Scrap Girls Chit Chat Newsletter: September 24, 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_080924_Wed_Bingo.htm

What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?

Computer scrapbook layout by Thao Cosgrove

Layout by Thao Cosgrove
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Folds 2 and Brush Set: Paint Stroke are also available.

Computer scrapbook card by Keri Schueller

Card by Keri Schueller
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Christmas Whimsy and Dynamic Brush Set: Basic Stitching 4901 Biggie are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Melanie Johnson

Layout by Melanie Johnson
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 8x8 Photo Calendar 2009 are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Laurel Lakey

Layout by Laurel Lakey
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Bump in the Night and ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Broken In are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Amanda McGee

Layout by Amanda McGee
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: Varsity Letters and Lettering Delights Letterpress Font are also available.

Computer scrapbook project by Syndee Nuckles

Project by Syndee Nuckles
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Computer scrapbook layout by Paula Wright

Layout by Paula Wright
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Threadbare Shapes Biggie 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.

Scrap Girls Convention - Digital Scrap Link Information!

It's getting close now... can you believe there are less than 28 days until our Convention starts? The excitement is really building around our message board. We have some wonderful things lined up to share with you, and we're excited to tell you a bit about them here!

One of our special guest instructors will be none other than Nichole Van from nicholeV photography. She will be presenting, “Making Art Out of the Ordinary: Mastering Light, Location and Composition.” Here's a short description:

Ever wonder how those professional photographers manage to find such incredible locations? And how do they always get that amazing light in their photos? Wouldn’t it be fun to create art out of the everyday, ordinary things you see? Nichole will discuss how to assess and best photograph any given location and how to “see” and use natural light effectively, getting perfect light in your photos. She’ll also discuss how to compose artistic photographs based on principles of classic composition and then how to bring all these elements out when editing in Photoshop. Come learn how to create art out of your life!

Photo: Nichole Van Photography

Nichole has such wonderful photography skills, we know you'll be as excited as we are to have her come share her expertise with us!

Some of our other special guest speakers include April Anderton and Lynda Angelastro from Digital Scrapbooking Magazine. They will be giving pointers on how to get published!

If you'd like to come and learn from Nichole, April and Lynda, in addition to all the other great things we have planned for you, hurry and sign up now! We only have FIVE spots left! Stay tuned to hear more about our Convention!

Life Muses by Ro: Bingo!

I have to tell you about Bingo.

I have never really played Bingo because, under normal circumstances, it is gambling and I don’t gamble, so I haven’t played Bingo in an organized fashion since second grade.

I remember so clearly getting our Bingo cards. My heart would jump out of my chest, hoping I would win. When we played, the first one who yelled Bingo would win, even if more than one of us had Bingo at the same time. This increased the anxiety level substantially, as you can imagine. I practically fell off of my seat, leaning forward, wanting to be the first one to shout, “Bingo!”

But, it never happened. I never won a Bingo game. I decided that I was unlucky and never wanted to play games like it anymore.

When I discovered that they play Bingo at Canyon Ranch and that you could go and win gifts from the gift shop, I decided that it would be fun to go. It wasn’t gambling. It would be a game like we do at Scrap Girls all of the time. I would get the opportunity to be on the other side of the prize fence and it sounded like great fun.

I talked a couple of my new friends – Diane and Cindy – into going with me. When we got there, we had fun talking with a couple of women before it started. One girl was a writer from California who had come to the ranch to get some work done. It turns out that she is Diana Ross’ daughter!

The other woman was from New York. She was really excited to play the game. She chattered away and told us that it was her third time playing Bingo – all at the ranch – and her first time out, she won a prize. “It was beginner’s luck,” she confided.

I said, “This is my first time playing a real Bingo game. Maybe I’ll have beginner’s luck, too.” We all laughed.

Imagine my surprise when I won the third round. I won a set of three Canyon Ranch cookbooks, which was fun because I was planning to buy them anyway.

Hoooo-rah! I won something! I had broken my losing streak!

When we are in Scrap Girls chats during site events and I am slinging around prizes like mad (because I like to give away prizes) women often say how excited they are because they have never won anything before. I’m happy for them when they win and am even happier that I get the fun of making them happy. It’s fun.

I decided that perhaps, my time had arrived. Maybe I experienced a little bit of that nice “what goes around comes around” when I won the game, huh? One of those prizes I have awarded must have been a slingshot because it found its way home. Cool beans.

Bingo!

(Insert picture of me grinning at you right here.)

- Ro

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.

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Using Slipped Stitches with Fancy Folds

Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Windows XP.

Sure, we love to add stitching to make our layouts look neat. But, in the real world, accidents happen. Papers curl, stitches slip and photos don’t always stay attached to the paper. This tutorial will demonstrate how to apply that accidental look to your digital scrapbooking layouts. I’ll show you how to combine the Assemble Your Own: Slipped Stitch Segments-Basic and the ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Fancy Folds 3.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Open template

First, open the embellishment template that you wish to use on your layout. In this case, I chose the ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Fancy Folds 3.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Open papers

Because of the nature of this ScrapSimple Embellishment Template, you’ll need to choose three papers: one for the background, one for the main paper and one for the backside of the main paper. My papers include one from the Baseball Collection Mini (the striped paper) one from I Fish Collection Mini (the blue paper) and one from the Clean It Up Collection Mini (the red paper).

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Create your base

Using the three papers and the PSD file from the ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Fancy Folds 3, create the base for your layout.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Select layers

To make the background act more like a frame to the top folded, striped paper, select all of the layers except for the red background paper and the layer it is clipped to.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Reduce size

Then, using the Select Tool, reduce the size of these selected layers by entering 95% in both the “height” and the “width” boxes along the upper toolbar. After you apply the reduction, center those layers within the background paper.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Add holes

Next, add the stitches. Using the Assemble Your Own: Slipped Stitch Segments- Basic, first put the stitch holes in all of the obvious corners. When you get to the upper left corner, duplicate that corner so that you can also put the holes along the folded piece as well. Rotate the holes and place them as necessary to fit the folded corner.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Select overhanging holes

Now, using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, select the holes that extend over the striped paper.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Copy and paste holes onto corner

Apply a simple copy (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) to place these holes on their own layer. Then, rotate these to fit into the tiny double fold. Erase any holes that extend beyond the fold.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Add stitches

Now, place the stitches. I am using the blue stitches from the Assemble Your Own: Slipped Stitch Segments- Basic. After you add the stitches for the fold, simply rotate them to fit the holes and erase those stitches that extend beyond the fold.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Add corner template

To make it even more interesting, open the ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Crumpled Corners (Left Corner 2) and apply that to the red paper using a clipping mask (Ctrl+G).

Finally, using elements from other Scrap Girls collections, add shadows, do some recoloring if necessary and finish the layout. Remember, don’t be afraid to combine ScrapSimple and Assemble Your Own products. The results are limitless!

Computer scrapbook layout by Theresa Kavouras

Layout by Theresa Kavouras
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Fancy Folds 3, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Crumpled Corners and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Lifted Journal Paper Super Biggie are also available.

Theresa Kavouras

Tutorial written by Theresa Kavouras

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

High Noon Crop
Wednesday, September 24th - 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 Sept. 24, we'll do a Black and White With a Twist challenge! Create a layout using black, white and hot pink! Any theme, any number of photos, just use black, white and hot pink!

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!

Textile Inspiration Chat
Wednesday, September 24th - 9:00PM ET

Join Launa & Zaz, for a Textile Challenge and Crop, we will meet Wednesday, September 24th, at 9pm ET in the Scrap Girls Chat Room!

Do the patterns, textures, and colors of textiles fascinate you? Do you get inspiration from anything from pillows to your grandmother's apron? Then this challenge is for you! A few hours before the challenge begins, I'll post a textile for you to use as the starting point for your page. You may be inspired by the colors, placement of patterns, textures... just let it be your inspiration!

I can't wait to see what you come up with!! See you there!

Swap Crop Chat
Friday, September 26th - 9:00PM ET

It's time for the Swap Crop Chat! We've done the swapping, and created the layouts, now it's time to chat about all the gorgeous layouts! I don't know what it is, but these swaps bring out the best in everyone. This is the time to chat about the theme, the beautiful layouts and learn about the swap crop if you haven't participated before. I'll even reveal the theme for next month!

Join me, Carla, for a fun chat at 9 pm et on Friday, September 26th!

Quote Chat & Challenge
Sunday, September 28th - 9:00PM ET

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!

Everyone can participate and create a layout, even if you can't make the chat. Hope to see you there!

NSBR Early Edition
Monday, September 29th - 1:00PM ET

What is NSBR? It’s a non-scrapbooking related chat! We talk about everything! It’s a great way to meet new people and get to know everyone. Catch up on what everyone is up to, and just relax! If you have any questions, we'll try to answer them.

So, join me, Launa, for some fun on September 29th, at 1 PM ET, in the Chat Room! Hope to see you there!

Makeup Sketch Crop Challenge
Monday, September 29th - 9:00PM ET

Whew - barely squeezed it in, but I did it! Join me, sprinklz, for the “Hurray, Marnie has had Internet for 30 hours” Sketch Challenge and Crop!!!!, Monday, September 29th at 9pm ET in the Scrap Girls Chat Room! (Please note the special day.)

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 “00_Room_1” room of the chat. To join, click on the “Chat Room” link (above). Once you are in the lobby, click on the “Show Rooms” button (on the upper left), then select “00_Room_1” from the list on the left side.

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.

Desktop Chat
Tuesday, September 30th - 9:00PM ET

Please come join Angela (angelaNussbaum) @ 9PM ET for the Desktop Challenge Crop.

Tired of your desktop being some graphic that you would've liked to have made? Tired of a solid background? Did you know with your digital scrapbooking skills you can make a fabulous background for your enjoyment?

A few hours before the chat, we will provide you with a source of inspiration, so stay tuned.

Life Moments Chat
Tuesday, October 7th - 1:00PM ET

Join me (PV Mom of 2 - Shari) in the chatroom at 1 PM Eastern Time for the Life Moments Crop. Topic TBD soon. See you there!

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!

September Mid-Month Layout Contest: Dreams are one of the most fascinating things we can experience. Now is your chance to scrap one of the dreams you’ve had, or to create a “dreamy” layout. Maybe you have a dream that you’ve always had since you were a child, or a dream that you had a week ago. Let’s see those dreamy layouts uploaded to the Mid-September Gallery by midnight, October 15th, and if your layout is chosen, you will win a $10 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

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 Durin Eberhart

Layout by Durin Eberhart
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Designer Freebie by Durin Eberhart coordinates with her Bohemian Elegance Collection Biggie

Blossoms & Blooms - Fall Embellishment Biggie

* 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