Scrap Girls Chit Chat Newsletter: February 4, 2009

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_090204_Wed_Off.htm

What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?

Computer scrapbook layout by Angie Briggs

Layout by Angie Briggs
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Commercial license versions of Dynamic Brush Set: Basic Stitching 4901 Biggie and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Stitch 1801 are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Melanie Johnson

Layout by Melanie Johnson
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Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Dots and Swirls Super Biggie 2 are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Debbie Layden

Layout by Debbie Layden
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Metal Foil 6501, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Felt Biggie 6501, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates - Layered: 4x6 Bracket Me, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Stapled Ribbon, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501, Brush Set: Nearly Taped, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Threadbare, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Metals 5001, and Lettering Delights Inclination Font are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Katherine Weaver

Layout by Katherine Weaver
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Commercial license versions of Dynamic Brush Set: Basic Stitching 4901 Biggie, Dynamic Brush Set: Inky 5001, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Edge It 5001, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Stitching And Holes 4101 - Straight Stitching, ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Flower Petals Super Biggie, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: All Buttoned Up Biggie, and ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Broken In are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Syndee Nuckles

Layout by Syndee Nuckles
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Brackets 6301 and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Brackets are also available.

Computer scrapbook layout by Trish Yochum

Layout by Trish Yochum
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Commercial license versions of Design Pack: Story Time and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Tuscan Menu 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: Taking Off

The airplane hums, waiting for its turn to taxi down the runway. When the captain receives permission to leave, he pushes the plane forward, faster and faster, until it hurls itself into the sky.

I sit in my seat, watching the runway slip away. I feel gravity attempt to keep the plane on the ground. The plane roars and shakes.

But then, the struggle is over and the plane glides gracefully in the air and I see a breathtaking view of the Salt Lake valley. I feel peaceful, grateful to be a child of God and in awe that I am blessed to be surrounded by the mountains. I feel loved and safe.

We typically experience struggle before we soar. The pull of our former selves is strong and we must push forward until we find a better way. When we are finally in the higher place, we are able to see why the challenges were worth chasing. We see our lives as they can be.

- 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 Soozlou, mtorres_usa, and teabaglady!

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Creating Depth in Layouts

Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS2 and a Macintosh OSX.

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it made me think back to when I was in elementary school and how much I loved using a shoebox, crepe paper, bits of lace, and trims to create what I thought was a glorious valentine’s box. It was so exciting to give and receive handmade valentines. Sometimes, there were even anonymous cards from secret admirers. I thought it would be fun to use digital scrapbooking tools and elements to create a page honoring those memories and teach you how to use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to add depth and the illusion of layers to your projects.

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Open file and choose Polygonal Lasso Tool.

First, open a new 12x12 document and bring in a shoebox from ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Boxed. Rotate and resize the graphic as needed. If you have never used the Polygonal Lasso Tool, you can find it on the toolbar under the second set of tools on the left side. (In the image above, I’ve highlighted it in purple.) You can use this tool to cut out the opening for valentines by clicking to make the shape of the opening and hitting Delete.

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Add color to your box.

Next, we will add color to the box. This can be done by using the Color Picker on the toolbar to choose a color. Because there will be a lot of red in the layout, a shade of purple is a good contrast. Go to Image> Adjustments> Hue/Saturation. A new adjustment box will pop up. Check the “Colorize” box. Your grayscale image will take on the color you selected with the Color Picker Tool. Adjust the color by moving the sliders back and forth to add more color, and then darken or lighten as needed. This is usually the easiest way to add color to ScrapSimple Elements.

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Make tissue paper red.

To make the tissue paper in the box red, all you have to do is duplicate the layer and repeat the step above. Now you have a red box layer with a purple box layer below it.

Select the Polygonal Lasso Tool again and trace around the edge of the tissue paper in the box. When you reach the place you started, double-click and the line will change to look like a row of marching ants. With your red tissue paper active, choose Select> Inverse. It will activate everything on the layer except the tissue paper. Now hit Delete. You will have red tissue paper in a purple box. Fun!

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Adjust drop shadow.

To make digital scrapbooking elements look realistic, it is important to add drop shadows. This is done by going to Layer> Layer Style> Drop Shadows. The drop shadow box will pop up as shown. Here, you can adjust the drop shadow in several ways.

Sometimes, you look at a layout and wonder what isn’t quite right about the image. The drop shadows may be too harsh. This can be fixed by adjusting the opacity of the drop shadow slider down to about 30%. This is particularly important if you are using light colors on the layout, as harsh drop shadows really jump out against lighter colors. Next, play around with the Distance, Spread, and Size of the shadow. Learning to adjust drop shadows can make a big difference in your finished layout.

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Add embellishments.

Now for the really fun part! Start adding embellishments to your box. To have some of the digital scrapbooking embellishments look as if they are under the box and in the lid, use the Polygonal Lasso Tool again. Bring crepe paper from the ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Crepe Paper Biggie onto your layout and colorize it. When you have put your crepe paper and heart in the lid, use the Polygonal Tool to cut away the portions that pass over the box. This immediately adds dimension and the illusion that those elements are under the box and in the lid.

In the finished layout, valentine embellishments, journaling, and a photo complete the story of making the valentine’s box and handmade valentines for friends. Maybe you won’t make a real valentine’s box this year, but you could have a lot of fun making a digital one. Why not make some digital valentine’s cards and email them to your friends? It is fun to make valentines and an even better, unexpected surprise, to receive valentines. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Computer scrapbook layout by Paula Wright

Layout by Paula Wright
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Boxed, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Crepe Paper and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Ribbon Journals Biggie are also available.

Paula Wright

Tutorial written by Paula Wright

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, February 4th - 12:00Noon ET

Join your guest host April Showers 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 February 4th, we'll do a photo manipulation challenge! Create a layout using a photo you have manipulated in some way - change it to black and white or sepia, remove a distraction, cut out the subject - anything goes!

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
Thursday, February 5th - 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, Michelle (Shelbi) and Shari (ShariPVmom), on Feb. 5th, at 1 PM EST, in the chat room Lobby! Hope to see you there!

What's New? Chat
Friday, February 6th - 11:00AM ET

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry_Lynn 11 am EST Friday morning to chat about all the cool new things in the boutique. What are you getting? What did you Kaboodle? And most importantly, show us the layouts or other projects you made with your new goodies!

There's a thread every Thursday, and now there's a chat too!!!

Scraplift Chat
Sunday, February 8th - 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!

Leaving Love Chat
Monday, February 9th - 7:00PM ET

February's the perfect time to share the love in the SG Gallery! Join Becca on February 9th at 7pm ET for this month's Leaving Love Chat. Bring a layout of your own and others from the gallery, so we can all share the love together!

*NEW* Baby Album Crop
Tuesday, February 10th - 1:00PM ET

Do you need some motivation getting those baby albums done? Children grow so fast; let's get those baby memories scrapped! You can scrap your children, grandchildren or even your own baby album.

Join me, Carla (crs), in the chat room on Tuesday, February 10th at 1 pm et to work on those albums! You can start from fresh on a brand new album, or jump in wherever you are in your project. I'll provide an optional challenge each crop for motivation if you want it. This time, I challenge you to scrap the “big news...” finding out about the impending arrival! Come join me!

New Member Chat
Tuesday, February 10th - 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, February 11th - 12:00Noon ET

On February 11th, we'll do a 'Things I Love' challenge! Create a layout telling us about your favorite things - stores, treats, tech equipment, books, music, movies, TV shows - whatever!

February Events

February Board Game: BINGO!

It's that time again! Join us for an exciting game of BINGO on the Message Board Forum in February! Pick 25 words from the list provided in the forum and send them in an e-mail to [email protected] with a subject line that says “BINGO CARD - your SG message board username” by Monday, February 2nd (midnight MST) in order to play in the first round, which will begin Tuesday February 3rd.

Each day, members of the Welcoming Committee will call five random words from the Bingo list. Match just 15 of those words to win a BINGO. You must be first to call bingo in the forum to win that round. After a winner is called, the boards can be cleared and a new round will begin the following day. All winners win a $5 gift certificate to the boutique! We like to see lots of winners, so please remember that each person can only win one round during the month. Have fun!

If you miss the first round cutoff date, you can still play! Just send in your Bingo card at any time during the month and you'll be eligible to begin playing when the next new round starts. Everyone who sends in a Bingo card will receive a confirmation email that their card has been received. If you do not receive confirmation within 24 hours, please re-send your list of words.

Layout Contests:

February Layout Contest: Amour, Amor, Amore! The word LOVE is one of the most popular in any language across the globe. For this month's contest, we want you to use the word “Love” on your layouts. Let's see how creative you can get with it by using it in a unique way on your pages. Post your Love layouts in the February Layout Contest Gallery by midnight ET on February 28th, and if yours is selected, you will win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique.

January Mid-Month Layout Contest: It's the beginning of a new year, a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. January is a time for resolutions and setting goals. So, for the mid-January Layout Contest, we want to see your layouts showcasing New Beginnings! Post your layouts in the Mid-January Layout Gallery before midnight ET on February 15th and you could 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
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Designer Freebie by Erica Hite coordinates with her Creative Spirit Collection Biggie, part of this month's Scrap Girls Club offering!



Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: In Stitches Biggie and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Embed 1801 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.

1 8.5x11 Sheet of Word Art

1 Assemble Your Own Zoom Page Set

1 Designer's Choice Item