“Thankful” by Amy Lemaniak
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

To get the sketched look of the photo, I used the trick that was taught during Shalae’s class at the Digital Scrap Link Convention in October. I took my photo layer and put a blank layer behind it. I then clipped my photo using a clipping mask (Ctrl+G). I finally used my Brush Tool on the blank layer in a gray tone to gradually color in my photo and give it a sketched look.

Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Grunge 2 and ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Vintage PSE 6501 are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0

Name of challenge: Thankful

Other Ingredients:

• Font - Times New Roman

“Thankful” by Kara Swanson
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

I chose to cluster the flowers and leaves at the corner of my photo to guide the viewer's eye from the lower left to the upper right of the page.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0

Name of challenge: Thankful

Other Ingredients:

• Font - Cezanne
• Font - Pea Alesa

“Peace” by Launa Valente
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

Use bits and pieces of layout templates in your layouts. I started out with one of Cherise's templates from her ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates - Layered: 12x12 Blessings. As my layout progressed, I turned the template and deleted portions of it, until I was left with the title word art and the photo placement. So just because you use a layout template as a starting point doesn't mean you have to use all the pieces... think outside the box!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: On the Edge 2, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Torn Photos 2, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Bits of Mesh 2, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates - Layered: 12x12 Blessings, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Chipboard 1802 Mini and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3

Name of challenge: Thankful

Other Ingredients:

• Font - Snowshoe
• OpticVerve Labs Photo Filter

Journaling: Peace.... I needed peace. I asked the Lord for peace, I told him... if I could only get to the ocean, I could hear peace in the waves, quiet tranquility. The ocean is peaceful, yet one of the most powerful forces on earth. I see god in the ocean. I see god in his creation. Despite circumstances he made the way, there I sat, quietly, watching, listening. He spoke, I cried. My spirit was refreshed, my body was rested. He gave me new strength for the journey. Thankful is such a weak word for how I feel. I am truly blessed.

“Sister” by Caroline Kaiser
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

To make the shadow of the photo frame on the bible underneath look a little bit more real I did as follows: I first applied my shadow. Then with Layer> Layer Style> Create Layer, I created a separate layer for the shadow underneath the frame layer. Then with Edit> Transform> Skew, I distorted the bottom right edge of the shadow a bit.

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Folds 2 and AMC_Friendly Font are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3

Name of challenge: Thankful

“Safe With Me” by Christy VanderWall
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

To create the paper strip for the title, I combined the Waves Border and Wave Background Paper from Valerie’s Beachin Collection Biggie. After placing the first border into position, I duplicated the layer, rotated it 180 degrees, and moved it into position. On a new layer, I used the Rectangular Marquee Tool to make a rectangle the size of the space between the two borders. The wave paper was then placed on a layer above the rectangle and clipped (Ctrl+Alt+G) to the rectangle. Once I was satisfied with the look of the three elements together, I merged all the layers and applied a small drop shadow.

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Jen - Edges and Textures, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Photo Basics PSE 5001 and ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Sketch It PS 8501 are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3

Name of challenge: Thankful

Other Ingredients:

• Font - Pea Sue’s Print

Journaling: As I grow older and stronger in my faith, I become more and more grateful for the power of prayer. I am so THANKFUL that the God of the universe cares enough about me to hear and answer every praise and petition that I bring to Him. I am so THANKFUL that I don’t have to be perfect and ‘clean up’ my act before He will listen to my needs, great or small. I am so THANKFUL that He always answers using His infinite wisdom and not my worldly, limited perspective. I am so THANKFUL when life‘s storms threaten to drown me, that I don’t have to look far to find a life-line.

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.

Inspiration for the Masses?

I’m what you would call a deep thinker. Or maybe it’s not so deep, but I spend too much time doing it? Well, at any rate, I tend to spend a lot of time thinking about life, people and anything else that I can analyze to death. (Hmmm... maybe I should have majored in philosophy?)

Recently, I had a revival of sorts. In the past few years, one of my biggest prayers was that I’d be used to do something that truly matters in this world. However, life circumstances have stamped out a bit of my former zest for life.

The good part is that I recently went to a concert. It happened to be held in the church where I first found my passion for God and ministry. During the concert, I felt some of the old passion returning. It was an amazing moment for me. I was surrounded by people who have brought about some of the very circumstances that had led to my downward spiral, yet I could feel the passion return. It was as though a voice spoke to me and said, “This is where you first found your passion! Now, take it back! Don’t let the hard things in life rob you of your joy and purpose.” What a revelation this was. I imagine anyone could have told me those words and they would not have had the effect that they did in that place and at that time.

I realized in that moment that I don’t have to let people or circumstances steal my joy. If things weren’t going as I had hoped, I had a choice. I could choose to remain in the life that God has for me or I could choose to wallow in the fact of difficulty. Unfortunately, that is exactly what I had been doing. But, that moment changed me!

Since then, I’ve been living out of my passion once again. I admit that it’s different than it had been before. I am a different woman than I was ten years ago when I found this passion the first time. But, I’m better now than I was then. I’ve learned some humility, some wisdom, and it’s all been sprinkled with truth. What I have to offer now is more than what I had to offer before.

So, what do I want to be? I want to be an inspiration for the masses. I want to make a profound difference in the lives of the people I meet. I want to have an impact. I want people to feel like freedom and joy are possible after they spend time with me. I want to be a catalyst for healing. I want to be a conduit of passion. I want to make a real difference.

Reading that, it almost sounds, well... arrogant. But then, I’m reminded that if God has told me to speak His love to the world through my life, then it’s not arrogance, it’s service. It’s through His gift that I have an opportunity to share with the world.

I hope that this little snippet from my life helps you to search out your passion, to follow your dreams, to be free, and know that you have purpose in this life and to find out what that is. “I hope you dance!” to quote a very talented, young songwriter.

- Ursula

Favorite product I've designed:
Red Lily Collection Biggie

This collection represents a new start for me. It’s been kind of a rebirth of my creative self. It has made me notice beauty again and realize that I can be a part of that - that I can add to the beauty that already exists in this world. It also contains two of my most favorite colors: red and green!

Layout by Ursula Schneider
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Gothic Lily and ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Victorian Scalloperoo are also available.

The ScrapSimple club contains items that allow YOU to decide the colors and looks you will end up for your digital scrapbooking designs because the ScrapSimple products are completely customizable. You get all the products shown above, a $19.15 value, for $6.99 or less! And if you would like to create designs to share or sell, there's even a commercial club available! Plus, each month we will help you find new ways to use your club contents to the fullest with this article full of ideas, tips, and projects to get your creativity going!

November’s Scrap Girls ScrapSimple Club’s featured designers are Brandy Murry and Mandy Steward. Their club is full of fun products that can help you document your photos and get creative in amazing ways. Our entire Scrap Girls staff has put their heads together and come up with some ideas to help you get the most out of your fun, new digital scrapbooking toys!

Layout ideas:

• Use Brush Set: Simple Stitch layered on top of ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Tag Along.

• Tear out the center of the “tiny swirls” paper template and use it as a frame.

• Use the needle from ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Notions to weave in and out of the paper pierced holes from ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Pierced.

• Use the stitched word art in place of words in blocks of typed journaling.

• Create a layout about favorite clothes using ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Tag Along.

• All-Star sport layouts, theatre layouts (“Star of the Show”), or Patriotic 4th of July layouts using “star” paper pierced paper in ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Pierced.

• Create layouts with turn-of-the-century photos, old west, and craftsman style elements using ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Pierced.

• Use circle ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Crocheted Frames to create flowers on a layout or card. Use a vertical section of a rectangle crocheted frame to use as the stem.

• Blend a photo into the ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Pierced with the circle of punched holes so they create a frame.

Layout by Janine Buckles
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Notions, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Pierced and Brush Set: Edgy CORNERS Biggie are also available.

Project/Printable ideas:

• For those who like to knit ot crochet, make labels with ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Crocheted Frames or ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Notions and print out on sticker paper to wrap bundles of special yarns for gifts.

• Create gift tags with ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Notions. If using the heart, add a love themed saying such as “Hand sewn with love" to it.

• Create handmade Christmas ornaments by printing out the ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Crocheted Frames. Cut them out, including the center, place a photo behind the frame, attach string or ribbon, and hang on a Christmas tree.

• Papers with border piercings could be printed out and used as placemats.

• Use the ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Tag Along to make return address labels or gift tags.

• Take ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Crocheted Frames or ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Notions to create labels for packages or bottles – especially handmade soaps, lotions, body oils, or perfumes.

• Use ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Crocheted Frames to create Victorian-style Christmas cards with photos in the lace frames.

• ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Tag Along can be used on inkjet transfer paper and ironed into the inside of onesies or on the outside on the back of any tee-shirts, etc. for kids.

Project by Launa Valente
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Tag Along are also available.

We hope this article gives you some ideas to get you scrapping! We’d love to see what you come up with. You can share ideas and tips on the message board, plus there’s a special gallery available for you to show off your Club creations and inspire each other, so start creating!

Have fun!

P.S. We hope you are enjoying one of our newest articles, Club Concepts. Each Monday, we give you ideas on how to use your current club selections in many different ways. We give you ideas for layout themes, embellishments, tips, cards, quotes, projects, and more! Well, we have realized that in creating these articles, we were leaving out one of the most important voices in our club... yours! So, we would like to announce that we will be looking for your help in creating these articles. And, of course, there are prizes involved!

How can you get involved, you may ask? Simply post your new layout using the current club selection (either the Scrap Girls club or the ScrapSimple club) in our Scrap Girls Club Members Gallery. Be sure to list all of the Scrap Girls products you used, as well as a short (1-2 sentence) description of the unique idea or theme your layout shows off. If your layout and its corresponding tip is chosen, they will be showcased in our Club Concepts article, and you will win a $5 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

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

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. Leaving Love Chat Monday, December 8th - 2:00PM ET 'Tis the season to spread some cheer! Join Becca on Monday, December 8, at 2pm ET for this month's Leaving Love Chat! Bring a layout of your own and a few others from the Scrap Girls Gallery that could use some love, and we'll make sure they all get the attention they deserve! If you've given yourself a Gallery Posting Challenge for December, this is one chat that you won't want to miss! Card Chat Monday, December 8th - 8:00PM ET Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Ngaire (Ngaire) for our new monthly chat, The Card Chat. Do you use your digi-supplies to make cards? Do you want to? Instead of going to the store every time you need a card, we thought it would be better (and more fun) to use our digi-stash to make any cards we might need for the upcoming month. Birthday cards, thank you cards, get well cards, various holiday cards.... This will be the first of the monthly chats, and we will use this one to plan and to share our Christmas cards. See you there! 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 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 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!” 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, 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.)

Layout by Kerry Veale
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Designer Freebie by Kerry Veale coordinates with her Christmas Delight Trade Card Frames Embellishments

* 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.