Scrap Girls Chit Chat Newsletter: September 2, 2008

If you are using an online mail client such as GMail, you will find the newsletter far more enjoyable to read if you view it online.
You can find it here:
http://www.scrapgirls.com/NL/Chit_Chat_080902_Tues_Trial.htm

What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?

Computer scrapbook layout by Valerie Randall

Layout by Valerie Randall
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Computer scrapbook layout by Brandy Murry

Layout by Brandy Murry
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Ribbons To Go III are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Katherine Weaver

Layout by Katherine Weaver
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Commercial license versions of Dynamic Brush Set: Inky 5001, Dynamic Brush Set: Variae Formae 8201, ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Scallops, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Floral Fantasy Biggie, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Damask, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Well Worn and ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Slim Tabs 5701 are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Gillian Hurst

Layout by Gillian Hurst
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Commercial license versions of Brush Set Tomboys Rule, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Intertwined, ScrapSimple Transparency Overlays: Painted Edge and ScrapSimple Transparency Overlays: Scratched are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Sarah Batdorf

Layout by Sarah Batdorf
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Film Negatives, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 and AMC_Cute Font are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Debbie Layden

Layout by Debbie Layden
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Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Collage Alphabet Biggie, Brush Set - 4x6: Fancy Frames and Lettering Delights Dear Diary Font are also available.

If you have praise, comments, or questions for any of our Product Designers or Layout Artists, 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.

Life Muses by Ro: Times of Trial

Editor's note: Ro has returned from her vacation! However, she wasn't here when the deadline for this week's newsletters arrived. And so, we are pleased to present some more muses contributed by members of our Scrap Girls team.

As a child, one of my favorite birthday gifts was a diary, complete with a lock and key. I loved recording my thoughts and dreams in it. As I grew older, I filled notebook after notebook with musings about life, lists of boys I liked and typical teenage angst. Today, my scrapbook pages serve as a journal of sorts and I hope that one day down the road they will help my children understand what was important to me and how I lived my life.

I’ve always loved kids. I spent summers as a camp counselor, worked after school at a daycare center and spent weekends babysitting. From the time I was five years old and stuffed my bear under my shirt to pretend I was pregnant like my mom, I dreamed of being a mommy. Yet, once I was married, things didn’t happen as we’d hoped – or at least in our timing. We tried and tried and were eventually diagnosed with unexplained infertility.

After two excruciatingly painful years of fruitless fertility testing and procedures, attending friends’ baby showers and crying out to God, I was heartbroken. Why would God put this desire in my heart if it wasn’t in His plan to fulfill it?

My husband and I decided we needed to make some serious life changes and stop putting our life on hold in pursuit of a dream that might never materialize. We sold our house, quit our jobs and decided to spend a year as missionaries to Ecuador, working with children at a Christian school. The week before we were set to leave, we were pleasantly shocked to find out we were pregnant! Luc was born in Quito, Ecuador, smack-dab in the middle of our year there. God’s timing was certainly different than ours, but he was certainly worth the wait. Since then, we’ve added another son to our family and are so thankful for God’s blessings in our lives.

I’ve found that it’s during times of trial – like our infertility experience - that my faith is tested and refined. As I continue to experience challenges and trials of other kinds in life, I look back to how God has worked in my life in the past and I know that in “all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28.) It’s hard to see when you’re in the midst of the fire, but God is working on our behalf even when we can’t see it. That’s a lesson I want to pass on to my sons and, just like I did with my old notebooks, I’ve recorded my thoughts on a scrapbook page.

- Kara Swanson

Computer scrapbook layout by Kara Swanson

Layout by Kara Swanson
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Photo Basics PSE 5001 and Lettering Delights Mother's Typewriter Font are also available.

Muse: To be absorbed in one's thoughts; engage in meditation. Not intended to solve the world's problems, another person's problems, or to cover topics completely. One does not have to agree with musings to enjoy them, just as one does not have to be the same as someone else to appreciate who they are.

Note from Ro: Would you like to earn a $20 Gift Certificate? Send your own muse to [email protected]. If it is selected for publication in the Scrap Girls newsletter, you'll get to have fun shopping!

Ro is now spotlighting various Scrap Girls members, showing layouts, and running contests in her blog. If you end up being spotlighted in it, you'll get a little gift from her. Subscribe to her blog so you don't miss what is going on!

Ro has recently spotlighted Pireps, CharleneJ and Soozlou.

Designer Do-Over: Trish Yochum

The Original

Computer scrapbook layout by Trish Yochum

Original layout by Trish Yochum

I grew up around farming area and out in the country, so when Valerie suggested that I create a collection about the farm I was happy to oblige.

The layout that I have chosen to do over is one of the layouts that I created for my Farmer Joe Collection. I absolutely love this picture of my son and I like the basic feel that I had going for this layout, but it has always struck me as being unfinished.

This is the original layout.

The Do-Over

This time, I want to layer embellishments more and add some journaling.

Screenshot: Select photo subject

The first thing I do is crop my photo. Once I crop my photo, I realize how dark it is. Since the background is so light, I use the Magnetic Lasso Tool and set it to Contrast: 12% and Frequency: 57 and then select the area around my son.

Screenshot: Create a "Brightness/Contrast" adjustment layer

Once I have the area selected, I inverse my selection so that just my son is selected. Then, at the bottom of my Layers Palette, I create a new Fill/Adjustment layer (the circle icon that is half black and half white) and select “Brightness/Contrast” from the drop-down list.

Screenshot: Brightness/Contrast settings

To lighten my photo a bit, I set Brightness: +20 and Contrast: +18. To apply the adjustment to only the photo layer, I hold down the Option key and click on line between the Brightness/Contrast layer and the photo layer.

I then add a few fun layers to my background and photo and move on to my journaling tag. I found a great seed packet in the Country Garden Collection Biggie and decide to add my journaling to it. I like that the seed packet says “Home Grown,” so I play off that and add our last name to the scroll area of the tag. I also want the text to follow the curve of the scroll, so I click on the text layer and then select “Warp Text.”

Screenshot: Warp text settings

I choose “Arc” from the Style drop-down on the Warp Text dialog box and then set the Bend to +15 to follow the curve of the scroll.

I then add a few other goodies for a down home look and feel. The wonderful textures of the wood, wire, plus bits and pieces from the farm give my digital scrapbooking layout a real homegrown feel.

Computer scrapbook layout by Trish Yochum

Layout by Trish Yochum
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Trish Yochum

Designer Do-Over by Trish Yochum

What's Happening at Scrap Girls?

If you have never been to the Scrap Girls Chat Room before or have questions about it, this tutorial, Chat Basics, will provide lots of helpful information.

Crops and Chats

Life Moments Chat and Crop
Tuesday, September 2nd - 9:00PM ET

Join Pat (PBarnes) for our next Life Moments Crop and Chat. These Crops are about building a scrapbook all about you, one layout at a time.

This week we will do a layout about our first car. It doesn't matter if you don't have a photo. You can see if you can find an image on the Internet or just do a journaling layout. Hope to see you there!

High Noon Crop
Wednesday, September 3rd - 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 September 3, we'll do a monochromatic challenge! Create a layout using shades of yellow! No other colors except black and white allowed!

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!

NSBR Chat - Early Edition
Thursday, September 4th - 1:00PM ET

What is NSBR? It’s a non-scrapbooking related chat! We talk about everything, including some scrapbooking and usually chocolate. It’s a great chance to meet new friends, catch up on what everyone is up to, and just relax! If you have a problem, we’ll lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on. Have some great news to share? We’d love to celebrate with you.

So, join me, Shari (PV Mom of 2), on September 4th, at 1 PM ET, in the chat room Lobby! Hope to see you there!

New Member Chat
Thursday, September 4th - 9:00PM ET

Join Pat (PBarnes) and Carol Ann (Zaz) for the New Member Chat at 9 PM ET in the Live Chat room lobby.

This is a great place to ask questions about getting around the Scrap Girls site or about digital scrapbooking in general - and a great place to make some new friends. All are welcome, new and long time members included.

You do need to have Java installed on your computer to access the Live Chat.

Quote Chat & Challenge
Sunday, September 7th - Time TBA

Come join Pat (PBarnes) for the Quote Challenge Crop! Including a quote on your layout can be a touching and meaningful addition, especially if you use the quote to create your own word art.

Here's how it will work. On Sunday, I'll post a thread on the Chat section of the board giving you the quote that you will use to make your own word art. It's not hard, and I will even have a layout with a Word Art example. Then we'll meet in the chat room to have fun, chat, and create our Word Art layout!

We'll post the time on Sunday, as the time changes around each time to allow participation by our international folks. Everyone can participate and create a layout, even if you can't make the chat. Hope to see you there!

Aussie Colour Chat and Challenge
Monday, September 8th - 8:30PM *Australian Eastern Standard Time*

Join Karen (Kazbar73) and Jo (ScrappingJo) for a Aussie Colour Chat and Challenge. Watch the boards on Monday for the colour, then complete a layout and join us in the Live Chat Lobby at 8.30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Hope to see you there.

PS - For all you American Girls, who are more than welcome to join our chats, it will be on Monday, 8 September, at 6.30am New York time.

NSBR Chat
Monday, September 8th - 9:00PM ET

High Noon Crop
Wednesday, September 10th - 12:00Noon ET

On September 10, we'll do a geometric challenge! Create a layout using at leat one triangle somewhere on your page!

September Events

September Board Game: Guess that Scrap Girl!

It's Back-to-School time and with it come memories of our own childhood. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did you dream big? This month, join us on the Message Board for a game of "Guess that ScrapGirl!" and find out what our ScrapGirls team members dreamed of becoming when they were little girls.

Every day during the month of September, a member of the Welcoming Committee will post a school-aged photo of one of the ScrapGirls team members. Identify the team member and then create and keep an ongoing list with your answers on it, and send your completed list to [email protected] no later than midnight October 2nd. (You can find current photos of all team members in the About Us section of the ScrapGirls home page.)

Everyone who correctly identifies all 30 team members will be entered in a drawing for one of three $10 Gift Certificates! Correctly identify 20+ team members and be entered in a drawing for one of two $5 Gift Certificates! Identify 10+ and be entered in a drawing for one of two $3 Gift Certificates!

Layout Contests:

September Layout Contest: All too often we get caught up in the things that bring us down in life. We sometimes take for granted all of the fun and wonderful things that happen on a daily basis. Here’s your chance to stop, smell the roses and appreciate the good things you have in your life right now. It might be the warm smile of a child each morning, or seeing your best friend on a fall afternoon to reconnect. Let’s pay tribute to the good things in our lives. We want to see your layouts about something positive in your life right now uploaded to the September Gallery. If your layout is chosen, you will win a $10 Gift Certificate to the boutique!

August Mid-Month Layout Contest: The story of your life is unwritten. We’d love to see a layout that has a story of something in your life most people don’t know about you. Do you have a hidden talent to share, a special award you received, or maybe an embarrassing moment? Upload your layouts to the August Mid-month Layout Gallery by September 15th at midnight and you will win a $10 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique if your layout is chosen!

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.)

Today's Freebie

Computer scrapbook layout by Gillian Hurst

Layout by Gillian Hurst
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Designer Freebie by Gillian Hurst coordinates with her Plum Passion Collection



Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Intertwined and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Rhinestones are also available.

* 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.

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

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 importantto you. (Bet you didn't know...)

Learn how to cut out a title from a background or a photo.

1 8.5x11 Sheet of Word Art

1 Assemble Your Own Zoom Page Set

1 Designer's Choice Item

1 ScrapSimple Paper Template Set

1 ScrapSimple Embellishment Template Set

1 ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brush Set

1 Designer's Choice Item