the July one is awesome also! So… Post a comment in the forum or post a reply on my facebook fan page.  If you want to see what files are included, visit the store here.

And then next….. The QMC… I am still pulling files out of the test cut stage and loading more, but it is time to remove it from the store. You have until Sunday and here are some of the many files included for your $10.00. I will be adding files until the very last day of June and then leaving it up for you to download until mid July. So if you want in on this quarter April-June. now is the time It won’t last much longer.

Thank you to all my current members of the QMC. Your support of my files. Helps me support my family and I greatly appreciate that.

Have a wonderful weeeeeekend!!! I hope it is filled with awesome plans!

Enjoy!
Chris

Chris Durnan, designer at www.visualdesignsbychris.com GSD KNK WPC AI SCUT files for your personal digital cutters for use with scrapbooking, cardmaking and other hobbies. Whatever your creative mind can come up with!

My files work on many machines. Some of them are: Klik-n-kut, Pazzle, Wishblade, Silhouette, Cricut, Craft Robo. Some of the software involved with these machines are: Funtime, Scrapbooking, WinPC/Signlab, Inkscape, Create & Cut, Illustrator, KNK Studio, Robomaster, DesignMaster and the list goes on….. Enjoy!

And our cutter file “freebies” are kept in the forum. We add to them as we can.

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After a lady hit hubby’s motorcycle and crushed the rear fender, he decided to have it completely repainted. I thought I’d make a mini album showing all the work he had to do to put it back together. I used several of Chris’s files, which can be found here:

Tab Book
Gear Head Accents
Gear Head Jumble
Just Flaming
Flaming Wings

I cut the back tabs off the album and bound it with my Bind It All. I use a rubber stamp for the track pattern, then layered flames and gears under the pictures. I double cut the front and back from regular cardstock and glued them together to make a little sturdier cover for the album, since I don’t know how careful hubby will be with it, showing off his pride and joy to his friends.

Sussann


Digi-Cutter Files offered in SCUT, GSD, KNK, WPC & AI (SVG) at www.visualdesignsbychris.com

http://www.visualdesignsbychris.com/3081/

Pink & White Ladies Happy Hour

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We decided to have a “shower” to celebrate with my hubbies Cousin. She is due with a new baby in a few weeks. We are all so excited for her.  So we had a ladies happy hour filled with pink & white. Pink Cookies, Plates, Raspberry Lemonade, Pink & White candies, balloons.. just pink & white  everything and we even wore the same colors for pictures! So much fun! Hope you Enjoy our silly family pictures.  We had so much fun chatting and being “the girls” I think it might become a ritual event. Just so we can spend time together and giggle and laugh.

 

Also, thank you to everyone for their positive feedback on my updated blog. I am still working on tweaking, but I am liking it lots.

 

And don’t forget to check back on Friday… I will be giving away a June Grab Bag…  So check back to get the details!!!

 

Enjoy!

Chris

www.visualdesignsbychris.com

Over 6 years creating cutter files…. I am still in love with my machines and giddy at a happy cut!!!

http://visualdesignsbychris.blogspot.com/

 

Climbing trees and audio update.

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This is a picture of my kiddo climbing a tree at a friends. Our trees in our yard are very spindly. This tree is huge. Would probably take about 2 long armed adults to wrap their arms around the base of it. We took him to a friends to BBQ. To see their new super cute patio. So So nice!! And the kiddo was surrounded by adults so climbing the tree kept him busy for a bit. He LOVES to go there and the “grandma” was visiting from Venezuela and she loves him. He was super respectful and said “Gracias”  and smiled, nodded and even hugged her when appropriate. She was beaming as was our friends wife. My kiddo just loves there house. He gets to play with dogs, climb trees, hang out with the adults and be waited upon. Couldn’t be worse I don’t think. Haha.

 

So I am playing with my new microphone headset. It is super clear. I have been working with a few online so needed one. I look like a time life operator with it on. My kiddo says “it is the coolest”. He had to try it on, but took it off before a picture could be taken.  

So here is my audio update! CLICK HERE.  It’s a WMA file.

 

I know I am weird, but it is so fun to try new things.

 

 

New things… well we are just trying tons of new recipes here. We are working on accumulating them with pictures and little stories about our cooking adventures. Hopefully it will be a super neat cookbook for the family.

 

Also, new things, rumor is the e-craft is coming out soon. Should be shipping and all that and ahhh. Well. I am nervous to put my money down til I know that folks are getting them, but I haven’t had a new machine in about a year. So I think I am ready for another. Haha. Just new things… right?? Gotta try them!  And an old thing which I don’t have anymore, but the ladies on the “more” team have been chatting about… a pen tablet. Hmm.. I am considering one of these again. I loved it when I had it before. Oh I just love the gadgets.

 

Have a wonderful day!!!!!!

 

 

 

Enjoy!

Chris

www.visualdesignsbychris.com

Over 6 years creating cutter files…. I am still in love with my machines and giddy at a happy cut!!!

http://visualdesignsbychris.blogspot.com/

 

My birthday dinner .. day…

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Last week was my birthday. I started out the day on my way to camp for the kiddo and the truck broke down. Blew the high pressure gas line. So called AAA and my wonderful hubby (knight in shining armor) came to rescue me and I got to spend the day with him. Oh so the best!! I hate to deal with vehicle issues it makes me nutz. So my hubby coming to get me was just the best. I was met at the door of my MIL house with a plate of fruit and Happy Birthday card. SO awesome. Killed her to not make a cake, but I really loved the fresh fruit.  My father braved our dirt road with his motorcycle to hand deliver a card from my Mom. So nice. Just lots of wonderful.
We went to El Charro Cafe for dinner at Rancho Sahuarita. Fantastic was tons of fun. I was trying to crop this picture of my hubby and I to get rid of the corona bottle. However, seeing mykiddo pop in on the left just cracked me up. He loves to be in the pics with us.
I cropped out his virgin strawberry daquiri here.
El Charro did a phenomenal job on my birthday. We got to sit, chat, had an excellent server. No frowns when my kiddo dropped his drink and sprite went everywhere. Super great. We went back on Friday night and tried the patio. well after waiting 20 minutes for my hubby to get a beer. I went to the bar with cash. There were a ton to ton of wait staff out on the patio which was filling up quickly. However, no one wanted to touch us because we had already placed an order with someone. It really is a bummer to talk to three waiters and not one want to walk ten feet to get you your drinks/food/ something. I get it that there is a system, but ugh. Then the folks next to us were complaining left and right and considering leaving after waiting for 30 minutes. We started asking every person who went by for our server, but nowhere to be found. Finally we found her. I think she was a little upset I bypassed her and ran to get a drink (sitting on the outdoor patio at 100 degrees even in the shade requires some kind of livation. Water even would be good) Anyways, my only comment was they are gonna have to figure the system out. took us about 30 minutes to get two little appetizer plates. And the chips both times we went were just the bottom crumbs not even whole pieces. So we will be asking for a basket of chips next time seperately so we aren’t dipping with the tips of our fingers. Will we go back? absolutely. We’ll give it a few more tries I am sure. The food is phenomenal. The setting is beautiful. And we were told there will be music on the weekends. So even better. Somewhere close to home we can go have a seat and visit with friends and relax after a long hard week. Oh and the Margaritas are delish too. woohoo! haha. Shrimp ChimCharra (bacon wrapped shrimp) with fantastic sauce to go with yum yum. Queso Fondant… oh cheese… yum wow and yum. Our tacos on my birthday were just fantastic as well. Delicious and our friend Bryan went with us and he brought home some rolled chicken tacos and left them in our fridge. Welll… They didn’t last. I called him and told him they were gone. He laughed. and Here are some pics below. He wanted a “nice” picture with my kiddo. And my kiddo just wanted to grab him and hear him giggle. So nice to see Uncle Bryan smiling.
We had lots of fun.
 
Thank you to all those who wished me Happy Birthday! I greatly appreciate it. And it is gonna be a phenomenal year!!! Cannot wait to take it on!!
Enjoy!
Chris
Chris Durnan, designer at www.visualdesignsbychris.com GSD KNK WPC AI SCUT files for your personal digital cutters for use with scrapbooking, cardmaking and other hobbies. Whatever your creative mind can come up with!

My files work on many machines. Some of them are: Klik-n-kut, Pazzle, Wishblade, Silhouette, Cricut, Craft Robo. Some of the software involved with these machines are: Funtime, Scrapbooking, WinPC/Signlab, Inkscape, Create & Cut, Illustrator, KNK Studio, Robomaster, DesignMaster and the list goes on….. Enjoy!

And our cutter file “freebies” are kept in the forum. We add to them as we can.

haven’t posted…

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I haven’t psoted much this week because I had a lot going on. My kiddo was in summer camp. And we celebrated my birthday. (Which there is a sale going on in the store) and I have pictures I want to upload to my blog, but my camera/usb cable is having issues. This bugs me big time. Rrrr. Well that’s what I have been.
So I am around and working in the background.  Today I am cutting some memorial stickers for my sister in law (for her step-mom) and freezing some more of this 20 lb box of tomoatoes. So far I have made salsas and today I plan to blanch them, peel and cut them into smaller chunks and freeze for winter stews and chilis. Super easy to do. Also, I have eaten a bunch. Fresh from the “box” haha. $7.00 through bountiful baskets and I thought it was gonna be this box of Roma tomatoes or smaller, but ended up being these big beautiful tomatoes that my kiddo and I have been eating in thick slices with a little sea salt on them. Yum yum. And they are warm from sitting on the counter. So even more yum. Reminds me of sitting in the garden with my Dad in Wisconsin and deciding which one to pick off the vine and munch on. Ahh those memories. I should scrap that one. Definitely. Such a wonderful memory. And tomorrow is Father’s Day. My hubby got his gift early. He wants to get into leather crafting. So we went to the leather craft store and got some stamps and tools etc for Father’s Day. He is very excited and I am excited for him. Secretly tho’ I was thinking…. Maybe I could cut that pattern on my Klik-n-kut? Maybe not cut it but run the embossing blade or something just to make an impression on the leather.. hmm… hmm… well I’ll let him play first. Then I might have to take a stab at it. And I must say the catalog for the leather stuff intrigues me. All the “bling” belts I have and other items. I am finding all the tools to put them together. Ohhhh my fingertips are itching to give it a try…. It’s like the buzzing I get when I am frantically trying to finish a set of files because I want to cut them on my digital cutter. Haha.. It’s an addiction I tell ya’. And addiction!! Well I am off to measure the wall in my craft room. I have an idea  haha. Another idea anyways. We’ll see how it works out.   Hope you have a great weekend!!
Enjoy!
Chris
Over 6 years creating cutter files…. I am still in love with my machines and giddy at a happy cut!!!

ahhh.. livin’ the life

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So lots on the mind today. However, not one solid thought. I have my hands workin’ on a lot of things and I just noticed a June 22nd date for  a new release of a Janet Evanovich book Sizzling Sixteen. I love Grandma Mazur and Stephanie Plum. I read these books from start to finish. And if it is at night sitting on the couch with the light on late at night giggling as I go. Just love them.

 

Another thing I have been waiting for happened this week also… El Charro Café opens. Woohoo! Close to me. I don’t live in the neighborhood of many restaurants and the choices are thin, but this makes me sooo o happy. And just in time for my birthday.

 

Also, I have been working on putting together the newsletter.

 

And working on more files for the QMC. This one is gonna run up to the End of June and I will leave it open as usual for a few extra weeks to get all downloaded. I have a lot in the works. Just hard to get them completed with the little one home from school.

 

And the little one… he is on a roll! Recently changed my wii character. So when I stood on it to a wii fit step aerobics class. I got this warning from the wii game to not hold anything while I was being weighed and it freaked out that I had gained about 100 lbs since my last weigh in. Welll Helllo!! My skinny minny kiddo ran the weight test last time. So when it added the weight he got to watch my mii balloon up on the tv. Which he thought was HILLARIOUS! I told my hubby about it and he laughed sooooo hard.  I was like thanks guys. Thanks so much.

 

So in the thick of planning Father’s Day and thinking I shoulda mailed my Dad’s card earlier. I am always so late. I am just not good with remembering birth days and sending things on time. Ahh tis life.

 

My kiddo had his first detectives class today. He was very cute. He keeps asking questions that are slightly more specific then the last. He says “I AM Detecting Mom!” to cute!

 

Well I am off… Just wanted to say Hi! I am a live and workin’ away on items for everyone.

 

Have a wonderful day!
Enjoy!

Chris