Scrap Girls is announcing its vacation plans... STAYCATION! The whole team is going to have a STAYcation this year, and we want you to STAYcation with us. Our Product Designers are having a STAYcation, too, and as a change from slaving away making beautiful digital scrapbooking supplies for you to scrap with, they're hosting chats all week! Trust us, you do NOT want to miss these chats. Our designers get out so rarely - this is a real treat!

We've got a schedule full of chats that our Product Designers and Welcoming Committee are hosting, plus our STAYcation Sale, games, freebies, contests, prizes and fun! Come join our family on our STAYcation!

Scrap Girls Digital Scrapbooking Adventures Blog - 20 32 Questions Game

Each day Dee will post questions on the Scrap Girls Digital Scrapbooking Adventures blog. Search the past blog posts for the answers and keep a document with the questions, your answers, and the links to the blog post where you found the answers. Email this document to [email protected] by Midnight (MT) on Friday, July 31st.

If you get all of the answers and their blog links correct, you will be entered into a drawing for a $20 Gift Certificate. If you get at least 16 of the answers and their blog links correct, you will be entered into a drawing for a $10 Gift Certificate. The remainder will be entered into a drawing for a $5 Gift Certificate.

Please do not post answers to any of the questions on the message board or in the blog comments. We cannot be responsible for lost or un-received emails. One email per member; you will receive a response indicating your email has been received. If you do not receive a reply in 24 hours, please resend.

Picnic Basket Of Doom

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You know it, you dread it, it's back... with a STAYcation twist! The Picnic Basket of Doom is here!

For those of you new to this game, the object is simple. You must correctly identify the items shown in the picnic basket image. There are 36 items to identify in this Picnic Basket of Doom.

Now don't panic! You don't have to find them all to play the game. (Whew!) But anyone who DOES get them all correct will automatically win a $10 Gift Certificate! This means more than one person can win a $10 gift certificate. (Anyone this motivated deserves a prize!) The winners of these gift certificates can get in on the rest of the game, too!

For all players:

• If you get 16 or more correct answers, you will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Gift Certificate!
• If you get 10-15 correct answers, you will be entered into a drawing for a $10 Gift Certificate!
• If you get 5-9 correct answers, you will be entered into a drawing for a $5 Gift Certificate!

To enter the game, send your guesses to [email protected]. For each item guessed, you must include BOTH the product name and a link to where you can find it in the Scrap Girls boutique. Your email must be received by Midnight (MT) on Friday, July 31st. We cannot be responsible for lost or un-received emails. One email per member; you will receive a response indicating your email has been received. If you do not receive a reply in 24 hours, please resend.

Good luck, and happy hunting!

STAYcation Chat Schedule

Tuesday - July 28: Ice Cream Social

12:00Noon ET - Ice Cream Social - Marnie and Keri
Join Marnie (sprinklz) and Keri (Keri S) at 12 Noon ET for the Staycation Ice Cream Social Chat! Here's a great way to combine your two favorite things in the whole world: ice cream and digital scrapbooking! Think of it as a virtual two-scoop sundae... full of yummy calorie-free goodness. Please note: Scrap Girls is not responsible for any ice cream drips, fudge dribbles, or sprinkle drops on your keyboard - enter this chat at your own risk!


3:00PM ET - Life Moments Chat - Sherry Lynn
Please join Sherry_Lynn on July 28th at 3pm ET for the next installment of our Life Moments Chat and Crop! These crops are about building a scrapbook all about you, one layout at a time. I'm looking forward to seeing you there!


9:00PM ET - New Member Chat - Carol Ann and Pat
Join Carol Ann (Zaz) and Pat (PBarnes) for a special Staycation Week edition of the New Member Chat 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. We'll have a prize to give away too. All are welcome, new and long time members included.

Wednesday - July 29: Camping

12:00Noon ET - High Noon Crop (April)
8:00PM ET - Desktop Challenge Crop (Angela & Becca)
9:00PM ET - Camping (Amanda M & Trish)

Thursday - July 30: Picnic

1:00PM ET - Fill Your Picnic Basket Chat (April & Carla)
3:00PM ET - Picnic Chat (Ariadna & Shalae)
8:00PM ET - Word Art Chat (Angela & Michelle)

Friday - July 31: Luau

11:00AM ET - What's New Chat (Michelle & Sherry Lynn)
1:00PM ET - Mini Class: Shortcuts (Jan & Ursula)
6:00PM ET - Mini Class: Blending Modes (Katherine)
8:00PM ET - Luau (Syndee & Katherine)

*Schedule is subject to change... keep an eye on the newsletter and message board for the latest STAYcation happenings!

Note from Ro: This is a “Best of Ro” muse. It’s one of my favorite character pieces. Hope you enjoy it!

Ro Paxman

She Tangos

“Tango with me?” the counselor asked, his ornamental braid shining in the light of the disco ball.

She looked at him and batted her eyes. Yes, she would dance with the counselor, her red dress swishing behind her as he directed her across the floor.

Holding her right hand out willingly, she tossed her left hand in the air and shouted, “Ole!”

The counselor smiled back at her and took her in his arms. “You look lovely, my dear. Is this a new dress?”

“No,” she said coyly. “I bought it when I danced at the world championship in London.”

“I should have known,” he said. “It was obviously made with care.”

“Yes,” she replied. “The great Ivan himself sewed it especially for me. He was in love with me, you know...”

“I have heard it was so,” the counselor replied. “You have broken many hearts.”

They glided across the floor, only stopping to dip and shout and toss their heads about as the music demanded. When, at last, the song concluded, the counselor returned her to her seat. “I am honored that someone such as you would grace me with your company.”

“It was my pleasure,” she replied, while holding her hand out for a kiss.

The counselor shook her hand and said, “Until next week, then?”

“Yes, I will be here,” she smiled. “I always attend the senior citizen’s dances.”

- 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.

Just a reminder: Ro is running a contest in her blog that ends on July 28th.

Three grand prize winners will receive a copy of The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman.


Two runner-up winners will receive a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique.


To enter, add a comment to the contest post in Ro's blog. It will be pinned to the top of the blog so that you can see it easily.


In your comment, answer this question: What advice do you have for new digital scrapbookers?


The winner will be announced in Ro's blog so you will need to check back with it to see if you won. The easiest way to do this is to sign up for either the RSS feed or the email alerts.


For complete details, please visit Ro's blog.

SCRAP GIRLS CLUB

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:

1 Collection Biggie
1 Paper Super Mini
1 8.5x11 Sheet of Word Art
1 Embellishment Set
1 Assemble Your Own Zoom Page Set
1 Designer's Choice Item

Layout by Brandy Murry using July's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Brandy Murry

If you prefer not to join a club, the Scrap Girls 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 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!

SCRAPSIMPLE CLUB

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 or Word Art Template Set
1 Brush Set
2 Designer's Choice Items

A commercially licensed version of the ScrapSimple club is also available here.

Layout by Theresa Kavouras using July's ScrapSimple Club
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Created for you by Trish Yochum and Theresa Kavouras

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!

Scrap Girls Convention 2009 - Digital Scrap Link (Connections Live)

Welcome to Sara, known as Three Tadpoles Mom on the message board! She was brave enough to sit down and answer a few questions regarding her experience from the 2008 Scrap Girls Convention and her excitement for 2009.

Tell about one thing that you learned at the 2008 convention:

This is hard, as I learned so much. I loved V's class on typography. It really opened my eyes to things I had never noticed before.

Did something make you laugh?

I laughed all weekend, but really enjoyed playing bingo. It was fun watching Zaz and Shari play.

Food! What was your favorite dish or snack - besides the necessary Scrap Girls staple of chocolate?

The food was amazing! I loved the sandwiches. They tasted so good and there were usually three options to pick from.

Did you bring or wear purple?

I brought a purple shirt to wear and spilled coffee on it during breakfast the first day and had to change. I also got one of the Scrap Girls convention t-shirts to wear. It is one of my favorite t-shirts.

What is your favorite memory from the 2008 convention?

I stayed in the Guest House and I didn't come with anyone. My favorite memory was coming down for breakfast Thursday morning and seeing Ro at a table, holding baby Tippetts, with all of the team members scattered around the room. I am shy and didn't say hi at that point. I felt like I was in the midst of celebrities.

Why are you excited about attending the 2009 convention?

I made a lot of friends at the convention and, since then, I am even more active on the message board. I have made many new friends and I can't wait to meet those that are going and to see everyone that I got to know last year.

What advice do you have for people who are not sure about attending the convention this year?

I am a very shy person and thought I would sit in a corner with no one knowing who I was. It turned out that just about everyone recognized my screen name and would jump up and give me a hug. It was like a big pajama party with all of your best friends. Please come! I can't wait to meet you.

Layout by Joann Brown
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Off The Wall and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Masks - Downtown are also available.

Want to share your memories from the Scrap Girls 2008 Convention?
Click hereto visit the message board and find out how!

FREE STARTER KIT

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!

Ready to Take Off? In-depth Tutorials Help You Become a Great Digital Scrapbooker

Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed!

NEWLY UPDATED! Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop CS4, CS3, CS2, and CS
NEWLY UPDATED! Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 6.0 and 7.0*
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Paint Shop Pro X (XI)

(*Have Photoshop Elements 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, or 5.0? We have a tutorial program that will work for you. Please visit the product details page for more information.)

Find out what tens of thousands of people have already learned: Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed is the fastest way to learn how to create digital scrapbooking layouts. And because this series covers so many topics with one purchase, it is a bargain!

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!

Download and CD versions available.

Photoshop and Photoshop Elements users receive:

30-31 movie tutorials
Companion eBook(s)
Collections
Other supplies

Paint Shop Pro users receive 31 movie tutorials.

MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed!

MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! for Adobe Photoshop
MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! for Adobe Photoshop Elements

It's time for you to stop playing catch-up in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and start having a blast creating your own digital scrapbooking supplies! You'll also learn all sorts of tricks that professionals and advanced digital scrapbookers use in their layouts. And because Ro covers so many topics in the series, it is one of the most cost-effective methods of moving your skills to a higher level. Join in with the thousands of digital scrapbookers who have chosen to learn advanced skills from Ro. You'll be happy that you did!

Note: These are NOT beginning tutorials. If you get this training and you have never used Photoshop or Photoshop Elements before, or if you aren't pretty sure of yourself in the software, you are going to be lost. You simply have to understand layers, where things are located, and all of the basic, important skills that Ro teaches in her Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed series before you try to use it.

eBooks

Scrap Girls offers a large catalog of eBooks covering topics that will expand your digital scrapbooking abilities to new heights. Here are just a few samples:

The Virtual Canvas eBook

What happens when you move digital scrapbooking beyond the basic page? What happens when you allow the layout to blur the edges between keepsake and art? The Virtual Canvas: Celebrating The Art of Digital Scrapbooking eBook will provide those answers for you.

Digital Photography Simplified

Colour (me) Creative eBook with 36 color swatches

Scrapbooking 911 - 20 Sketches to Revialize Your Digital

Start to Finish eBooklets

Start to Finish eBooklet - PSE: Making a Just Because Card Using ScrapSimple Card Templates

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!

See more titles

STAYcation: Pool Party Bonus Freebie!

Layout by Cherise Oleson
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Designer Freebie by Cherise Oleson coordinates with her Ice Cream Social Collection Mini

Commercial license versions of Dynamic Brush Set: Doodle Borders 5401, AMC_Sketchy Outlines Font and AMC_Sketchy Solid Font are also available.

Layout by Trish Yochum
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Designer Freebie by Trish Yochum coordinates with her Ice Cream Shoppe Collection Mini

Commercial license versions of AMC_Cute 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.

CROPS AND CHATS

Life Moments Chat
Tuesday, July 28th - 3:00PM ET

Please join Sherry_Lynn on July 28th at 3pm ET for the next installment of our Life Moments Chat and Crop! These crops are about building a scrapbook all about you, one layout at a time. I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

High Noon Crop
Wednesday, July 29th - 12:00Noon ET

Join your guest host April Showers for the High Noon Crop every Wednesday at Noon ET. 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'd be amazed what you can get done in just one hour! We hope you'll join us!

Desktop Challenge Crop
Wednesday, July 29th - 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 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!

What's New Chat
Friday, July 30th - 11:00AM ET

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry Lynn at 11am ET Friday morning to chat about all the cool new things in the boutique. You never know who else is going to show up! 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!

NSBR Chat
Monday, August 3rd - 9:00PM 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 Carla (CRS) on August 3rd at 9pm ET in the chat room!

Baby Album Chat
Tuesday, August 4th - 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 Carla (CRS) and Shari (Shari PV Mom) in the chat room at 1pm ET to work on those albums! You can start from fresh on a brand new album, or jump in where ever you are in your project. We'll provide an optional challenge each crop for motivation if you want one. For this month, let's scrap the first bath!

JULY EVENTS

July Message Board Game: Hide and Seek!

Join us this month on the Message Board for a month long game of “Hide and Seek!” The designers have each chosen their favorite product that they've designed and it's your task to find each one! Every day from July 1-31 a member of the Welcoming Committee will post up a designer's name (or two!) and a clue to their personal favorite product that they've designed. You'll get a special peek into the minds and inspiration of the Scrap Girls designers as you search for their favorites contained in the boutique. When you find the correct product, you'll know it because a special little sunny marker will be waiting for you to let you know “You found it!”

Compile a list of links to the correct products throughout the month and send the list to [email protected] by August 1st at 11:59 p.m. (MST) for your chance to win a prize! Everyone who finds all THIRTY-SEVEN products will have their name added into a drawing for one of seven $5 gift certificates to the Scrap Girls boutique! Happy hunting, enjoy getting to know your designers and HAVE FUN!

Layout Contests:

July Monthly Layout Contest: In the good ole summertime, we see lots of lightning. Summertime also brings out the fun side of friends and family members. For the July Monthly Layout Contest, we want to see your layouts featuring photos of lightning or scrap someone with an electric personality! Post your layouts in the July Monthly Layout Contest Gallery before July 31st at Midnight, EDT. The winning layout will receive a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Be sure to include the credits for items used in the description area or under the Details tab.

July Mid-Month Layout Contest: Ah, vacations! They're so relaxing and fun, but can be expensive, too. For the Mid-July Layout Contest, we want to see your layouts featuring your vacation or staycation photos! If you don't have any vacation plans, what will you do instead? Scrap those plans! Post you layouts in the Mid-July Monthly Layout Gallery before August 15th at Midnight, EDT and you could win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique. Be sure to include the credits for items used in the description area or under the Details tab. 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.)