So, I've got my business name: SugarBelle - The Sweetest Things In The South....Thanks to lots of help from ya'll here at CC!! Now I'm trying to make up the image for my business cards. I was thinking of a way to tie in the southern belle idea with cakes...came up with the idea of having a southern belle in a hoop dress holding a cake. But I ran into a wall just trying to create it all on my own....don't have a great graphics program to work with, so it makes it kind of difficult. Out of frustration, I was searching the internet for images that could get my juices flowing a little better & came across this one....it's a postcard with a picture of an old sign for a diner called the "Richmond Belle". It's basically what I had pictured in my mind...even the green color of the dress is what I was wanting. Here, the "Belle" is seeming to hold out a tray of something....too old and blurry of a pic for me to be sure...So imagine her with a cake! But the sideways stance and everything is perfect! Where the word Richmond is on the skirt, I would have SugarBelle...in an arc. Then, where the word Belle is, I would have my tag-line. Then underneath where her feet would be I'd put my contact info.I just need some help & direction on how I can create this on my own. I know there's some of you out there who are graphics pros.....I'd love some advice!!! 
I have the Print Master Gold - version 16. I just searched my image collection, ander people, women, and southern belle (software & internet connection). I have lots of great graphics, but none matching the description of what you are looking for. I love this program, but I'm not finding what you need with it, maybe another version of PrintMaster would work for you.
Thanks everybody!! Psurette - cute! thanks for doing that! And Lisa - I downloaded the program, but I just can't seem to figure out how to work it for what I'm trying to do...maybe you could give me a few pointers?
Well...here's what I've come up with over the past few days....please - try not to laugh!! HA! It's kinda looking like she's thinking of the wrong kind of sugar!! lol 
I came up with the idea of making the skirt sort of resemble cake layers, I like that part of it....but the body (which I butchered trying to do a cut out) and the face and the hair are just wayyyyy off!!! LOL I seriously need some help on this one! Anybody have any ideas/suggestions/advice???
I like it!...I would decorate the skirt with some swags and tie them together with roses for the "cake layer effect!"
Even the face is ok..remember the card is going to be small so all the distortion will go away, the Southern Curls are a great touch!
Now...Psurette can work on MY image..I "stole" my little man from my microsoft program..
Which has a way of making cards..if you go to the "format" button and pick cards and envelopes..you can preview how your card will look.
Save your image when you get it the way you want, then save it in a file...example..desktop or my pictures.
Then when you do your card with microsoft word, if you have this program...all you do is hit the 'insert" button...then picture...then from file. look for you image and click 'insert'.
psurrette..now...We need to talk..hehehehe!
then you get everything on the space..edit as you like....highlight, copy and paste to all the spaces of you would like to preview your card before making them...
Just print out a sheet of paper..if you dont' want to waste your ink..don't copy and paste..lol
Good luck with your card. I love designing my stuff also!
Thanks everybody!! Psurette - cute! thanks for doing that! And Lisa - I downloaded the program, but I just can't seem to figure out how to work it for what I'm trying to do...maybe you could give me a few pointers?
Well...here's what I've come up with over the past few days....please - try not to laugh!! HA! It's kinda looking like she's thinking of the wrong kind of sugar!! lol
I came up with the idea of making the skirt sort of resemble cake layers, I like that part of it....but the body (which I butchered trying to do a cut out) and the face and the hair are just wayyyyy off!!! LOL I seriously need some help on this one! Anybody have any ideas/suggestions/advice???
I think she's very pretty! Yes...the program has a lot of buttons/functions to figure out. There's a tutorial at the site that might help.
I did a search for Print Master by broderbund, they have a free download here it is
http://expressit.broderbund.com/400_co_branding/internationalpaper/printmasterse.asp
Good Luck
Krista
All I can say is WOW 
!! Thanks for all the help everyone!! Since I orginally posted my "creepy shugabelle" at 4:30 this morning, my computer has been acting funny all day, so I'm just now checking back in! Some great examples you all have worked up!! I really appreciate it...gets those "juices" flowing better!! 
Krista - thanks for that link! I downloaded it & am going to see if I can find my way around...that's so nice of ya! 
butrcup - LOL...exactly what I was thinking!! HA! I think it's the expression on her face that says "Come on over here and get some SHUGGA!!!" hehehehe Instead of..."I sell cakes made of sugar!" lol Definitely gotta work on that part!
adven68 - I'd LOVE for ya to give it a whirl!!! GO FOR IT!! PM me & let me know if you'd like me to email you what I've got so far or anything else...if you have the time, that'd be so AWESOME!!! THANKS!!! 
Lisa - I didn't realize there was a tutorial on the download page...DUH!! lol I'll check it out...thanks!
ThePastryDiva - Love the idea of the swags & "piping"....gotta figure out how to do that without it looking too cheesy or being "too much", know what I mean?? lol And I thought the southern belle hairdo was pretty good idea...just gotta get it in scale!
Couple of things I want to make happen with this little chicky: green color of "cake dress" needs to be more subdued...almost sagey, but without becoming dull. I'd love to have the girl facing sideways, like on the original inspiration image, & holding a tray w/cake. Keep the southern belle hairdo and put a flower in her hair on the side...yellow maybe? Next - the text....I think I want a darkish teal...think that might look good on the deep sagey green?? I know I like that combo on fabric, etc...not sure if it will work here, though?? It's sort of retro-ish...that's what I'd like to go for here to some extent, anyway.
Wish me luck...back to work on it now, since DH is getting the boys bathed & in bed!! Free time!! HA! Thanks to ALL of you for your help/ideas/advice & funny stuff!! Keep it coming!!! 
Thanks to ALL of you for your ideas/comments/advice, etc!! Ya'll are SOOOOOO GREAT!
ok...so I can't sleep!! I've been working on SugarBelle...and here's my latest version. I started thinking that it would be cool to use "her" as my entire card...with my info "piped out" on the "layers" of the cake-dress!! So here's what I did......
Not crazy about the background color...suggestions welcome. Still need to soften the green color to more of a sage shade, and I'm having trouble figuring out how to do the swag piping effect...might do a google search for fabric/fabric swags and see what I come up with. I need an image of an all white cake, but that one will do for now, and what about the text? Should I use another font? And what about putting my name on it? My Dad thinks I should leave it off...reads more professionally without an individual's name on it, like it's an actual shop or something, he said....but I'm not a shop 
....YET!
So what'd ya'll think??? Please be honest.....
I think it is too cute! I think when you added the bows on the corners and separted each layer with a line that helped a lot. When the swag was suggested I thought that was a great idea! THe only thing that I am thinking now is that with the writing on the actual cake, the swag may make it too busy. Just thought I would give you my opinion! I think it is very cute though!
Charlotte
edited to add: Ok, duh! guess the white lines were already there!! AND they are roses and not bows!! LOL so maybe that just throws the advice out the window! But I think the roses made the white lines stand out more then!! lol sorry.
I know what you mean about adding the swags...it just might be too busy with the text there. Hmmmmm.....what to do?? Maybe just two between the roses at her waist? Maybe I could just shorten the text on the middle layer...I know it's too small to read, so here's what it says: Custom cakes & other sweet creations for your special occasions. The bottom layer says: Name, Number, By Appointment Only. Anything ya'll would like to offer is great!
That is soooo cute but have you tried it out in card size yet? That is a lot of stuff to fit in a little space.
Hi there...I made a more graphic version for you.....I like this style on cards cause it's very sparse...you can have the printer add the text...I wasn't sure what you might want on it....and they will make it very clear.......if you hand the the picture with the text already on it, it may look distorted when it's printed (just my experience)
hope you like it....
btw...as I'm trying to add the file, I am asked to make it smaller....If you like it, I can email you the original size which will be better for your printer to work with....
You are very welcome!!! I pm'd you for your email address....I was also thinking that if you could have a printer die-cut this shape, that would be totally awesome....People love cutsie things like that....and if they remember your business card, they will remember you too!
I love doing stuff like this!!!!
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