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Cute Stuff
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Name of designer: Christy VanderWall
Name of layout: Faith, Not Sight
Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0
Name of challenge: Faith
Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
When I was finished journaling on this layout, some of the text seemed
a little lost in the patterns of the background paper. To make the
words pop out a little more, I used a brush to highlight them. On a
new layer, over the paper, under the text, I used a natural/stipple
brush to make some strokes under a few of the key words. I used two
different shades for the various brush strokes, selecting colors from
the paper with the Eyedropper Tool. To make it a little more subtle,
I turned the Opacity down to about 50%.
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Name of designer: Pat Bowman
Name of layout: Fate & Faith
Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3
Name of challenge: Faith
Other Ingredients:
- Faith Definition Brush created by Pat
Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
When I created the pleated element using the ScrapSimple Pleated
Embellishment Templates, I wanted to emphasize the recessed portion
of the pleat just a little more by making it darker. To do this,
I selected that layer and then selected Image> Adjustments> Hue/Saturation from the menu. Then I selected the Lightness bar and moved it to
the left just a little until it was the color I wanted. It was a
very a very subtle change, but just enough.
Layout by Ann Hetzel Gunkel
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Name of designer: Kara Swanson
Name of layout: Faith
Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0
Name of challenge: Faith
Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
I used two brush sets and wanted the images to blend into the photo
and background. I changed the Opacity to 88% so that the dove and verse
were visible, but still somewhat faint.
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Name of designer: Amy Lemaniak
Name of layout: Faith Hope Love
Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0
Name of challenge: Faith
Other Ingredients:
- Font - The King & Queen
- Font - Elegant
Directions for one technique I did on this layout:
For this layout, I used Ursula Schneider’s ScrapSimple Digital
Layout Templates - Layered: Tell The Story. To use the template, I
opened up all of the layers for my chose Layout Template. I dragged
them all onto my layout in the order they were labeled (a, b, c, etc.).
I then opened the papers I wanted to use on my layout and by using
a Clipping Mask (Ctrl+G), I clipped them to each of my Digital Layout
Template layers. ScrapSimple Digtal Layout Templates are a fun and
easy way to build a gorgeous layout!
Layout by Gillian Hurst
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Name of designer: Laurel Lakey
Name of layout: Faith in Us
Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3
Name of challenge: Faith
If you have praise, comments, or questions
for any of our Product or Layout Designers, did you know you can send
them a PM (private message) using the message board? It's easy!
If you are a registered user of the message
board, just click on the "PM" box at the bottom of any of
their posts to send them a message. Or, to check out more of your favorite
designer's layouts, visit the Scrap
Girls Design Team section of the Layout Gallery.
Scrap Girls Announcement
On January 31, Mandy Steward stepped down from
her position as a partner at Scrap Girls, LLC. She has decided that
she would like to return to her roots and design more. She will
stay on with us as a product designer and I'm extremely happy about
this because, frankly, it is hard for me to imagine Scrap Girls without
Mandy.
Mandy has been a very important part of the management
team, has been a great supporter, and even more importantly, a wonderful
friend to me when I needed one most. We are grateful to her for everything
she has done for us during her time with us as a partner. Mandy is
looking forward to getting in and working more closely with the product
design team and we look forward to seeing her great products in the
Boutique.
Rest assured that everything will continue as usual here
at Scrap Girls. We have a strong team with backups for our backups
and everything is proceeding forward as usual. Valerie and I will be
toddling off to Arizona the week after next so that we can figure out
where permanent reassignments will be made for certain responsibilities
that Mandy has been quietly handling behind the scenes. But hey...
that's okay. Arizona is warm and that's more than I can say about Utah
at the moment. HA!
All is well in Scrap Girls land. I just wanted to
make sure that you heard the news from me first. Nothing is wrong.
Everything is fine. Mandy just wants to design. And that's cool because
she's a terrific designer!
We wish nothing but the best for Mandy and
her family. We simply adore her.
- Ro
A Designer's Life: Gillian
Hurst
“Mom, why are you rubbing your eye like that?” My seven-year-old
son is standing by my side, at my desk, his little hand on my shoulder.
“Matty,
Mommy is really tired. But, I haven’t finished
this drawing, so I want to keep going with it.”
His big, brown
eyes consider my situation for a moment before he says, “Well,
why don’t you relax and go and cook us dinner?”
Boy, does
he have a lot to learn about charming women!
I look at the clock in
the corner of my monitor and it’s suddenly
5:30 p.m. I had sat down for “ten minutes” at about 4 o’clock
when the kids went to swim at my neighbor’s house! Tuna, my ever-present
feline companion, is napping in his usual position under the warm glow
of my desk light, sprawled over a lumpy bed of CD boxes, chocolate
wrappers, books, paint samples, feathers and porcupine quills left
over from my African Beat Collection. Tuna and I are in our comfort
zone up here in my studio. The kitchen is NOT my idea of a fun place
to chill out!
My children and especially my husband are incredibly patient
with me and my revolving world of varied “inspiring piles of
stuff” that
I feel compelled to surround myself with. Amidst the piles of recipe
books in the kitchen is my collection of ceramic painted cows, piles
of African baskets that I like the textures of, bushmen sculptures,
Chinese tea pots that I have been collecting for years, a wire replica
of an old VW Beatle, an extended family of tiny bushmen sculptures,
a beaded goat and two metal pigs with wings that keep the patio doors
open on windy days – I call them “Pigasis” one and
two. Amongst all of this, I lovingly prepare nourishment for my family
three times a day and, although a gourmet chef I am not, no one complains
on too regular a basis, as long as the kids get their fish fingers
every five days and Mark gets his roast chicken at least once a week.
I
have to be honest. I find it hard at times to get the balance right
and often I find myself longing for uninterrupted stretches of time
to really get lost in a painting or absorbed in a design project for
Scrap Girls. But, it’s exactly when I sit and watch that 97th
wobbly dive into the pool and the flamboyant new dance step for the
42nd time, that I realize that the savored “me” time is
only precious because of this wonderful, CRAZY “us” time.
Here’s
a snapshot of my life. Yesterday, Rebecca and I baked a cake. It was
a marvelous marble cake, a marvel of confectionary genius with pink,
white and chocolate sponge and banana yellow icing. I felt like Super
Mom. Ha! Delusions of grandeur indeed. Then, on a roll, I invited her
and Matt and to play cricket. (Note to self: know your limitations.)
Matt bats the ball into Becca’s tummy – wailing.
Matt bats the ball straight into my unsuspecting thumb and then THWACK,
my left breast is hit – I bravely resist wailing. Rebecca wants
a turn to bat – Matt’s turn to wail, Mom loses patience
and sends them inside. I have just sat down to enjoy a cup of STRONG
coffee and nurse my bruised body when I hear loud squabbling inside.
I go to sort it out and come back to find the dog has drunk my coffee – now,
I want to wail to the heavens. I go and re-boil the kettle and upon
attempting to pour the water into my cup, discover it is dark brown.
I open the freshly boiled kettle to find it brimming with tea bags – Rebecca’s
attempt at an eternal bottomless cup of tea. Deep, DEEP breaths, I
remind myself, in... then out... in... then out... whoosh... exhale.
I
settle for a glass of water and go upstairs to find the kids angelically
doing a puzzle. Amidst the pink, white and brown crumbs of cake and
yellow icing, all of the angst and irritation is long forgotten. I
take another deep breath, offer up a prayer of thanks and step into
the sanity of my studio. I tickle Tuna behind his ear and sit down
to do a little work. All is well in my world, kids are happy, I am
soon to be calm – the kettle, however, may never be the same
again.
This is as balanced as my life will get, at least for now, and
I can handle that. I love it. Hopefully, in the years to come, Rebecca
and Matt will remember that I baked with them and played games on summer
afternoons. And, if they don’t, at least they will have my scrapbooks
to remind them that they were loved and that they aren’t so crazy
to want time out from their own kids!
- Gill
Favorite product I've designed:
Rustic Crush Collection Biggie
This was my second Scrap Girls collection and I was finally getting
into the swing of how things are done. I love orange and the pumpkin
page I use as a background in my layout below was where the whole collection
began and grew from. I painted my pages like I paint on a canvas and
I loved making them. This was such a happy time in my life and I think
that the colors and patterns of the collection show it.
Layout by Gillian Hurst
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Best of the Message Board
These questions and answers come
from the users on our messageboard. We thought you might find them
useful and interesting too. Enjoy!
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Question: I'm trying to
use the Sew Torn Up Templates. Paper templates are a new
thing for me. How do you color it, but still keep the torn edges
and stitching looking realistic? I tried grouping it with a colored
paper, but the edges lost their detail. I'm working in PSE5.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Answer 1: I put a layer
of color either above or below the template and then play with
the Blend Modes and Opacity of the top layer. You can also
put a patterned paper in place of the solid color layer for
a different look.
Answer 2: I bought this
terrific ScrapSimple Paper Template also and I have a number
of others. I've read the directions and I purchased the e-book
for using paper templates. All of those wonderful tips helped,
but I'm still having problems retaining the stitching detail.
I even tried using a mask layer technique that I learned from
Anna, but I think I must be missing something important about
re-coloring and filling these wonderful templates. Maybe the
designer could do a specific “how to” for these.
I know we will get some help here at Scrap Girls.
Response: I tried the layer
of color and using the "Overlay" Blend Mode. But then,
when I want to move just the torn paper to my new document, how
do I keep the color? If I merge layers, it brings over the color
and/or paper that is surrounding the torn piece. I think this
all goes back to my sewing class in junior high - I couldn't
even hem a pair of pants and now I can't use the Sew Torn
Templates!
Response Answer 1: Blend
Modes are wonderful to use to retain the details in the template.
When I use them, I color them right on the layout itself, but
if you do it separately, merge the layers before bringing them
over to your layout, or try linking them together. I'm not sure
if linking them works, but it's worth a try!
Response Answer 2: Sorry
you're having some trouble with these. Kathleen, I loved your
sewing class comment! Too funny!
As Elizabeth mentioned, one way
to add patterned paper to these (or another paper template) and
still keep the realistic look of the tear and stitches, is to
use Blend Modes. You may want to play with the Opacity as
well. One additional thing I always do is to either erase or
use a layer mask and go over the "torn" part
so that it will retain the plain white look of the back of a piece of paper.
You
can also use the Hue/Saturation controller in PS and PSE. First,
in the Color Picker, choose the color you want the paper to be.
Then, open the Hue/Saturation dialogue. In PS, it's under Image> Adjustments> Hue/Saturation.
In PSE, I believe it's under Image> Enhance Image... something
like that. You will then want to adjust the Saturation and Lightness
sliders to get the exact color you want. One caution with this
way, though, is that you can't adjust just the curled edges back
to white. To have that kind of control, you'll want to use the
Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer, which is a whole other tutorial!
Anyway,
I hope that this helps. As with everything with Photoshop, there
are probably about five different ways to do this and I'm sure
others will be along with their versions, as well.
Response Answer 3: You
shouldn't have to erase after the fact. Try this: Open up the
template and the paper that you want to use it with. Tile your
documents (Window> Images> Tile). Using the Move
Tool, drag the paper onto the template file while holding down
Shift so that it places it in the center. Use the shortcut
Ctrl+G to group the paper with the template. Then, on
the Layers Palette, set the Blend Mode/Opacity (I use "Overlay")
that you want, to make it look right. Then, you can merge the
two pieces together using the shortcut Ctrl+E. Hope this helps
you out!
Response Answer 4: It's
funny that you posted this today. I was working on this just
last night. I looked all over the message board for a tutorial
on these templates. I finally found a tutorial that Pat Bowman
did in the newsletter this past August. I discovered the clipping
mask and the blending overlays. I was not able to get the look
of my original patterned paper and maintain good stitching definition.
But, I'll keep practicing.
Response Answer 5: I'm
sort of new to this world, but I have come up with a technique
that seems to work pretty well - keeping the stitching visible
and everything. I place the paper above the template and duplicate
the template layer (so now I have template, paper, template in
my Layers). I then select my paper and Ctrl+G to create a clipping
mask. Now, I merge the top template with the paper and I have
my paper in the shape of the template, but no details showing
such as edging or stitches. Next, I move the shaped paper below
the remaining template and use the Magic Eraser to delete the
gray in the template, leaving my paper to show through. I hope
I explained that better than I think I did! Actually, I just
did this and was checking the boards to see if there was an easier
method to this. So, all of the info here is going to be helpful
to me as well!
Response Answer 6: I had
the same problem you had with the Sew Torn Edges. I figured
out how to put two papers together without needing to erase.
I use PSE5.
- Open the papers you want to use with the Sew Torn
Template.
- Select the paper you want as the torn layer. Go to Edit> Define Pattern and
click "OK."
- Open the Sew
Torn Template that you want to use. Go to Blend Modes> Overlay.
- Go
to Layer> Fill New Layer> Pattern. Click the box
for "Group
with previous layer." Select Mode of "Overlay" and click
"OK."
- You should now see the template with the paper color.
Look in the Layers Palette and you should see this layer as
an Adjustment Layer with the original template below it.
- Select
the Sew Torn Template in the Layers Palette. Right-click
on it and from the drop-down menu that appears, select "Merge
Clipping Mask." Change the Blend Mode back to "Normal."
- Drag
the background paper onto your document and move the paper
to the back.
I hope that this helps. It works consistently for me
at home. |
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Question: In PSE 5.0,
under Image> Resize, there is a command called "Reveal
All." What does this do? I clicked on it and it seemed to
make the canvas just a bit bigger or the layers a bit smaller.
There was a small transparent border around part of the layout,
but nothing else seemed to be affected. Does anyone know what
this is for?
Answer 1: It expands your
canvas size to include any elements or layers that you may
have partially off-set (so that they are outside of your canvas)
and makes all parts of those elements visible. Test this. For
example, try sliding a photo, text box, or something halfway
off of the canvas you only see a ghost of an outline for the
portion that is outside of the canvas. When you reveal all,
the canvas expands to include those parts as well. Does that
make sense?
Response: Well, I sure
never knew that one. That's why I keep reading this forum.
I learn something almost every day.
Answer 2: I played around
with this in PSE 6.0. It's great that the option doesn't even
appear if nothing is outside of the canvas area. That's good
to know. But, I tried placing part of a photo inside of another
and moving them outside of the canvas. The option was now available,
but didn't work. But, I have always just used the shortcut
keys of CtrL+0 to give me the whole area. It works for
Free Transforms as well when you venture outside of the area
of your page or photo that you are working on. Now, once I
did a CtrL+0, I went back and then Reveal All worked
fine. Quirky. I think that for PSE 6.0 I'll stay with the shortcut
keys. I agree, I learn something new every day on this site. |
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Online Classes Available
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Scrap Girls is looking
for qualified digital scrapbooking teachers to teach Photoshop
and Photoshop Elements classes. Teachers will be required to
create class PDFs that will be reviewed prior to class. Teachers
have complete flexibility in scheduling classes.
Candidates must have strong skills in Photoshop and/or Photoshop
Elements and have strong layout design skills. Knowledge of
both programs is a plus. They must be warm and friendly, comfortable
handling fast-paced chat room situations, and able to easily
handle questions that arise regarding their particular software
area of expertise.
Candidates will be required to audition for this paid position.
There will be a list of topics available from which classes can
be developed, however, the teachers are encouraged to present
their own ideas for approval as well.
Please contact Jan Hicks at [email protected] for
more details. If you are interested in applying, please forward
to Jan an up-to-date resume as well as a sample tutorial you
have written. |
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Cooking
Up Color Schemes
February 5 and 12, 9 PM ET
What's Happening at Scrap
Girls?
 Did
you know that you can subscribe to Scrap Girls RSS feeds? Look
for this icon at the bottom left-hand corner of the message board
forum listing. We have two feeds:
1. Scrap Girls Digital Scrapbooking Message Board (See
the latest chatter on the board.)
2. Scrap Girls Radio Digital Scrapbooking Podcast (This is a
sound broadcast with tips and tricks, inside news and dirt, chat/crop
updates and more. Ro is your show host.)
You can listen to the podcast with QuickTime, Windows
Media Player, iTunes, or even your iPod - if you load the mp3 file
it on it. Just download the mp3 file to your computer and away you
go... or simply click on the podcast link and the podcast will start
right in your browser. You can also access the podcast through the
Scrap Girls Radio forum on the message board.
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NSBR
Chat
Monday, February
4th - 9:00PM ET
Join me, Carla (crs),
for a NSBR Chat. What is NSBR? It’s a non-scrapbook related
chat. We talk about everything! It’s a chance to just sit
back and chat with friends, make some new friends and just have
some fun. If you have a problem and want some support, we’ll
be there to listen. If you have something exciting to share,
we’ll celebrate with you. If you have questions, we’ll
try to answer them for you. Come join the fun, Monday, February
4th at 9 PM EST. Hope to see you there!
High
Noon Crop
Wednesday, February
6th -
12:00Noon ET
Join your host Betsy for
the High Noon Crop every Wednesday at Noon eastern time. These
crops are designed to allow you to work on your own photos and
themes, simply giving participants a one hour goal, and a fun,
new challenge each week!
On Feb. 6, we'll do a color challenge! Create
a layout using a special color web site we'll discuss in the
chat!
You'll have one hour to create a layout and
upload to the special High Noon Crop gallery. You'd be amazed
what you can get done in just one hour! Meet new friends and
have fun in the chat room! We hope you'll join us!
Scrap Girls Book Club Reveal Chat
Thursday, February 7th
- 9:00PM ET
You asked for it! You got it! It's the newly
formed Scrap Girls Book Club! Please join me (PV
Mom of 2) and
Zaz in the chat room on
Thursday, February 7th at 9 pm EST for the revealing of our very
first book selection! Come one, come all! We want this club to
rival Oprah's!
Not sure what time 9 Eastern is in your neck
of the woods? Click HERE! Hope
to see you all there!
High
Noon Crop
Wednesday, February 13th
-
12:00Noon ET
Join your host Betsy for
the High Noon Crop every Wednesday at Noon eastern time. These
crops are designed to allow you to work on your own photos and
themes, simply giving participants a one hour goal, and a fun,
new challenge each week!
On Feb. 13, we'll do a pattern challenge!
Create a layout using at least three different patterns!
You'll have one hour to create a layout and
upload to the special High Noon Crop gallery. You'd be amazed
what you can get done in just one hour! Meet new friends and
have fun in the chat room! We hope you'll join us!
Sketch
Crop Challenge
Thursday, February
14th - 9:00PM ET
Join me, sprinklz,
for a
special Valentine's edition
of the Sketch Challenge and Crop, Thursday, February 14th at
9pm ET in the Scrap Girls Chat Room!
Like getting a little jump start on your layouts?
Then this challenge is for you! A few hours before the challenge
begins, I'll post a sketch for you to use as the starting point
for your page. You can be inspired by the basic arrangement,
the amount of photos, or copy it literally. All interpretations
are welcome and encouraged!
Looking forward to seeing you there! We'll
be meeting in the "Chat_and_Crop" room of the chat. To join,
click on the "Live Chat" link (above right). Once you are in
the lobby, click on the "Show Rooms" button (on the upper left),
then select "Chat_and_Crop" from the list on the left side.
Recipe
Challenge Chat
Friday, February
15th - 9:00PM ET
Join Danna (ScrappyLibrarian)
to chat about this months recipe card challenge! We will share
our recipes, tips, and tricks and have fun getting to know one
another. We will be in the chat room at 9 PM EST and look forward
to seeing you there!
Check the message board on Thursday, Feb 14th for this month's
recipe theme!
Scraplifting
Crop
Sunday, February 17th - 5:00PM
ET
Join AngelaNussbaum and TysMommy for
a Scraplifting Crop. A few hours before the crop we will tell
you the name of a Scrap Girls Team Member, and you will be able
to chose one of their layouts to be your inspiration.
During the crop we will also help explain about scraplifting,
how to use a layout as inspiration, and the importance of giving
credit. Scraplifting is a lot of fun! So come join us, you're
sure to enjoy it!
New Member Chat - Early Edition
Tuesday, February 19th - 3:00PM
ET
Join Dee Decker (DDecker) for the early edition
of our New Member chat at 3:00 Pm EST. Everyone is welcome to
join us as we meet new members and answer questions about the
Message board, Chat room, Gallery, Chocolate and anything else
that may come up!
High
Noon Crop
Wednesday, February 20th
-
12:00Noon ET
Join your host Betsy for
the High Noon Crop every Wednesday at Noon eastern time. These
crops are designed to allow you to work on your own photos and
themes, simply giving participants a one hour goal, and a fun,
new challenge each week!
On Feb. 20, we'll do a design elements challenge!
Create a layout using the design principle of repetition! not
sure what that means? We'll explain and discuss at the crop!
You'll have one hour to create a layout and
upload to the special High Noon Crop gallery. You'd be amazed
what you can get done in just one hour! Meet new friends and
have fun in the chat room! We hope you'll join us!
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February
Events
January Board Game: Bingo
Yep, it is time for everyone’s favorite
game... Bingo!!!
I know you want to play, so here is how you
do it. Please pick 25 of the 80 words and phrases listed in the
thread on the message board and send them in an e-mail to [email protected].
Please make the subject of your email "BINGO Card" and
include your Scrap Girls forum user name (for example: BINGO
CARD wxchic or BINGO CARD AngRoCamp). Please PUT THE
SAME THING in your e-mail followed by your 25 words. I don’t
need your real name, just your screen name!
You have until Midnight EST on Sunday, February
3rd to sign up for the first round of Bingo! Any e-mails received
after that will be included in the next round of Bingo. I cannot
be held responsible for misdirected emails. You do not have to
register for each round of Bingo once you are playing. Your card
is good through all the rounds. (You will receive a response
from me that I have received your card. If you do not get that
response within 24 hours, let me know!)
On Monday, February 4th, the welcoming committee
will start calling words 5 at a time and keeping calling 5 words
a day (weekends NOW included) until someone posts that they have
a Bingo. What is a Bingo? You have a Bingo when they have called
15 of your 25 words. If the Bingo is valid (which we will verify
using the e-mails that you've sent us), we'll clear the cards
and start over.
Want to know what you're playing for? Each
winner will receive a $5.00 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls
Boutique! Have fun! Remember you may only win ONCE. We want everyone
to have the chance to be a winner!
February Layout Contests:
Layout
Contest: February is here and love is in
the air! It’s time for chocolates, roses and romance.
Do you have a special Valentine? Who is the special someone
you trust your heart and soul with... the person you would
do anything for? Let’s pay tribute to these wonderful
people by creating a layout for the February Layout Contest!
Post your layouts to the February Layout Contest section
of the Gallery before February 29th at Midnight EST for a
chance to win a $10 Gift Certificate to the Boutique. Good
Luck!
Mid-January
Layout Contest: The new year can be a time for new beginnings
and fresh starts. Maybe you've recently reorganized a room,
put an addition on or remodeled your home. Or, maybe you are
working on turning over a new leaf in your life. We want to
see your layouts about something that's giving you a fresh
start (past or present). Post your layouts in the correct gallery,
and if your layout is chosen, you'll win a $10 GC to the Boutique! All
layouts are due by February 14, 2008 at Midnight, ET!
Ongoing Opportunities
Customer
Muses: It occurred to us recently that it
might be wonderful for our readers to share with each other
their own versions of Ro's Life Muses. We know each of you
has a wonderful story to tell. To have your own essay considered
for publication as a muse in the column for our special Saturday
newsletter, send your essay to [email protected].
If your essay is selected, you will receive a $20 Gift Certificate
to the Scrap Girls Boutique.
Way
Cool Scrap Girl: We are so excited to have
all of you meet some of the amazing people that have become
Scrap Girls! We'd love to introduce you to our readers, too!
If you would like to be spotlighted, send the following items
to [email protected] :
- 500-900 word essay about your
experience with digital scrapbooking, Scrap Girls, and specific
examples of how we have helped you.
- A 600-pixel wide, 72 dpi copy of a layout you've created that
uses Scrap Girls products.
- A complete list of any and all supplies used on the layout.
- A 100-pixels wide, 72 dpi picture of yourself. (How fun to
see who you are!)
- Permission to use your statement.
If your entry is selected, you'll
win a $25 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!
Customer
Freebies: We get a lot of requests from you
asking if you could share a freebie with your Scrap Girls
friends, and we have come up with a way to do it. On Saturdays
we will be sharing freebies created by you, if they are available.
If you are interested in participating, download this
PDF with the specifications and you'll be on your way.Please
note that if you choose to use any Scrap Girls tools or templates
in your submission, commercial licenses for those products
are required. (Even our own designers must purchase commercial
licenses for any items they wish to use in a non-personal
manner!) If your freebie is chosen, you will receive a $10
Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!
Suggest
a Challenge, Win a Prize! Have a great idea for
a gallery layout challenge? Submit it to [email protected].
If your challenge idea is chosen, you will win a prize (such
as a brush set, paper set, embellishment set, etc.). The
prize will be a surprise, but you'll be sure to like it because
you will get to pick out the one you like best (from the
category you'll be assigned to shop in when you are notified
that we are going to use your challenge idea). Friday will
be Customer Challenge Day so keep an eye out on the message
board calendar. It will be fun to see what YOU come up with
for us to do!
 Note
from Ro: Scrap Girls is
now giving away birthday gifts to our message board members! Of
course, it is a surprise what you will get because birthday
presents are always surprises! But you will like it for sure
because most people like money... Oops! Did I say that? No.
I didn't say that. You did NOT hear me say that.
Anyway, make sure your message
board email address is current and that you have the correct
date entered into your profile or you'll miss out on the birthday
present! (You will only be entering the month and the date so
don't be shy. We won't know how old you actually are!) |
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Check our message
board calendar if you have any questions about what is happening
at Scrap Girls. All event times are given in Eastern Time Zone unless
otherwise noted. Need help converting time zones? Check
out the World Clock - Time Zone Converter. (Use 'USA-New York' as
the location for the Eastern time zone.)
Designer Freebie
Layout by Theresa Kavouras
larger
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There is a "free download"
button on the details page for each gift. You don't need to put them
in your shopping cart unless you are shopping for other items. Also
note that if you are slow reading your newsletter, you may find this
freebie has already been retired, as the freebies are only available
as gifts for about two newsletter cycles.
Free Digital Scrapbooking Starter Kit
The free digital scrapbooking stater kit
section is a standard newsletter feature for the benefit of the large
number of new subscribers that join our list every day.
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Would you like a chance to try
digital scrapbooking yourself?
Scrap Girls Refresh Collection
Biggie offers you samples of some of our most popular product
types. Try making a layout, your own paper with a ScrapSimple
Paper Template, a fast layout with a ScrapSimple Digital Layout
Template, or experiment with a brush.
We know you'll love digital scrapbooking
as much as we do, and we have thousands of products to feed
your new addiction!
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If you read nothing else, read
this!
15 Things You NEED to
Know to Become a GREAT Digital Scrapbooker. It's so
addictive; it ought to come with a warning label!
Free eBook "starter
kit" turns your dreams of digital scrapbooking
into reality today!
This dynamite eBook is 65 pages
- packed full of the information, ideas and help people need
when they are about to dive into this great hobby. It answers
questions about digital scrapbooking that Ro is asked all day
long, every day of the week, and each day of the year. You don't
have to wonder about important questions like how to back up
your files, whether you need a 12x12 printer to scrapbook digitally
(and which one to buy), or what type of computer software is
required to create digital scrapbooking layouts. The answers
are all here for you - in one easy to use eBook!
Bonus! Download the fun "Warning"
Label, too. It was created for you by Valerie Randall as a little
bit of extra fun!
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* There is a "free download"
button on the details page for each gift. You don't need to put them
in your shopping cart unless you are shopping for other items. |
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Get to Know Gillian Hurst
Monday, February 4, 2008
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In this issue:
-
Cute Stuff
- A Designer's Life: Gillian Hurst
- Best of the Message Board
- Online Classes Currently Available
- What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
- Contests
- Ongoing Opportunities
- Designer Freebie
- Free Digital Scrapbooking Starter Kit
- Scrap Girls Clubs
- Educational Products |
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The Scrap Girls newsletter is
created for you by a virtual army of Scrap Girls team members.
Without them, we couldn't possibly share these resources with
you, and I'm very grateful for their ongoing help and support.
I hope you enjoy today's issue as
much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Ro
CEO - Scrap Girls, LLC
P.S. Your email address is
safe with us. We never share, rent, sell, or loan our list with
anyone!
P.P.S. If you ever need any assistance,
please email [email protected] or call
866-598-3444 and we'll help you as quickly as possible!
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Scrap Girls Clubs
Scrap Girls Monthly Club |
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Join
the Scrap Girls Monthly Club and you can have fun with
the newest traditional digital and printable scrapbooking
looks while saving! (A $26.93 value for $9.99 or less!)
The Scrap Girls Club contents
are released on the 1st day of the month (or the closest business
day to the 1st).
With the Scrap Girls Club, you
will receive:
- 1 Collection Biggie
- 1 Paper Super Mini
- 1 8.5x11 Sheet of Word Art
- 1 Embellishment Set
- 1 Card and Envelope Set (printable version
only)
- 1 Easy Page
- 1 Designer's Choice Item
Layout by Brandy Murry using
February's Scrap Girls Club
larger
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Created for you
by Syndee Nuckles
Remember, these items are available
separately in the Boutique at regular prices for those who would
rather not join a club.
(Note: The Scrap Girls
Club contents are always available for sale elsewhere in the
Boutique at their regular prices once the associated club month
is released. But all club contents are totally brand new, never
seen before product releases for each month!) |
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ScrapSimple Monthly Club |
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Join
the ScrapSimple Monthly Club and you can enjoy the newest
ScrapSimple looks while saving! (A $13.95 value for $6.99
or less!)
The new ScrapSimple Club
contents are released on the 15th day of the month (or the closest
business day to the 15th).
With the ScrapSimple Club, you
will receive:
- 1 ScrapSimple Paper Templates Set
- 1 ScrapSimple Embellishment Template
- 1 Brush Set
- 1 ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brush Set
- 1 Designer's Choice Item
A Commercial Licensed version of the ScrapSimple
club is also available here.
Layout by Theresa Kavouras
using January's ScrapSimple Club
larger
view
Created for you
by Melissa Renfro and Theresa Kavouras
If you prefer not to join a club,
the ScrapSimple club contents are available at regular prices
in the Boutique. You can easily find them right now by checking
the What's
New? section of the Boutique.
(Note: The ScrapSimple Club contents
are always available for sale in the Boutique at regular prices
once the associated club month is released. But all club contents
are totally brand new, never-seen-before product releases for
each month!) |
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Educational Products
MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! |
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*NEW!* MORE
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! for Adobe Photoshop (Versions
6, 7, CS, CS2, CS3)
MORE
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! for Adobe Photoshop Elements
versions 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 & 5.0
It's time for you to stop playing
catch-up in Photoshop and start having a blast doing the more
advanced tricks that you see other people and professional
digital scrapbookers doing.
- Take the world's easiest shortcuts to
creating your own backgrounds, embellishments, and alphas.
- Make sure that you don't make the biggest
mistakes that digital scrapbookers make when they create
layouts.
- Learn fantastic tricks for using Scrap
Girls ScrapSimple products.
- Dip your digital scrapbooking self into
some of those "other" cool tools that are sitting there
waiting in your software for you to use such as paths,
masks, the drawing pen, and more.
- See how easy it is to install and manage
new Custom Shapes and Styles in Photoshop so that you
can make things that are creative and unique.
- Learn advanced tricks for using tools
that you already know and love.
- Watch me make some beautiful papers and
get a chance to peek inside of my layers. (Oh dear...
That is the last frontier and I might be out of my mind
to let you do it... NOBODY likes people to see inside
of their layers. It is like having visitors peek inside
of your dresser drawers. Very private stuff.)
- See a new way for coloring doodles. (I'm
betting that it will surprise you what tool I've used
to do that with, too...)
- Get "IN" on creating your own brush sets.
(You do NOT have to have those impossibly long brush sets
frustrating you anymore. In fact, when you learn this
trick, you will wonder why you haven't been using it all
along.)
- Find out why Custom Shapes are so important
to you. (Bet you didn't know...)
- Learn how to cut out a title from a background
or a photo.
- And even more...
Note: These are NOT beginning
tutorials. If you get this training and you have never used
Photoshop before or if you aren't pretty sure of yourself
in the software, you are going to be lost. You simply have
to understand layers, where things are located, and all of
the basic, important skills that Ro teaches in her Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed series before you try
to use it. |
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Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! |
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Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 6.0
Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 5.0
Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 4.0
Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 3.0
Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed (Photoshop)
Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed for Paint Shop Pro (PSP) X
Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed for Paint Shop Pro (PSP) 9
Are you wishing you could learn
how to scrapbook digitally, but feeling kind of intimated by
it? These tutorials allow you to actually watch Ro scrapbook.
You'll see her working on her computer and hear her talking about
why she is doing what she is doing. It's easy to watch the short,
one-topic movies over and over again until you have it down.
It's like having Ro come to your home and give you private scrapbooking
lessons. You could be digitally scrapbooking today!
After you watch the Scrapbook
Software Secrets Revealed movies, you will...
- Create your own digital scrapbook layouts
using the latest, most popular techniques
- Manage all of the important basics that
digital scrapbook enthusiasts need to know to get started
- Understand how to save your files for
printing or sharing them with your friends and family over
the internet
- Make your own textured brush
- Learn how to install and use purchased
brushes
- Make your own simple backgrounds
- See how easy it is to manage transparent
embellishment files that allow digital scrapbooking layouts
to look like they are "real"
- Become a pro at managing the drop-shadowing
techniques
- Learn about transparency and lighting
effects
- Make your own digital torn paper edges
- Be able to isolate a single item in an
embellishment or alpha and be able to change the color to suit
your fancy
- Become a pro at repairing damaged photos
- Know the secret of putting text on a curve
or in a circle
- Laugh at how simple it is to make rounded
edges on your photos
- Use keyboard and tool shortcuts that make
digital scrapbooking a breeze
- Be able to place digital embellishments
on your digital scrapbook layout with ease
- Unlock the mystery of how to clip a digital
paper clip onto your layout so that it looks real
- Learn how to install and use purchased
textures
- Understand some advanced techniques such
as how to keep blue eyes blue on a black and white photo
- Learn how to adjust black and white photos
to sepia
- And lots more!
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Mastering Brushes |
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Mastering Brushes for
Photoshop Elements
This ebook was created from the popular online class Creative
Brushwork. It is perfect for the scrapbooker who wants
to go above and beyond the basic brushing techniques taught
in Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop
Elements. Make your layouts shine with the polish that
advanced brushwork can bring!
Photoshop
version also available! |
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The Beginners Guide to Filters
and Plug-ins |
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If you're at all curious about
filters and plug-ins, then The Beginners Guide to Filters
and Plug-ins for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (Windows)
is what you need! This 70 page ebook contains everything
you need to know to get started - what they are, what they do,
how to set up your computer, where to find them, how to get
them into your software, and more.
Paint
Shop Pro (PSP) version also available! |
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Digital Photography Simplified |
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Digital Photography Simplified
eBook: This eBook (full of easy to understand information
and photographic examples) is tailored to the beginning digital
photographer who wants to take better photos. More advanced
photographers will also benefit from this eBook with the sections
that get you out of your comfort zone.
So get ready to turn that dial away from AUTO and start taking
extraordinary photos! |
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Ten Beginner Tips on Type |
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If you're creating a digital scrapbooking layout, it's almost guaranteed that you'll be using type on your pages somewhere. But did you know that type can make or break your page? What typeface will you use? What size font? Where will you place it on your page?
If you want to take some beginner steps towards improving the type on your layouts, and thereby improving the overall look of your layouts, then this eBook is perfect for you. It's written in a very simple style, focusing on one digitally scrapbooked layout while walking you through ten tips that take type from mundane and awkward to eye-catching and cohesive. |
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Scrapbook Secrets for Microsoft Word |
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Look here to see all
of the things that you will learn with Scrapbook Secrets for
Microsoft Word, as it has a different set of benefits. |
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Start to Finish eBooklets |
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Start
to Finish eBooklet - PSE: How to Make a Birthday Scrapbook Page
Nothing could be simpler than
learning to scrapbook digitally with Scrap Girls Start to Finish
eBooklets. Step by step written guidelines and detailed screenshots
will help you learn new digital scrapbooking skills. Included
with the eBooklet are the actual digital files you need to create
a finished project!
Start
to Finish eBooklet - PS: How to Combine ScrapSimple Paper &
Photo Templates also available!
Start
to Finish eBooklet - PS: How to use ScrapSimple Tools: Custom
Shapes & Patterns also available!
Start
to Finish eBooklet - PS: The Beauty of Blending Modes: Using
them with ScrapSimple Products also available!
Start
to Finish eBooklet - PSE: How to Emboss & Texturize with
ScrapSimple Templates also available!
Start
to Finish eBooklet - PSE: Making a Just Because Card Using ScrapSimple
Card Templates also available!
Start
to Finish eBooklet - PSE: How to Combine ScrapSimple Paper &
Photo Templates also available!
Start
to Finish eBooklet - PSE: The Beauty of Blending Modes: Using
them with ScrapSimple Products also available! |
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You need several methods of
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It is easy to use (no excess geek speak) which is why she
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Buy
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