if you arent able to download brushes, then you might want to try using psd's instead of uncut pictures.  They're both flat.  Your texture should be on top of the pictures rather than underneath.  The font on Bella's is a decent one, but it blends right in with the rest of the background because you used the same color.  Also, there is a little feature called background eraser on PSP, it wont take huge chunks out of your subject.  Your Glambert one, I'm not feeling the placement of the pictures.  I'm not saying their horendous, just on par with what one would expect to see out of someone with no experience. 

I know you said you are lacking in fonts/brushes but you might want to look through deviantart.com for textures.  Just go to the site and type in textures in the search feature.  You'll have to download, but you can turn around and put them on your photobuket and delete the file from your computer, which you can't do with brushes or fonts.  Another thing you might want to consider, pick one program and stick with it.  Trying to discover your own style while figuring out the quirks of 2 different programs is time consuming.  Escepically when you get to the point of having brushes, each program requires a certain type and they don't share nicely.