 |
What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique? |
|
Layout by Laurel Lakey
larger view
Layout by Shalae Tippetts
larger view
Layout by Ariadna Wiczling
larger view
Layout by Laurel Lakey
larger view
Layout by Cherise Oleson
larger view
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
 |
|
Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Stitch and Holes PSE 8303 Paths Mini, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Stitch and Holes PSE 8301 Mini, ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Pen and Ink Doodles, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Stitching And Hole 4101 Mini, ScrapSimple Type Paths: Waves 3801, ScrapSimple Type Paths: Curves 2101, ScrapSimple Type Paths: Spirals 2101, Texture Set: Paper, ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Slim Tabs 5701, Brush Set: Beautiful Distress, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Doodle Pad, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Creative Expression and Lettering Delights Hunkaspunk Font are also available. |
Layout by Kelly Favor-Chronister
larger view
Layout by Angie Briggs
larger view
Layout by Christy VanderWall
larger view
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: Very Funny |
|
I heard Ryan Seacrest say, “And now, Randy will give his second wildcard pick...”
Rushing into the room, I gasped, “You aren’t watching American Idol without me, are you?”
He changed the channel to a basketball game and innocently looked at me. “Here,” he said, handing me the remote control.
I sat on the couch and went into my DVR recordings to locate the proper episode of American Idol. I started it and quickly returned it to the beginning so that I wouldn’t accidentally see what had happened.
He asked, “Did Jorge do well?”
I glared at him. “Do NOT tell me what happens.”
“No, I’m just asking. Did he do well?”
“Stop it!” I said. “You always do this to me. I don’t want to know what happens before I see it happening.”
“Okay,” he said, pretending to swat a bug. “But, what about that little girl... Lil?”
I gritted my teeth. “Gary, I told you to stop it. I want to see it happen myself.”
“What?” he asked in the tone that indicates he is completely innocent. (Although, whenever he uses this particular tone of voice, he knows that he is admitting he is not innocent at all.) “I didn’t say anything to you.”
“You did, too. See where Lil is standing? The person that stands there always gets chosen first thing. She was so good; she has to be one of the winners.” I stuffed a pillow behind my back in protest.
He sat and watched the television in silence. When he could no longer refrain himself, he said, “I know who wins.”
I flipped my head around. “As in, you know who wins American Idol?”
“Yes,” he said. “I know who wins.”
“You do not.”
“I do, too.”
“You do not.”
“Do.”
“Not.”
Exasperated, I sighed. “Honey, if you did know who wins American Idol this year, we could place a bet on it, win a gazillion dollars and I could retire. But, you don’t know who wins because nobody knows who will win.”
I stared at him. He stared at me. And then, he started to laugh. “You’re so easy to tease,” he winked. “That’s why I love you so much.”
So, I ask you, what on earth am I supposed to do with someone that loves to get me riled up like that?
Well, I’ll tell you what I did. After I had acted properly horrified that I had been caught in his snare again, I kissed him.
- Ro
Layout by Ro
larger view
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! |
|
|
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! |
|
Best of the Message Board |
|
Question: Can we wrap text around a circle in Paint Shop Pro (PSP)? I saw a layout in the boutique with this technique, but I can’t find it now.
Answer 1: We sure can! Which version of PSP are you using?
Response 1: PSP X2.
Answer 2: The first thing to know about text paths is that they take a huge amount of memory, so close everything except PSP. Open a new image with a transparent background. DO NOT try this on your layout! Activate your Custom Shape Tool and choose the circle. Make sure you have “Create As Vector” and “Show Nodes” checked on the toolbar, Width: 10, Stroke: Black, Fill: Null. Draw out your circle. It should be a black line with no fill and four small black squares or nodes at the 12, three, six, and nine clock positions. Activate your Text Tool and mouse over the line of the circle. You will see the Text Tool change from “+A” to an “A” with a curve under it like a smiley face. Set your Stroke and Fill back to black and start typing your text. It should follow the curve of your circle. Highlight your text to change the font and size to fit the circle. To add your circle text to your layout, you must first hide the circle and save it as a PNG. On your Layers Palette, the circle and text are in a Vector Layer group. Click the “+” on the Layers Palette to expand the group and then click the eye to turn off the circle layer. Save this as a PSP file first and then as a PNG. Add the PNG to your layout. If you need or want to change the text, open the .pspimage file and edit your text.
Response 2: I have brought my laptop to work today, so I will try it at lunch time. I’m so excited. I will let you know!
Answer 3: This is something I actually know how to do in PSP! Text paths DO take up a lot of resources. I learned that the hard way when I was working on my layout. It kept freezing every time I went to change the font on my text path to get it to look right. But, they can look so neat on the page. It’s worth the slowdown.
Question: I’ve noticed that while I'm trying to organize all of my supplies that the PSP files do not show thumbnails. Is there a way to do this? I thought maybe I should open each one and then do a “Save As JPG,” but that could be a lot of work and I’d have two of each. (If that makes sense.) I was wondering if there’s an easier way.
Answer: I use a PSP Thumbnail Handler that is free from Bot Productions.
Response: Thanks! I’ll look it up. It would just make organizing and deciding what to keep so much easier than having to open each and every file.
Question: The past couple of times I have been working on a more detailed layout in PSP XI, the program has locked up on me and everything that was not saved previously was lost. It has actually locked up my computer where I had to manually shut it down to reboot. This computer is new (built for me last January) but before I was “heavy” into Scrap Girls. I did check my C drive and it is at 83% full, which I know tends to slow everything down when it is that full. I have ordered a new EHD and plan to put all of my scrap goodies and photos on that to free up my hard drive. My question is would this “full hard drive” be the cause of the PSP program locking up during multiple tasks or does my computer need a D&C (dusting and cleaning) by a tech?
Answer 1: How much RAM do you have? I know that when I get really into a layout, especially a 12x12 one, I have to shut down everything! I even unplug the Internet so that PSP is the only thing running. (The funny thing is that I have had to do the same with Photoshop CS2 and I have 2 GB of RAM!)
Answer 2: RAM would be an issue. I’ve had it a couple times, but realized it was because I was not saving often enough and that’s also one reason why I don’t do 12x12. 8x8 is easier for me. Now, for some people, like swap crop, I will do 12x12, but save after every single thing I put on. It saves on memory!
Answer 3: I have also found that each time you paste something as a new layer or make any change, you should empty the Clipboard.
Answer 4: This really seems as though it is a memory issue. As was said, clear the Clipboard after you copy or paste something. As far as whether or not the “full hard drive” could be causing the problem, if the file you are working on becomes larger than the available disk space, you should get a warning or error message telling you that it’s happening. When it crashes, does it give you any errors and, if so, have you noted the error codes? I would also recommend checking for updates and rechecking a couple of times to ensure it is fully up to date. Also, do you have it set to autosave your work somewhere? When I installed it on my computer, it was set to autosave work, which took up a lot of disk space. I’m not saying you should change this setting if it is set to do this, but it would be worth having a look to see and, if so, check out the files it has autosaved. As an added note, saving your work frequently can save a lot of frustration when you’ve been working on a layout for any length of time.
Answer 5: I find that it helps to close down my email and Internet when I am doing a 12x12 and I save it a lot. But, I can run 12 layers at 300 dpi on a 12x12 and it doesn’t crash my setup even with email and the Internet running minimized, although it does make it slower. We have 2 GB of RAM on a four–year–old machine. What does mess me up is running the organizer tray (at the bottom where all your photos show up) so I don’t have it open. We also run defrag, disk cleanup and virus check on a regular basis. Disk cleanup, in particular, has a definite effect.
Answer 6: It did that to me, too, and I have 70% of free space. I just ordered RAM. It is so cheap now and I am hoping it’s going to make a big difference. I learned to save layouts as I go along and clear my Clipboard often. Hope it helps. I’ll let you know if the RAM helps.
Answer 7: Another tip to keep PSP running fast is to create any embellishments or templates, save them as a .pspimage and as a PNG, and then bring just the PNG onto your layout. When working with layout templates, delete the template layer as soon as you are done with it. Save often. The fewer the layers, the faster PSP will run no matter how much RAM or hard drive space you have.
Answer 8: I am guilty of leaving my template layers underneath! I’ll remember to delete them in future!
Answer 9: More suggestions to help your computer run better. Go to the Start menu, select Run, type in “MSCONFIG,” on the General Tab make sure your system is set to “Selective Start Up.” Then, click on the Startup tab and remove the check boxes from everything except your Anti–Virus, Firewall (if you have it listed and want it to start when Windows boots up) and Internet. This will save you a ton of memory because you won’t have a dozen processes starting when you boot up your computer and running in the background while you’re working. I also find that a good program like Tune–up Utilities, which can defrag, remove unnecessary entries and other issues in your registry helps as well. This program also has a number of other options like defrag, file shredder, optimizer, disk clean-up and much more, which makes it worth the money. Also, closing Windows when working as soon as you can and changing how much space/how many backsteps you allow PSP to cache can make a huge difference. Also, keep other programs to a minimum. Same thing with the Clipboard. I sometimes do multiple saves with different file names in case I want to go back and change a graphic.
*To find this thread and other great Paint Shop Pro tips, you can check out our message board here!
|
|
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 |
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 27th - 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 27th - 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!
ATC Swap Crop & Chat
Sunday, March 29th - 3:00PM ET
Please join me, Sherry_Lynn, in the chatroom for our March ATC Swap Crop/Chat at 3pm ET. For this month’s challenge we are doing ATC’s (Artist Trading Cards) that feature “Goodbye Winter - Hello Spring!”
|
|
|
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 Brandy Murry
larger view
Designer Freebie by Brandy Murry coordinates with her Chronicles Collection
* 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. |
|
|
Very Funny
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
|
- What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?
- Life Muses by Ro
- Retirement Sale
- Best of the Message Board
- What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
- Designer Freebie
- 2009 Digital Scrap Link Convention Information!
- Getting Started
- Expand Your Skills
- Online Classes Currently Available
- Scrap Girls Clubs
- Ongoing Opportunities for YOU
|
The Scrap Girls newsletter is created for you by a virtual army of Scrap Girls team members. Without them, we couldn't possibly share these resources with you, and I'm very grateful for their ongoing help and support.
I hope you enjoy today's issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Ro
CEO - Scrap Girls, LLC
P.S. Your email address is safe with us. We never share, rent, sell, or loan our list with anyone!
P.P.S. If you ever need any assistance, please email [email protected] or call
866-598-3444 and we'll help you as quickly as possible!
|
Scrap Girls is Having a Convention! |
Here are the facts:
When: October 8-10th, 2009
Note: Convention begins at 1:00 pm - Thursday, October 8th and ends at 6 pm - Saturday, October 10th.
How many people may attend? Less than 100 seats are still available after only one month of being on sale! Don't miss out on this opportunity - secure your place now!
Where: Salt Lake City, Utah
Sign up now!
|
Free eBook “starter kit” turns your dreams of digital scrapbooking into reality today!
This dynamite eBook is 65 pages - packed full of the information, ideas, and help people need when they are about to dive into this great hobby. It answers all of the important questions new digital scrapbookers have. They are all here for you - in one easy to use eBook!
Bonus! Download the free “Warning” Label, too. It was created for you by Valerie Randall as a little bit of extra fun!
Would you like a chance to try digital scrapbooking yourself?
Scrap Girls' Refresh Collection Biggie offers you free samples of some of our most popular product types. Try making a layout, your own paper with a ScrapSimple Paper Template, a fast layout with a ScrapSimple Digital Layout Template, or experiment with a brush.
We know you'll love digital scrapbooking as much as we do, and we have thousands of products to feed your new addiction!
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed!
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 6.0 and 7.0
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 5.0
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 4.0
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 3.0
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed (Photoshop 7, CS, CS2 and CS3)
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Paint Shop Pro (PSP) X
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Paint Shop Pro (PSP) 9
Do you wish you could learn how to scrapbook digitally, but feel kind of intimated? Well, here's the solution for you! This large set of video tutorials allow you to actually watch Ro scrapbook. And because Ro covers such a large number of topics in this item, it is one of the most cost-effective digital scrapbooking tutorial series available today. No wonder tens of thousands of people have chosen Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed as their method of learning to scrapbook digitally!
In the tutorials, you'll see Ro working on her computer and hear her talking about why she is doing what she is doing. It's like having Ro come to your home and give you private scrapbooking lessons. You can create digital scrapbooking layouts today!
Start to Finish eBooklets
Start to Finish eBooklet - PSE: How to Make a Birthday Scrapbook Page
Nothing could be simpler than learning to scrapbook digitally with Scrap Girls Start to Finish eBooklets. Step by step written guidelines and detailed screenshots will help you learn new digital scrapbooking skills. Included with the eBooklet are the actual digital files you need to create a finished project!
More Titles Available |
|
The Art and Importance of Journaling
Tuesdays, March 31 and April 7 - 9:30PM ET
If you are looking for a course on grammar, spelling, and punctuation, this is not the class for you. But, if you want to be motivated and inspired to add more journaling to your layouts, then this digital scrapbooking class is the place! Journaling can be overwhelming and intimidating. Learn some simple tricks to make it easier. Discover ways to help it become part of your layout design rather than an afterthought. Look at real examples, and see how easy and fun journaling can be.
Understanding and Creating Color Sets
Wednesdays, April 1 and 8 - 7:00PM ET
This in-depth digital scrapbooking class on color sets is the perfect opportunity to learn and discuss ways in which colors work together, and how to use colors to your advantage for all your digital scrapbooking projects.
|
Join the Scrap Girls Monthly Club and you can have fun with the newest traditional digital and printable scrapbooking looks while saving! (A $27.94 value for $9.99 or less!)
The Scrap Girls Club contents are released on the 1st day of the month (or the closest business day to the 1st).
With the Scrap Girls Club, you will receive:
Layout by Amanda McGee using March's Scrap Girls Club
larger view
Created for you by Amanda McGee
Remember, these items are available separately in the Boutique at regular prices for those who would rather not join a club.
Note: The Scrap Girls Club contents are always available for sale elsewhere in the Boutique at their regular prices once the associated club month is released. But all club contents are totally brand new, never seen before product releases for each month! |
Join the ScrapSimple Monthly Club and you can enjoy the newest ScrapSimple looks while saving! (A $13.95 value for $6.99 or less!)
The new ScrapSimple Club contents are released on the 15th day of the month (or the closest business day to the 15th).
With the ScrapSimple Club, you will receive:
-
1 ScrapSimple Paper Template Set
-
1 ScrapSimple Embellishment Template Set
-
1 Brush Set
-
1 ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brush Set
-
1 Designer's Choice Item
A commercially licensed version of the ScrapSimple club is also available here.
Layout by Melanie Johnson using March's ScrapSimple Club
larger view
Created for you by Melissa Renfro and Melanie Johnson
If you prefer not to join a club, the ScrapSimple club contents are available at regular prices in the Boutique. You can easily find them right now by checking the What's New? section of the Boutique.
Note: The ScrapSimple Club contents are always available for sale in the Boutique at regular prices once the associated club month is released. But all club contents are totally brand new, never-seen-before product releases for each month! |
Customer Muses: Would you like to share your own Life Muse with our readers? To have your own essay considered for publication as a muse in the column for our special Saturday newsletter, send your essay to [email protected]. If your essay is selected, you will receive a $20 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique.
Way Cool Scrap Girl: We are so excited to have all of you meet some of the amazing people that have become Scrap Girls! If you would like to be spotlighted and win a $25 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique, send the following items to [email protected]:
- 500-900 word essay about your experience with digital scrapbooking, Scrap Girls, and specific examples of how we have helped you.
- A 600-pixel wide, 72 dpi copy of a layout you've created that uses Scrap Girls products, plus a complete list of those products.
- A 100-pixels wide, 72 dpi picture of yourself.
- Permission to use your statement.
Club Concepts: We would like to announce that we will be looking for your help in creating these Club Concepts articles. 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!
Suggest a Challenge, Win a Prize! Have a great idea for a gallery layout challenge? Submit it to [email protected]. If your challenge idea is chosen, you will win a prize! Friday will be Customer Challenge Day, so keep an eye out on the message board calendar. It will be fun to see what YOU come up with for us to do!
 Scrap Girls is giving away birthday gifts to our message board members! Of course, it is a surprise what you will get because birthday presents are always surprises! But you will like it for sure because most people like money... Anyway, make sure your message board email address is current and that you have the correct date entered into your profile to participate.
|
|
