Scrap Girls Chit Chat Newsletter: December 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_081202_Tues_Rescue.htm

What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?

Computer scrapbook layout by Keri Schueller

Layout by Keri Schueller
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Holiday Time and ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: Holiday Time are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Amanda Sok

Layout by Amanda Sok
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Painted Plastic 6401 Super Biggie are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Amanda McGee

Layout by Amanda McGee
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Commercial license versions of Lettering Delights Hoopla Font are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Melissa Renfro

Layout by Melissa Renfro
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Calendar: Perpetual - Painted and ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Stylish Swirls 5001 are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Theresa Kavouras

Layout by Theresa Kavouras
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Computer scrapbook layout by Trish Yochum

Layout by Trish Yochum
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Commercial license versions of Design Pack: Tuscany 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: A Tale of Woe and Rescue

“Tremendous problem,” he said. “I’m not sure how reasonable the expectation is that computers should last forever.”

“I’m not sure either, Frank,” his companion replied. “This morning my friend told me that one of her hard drives failed. It was just a year old.”

“Oh no. Whatever did she do?”

“After she quit crying, she went to the store and loaded up on chocolate.”

“Did she lose much?”

“Just a year’s worth of photos. In the big scheme of life, that isn’t much.”

Frank shook his head. “A year’s worth of photos. That’s a year’s worth of memories.”

His friend sighed. “You’re right, of course.”

“Didn’t she have a backup?”

“Unfortunately not. She said that she always seemed too busy. She was going to do it ‘tomorrow,’ but tomorrow never arrived. And then, one day, as she was working, her computer started to act up. Her mouse wouldn’t respond. Files wouldn’t open. She was unable to work. She rebooted the computer, thinking that it just needed a jump start. When she started it up again, she heard a terrible clicking noise. And then, silence. It was over. She couldn’t connect to the drive.”

Frank shook his head. “Oh no. She didn’t have DVD backups?”

“No.”

“She didn’t back it up on an external hard drive?”

“No.”

“Tell me she used an online backup service. Surely she used one of those. Backups happen automatically.”

His friend shook his head and sighed. “Terrible waste. If only she wouldn’t have had the misconception that computers last forever. None of them do. They wear out. They develop problems. There are no guarantees in computing.”

Frank gulped. “Who is your friend again?”

Frank’s companion gulped. “Your wife. Sorry to give you the bad news, Frank. She asked me to tell you. She’s at home, eating her stash of chocolate right now.”

Frank smiled. “Oh good. Whew. I’m so glad to hear that.”

“What? You’re happy about someone losing their photos?”

Frank laughed and said, “I had always suspected Sue wasn’t backing her computer up and so last Saturday, when I was watching the game, I signed her up for an online backup service. I noticed yesterday that it had completed. I forgot to tell her.”

“You take good care of her, Frank.”

“Maybe I won’t be in trouble for breaking her camera anymore. Did you know that you can ruin a camera by spilling a soda on it? I had no idea....”

Please don’t think that your computer will last forever. I know people from all walks of computing life (XP, Vista, Mac) who have lost computers – some of them multiple times. The ones that have been backing up their files are not as traumatized when their computers fail.

Have I talked about backing up multiple times? Yes.

Will I continue to talk about backing up? You bet.

Digital scrapbookers are memory keepers. It’s what we do. We love our photos and layouts, cherish them, and pass them on. Let’s not lose them simply because we get our computers. Assume the worst will happen and then, when it does, you will be just fine.

- 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 CharleneJ, Soozlou, and mtorres_usa.

Designer Do-Over: Melanie Johnson

The Original

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial: Original layout

Original layout by Melanie Johnson

This was the very first layout I submitted to ScrapGirls as a layout artist in February of 2007.

Looking back, I absolutely love the colors and the journaling for this, but there is quite a bit that I look at and wonder, “what was I thinking?” Namely, the style of the bracket and photo inset don’t match the kid-friendly tone of the layout, and my journaling is too hard to read against the background paper. This photo is all about movement and you don’t get that feeling when you look at this layout. Definitely a good candidate for an extreme makeover!

The one thing I know I’m going to keep in the new layout is the general color scheme. Because my photo features a beautiful blue sky, I’m going to choose to use its complementary color on the color wheel. Color wheels are an indispensable tool when it comes to finding just the right color for a layout or a design. You can find them at most art supply or craft stores. You can also find great online resources that allow you to determine color families; Kuler is a great one by Adobe. Blue’s complementary color is orange and those are the main two colors I will use for my new layout.

The photo features my son going on a bungee jump for the first time. Because the photo has implied movement, I want to try and create a feeling of movement in each of my page elements: photo, background, title, and journaling.

The Do-Over

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial Screenshot: Duplicate photo and delete extra outside of frame

To start, I place my photo in the lower left corner of the page. I decide to give the appearance of having tilted the photo by adding a fun, kid-friendly frame at an angle on the layer above my photo. Next, to give my son that “out of bounds” effect, I duplicate my photo layer and then use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to carefully cut out his image from the top photo layer (Hint: It’s easier to do this if your frame layer is hidden). Once I’ve used the Tool to trace around his figure, I click Select> Inverse and then delete the excess part of the photo.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial Screenshot: Create background with template and color samples

To create the background for my layout, I sample the blue from the photo using the Eyedropper Tool and then create a layer under my bottom photo layer, filling it with blue from the Paint Bucket Tool. I give it texture by adding a paper from the Little Birdy Collection (“Multiply” Blend Mode) and then add a paper template overlay from ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Pop Op (“Soft Light” Blend Mode, 35% Opacity). The corner sunburst helps me achieve my movement goal by drawing the eye upwards from the left corner to the right, where my son is suspended in mid-air.

Digital Scrapbook Tutorial Screenshot: Add orange with title

To incorporate the orange that I want to use, I decide to type the same title I used in my original. This time, I decide to increase the font size of each letter by 40 pixels. I add a chipboard style and an inner glow of a faint red. As I’m looking at the orange letters against the blue with the black and white frame, I remember an alpha from Valerie Randall that uses a similar, childlike style with black and white. I go to my stash, find the exclamation mark, and use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to remove it from its background. I add it to my title: perfect! In fact, I like the polka dotted look so much that I copy a small piece of my ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Planet Earth and clip it to the top of the rest of the title (“Overlay” Blend Mode, 20% Fill).

Finally, I drag over the text layers from my old layout (Don’t all of you save your old PSD files? Maybe this is why I need more hard disk space?!), make some minor modifications to the font face, color, and size, and add a fun arrow brush, my last attempt to add movement to the page.

The result is a layout that is more cleanly composed, has a fun, childlike vibe, and is easier to read. Above all, it moves in a way that the original did not, and since that’s the subject I was attempting to document, I love the end result!

Computer scrapbook layout by Melanie Johnson

Layout by Melanie Johnson
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Pop Op, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Planet Earth, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Chipboard 4101 Mini and Brush Set: Sketchbook Dotted Biggie are also available.

Melanie Johnson

Tutorial written by Melanie Johnson

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, December 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 December 3rd, we'll do a snowflake challenge! Create a layout using at least one snowflake, in any way you can!

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!

Scraplift Chat & Crop
Sunday, December 7th - 5:00PM ET

Join TysMommy and angelaNussbaum 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 choose 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!

Aussie Chat
Monday, 8 December - 9:00PM *Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time*

Join Jo (ScrappingJo) and Karen (kazbar73) for our next Aussie Chat on Monday, 8 December. This week's challenge is to create your favourite Christmas Recipe on a 4x6 layout. Join us in the chat room from 9pm Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time for lots of laughter and fun.

PS - For our International Ladies, the chat will start at 5am, Monday, 8 December.

New Member Chat
Monday, December 8th - 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.

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

On December 10th and 17th, we'll do a TWO-PART, end of year challenge! Create a 2-page layout or a mini album using the very best photos of your 2008. Part one (December 10) may be an hour of sorting, planning and picking photos, papers, and embellishments, and part two (December 17) could be all about the layout/album. As Tim Gunn says in Project Runway, “Use your time wisely,” and, “Make it work!”

NSBR Chat - Early Edition
Thursday, December 11th - 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 us, Shari (Shari PV Mom) and Michelle (Shelbi), on December 11th, at 1 PM EST, in the chat room Lobby! Hope to see you there!

Sketch Crop Challenge
Thursday, December 11th - 9:00PM ET

Join me, sprinklz, for the Sketch Challenge and Crop, Thursday, December 11th 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 “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.

Quote Chat & Challenge
Sunday, December 14th - 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 have a layout with a Word Art example in the gallery. Then we'll meet in the chat room to have fun, chat, and create our Word Art layout!

I'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!

December Events

December Board Game: Holiday Hoopla!

Welcome to Holiday Hoopla 2008! This time of year is packed with holidays and events and traditions galore! It's also time for our most challenging game of the year! This challenge promises to keep you busy all month long. We're going to celebrate the season together here on the Message Board through tasks and challenges focused on holiday and seasonal traditions and of course there will be prizes in store!

Here's the nitty gritty: Every other day (December 1st through December 29th), a Holiday Hoopla 2008 task will be posted in the Events folder on the Message Board. If you complete all 15 tasks, you'll win a $10 gift certificate to the ScrapGirls Boutique! Also, there will be layouts to complete within these tasks. If you choose to only do the layout tasks, then you are eligible for a $5 Gift Certificate should your layout be chosen as a winner of that particular task.

Read each task carefully and compile all your answers and links into ONE word document and e-mail it to [email protected] at the end of the month when you've completed all the tasks. Emails need to be received by December 31st at midnight ET (Happy New Year!). Please put “Holiday Hoopla 2008- Username” in the email subject line.

Good luck!

Layout Contests:

December Layout Contest: We want to see your trees! For the December Layout Contest, we want you to scrap layouts featuring trees! You can scrap a tree full of leaves or a bare tree, or a tree in any season (Christmas trees too!). Maybe you have a tree with a very interesting shape; let’s scrap it! To be eligible for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique, create a layout featuring a tree and post it in the December Layout Contest Gallery before December 31st at midnight. Good Luck!

November Mid-Month Layout Contest: We all have some principles that we look to for guidance in our lives. These principles help us make decisions and choices. For the Mid-November Layout Contest, we want you to create a layout documenting a list of five principles or rules that you live by. Post your layouts in the Mid-November Layout Contest Gallery by December 15th at midnight, and if your layout is chosen, you will win a $10 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Good Luck!

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 Christy VanderWall

Layout by Christy VanderWall
Photo from Kim Meeder
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Designer Freebie by Brandy Murry coordinates with her Ephemera Collection Biggie, part of this month's Scrap Girls Club offering!

* 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 important to 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