Visual Designs by Chris

Chris Durnan

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Wow. What a few days

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It has been a harrowing few days. So with that I wanted to take a moment and post a thank you post. To reflect on all those I am  thankful for. All of those around me that are positive and supportive in my life. The friends I have made through this adventure of an online store. Online blog. Online life. All of those little things that add up to such a major part of  my life.  My family. My love. My kiddo. Everything.

 

So thank you soooo much for your support and continued friendship and positive part of my life.

 

 

Enjoy!

Chris

http://visualdesignsbychris.blogspot.com

 

www.visualdesignsbychris.com

 

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

 

 

Today is reveal day…

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TODAY IS REVEAL DAY!!!

I have autopost this so you may still have the opportunity to get it at $7.00 but the price will increase to $8.00 today, Monday the 15th. This is only the second time we have done a grab bag, but wow! This one is so full you could cut and cut and cut for days!!! Get yours quickly so you can participate in the Grab Bag Challenge at the forum to win next month’s grab bag!Woohoo!! Check out all the files and cuts below.

You can purchase the grab bag HERE. The month of February is the only time you will get it wrapped together in a collection at such a great price. So have fun cutting and Enjoy!!!

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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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Many legends of history explain Valentine’s Day. some have to do with priests, martyrs and some with saints. Who knows. I just know for me it is a special day. It is the day my hubby proposed to me. Since that time and even before the proposal I have had this bond with this man that I just cherish. So this weekend we celebrated Valentine’s Day with a little dancing and some time together. Our lovely little boy went to his Nanna’s. So we can dance the night away. Dancing is something we love to do together.

I hope everyone can enjoy the day by doing something today you just LOVE to do. Whether it be for others, with others or just yourself.

I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day.. Here are some traditions I found on the web. I can remember twisting an apple stem til I got to a letter of the alphabet of someones name I would love.. hahah. . So I hope you enjoy the read…

Hundreds of years ago in England, many children dressed up as adults on Valentine’s Day. They went singing from home to home. One verse they sang was:

Good morning to you, valentine;


Curl your locks as I do mine —


Two before and three behind.


Good morning to you, valentine.

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, “You unlock my heart!”

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seeds that remain on the stem. That is the number of children you will have.

If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.

 
A love seat is a wide chair. It was first made to seat one woman and her wide dress. Later, the love seat or courting seat had two sections, often in an S-shape. In this way, a couple could sit together — but not too closely!

Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off.

Enjoy!
Chris

https://www.visualdesignsbychris.com/904/

Sales, Challenges, QMC update.. busy busy!

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Lots to add to your day or weekend.
Sales, 2 weekly challenge sign ups, QMC update… yeah yeah yeah…
Have a happy valentine’s day. Hopefully doing something you love
or spending time with someone you love!
Enjoy!

Chris
First… I am having a sale this weekend. So if you are in need of a file for a project in the next few weeks. Here is your chance to jump in and get a discount.
Add $5.00 worth of my items to your cart and take
40% off my items in the cart!!
Add $5.00 worth of Visual Designs by Chris

items* to your Cart

And receive 40% off of them.

Easy and a lot of fun!!!

Happy Shopping!

Enjoy!

Chris

*Does not include QMC or Grab Bag

Then next is the February grab Bag.. Monday will be the reveal so this weekend you can still get the purchase for $7.00.

If you are up early on Monday my blog will post the reveal on an autopost, if you are up and moving before me.. you may get to

Slide in there before the price is increased to 8.00. There is so much in this grab bag.

Here is where you can get more details

Weekly Challenge… I have posted two weekly challenges in the forum.

One is for this week and the theme is black and white

One is for a challenge at the end of March. It is a Charm Challenge.

A charm that I send to you…

Stop on in HERE and see what the details are!!

And the February Sketch Challenge with Die Cut Files is still available in the forum.

QMC QMC QMC QMC
I uploaded a few more zips to the QMC with lots of cuts in them.

We are on our way to lots of files!!

These are also uploaded to the 4shared link for those who like to use it to download.  

If you are not a QMC Member,. You can join to downlad these files. HERE.

Thats it for me…
Enjoy!
Chris

PS if you made it all the way through my post (which I know some of you will… ) and want to take a chance on winning a Feb Grag bag Visit Linda’s website to enter a comment and win… HERE…
Drawing will be held Sunday. So you will still have time to grab it at $7.00.
Even if you aren’t the lucky winner when you start unzipping all these files
You will feel like the file prize winner!!! Lots and Lots in this grab bag.

Valentine bag-CD00651

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This is a few variations of the file from this QMC, the Valentine bag CD00651. I cut original size (2 1/4 “) and cut a couple more an inch larger.  Then used stickles, metallic paper, bead spacers, & ribbon for embellishments.  The large red & silver one already has a gift ( horse charm bracelet) inside of it, for my pal (grandaughter)!  And the other two are spoken for as well!  So, I think these are going to be hits for Valentines Day! Thanks, Chris! These were so fun to cut and make!   (luv2bmamaw)  Melody

 

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What a Morning!!

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So I took the kiddo to school today. First, we had to wear the winter Clothes grandpa sent him for our upcoming visit in March. So he has on a new jacket and a new fuzzy winter hat. I tell him… You might want to just wear the jacket with the hood. The hat would be good for below 30 degrees with a windchill factor. It has ear flaps, a small pocket on the side of it even, lining… it is serious winter paraphenellia so he LOVES it (this is the boy who wants to beam our entire property to a colder place to live. He wants everything like it, but somewhere there is snow), but he says … “well It’s cold and I don’t want to get an ear infection”. Okay Yes. As a mother I cannot argue with this. Also as a mother I have learned to pick my battles.. So we are off fuzzy and oh so cute and adorable hat and all. Normally Dad takes the kiddo in, but alas today is Mom’s turn. Mom is a slow starter in the morning and can be a bit grumbly, but I try not to be. I know I am, but try not to be so when we walk out and the kiddo says… “let’s take the dually. We should take the dually. How about the dually mom?” Well the dually doesn’t fit with the other Mom’s in the parking lot who like to see how close they can get to the edge of the truck without crinkling a fender. And it also didn’t have the carseat. And we were already a bit late. And it was muddy. I don’t want the mud ground into the carpet into our new dually. So with many grumpy reasons I just say “let’s take the gray” which is our ‘94 f250.

But of course when we got there I realized the truck was super hard to turn and that I must have a flat or going flat tire. Sure enough. Going flat. So I see a friend of mine and tell her to listen for her phone I may be calling her if I don’t make it to the corner store. (The only corner store for miles, but about ½ mile from the school) So I walk the kiddo in and tell him I can’t stay to wait for bell because I want to get the truck to the air pump before it totally deflates. The last last thing I want to do this morning is change a tire. And it is damp and cold so I would consider calling triple A because the tires on the truck are so big I can barely move them sometimes. So I am bent down on my “haunches” for lack of a better word. My son grabs my face with both hands and squeezes them and says “ Don’t pop the tire. You’ll ruin the rim” And he walks to take his backpack to the hook at school. Happy with his mechanic advice. I am in a moment of pause because I am sure he has learned this from me because … well when you have a track record of 9 holes in one tire and they know your name at the tire store by sight. And have already pulled up your record by the time you walk in the store. Well let’s just say I have some tire wisdom and expertise to impart. So I say okay. I get another “leg-hug” and a I LOVE YOU MOM!! As he runs to the playground.

I take off at a near gallop to the truck and there is my wonderful friend. She smiles and says. I’ll wait for you. Seriously, could I be blessed with more wonderful people in my life. So she follows me down. I get out of the truck and my arms are just shaking from holding it straight on the road. Yes there was still air in it. So we pull up. Put Air in. She is on her way to starbucks. I thank her. And then I go to start the truck. Put it in drive and it dies. I go to start it… takes a few tries, but it does and then it dies. She gets out. Comes over and says whats up. I tell her. She and I look under the hood to make sure the belt isn’t gone and the engine still looks similar to when I saw it last. You know.. Slightly dirty with a dash of mud. Yeah. It’s still dirty. And of course I am on my toes because I can’t see in it unless I use the extra length of my genetically stubby toes. I call my hubby and I am just frazzled. I don’t normally get to frazzled but I am thinking about all the work I have to do. Everything I have to get accomplished sitting at home. The time this is going to wipe from my day so after a few tinkers we end up calling AAA. My friend is on her way because my hubby has come to my rescue because he could tell I was frazzled. He hangs out with me while they pick it up. And are on their way. We come back home and get the dually and I drive it back to school to pick up the kiddo because it is the end of the day already for him. I tell the little one how the day went and his comment “ wow… well I told you we should have taken the dually” Why yes, yes he did. Although it is hard to listen to a little boy in a fuzzy hat sometimes. Maybe next time I will take his expertise a little more under advisement. Haha. Love my rescuer/hubby, love my friend, love my kiddo who is always right… 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

 

 

“Love” – a card using CD00577

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Chris has so many gorgeous files, it can be quite difficult to pick which one to work with next. I love Swirls though, so when browsing through my collection and I came across this little gem, I couldn’t resist using it on a card with this cute little digistamp.
The Swirl on this card is one of two that come from a personal cutter file called Spring Swirls . I have added styles to the swirl including a texture and drop shadow. I like the way it looks as though the little mouse has just picked the flower off the swirl and is running off to present it to someone special!
Designed to show that personal cutter files can be used very successfully in your photo editing software.
The little mouse is a digital stamp from Bugaboo Stamps and the digital kit is from Peppermint Creative.
 
Thanks for looking!
 
cheers, caz

Updating the blog…

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I finally decided today to update my blog. I haven’t been happy with the three column for a bit. So I think I am finally to a point of happy and have been working on it on and off all day. few more things I want to change and tweak. And then I think it will be good for a while. Hope you like. Tomorrow I should be getting some more of those QMC files uploaded and have a few more I have been working on. Has been a great QMC this time around. Thanks to everyone for their fantastic support.

Also, if you need Valentine inspiration visit the challenge that ends today. lots of beautifulllll projects!
Enjoy!
Chris

Chris Durnan, designer at www.visualdesignsbychris.com
GSD KNK WPC AI SCUT SVG 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, Make The Cut and the list goes on….. Enjoy!




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

Feb 2010 Card sketch

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Here’s my example for the February sketch challenge.    Cards are not my strength, I am much better at scrapbook pages, but I do enjoy giving a hand made card.  I also love that I use my scraps to make the cards. 

The die cuts I used were: 
1.  The bird from Happy Bird day
2.  The flourish by CAZ found in the sketch forum.  

Thanks for playing along.  I can’t wait to see what you create.   Rosalie

My hubbie’s Valentine Card…

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Here is my hubbies Vday card. It is not how it started out, but definitely I am happy with the end results. I always get stumped when trying to make a card for my hubby that is not so over the top and girly. I found this piece of paper. you can’t tell in the picture but the burnt red images are shiny and have a slight glitter touch to them. And there is more of a closeup of the paper further down. I had a stamp I bought on clearance that said yes no maybe so. And the blue staples my friend Lori sent me and at the time I was wondering what I would do with a 5000 box of blue staples, but I really like them and may need to do some searching for more when I make it through my reserves. This ribbon I ran across when organizing my ribbons into these nice oversized Ball Canning jars. More pictures on that later in the week. But when I saw the paper I knew the ribbon would match perfectly.

Here is a closeup of the ribbon. the angle of the word isn’t great to see but it says cherish. And you can see the little gold glitter hearts I drew in order to make it more Vday-ish. I love my sakura glitter pens.
Here is the inside. Which I used another corner of the paper and ripped it and attached to the maroon cardstock base I used. This card is square 6×6 and folds up.
Here is a closeup of the gold leaf. I have a few of these and think they are so classy and popped a little on the paper.  I glued it right along the spine so it wouldn’t stay flat.
And here are my words as I tried to write similar to the stamp I used. To make my own “absolutely” check box.
Well he tells me he doesn’t read my blog often. So I hope that still holds true. Or he better act totally impressed and in love with it when he opens it. hahaa.
All from my stash. Yeah!
And this year I am double happy because he got a homemade valentine again. Maybe I am learning how to manage my time a little bit better or have just wiped those things that don’t matter as much off my list of to-do’s and focused on the most important ones.
And don’t forget I am hosting this week’s weekly challenge…
A Valentine Project using one of my files. Any of my files.
The winner from a random draw receives a QMC complimentary membership.  Woohoo!
And for additional inspiration. Visit my Creative Teams blog
There are a lot of great Valentine Projects there.
Have a wonderful day!
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.