“My First Car” by Christy VanderWall
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

For this layout, I wanted my background paper to blend, color–wise, with the wood deck in the photo. I placed a paper from Angie Brigg’s Basic: Black Paper Mini first, then a paper from her Basic: Brown Paper Mini. I lowered the Opacity of the brown paper until the color matched the photo. I then placed the street signs paper from the Urban Gazette Collection in between the two layers and set the Blend Mode to “Luminosity” and lowered the Fill and Opacity settings to about 70%.

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Masks - Downtown and ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Downtown are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3

Name of challenge: Free Scrap

“Living Artwork” by Kim Meeder
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

To make the multicolored bird tracks, I used Cherise Oleson’s Dynamic Brush Set: Tracks 8301 to paint a trail of tracks up the ladder in a blue color. Next, I duplicated the layer and changed my foreground color to yellow. Placing my cursor in the thumbnail of this layer in Layers Palette, I used the Ctrl + click (Cmd + Click) shortcut to select all the pixels in this layer. By using the Alt + Delete (Opt + Delete) shortcut, the tracks were filled with the yellow color. Finally, I used the Eraser tool with a grunge brush to erase portions of the yellow tracks allowing the blue to show throug. It now looks like the bird hopped through the paint and left a trail of colors.

Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Art and Soul - Paint, Brush Set: Grungelle, Dynamic Brush Set: Tracks 8301, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Photo Book 1, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Artistic Edges, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Artistic Paper 8201, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Glossy Super Biggie 4101 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Glossy Super Biggie 4102 are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3

Name of challenge: Free Scrap

Journaling: Colorful birds live within the walls of The Gallery Inn, in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. How appropriate since it is the home of a world renowned sculptor, Jan D'Esopo. Our stay in this boutique hotel was a visual feast for our eyes – filled with masterpieces of both man and God. 2008

“Fleeting Moments” by Jennifer Labre
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

I have wanted to create a scrapbook page with an all white background for a while now. I couldn’t find a paper that quite captured the look I was going for, so I created my own. I used one of the templates (canvas) from ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Paper Textures as the starting point for my layout. I added a new layer above this template and filled it with white. I then changed the Blend Mode on the color layer to “Soft Light.” I could have lowered the Opacity to bring more of the texture through, but I liked the look I got so I left it. Now I had my very own, customized, white paper for my background.

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Paper Textures, Brush Set: Bunches of Roses, Brush Set: White Wedding, Brush Set: Words To Live By, Brush Set: Living, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Lace Set 1, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Rhinestones and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Micro Glitter 6401 Super Biggie are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3

Name of challenge: Free Scrap

“Endangered” by Jo Corne
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

To create the background paper to resemble a tiger’s pelt I used Erica Hites’ ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Animal Prints - Biggie tiger paper and layered it over a colored background. It did not matter what color the background was, as I then used Shalae Tippets’ ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Leather 4901to give the background paper the look and “feel” of animal leather. To give the paper template itself some texture, I used Ariadna Wiczling’s ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Felt 8201 Super Biggie and recolored it to fit the layout. I then added Syndee Nuckles’ ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Sanded Edge Black 6302 to the “leather” layer to give it the rough and dirty look of an animal pelt.

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Sanded Edge Black 6302, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Leather 4901 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Felt 8201 Super Biggie are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS4

Name of challenge: Free Scrap

“Evidence of Joy” by Debbie Layden
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

For this layout I wanted to give it a mosaic look by chopping the photo up – but I also wanted to keep the continuity of the image – Yeah – I want it all! To accomplish this, Melissa Renfro’s ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Tiled- Funky made it possible and simple. I opened the two images I wanted to use and the template. Next, I applied a clipping mask (Ctrl + G) to the template for the first image. Then I resized the image while it was clipped. Once I had the image the right size, I merged the image and the template. Finally, I repeated the process with the second image. How simple is that!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Tiled- Funky, Brush Set: Beyond Myself 2 Biggie and Lettering Delights Monique Font are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3 & Adobe Lightroom

Name of challenge: Free Scrap

Journaling: I take so many images of you but fail to find the words that capture what I really want to say. I am so worried that because I am an “older” mom, I will forget what made me take the picture in the first place. I guess that is why scrapbooking is so important to me. Take today – as you crossed the back yard today, I giggled at the way you moved – like a scene in a movie. I know that it seems like such a simple thing – but to me, this is a moment worth remembering.

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

I wanted the border of Melanie Johnson’s paper from her Childhood Memories Collection Biggie to be repeated at the bottom. I duplicated the paper layer, rotated it 90° clockwise and applied a layer mask to isolate the colored circles and make both papers overlap under the bottom right photo.

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Sketch It PS 8501 Mini, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Folds 1, Brush Set: Smiley Faces, Brush Set: Dear Diary Arrows Biggie, Brush Set: Nearly Taped and AMC_Happy Font are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3

Name of challenge: Free Scrap

“Guitar Hero” by Janine Buckles
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

In order to give the pieces of duct tape the appearance of wrapping over the edges of the elements they are stuck to, I used the Dodge and Burn Tools, which are located just above your background/foreground colours in PSE 5.0. I’ll use the piece of tape on the guitar pick as an example. Once I had the tape placed on the layer above the pick, I highlighted it by clicking on its thumbnail image in the Layers Palette. Next, I chose the Dodge Tool. I set the Size to 30px, the Range setting to Midtone and the Exposure to 50% and then carefully drew a line across the tape where I thought the guitar pick would be. This step highlighted the edge of the pick. The next step was to create the contour where the tape wrapped the guitar pick. I used the Burn Tool to do this. The only setting I changed was the Size, which I reduced so it was a thin line. Then I drew just above the line I highlighted with the Dodge Tool. If you look closely you’ll see I used the same technique on the other two pieces of tape as well as the safety pin. It takes a steady hand but I think this gives my elements a very realistic effect. Now, go give it a try and show us what you come up with!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Lifted Photos2 Biggie, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Downtown and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Grunged Metals Super Biggie 4101 are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0

Name of challenge: Free Scrap

Other Ingredients:

• Font – SabbathBlack
• Font – Saginaw

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.

Creativity Leads to Happiness

I recently read an article that suggested that the key to happiness is two–fold: 1) show compassion to others and 2) celebrate creativity. The author suggested that if we are feeling down, frustrated or just not happy about life, these are the things that we can focus on to lift us out of the doldrums. We should seek out someone who is in need and find a way to serve him. We should also try to find some specific way that we can be creative.

Something about this philosophy resonated with me and I thought I would focus a little bit on the aspect of being creative for my Designer’s Life article. Most of us at Scrap Girls are involved in the creativity of creating digital scrapbooks, so we certainly understand how it can lift our spirits to complete a layout or project.

Besides the obvious ways of creating digital scrapbooking collections, products and layouts, I thought I would brainstorm a list of other ways that I love to create:

1. I love to bake things from scratch. It gives me a real sense of accomplishment. I often make homemade granola bars, bread and crackers for my family. I love to find a new recipe and experiment until it’s just right.
2. I love to make bows and hair accessories for my girls and I love doing their hair each day.
3. I love to create an organized space. When my home is clean and organized, I can’t help but feel happy. (Granted, this doesn’t happen all that often, but I really love it when I do it!)
4. I love to create beautiful music. I play the piano and organ and love to sing. When I’m feeling funky, I sit down and play some music on the piano or turn on a CD and sing along. It is a sure–fire way to put a smile on my face.

The article I mentioned above goes on to say...

Think about how you can be creative today. Don’t let the fear of perfection get in the way of you creating something. What will you do?

- Cherise

Favorite product I've designed:
ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Lens Effects 8302 Selective Focus Mini

It’s tough to pick a favorite product. I think it varies depending on the mood I’m in. One of my favorite products is ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Lens Effects 8302 Selective Focus Mini. I love how it can take an ordinary photo and punch it up to give it an artistic look. I find myself using it on quite a few of my photos lately.

Layout by Cherise Oleson
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Lens Effects 8302 Selective Focus Mini, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Mardi Gras, ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Pen and Ink Doodles, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Ribbon Wraps and Lettering Delights Becca Font are also available.

We've just opened a Retirement Sale section of the Boutique. Items in this section are always on sale for 30% off. The items you will find during any particular month will be discontinued permanently on the 5th of the following month. So if you see something you like, grab it while you can!

The Scrap Girls Monthly Club allows you to get all of the newest looks while saving money! It is perfect for anyone who wants beautiful, coordinated digital scrapbooking supplies that are easy to use. You get all the products shown above, a $29.33 value, for $9.99 or less! 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!

March’s Scrap Girls Club’s featured designer is Amanda McGee. Her 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!

Tutorials: Dream Journal & Notebook

One way to get more out of your digital scrapbooking supplies is to give new life to objects that might not be that exciting in their original state. In this article, I'll show you two different printable crafts.

The first is a dream journal. I’ve heard Ro talk often about keeping a dream journal, so I decided to make one.

First, get yourself a small journal. I found a three pack of journals in the dollar bin at Target. Created a new document in PSE, half an inch larger than the size of the journal, place your papers and embellishments and printed it out. Then coat the back of the printed paper with spray adhesive and placed it over the original cover of the journal. Use a bone folder to smooth away any air bubbles. Next, seal the new cover to the journal by painting Mod Podge along the inside edges. After it dries, cut away the excess with a craft knife and your new dream diary is finished.

Project by Kelly Favor-Chronister
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 are also available.

I have a confession to make. After carrying a diaper bag for three years, I have seriously downsized my purse. I love my clutch because I can just throw it in whatever bag I have for the kids and I’m good to go. Being that space is limited, it’s hard for me to carry around a journal or day planner to jot down any notes, lists or directions, so for this next printable craft, I will show you how to makeover a small notebook.

First, create a front and back cover in PSE and print it out.

Using some clear acrylic, trim it to 2 inches by 3 inches and remove the film from one side. Coat that side with Mod Podge and place it glue side down on top of the printed cover. Then, smooth out air bubbles and excess sealer with a bone folder. After the sealer sets, paint a layer of sealer on the back. When it has dried, use a craft knife to trim away the excess paper. Use a paper trimmer to cut 2x3 inch pieces of paper from regular printer paper. Then use a binding machine to put it all together – or if this is not available to you, punch holes and use ribbon or metal rings to secure the papers together.

Project by Kelly Favor-Chronister
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 are also available.

Tutorials written by Kelly Favor-Chronister

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 this article, 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 & Challenge Monday, 23 March - 8:30PM Australian Eastern Standard Daylight Saving Time Please come join Karen (kazbar73) & Jo (ScrappingJo) at 8:30pm (Australian Eastern Standard Daylight Saving Time) on Monday 23 March for the Easter Challenge Crop. (Please note change of time for this chat.) With Easter just around the corner, create a layout about what Easter means to you. Is it all about the children and how much chocolate they can eat in a day or do you celebrate Easter another way? Create a layout and come along and chat with us about your creation. For our International ladies, the chat will be on at 5:30am New York time. Coffee Break Chat Monday, March 23rd - 6:30AM ET If reading the Scrap Girls Newsletter and having a cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea first thing in the morning is a part of your daily routine, join Sherry Lynn on March 23 for this month’s Coffee Break Chat. We’ll chat over the latest issue of the Newsletter for a light and fun way to start off your week! Life Moments Chat Tuesday, March 24th - 4:00PM ET Join April (April Showers) 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 focus on Birthdays! Do you love your birthdays, or do you dread then? Did you have big parties as a child, or was the day sometimes lost in the shuffle? Dig out your photos, write down your memories, and join us on March 24th for a super fun birthday chat! New Member Chat Tuesday, March 24th - 9:00PM ET Join Pat (PBarnes) and Carol Ann (Zaz) for the New Member Chat at 9pm 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. High Noon Crop Wednesday, March 25th - 12:00Noon ET Join your guest host April Showers for the High Noon Crop at Noon ET. On March 25th, we’ll do a color challenge! Create a layout on any theme, any topic, using the color PURPLE! 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! 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! Journaling Chat Wednesday, March 25th - 8:00PM ET Join Becca and angelaNussbaum for the Journaling Chat at 8pm ET. Are most of your layouts decorative? Do you have stories to tell, but just not motivated enough to make a layout with journaling? We are going to challenge you to do a layout with your journaling in mind. Come join us and tell your stories. Ad Inspiration Chat Thursday, March 26th - 9:00PM ET Join Pat (PBarnes) at 9pm ET for an Ad Inspiration Challenge and Chat. A few hours before the chat, a magazine ad will be posted on the message board to use as inspiration for a layout. You can use whatever you want to from the ad – the colors, the shapes, the composition. There are no wrong answers! What's New Chat Friday, March 27th - 11:00AM ET Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry_Lynn 11 am ET 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! Desktop Challenge Crop Friday, March 26th - 8:00PM ET Are you bored with the simple backgrounds that your PC or MAC came with? Want to learn more about using your Scrap Girls products to make exciting and colorful new desktop wallpapers? Join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and Becca at 8pm ET (5pm for those of you on the west coast!) for this month’s Desktop Challenge Crop. A few hours before chat time, we’ll give you some details on how to get started, plus a technique challenge and a theme for an extra dose of motivation! Swap Crop & Chat Friday, March 26th - 9:00PM ET We’ve done the swapping, and created the layouts, now it’s time for the chat! 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!

March Events

March Board Game: Posting Contest This month, post to your heart's content and potentially win a prize because of your chattiness! That's right folks... it's time for one of those infamous posting challenges! We want to see you post the most! The top 10 posters this month will each win a gift certificate to the boutique! (Top 1-3 will each get a $10 GC, 4-6 will each get a $5 GC, and 7-10 will each get a $3 GC!) We've got a system to keep track of your posts throughout the month. If you want to keep your own tally, feel free to note your post count here in this thread before you start posting on Monday, March 2nd. Contest ends on Tuesday, March 31st at midnight MST! So go on with your gabby self! This is the month for you! Layout Contests: March Layout Contest: Mesmerizing, hypnotic, charming, spellbinding... These are all words that can be used to describe things we might take photos of or do scrapbook pages about, from a mountain vista to a new baby’s face. For this contest challenge, we want you to do a layout about something that you feel fits these words. If your layout is chosen, you will win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique. All layouts must be posted by midnight Eastern Time, March 31st and credits listed to be eligible. March Mid-Month Layout Contest: Time marches on in our lives. Scrapbooking gives us a way to track that time. For the mid-month layout contest, we want you to create a layout that shows a timeline of events or a then-and-now contrast. Post your Timeline layouts in the Mid-March Layout Contest Gallery before April 14th at midnight eastern. You will be eligible to win a $10 gift card to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Let's get scrapping!

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 Debbie Layden
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Designer Freebie by Syndee Nuckles coordinates with her Citrus Splash Collection Mini

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Stitching And Holes 4102 - Zig Zag Stitching Mini, Lettering Delights Inclination Font, Lettering Delights Deck The Halls Font, Lettering Delights Elf Note Font and Lettering Delights Perpetual Font 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.