Visual Designs by Chris

Chris Durnan

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Add your Party or Celebration Post!!

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We are on countdown to the VDBC Anniversary Party! The time of year, we celebrate and party in the forum. So here is how you can start and get in the mood.

I am interested in any craft project you have posted on your blog that is Anniversary, Birthday, Celebration, or just a great party! It can be an appetizer recipe, a decoration, a card for a birthday. I am not super picky. The only picky is you will need to have the VDBC logo in the post  or a link to my blog here and that you are celebrating with us. So others can join in as well!! or if is an older post you just need to add the VDBC logo in the sidebar of your blog. (Here is the URL to upload it from our site http://webadmin.automatit.net/user_files/30205/avatar200.jpg  Thank you for your supporting our partying!)

So the options are wide open and full of fun. Invite others to join us in the celebration! We love to see new faces.

My posts to celebrate are here.

My Sister at a family birthday party. haha for her daughter. Cute. Couldn’t resist reposting this one. Okay it’s not really homemade but it was a Princess Party.

Okay so here is a homemade celebrate image from a baby shower I went to for a friend and her sister who is also my friend made the cake. Super Cute.

Can’t wait to see what you have to come up with. This will close on Wednesday, October 12th. So you have a few days to share in the fun and get read for the party.

Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy! Chris

Fine print: need to have VDBC badge in post or sidebar (Right click on VDBC image in this post and save for your blog or use this url http://webadmin.automatit.net/user_files/30205/avatar200.jpg, if you are trying to sell digital cutter files with your submission please just enjoy others entries and refrain from posting, and if you don’t have a blog and can figure out how to link to it, you can upload to our gallery and post from there. This is my first time, but if it’s possible you are welcome to it! I’d love to see all entries.

To get quick fun updates of things going on, you can join my facebook page.
My files in the store can be located here. Thank you for stopping by!

3D Pumpkin from October Grab Bag

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Yesterday,  I posted on my facebook page about a coupon from Bic Mark-It. I use these pens all the time. I have a little tin pail of them. My son loves them as well. I use them in the Scout meetings. I will post one of those pics soon.

I used the Bic Mark-It pens on this 3d pumpkin from the  October Grab Bag. I wanted a 3-d pumpkin to use for some decorating and I wanted a 3-d one to put in the middle of a card for my Dad. Here is a photo of the 3-d version I made into a table place holder with a toothpick and name and pen on it. And I mentioned the Bic Mark-It pens because I used them to color the edges of the popcorn after glueing to cover any white spots. Also the orange was just a little darker after coloring which give each pumpkin cut a nice trim. There are instructions inside the file on how to create this 3-d pumpkin. And also a fall leaf mat for any project you might have. If you create one of these I would love to see it in the October Grab Bag Challenge in the forum.

You can see the other files included in the October Grab Bag and purchase it here for only $7.00.

Friday you will want to stop by my blog. Think Anniversary, Party, celebration, Birthday. Do you have any of those type of projects you have a picture of? Keep them close at hand!!

Have a Terrific Tuesday!
Enjoy!
Chris

PS other anniversary party tips. clean up that Wishlist in the store. Also, make sure you have subscribed to my facebook page and/or the followers on this blog. Past participants know about all the challenges and fun! Enjoy!



To get quick fun updates of things going on, you can join my facebook page.
My files in the store can be located here. Thank you for stopping by!

1st file of the QMC and the orange glitter saga!!

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 Welcome to Monday! Thank you to everyone who has joined the QMC . I have entitled this one “the gift” as I am focusing on gifts we can make for the holidays. So the files will have those intentions. An already loaded file is this Roadway Monogram which I have posted about previously on my blog and decided to add it to the QMC. the full alphabet. I made each letter individually for this set and I hope you like! You can join the QMC here to start out with this  file!

Here is mine above on a magnet board with some magnetized party favor cars.
And below is the file in use from Sussann. You can see she posts about the file in the forum here.
So fun I love Sussann’s work! Thanks Sussann.
Also, I am a designer for this month’s grab bag.
Here are one of my files for the grab bag…

This is what I needed the orange glitter for. The one above has a battery operated tea light inside. and below it doesn’t. This is my Mason Jar love post. I love Mason Jars. I have them everywhere. These ones are old and from a box of craft supplies my Mom gave me.

So for the orange glitter jar. I took the premise of the glitter ornaments from a few years ago that were made with glitter and added it to a jar. So first I took the Pledge with future shine and put a squirt or two in the jar. Swirled it around so the whole inside gleamed with this liquid. I then took the glitter and dumped some in and put the lid on  ::key step:: lid on. haha. Now shake it like crazy until you get the coating you want then I let it sit open to dry for a day and overnight. Then dumped the lose glitter out. In retrospect I might not use so much glitter so the battery operated tea light would glow better. I personally would not put a candle in this. yikes! But the Pledge future shine dries well because it has an acrylic finish. I have read in other places folks have done the same thing with diamond glaze. If you are interested in the two images for your halloween projects. One is a spider web and spider and the other is a cat, tree and moon scene which you can use as you’d like.
So thank you to everyone who helped me with the Orange Glitter search. I now have extra for anything else glittery I can think of! Yeah! Hope you like the file. It is now in the grab bag which you can purchase here along with a bunch of others. And Lori’s first week bonus file!
Okay have a fantastic Week! Enjoy! Chris

To get quick fun updates of things going on, you can join my facebook page.
My files in the store can be located here. Thank you for stopping by!

World Card Making Day Inspiration & Showcase

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It’s World Card Making Day!! What does that mean? Well you make cards or just look at them for inspiration and pizzazz and just plain old creative fun.

And after you are done here you can visit… Ginger,  then  Ileana &  then Lori. They plan to post some inspiration as well. It’s a VDBC Designers and Friends. We should do this more often How fun! Let’s plan on it. If you have a card posted on your blog today. Comment below I would love to see.
Also, the newsletter is coming out today. Don’t forget to look for that. or I will post the link on my facebook. I worked on it all day Friday. woohoo. It’s full of good stuff.

Now for my card and more….

I wanted to share with you a file from my new QMC loaded to the store. He is a floating Santa. So cute.
I have this file to Caz as a special projects for holiday cards and she outdid herself by opening up the digital file and instead of cutting it she created a digital card first and then she cut the card afterwards and did a traditional one as well. How fantastic!!!

Here are the Cards from Caz and I will post some more info on them next week.

Isn’t this Santa cutey! You can find him in the new QMC. And here is some info on that. There are some change so please read the description carefully in the store. And I have already loaded a few files. Like the whole Roadway Monogram Set.

And, also, don’t forget the new October Grab Bag is here. you can see larger images in the store, Buy it in the first week and you will get a bonus Halloween file.
We have so many goodies it is our own kinda Trick or Treating.

It is so full of fun files. I think an October Grab Bag Challenge is definitely in order!
First week buys get the extra file! Don’t be late. Enjoy!
Chris

To get quick fun updates of things going on, you can join my facebook page.
My files in the store can be located here. Thank you for stopping by!

Down the WoodFairy’s Path

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 I have an Aunt whose nickname is the Woodfairy. She spins these light and airy tales of magic and happiness. Reading them just makes me smile. It lightens my mood. I have even copied one or two in my “read it again folder” on my computer. Recently, she posted a where was she in life post. Was this what she had done in life comment. That self review type thing. I told her I thought she should capture these woodfairy posts and put them in a children’s book, if only for her grandchidren and their future children.  Then a few days later she posted a picture and I played with it. and put my own spin on it. I do believe I could hear her happiness from her mountain to my home in Arizona. She loved the photo. I hope one day she captures her whimsy or lets someone capture it for her to save and collect and cherish. So that is the thought behind these two pictures. And if you are reading this Aunt Elise. I love you and your happy posts  …. my heart beam.
Love,
The WoodFairy’s Niece.

 My Aunt’s Photo of her way to the home on the mountain… …

Now Close Your Eyes…. and scroll down with your finger

..
.

,
.
And Open… Don’t you see it!
I love to see people smile. Have a wonderful day!
Enjoy!
Chris
To get quick fun updates of things going on, you can join my facebook page.

My files in the store can be located here. Thank you for stopping by!

Chalkboard Paint Wine Glasses

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Trying something new…
I have seen these glasses all around the net. They make me think of our family Thanksgiving and the never ending question. Is this your glass? Is this your glass? I am not sure where I left my glass? Is this it? My hubby is connossiuer of wine. One of his many wonderful traits. love it. I, myself, am not really a wine partaker. however, I have been to a few wine tastings it blows my mind when the food changes the flavor of the wine. But for the most part I am not a partaker.  So I grabbed some chalk board paint and had a box of extra wine glasses in the storage from a gift. So I grabbed them, taped them off and spray painted. I went and bought some chalk and done. So super easy and if I added a ribbon to each just in a bow they would be a great and easy addition to our Thanksgiving party. Just need chalk to get your name on your glass and not have to remember which Wine glass ring was yours or did you switch from red to white because someone mentioned how red your teeth/lips were. haha. 
Oh and do you like the Spider Goblets? my hubby got them for decoration. I used them as a prop. My friend Heidi is probably rolling her eyes about now. haha. But a white poster board pretend light box and I needed something to spice it up. (I am in Halloween and Fall mode working on some grab bage files. woohoo)

As usual I found this idea on the web and I started with where I found it and went from post to post to post bouncing and bouncing to find an original and couldn’t so I was inspired and here is my take on them. Thank you out there to the inspirational people out there.

And I think I am addicted to Chalkboard Paint!!! I have been spraying surfaces oh sooooo fun!! So I am sure there will be more ideas to come.

Have a Wonderful and Happy Thursday!
Enjoy!
Chris

To get quick fun updates of things going on, you can join my facebook page.
My files in the store can be located here. Thank you for stopping by!

Welcome to Sam & Hailey Designs

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Have you seen this lady above this morning? Her name is Jan and she is with Tim Holtz. How fun! Well Jan is also the creative force behind Sam & Hailey Designs. If you haven’t seen this picture yet, then you have missed her very creative blog with color swatches, cut files, trends. The link is here.

Other place you can see here is….. wait for it…. wait for it…. At VDBC!!! Wooohoo! Jan has joined the “More” team. I have known Jan for some time and Jan is also a “neighbor” She lives a few miles away and I get to see her on some Saturday mornings super early over fruits and veggies! Yeah. I am so happy to have her join the site. I think her style of files is beautiful, creative and absolutely innovative. Her “Nerdy” background  helps her to build some really smooth and useful files. (she calls it “Nerdy” not me! I love it. )

Take a peak at her files in the store…. and also don’t forget to add a few to your wishlist. I will see if we can talk her into a few wishlist give aways in the future!! I know some of her files are on my wishlist. You can visit her store HERE.

How wonderful!! I am so excited to see her files hitting the store. Also, look for a special newsletter challenge in the October 1st newsletter. Coming out shortly make sure to join on the front page of the store so you get your copy!!!  And Jan is here just in time to celebrate our Anniversary Party with us! How exciting is that. Well it is for me! I am surrounded by a phenomenal group of creators.

Welcome Jan!

The QMC update. I hope to load the QMC in the store this weekend some time. I have been working on files to upload as well my files for the October Grab bag! So it is a coming. I will post here, in the newsletter and on my yahoo group! So you won’t miss it. Have a wonderful day!
Thanks for joining me in another beautiful day!
Enjoy!
Chris

PS for Facebook fans. I have orange glitter finally and have started on my project! Thanks for everyones help!

To get quick fun updates of things going on, you can join my facebook page.

My files in the store can be located here. Thank you for stopping by!

layout with Chris Durnan’s SVG cutting file

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Hubby and I went to Cumberland Gap over the Fourth of July holiday. I saw Chris’s file of letters that look like pieces of road and knew it would be perfect for a Road Trip layout. As always, you can find Chris and all her fantastic files here. Another Quarterly Membership Club is getting ready to gear up, don’t miss out!

Sussann

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

Where did you find them?

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Sharing Facebook… I thought some of you might find this humorous. So reposting here on my blog.
Okay so yesterday I was in the studio and I posted on facebook….
My hubby is riding horse. I am in the studio lost in daze as I watch him out the window. I am so blessed with a handsome hubby. On a side note my son is going through all my drawers in the craft room to find something to do this break. he has found my fireworks, glow sticks, paint, glitter, chalkboard paint. oh man the list goes on! Right now he is running around with rubber gloves on? I don’t know? just because? Apparently I will need to replace them next time I glue. I have a feeling I won’t be getting them back. I hate glue on my hands.

Here is my followup today…

I never got the gloves back. I asked where they were.. his reply with a serious are you kidding me look was… "Mom you have a whole box. you can’t just share one pair". ahhh.. okay. my response… "Where did you find them". I have been using the same pair for forever!

**

Yep I have my kiddo home with me for fall break. So I have pulled out the Holiday ornaments for him to make that I purchased on clearance last year. These are mostly stick on sticker, but I think it is important for him to not just “get” for Christmas but also give. So that is one project to keep his little hands busy. While thinking about what I could do to keep him busy for 2 of the 3 weeks (He has horse camp the last week. ) We made a to-do list  and it was promptly put on the fridge. I will take a picture it and post it. As he was  making his list, I said… Add Clean my bookshelf. It’s on the list but I got an eye roll. So hopefully we will get lots of fun pictures as well during these two weeks and lots accomplished. So if I am slow to respond til mornings. You will know why.  Because we are working on the “to-do” list in the afternoons.

And Orange Glitter. I am trying to find orange glitter. I stopped at a few places this weekend and none to be found. Orange glitter in October? Really? Hard to find? What? So tomorrow I hope to pick some up in my errands.

If you are wondering, yes there will be another QMC by Chris. Thank you to Lori for jumping in for me. I am working on files for it as we speak. I am focusing on files for gifts and cards. So I hope you come back and jump in when I load it to the store.

Have a wonderful day!

Enjoy!

Chris

 

Gfree White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal cookies.

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This weekend I decided to break down and make an oatmeal cookie. I have been thinking about an oatmeal cookie and craving one for a few weeks now. Finally it is time to try something. I had a bag of craisins from Ocean Spray and white chocolate chips so my plan was set.

 

Now time to find a recipe that I could make gfree. I used Pamela’s baking and pancake mix. I usually can swap this for flour with a 1 to 1 ratio. And I had Bob’s Red Mill gluten free oatmeal. So off I went. I followed this recipe HERE on the Ocean Spray website. Except with the switch out of a few gluten free replacements.

 

Mine didn’t come out like that chunky picture on their site, but more spread out and flat as you can see in my picture. (where did I get that black hue in the picture. Must be from my phone.) To do differently I would have cut the salt in half. I try to avoid salt so they seemed salty to me. My guys said they were yum. In fact I had to hide some up in the cupboard so they would last a few days.

 

I also cooked them about 4 minutes longer then indicated, but I had two trays baking at once and I used parchment paper on the cookie sheet. Nothing worse thaan making a cookie after waiting to do so and having it stick to the pan.

 

I put them in a Ziploc bag, well most of them,  so they could stay moist and chewey.

 

Other than that it has filled my craving for oatmeal cookie. And was a hit with my guys. Yeah!  Always adventures in gfree cooking.

 

Now for canning. 25 lbs of tomato sit on my counter waiting for beautiful jars to hold them. So that is my next project to under take. Yeah.

 

If you have a moment for  a prayer today, Maire, my husband’s cousin needs a prayer push over the threshold of surgery. We are praying her brain surgery comes off without a hitch and her medical staff is blessed with the knowledge to complete the surgery successfully. Her kids and hubby wait for her to come out of surgery and gain her life back. Thank you for sharing your moment of prayer with my family.

 

Have wonderful day!

Enjoy!

Chris