Visual Designs by Chris

Chris Durnan

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Archives for March 2010

Weekend projects.. Collage Art and Panda Bears

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Here are my past weekend projects. First we had the Panda Bear presentation. As a kindergartner my kiddo has to make his first oral presentation. So very excited for him. He even purchased a “pointer” for better explaining. I cut out all the pieces and layed them how they were called for on the research sheet and my kiddo glued and stuck them down. Hard for me not to freak and recut another A because it is backwards or crooked, but ahhh. it’s his report so I can stand back. I think he did a great job. And he has almost all the details memorized. Most of these pics we printed out from the internet. So thank you to all those out there who can take pics of Panda Bears without you our board would have been boring!

And this was my personal project for the weekend. Collage art. Have you ever seen these were folks painstakingly glue down the 36 heart they have cut out with a punch and place them equally perfect on a grid. WOW so why not just make a cutter file. Cut it. then back it with whatever paper choices you want. And some of them fold up. I cut it twice. Once and put it in a 12×12 shadow box and another time and put it in an 8×10 shadow box. you need a frame with depth so you can fold up the hearts and give it a 3d look. I have a ton of these templates I am working on.

So the other thought… If you want to just get this and try it. It will be in the store as an early bird file for the next Quarterly Membership Club as one of my frame it collection. I hope you like and can think of all the possible ways you can make this your own. great for housewarming gifts. back it with smiling pictures. matching decor paper. All kinds of ideas!! Even a card and stamp the word love in the hearts. lots and lots. Well back to it I go. This was my creativity this weekend. I hope you like because there will be more.
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.

Giant Pandas

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This layout uses digital personal cutter files CD00682 – Panda Bear that was a file available in a QMC that Chris runs in her Store on a quarterly basis. A new QMC has just hit the Store and, at $10 for 20 plus files, is fantastic value.
 
Adelaide Zoo (South Australia) has recently taken on a pair of Giant Pandas and this file was perfect. I found a picture of bamboo which I altered in Photoshop to use as my background. Styles and textures have been added to the Cutter files to give them texture and dimension.
 
Designed to show that cutter (Cricut, Pazzles, Klic N Kut etc) files can be used digitally!
 
Thanks for looking,
 
cheers, caz

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CD00223 Just as cute as a bunny
Tattered Angels: Marshmallow, Coffee Shop, Meadow Green
A La Mode: Glitter Collection
Martha Stewart: Glitter Collection
Doodlebug: Sugar Coating
Bazzil Basics Cardstock
Digi-Cutter Files offered in SCUT, GSD, KNK, WPC & AI (SVG) at www.visualdesignsbychris.com

https://www.visualdesignsbychris.com/3107/

I’m not leaving…

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A few days ago I get this statement thrown at me “I’m not leaving.” It is said in a matter of fact challenging way. My 5 soon to be 6 year old has decided to make a stance. So we’ll go with it.
I know where this is coming from. A few weeks ago off the cuff my handsome hubby said.. “When you move out.” For a brief moment my son’s eyes flashed as his life and all his world possessions flashed before his eyes and there was a great pause. I have no idea what the rest of the topic was, but he stopped my hubby and said. “What? Why would I leave? Where would I go? “ My hubby tried to explain in a manner that explained as you become a man you go through phases in life. I think my son thought my husband would come to a point in life where he would kick him out. I could see at the time. I let it go. Stayed out of it. As a Mom there are those things you know you will come back to and discuss again. And you know your hubbies intentions, but are glad the conversation ended with. Wanna watch John Wayne? And they sat on the couch watching good vs evil and making their way. Not worrying about where their possessions were in the world, but that they were just together.
So as I thought the topic comes around… “I’m not leaving.” I smiled at my kiddo and said well where were you going? A good quizzical look on my face instead of the giggle over the “tough stance” I am being presented with. He says now with his arms across his chest. “when I get old, I’m not leaving.” Apparently, we have been thinking about this conversation for a while and we waited ‘til Dad was gone. I smiled again and say “oh that” .. the 5 almost 6 with an attitudes comeback. “I’m not leaving.” I sit down on our footstool and look at him as he walks toward me because he has grown so much we are eye to eye or I could be incredibly short. He walks up arms crossed. I tell him.. “well a lot of times. Kids get older and decide they want to move out go to college go places do things without their Mom and Dad.” The little one throws his arms around my neck. “I AM NOT LEAVING”. My comeback. “ well ya know what… You’re 5 you can’t leave. You have to finish school. You have to finish high school. Then you can think about it,  but for now I am in charge and you can’t leave at least until your 18.” The sigh of relief when you are almost 6 .. .18 seems just an impossible time away. I get the double tight squeeze hug. “ and since you can’t leave… well we got homework to do and your room needs cleaned. “ Well for a moment.. just a teensy moment.. teeny tiny.. I was the favorite parent and not the homework pushing, room cleaning, rule following parental unit. Just a teensy moment and then……. I get the eye roll and I know all is right again with the world. Yeah.. I am glad he isn’t leaving just yet either and I can’t even think about when it does come. wew.. Love my guys.. love my life.

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.

Crafty Easter Bunny.

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So what kinda bunny comes to your house? At our house, Easter is the one holiday we spend with just the three of us. We may at times run here or there, but basically we plan it around just us. So many holidays we run everywhere. But not this one. My Son loves that our Easter bunny hides his basket and he has to go on a treasure hunt for it. He has been checking all the possible places to make sure it didn’t get left early. Our Easter bunny is also a “crafty one”. I was very worried when he was younger about the tons of candy he would get so rather then put candy in our Bunnies basket he gets a lot of craft items. I had very good reason as his little tummy would not handle it and then we would deal for a week if he had a high sugar intake day. He still can have this problem from to time, but at the age of 5 he has convincingly told me that he just eats the frosting off cupcakes and pitches the rest because then he won’t have as much sugar. I love this analytic thought because I totalllly agree who wants all that regular flour anyways. BLECK! (but alas gluten free chocolate chip cookies are NO problem at all as I made a batch friday night and they were gone Saturday before noon!). Haha. I also knew that he would get a lot of sugar on some occasions and didn’t stress about it. His birthday is usually Easter weekend so sugar high doses are inevitable. it is the way it goes. And now that he is realizing when he gets sicko he is making better choices himself. It is very interesting to me to see him grow up and the choices he makes when they are handed to him. Our crafty bunny made some purchases this weekend. Some fun foam for starters to use on this Darice E-Z cuts it.

I know it is amazing how ones addiction to a digital cutter can spill over and affect your family. Hahaha. This is not a digital one, but a hobby cutter that he can cut balsa wood and fun foam and other items. I am excited because between the two of my guys there is always some drawing, blueprint, or architectural drawing in the works. And this way he and I can tinker throughout the summer and see what the kiddo can come up with. Also, I got the cutest darn stuff bunny for 2.99. I wish I had gotten one for myself. So So cute and soft. And also a snap-tite star wars luke skywalker starfighter model. (I think it looks like this I already hid the box. woops. )
 I can remember doing models with my Dad when were little. I couldn’t miss a holiday without something star wars or clone wars or something. I think I will get him some jelly beans and one chocolate bunny to go with. There are also a few other crafty trinkets we can work on over the summer.
So Easter is about the candy also… What’s your favorite? These are mine Cadbury mini hard shell eggs. These aren’t the mooshy in the middle ones which I also like as well, but these ones are the best. Hmmm.. And my other favorite is a white chocolate easter bunny from See’s candy or a bordeaux Easter egg from See’s Candy. Past that the rest is edible, but not the tops in my world. What’s your favorite? And what are your traditions?

I think we will end out the day on horseback, building a star wars ship, or just enjoying eachothers company. Really wonderful. … love my life…

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.

QMC – All Files uploaded… Jan-Mar 2010

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 ::: My second post today:: for those interested in the Freckles and Kiddo story, please scroll down::::

 

WOOOHOOO!!! Another one done!

All right folks all the files for this quarter are up in the forum and at the 4shared link.

Here is the list of files you should have downloaded as a member.  

You will have until the 11th of April to get them all downloaded from either location.

1. My Love for You – CD00646
2. Heart Treat Bag – CD00651
3. Purrfect Kitty Border – CD00647
4. Happy Valentine’s Day – CD00650
5. Best Retirement Plan Card Front – CD00649
6. Retirement Sunrises – CD00648
7. Fancy Dancy Heart Collection – CD00652
8. Fancy Edges Collection – CD00653
9. I Cook With Wine – CD00655
10. Kitchen is the Heart… – CD00654
11. You Are Invited – CD00663
12. Just a Pocket – CD00665
13. The Rest of the Story – CD00666
14. Flower Bed Edge Borders – CD00664
15. Tags – CD00678
16. 2 Piece Oversized Square Envelope – CD00686
17. Every Day I Miss You – CD00673
18. Beloved Pet – CD00685
19. Bubble Mats – CD00672
20. Luck Fanciful Edge – CD00676
21. Mask Template – CD00675
22. Snow Globe – CD00677
23. Lucky Cupcake Wrappers – CD00680
24. Born of my Heart – CD00679
25. Up the Page Set 2 – CD00634
26. Panda Bear – CD00682
27. Jumping Rope – CD00684
28. Bless this food "frame it col." – CD00683
29. Flower Garden Playing Cards – CD00687

 

 

And here is your last chance to get them, I will be taking this membership Jan-Mar 2010 down from the store by Sunday night.

 Here is the link to purchase the Jan-Mar 2010 Membership http://www.visualdesignsbychris.com/store/product.php?productid=16874

After purchasing, please download the pdf for more info in the store. You will have until the 11th of April to download.

I will try to add new members to the forum as quickly as I can throughout the weekend. You will have instant

access to the 4shared by downloading the pdf with your order.

 

The next membership for Apr-June 2010 will hit the store soon. Keep an eye out for this if you want the early bird files. It will be next week!

I will post a notice in my yahoo group and on my blog when it hits the store.

 

Thank you to everyone who continues to support me and my family by participating in my membership.

Have a wonderful day!

 

 

 

Enjoy!

Chris

http://visualdesignsbychris.blogspot.com

 

www.visualdesignsbychris.com

 

Membership Club $10 for 20 plus files SVG GSD KNK WPC AI SCUT

 

 

Freckles is on the wrong side of the fence….

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The drama as a five year old pushes into the house through the door. Knocks my older barely moving dog with the door and yells. “Freckles is on the wrong side of the fence”. Seriously …. is my only thought. Will I never ever get these last two files done. NEVER. “Okay I am coming” I walk to the shoe bin. This big bucket full of shoes which is actually a storage bin. We used to use a basket but the little stones get all over. This way they stay in the bucket. Did I mention we live in the dirt? Oh I digress. Back to the drama at hand. I grab a quick pair of chunky flip flops. “MOM” the five year old is nearly bouncing in fear. His fear is not ill placed. The coyotes are bad and they have been baiting our dogs to no avail. And our Freckles border collie thinks everyone and everything is super nice. Totally big bad wolf story headlines here. So we need to get her back inside the fence. Our older dog usually alerts me when the young dog has gone wayward, but last I saw her she was enjoying her afternoon siesta on the floor of the laundry room. So I walk out the door and look. Yep there she is on the edge of the wash which drops about 12 feet down in a vertical drop. And that’s where the coyotes have recently been spotted the most. So I walk up to her and she is whining. I put my arms as over the fence as best I could. Thank goodness for the chunky flip flop 3 inches and try to grab her. No go. She played dead dog and just hung there and I couldn’t lift her. So I sigh.. I turn around. My son is standing behind me with the phone. I am gonna call the fire dep’t. (I roll my eyes) the ambulance(another roll) MOM STOP ROLLING YOUR EYES. He has the phone up. And I say “I am gonna walk to Uncle Bryan’s” our neighbor and see if she will follow the fenceline and come back in… My sputtering 5 year old behind me… Mom. Mom. Mom. I am gonna call Dad. He is already dialing the number I keep walking. I can hear the rantings and the ravings behind me. I keep calling the dog so she will walk along the fence some. She is whining like we left her.. Or maybe she thinks WE threw her over the fence to be on the wrong side of the world? I get to the gate. And open it.. call a few more times and she finally comes and through the gate. I hear a big “WEW. Well Dad I guess Mom got it.”  I told my kiddo tomorrow you will have to ride fence with Dad and see where she got out. “ride fence” ha. Around our small acreage, but it sounded very John Wayne. So he ate it up. OKAY. He proceeded to lecture his dog about not going through a fence and staying near the house etc. She bounced and bounced hearing nothing, but happy to be on the right side of the fence for a moment.

 

My hubby pulls up about 20 minutes later and my son says. “Dad.. Mom says we are gonna have to “ride fence”” He smiles. My hubby looks at me and smiles. Yep this man is my knight in shining armour. I call him to when I feel perplexed and totally lost and not sure where to get next. So I know why my kiddo calls him when he thinks Mom doesn’t have it under control. And my hubby does the same and calls me when he needs to bounce the trials and tribulations of the world off someone to see if it makes any sense. I sure love his companionship in this life. And.. oh yes.. I see he brought the ice.. woohoo! Limonade here I come… Oh darn.. I still have to work on that file. ::Sigh:: back to it I go.

 

However, I do…  Love my life….

 

 

Enjoy!

Chris

http://visualdesignsbychris.blogspot.com

 

www.visualdesignsbychris.com

 

Membership Club $10 for 20 plus files SVG GSD KNK WPC AI SCUT

 

 

Sooo irritated ….

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Well just an irritation. I have two files one in completion. The other two passes away from completion to go into the Quarterly Membership Club. And well my computer has been funkier then all get out. So of course I go through the mental checklist (because my hubby could fix it, but well his favorite word for me the “software junkie” in the family is to just “reformat” ugh ugh)… when did I last backup, when did I last have the virus scan work or see it run, when did I last do this that and all the other things you have to do to keep it going. So I worked on this and that while those two files just burn at the back of my mind. Two files! Two files and woohoo! Another quarter in the bag done finished finito. Well.. it is doing it again. Do I reboot? Do I what? I have so many programs that load when I reboot I might as well call it a coffee break or go start the laundry (laundry eck who wants to do that today? Yikes) so I sit here and wait. I am working along I am fine yeah I might get it done. Rrrrrrrrr again it freezes. I can roll the screen up and down with my mouse but I can’t click the back I can’t click the buttons nothing. Nothing happens. All I can do is move the screen up and down. Do I reboot again. Do I walk away. Do I just decide today is the day for laundry? I put my hands on the keyboard and rest there and use the mouse on board my laptop and it works… hmm.. well let’s see. It seems my computer is not frozen. It seems it is that time of month again. Yes that time where well… yeah…  I need new batteries in my wireless mouse. THANK goodness I didn’t call my hubby. It would have been the first question every time I presented a question about my computer. Thank goodness. Thank goodness.

 

And with that.. I am off to work on those last two files  for this quarter and work on the bonus files for joining for next quarter in the first few days…

 

Maybe today woulda been a good laundry day!

 

 

Enjoy!

Chris

http://visualdesignsbychris.blogspot.com

 

www.visualdesignsbychris.com

 

Membership Club $10 for 20 plus files SVG GSD KNK WPC AI SCUT

 

 

Candle Flower

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I used the tag from CD00678 to make this birthday flower for my ma.  I saw something similar on a Stampin’ up website a while back and added a few changes to make it my own.  I hold a craft class for some ladies at church one Sunday a month and this will be this month’s project.  Loved the shape of this tag for the project.  Many neat tags in this set!

~Angie~
~I am blessed!!~
Tact is the intelligence of the heart

Visual Designs by Chris Creative Team Member
http://www.visualdesignsbychris.com

Boys, Jet Planes and big ol smiles

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I had to share this picture from my hubby. My son actually is on the floor
right now playing with his jet plane he got from the airshow. He seemed to
have lots of fun! And yes.. it is time for me to buy him some bigger clothes
as he seems to have started growing out of most of them.

Enjoy!
Chris