A Few Blades of Grass

Surgery has claimed our time and energy for the last three months - first my hysterectomy and then my husband's aortic valve replacement. Because of this, we are now walking! Twice every day!

The early morning walk is not easy for me. I am a night person and it takes me a while to join the happy world family in the morning. But the cool summer, before breakfast, before the heat, is growing on me.

Walking along the sidewalk the other day, I suddenly noticed the shadow cast by the grassy edges in front of me and memories shot into high gear. In the early 90's, my daughter became interested in Creative Memories and joined as a consultant. I went along with her to help in the new endeavor and surprise, surprise, I was hooked. Monica held parties, helped friends get started, and we both had a great time.

One thing led to another and we moved on to include stamping and card-making. At that time, there were not many companies offering products to fit our needs, compared to the plethora we have to choose from now. Eventually, we found D.J. Inkers and bought their CD's of clipart and word art.

Since then, my husband and I have retired and moved to Colorado, where our daughter now lives with her family. We enjoy a peaceful and unhurried life. This leaves me time for scrapbooking and I have discovered digital scrapping. I spend a lot of time creating beautiful montages of my grandchildren, incorporating life lessons in journaling, and learning something new every day about Photoshop.

One of my favorite D.J. Inkers graphics was tufts of grass, which I used many times. I still have copies of cards I made 10-15 years ago. For a short time, I kept an album of photos of the ones I gave away because I knew I would never see them again.

What a long way I have come from that beginning. I can't believe all of the memories I have dredged up from years ago. As one ages, the memory fails and many occasions and celebrations are gone forever if there is nothing to trigger their resurrection.

All of this... just because a few blades of grass cast their shadow on my path.

- Noreen

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.

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 Valerie Randall using August's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Valerie Randall

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 Kim Meeder using August's ScrapSimple Club
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Created for you by Keri Schueller and Cherise Oleson

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!

ScrapGirls Member of the Month - August 2009
Member Name: RosemaryS

1. What program do you use to digital scrapbook?

I use Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended.

2. Tell us the make and model of digital camera that you use.

I saved up and bought a new camera for our Alaska trip last summer and it's a Canon 5D. I use a number of different lenses. The main one I use is a 24-105 mm f/4 L IS USM. It's a great all-around lens that I like because I can take landscapes and still get a little closer if I want to for people photos.

3. Name one thing that every beginning digital scrapbooker should know.

Find Scrap Girls! The best thing I ever did was to see Ro's album at Shutterfly and that led me to Scrap Girls. The second thing was to buy Ro's Secrets Revealed for Photoshop CS3.

4. If you could be transformed into a digital scrapbooking embellishment, what would you choose and why?

I love the little elements that hang down from the top of the layout - like a string with a star, a leather strap with a clasp or even a curled ribbon with a buckle. They tend to draw your eye to something special.

5. What time of day do you find that you do your best scrapbooking?

I love knowing that when I can't sleep in the middle of the night, I can get up and scrap and won't be interrupted by anyone. I guess that would make me a night scrapper.

6. What is your favorite snack?

Can you say chocolate? I love Abdallah's European milk and dark chocolate truffles. They are filled with hazelnut ganash and are terrific! Chocolate cheesecake with raspberry sauce would be a close second. Do you see a theme here?

7. What brand of toothpaste do you use?

Aqua Fresh

8. What is your least favorite household chore?

Love to bake and cook, hate to clean up afterwards.

9. Finish this sentence. “I couldn’t live without...”

My husband, Doug. He's the BEST!

10. What's your current favorite layout that you've done?

Layout by RosemaryS
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Weekly Layout Winners

Layout by scrappin'doc
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Layout by crystals622
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Water Drops, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: WaterDrops 5301 Mini, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Water 6101 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Blended 8201 Super Biggie are also available.

Want to see your layouts make an appearance in the Scrap Girls newsletters?

Simply post your digital or paper layouts that use Scrap Girls products in our online gallery, and if we choose your layout to be featured in the newsletter, you'll win a prize! To be considered, don't forget to list the Scrap Girls products that you used in your layout.

Congratulations to this week's selectees. Please email [email protected] to get your gift!

Want to see past winners of the Weekly Layout Contest? Visit the Weekly Layout Winners gallery on our message board here!

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

Layout by Angela Blanchard
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Designer Freebie by Angela Blanchard coordinates with her Waters Edge 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.

CROPS AND CHATS

UFO Chat & Crop
Sunday, August 16th - 1:00PM MT

Please join Sherry_Lynn and special guest co-hostess Janine Buckles (J9Buckles) from our Layout Artist Team in the chatroom. Let's complete or revamp some of those layouts that are sitting in your "Layouts to be Completed" folder. Post your layout in the UFO Gallery and meet us in the Lobby at 1pm Mountain Time to get some inspirational suggestions from our incredible professionals here at Scrap Girls!

Quote Challenge Crop
Sunday, August 16th - 6:00PM MT

Come join Pat (PBarnes) for the Quote Challenge Crop at 6pm MT. 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, Pat will post a thread on the Chat section of the message board giving you the quote that you can use to make your own word art. Then join her in the chat room later to have fun, chat, and create a Word Art layout together!

Recipe Card Swap Crop
Sunday, August 16th - 8:00PM MT

Please join Danna (scrappylibrarian) and April Showers in the chat room for our Monthly Recipe Swap chat at 8pm Mountain Time. Please check the message board on Thursday, August 13th for this month's theme!

Coffee Break Chat
Monday, August 17th - 4:30AM MT

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 at 4:30am Mountain Time 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! Hope to see you there!

Get Published Chat
Monday, August 17th - 7:00PM MT

Join Angela (angelaNussbaum), Amy (ManiakMommy) and Christy (ChristyVW) for the Get Published Chat at 7pm Mountain Time. Do you want to see your layouts in magazines, but you are not quite sure how? Do you need a little more confidence with your layouts? During the Get Published Chat, we will talk about current calls, give constructive criticism on requested layouts, and we will answer your questions about submitting to magazines. As with most of our chats, there will also be a challenge to help you increase your chances of being published, we will select a Magazine, and challenge you to do a layout with one of their calls!

New Member Chat - Early Edition
Tuesday, August 18th - 1:00PM MT

Join April Showers at 1pm Mountain Time for a fun chat to get to know our newest members. We will discuss the message board, gallery, chocolate and so much more! Everyone is welcome, new or not so new! Not sure how to get there? Just click the "chat room" button at the top of this newsletter; you will need Javascript enabled to access the chat room.

Musing About Life Chat
Tuesday, August 18th - 7:00PM MT

As you might be able to tell by now, Ro spends a great deal of time thinking about how she can become a better person. (Thus the muses...) She hears from a lot of you that you feel we have a lot in common because you recognize the circumstances or emotion she is expressing. She thought it may be nice to get together once a month and lift each other. This will be a private chat so that we can share our feelings, hopes, dreams, and more with each other in a safe way. Come join our adventure together. If you would like to come, send Ro a private message on the board and she'll give you the room name and the password.

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, August 19th - 10:00AM MT

Join your guest host April Showers for the East Coast High Noon Crop every Wednesday at 10am Mountain 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! You'd be amazed what you can get done in just one hour! We hope you'll join us!

AUGUST EVENTS

August Message Board Game: Embellishment Hunters!

Calling all adventurous souls! Join us for the August Message Board game - Embellishment Hunters! This month, we're playing an old game with a new twist and hope you'll join us for fun and of course... prizes!

Your task is simple! Imagine a dartboard with 100 targets. To find the target hiding the embellishment of the day, simply guess a number between 1 and 100. The first person to guess the correct number is the daily winner and will be showered with applause and will proudly enjoy bragging rights PLUS the possibility of prizes at the end of the month!

All daily winners will be included in a month-end drawing with prizes including one $10 gift certificate and five $5 gift certificates to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Visit the Monthly Message Board Games Forum on the message board for specific rules and instructions about game play.

Layout Contests:

August Monthly Layout Contest: Be cool! Since we're in the middle of summer here in the U.S., thoughts of staying cool are at the forefront. For the August Challenge, we want you to scrap your photos of your favorite ways to stay cool during the hot summer months. Create your layout and post it in the August Layout Contest Gallery before Midnight MT on August 31st. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the details tab. If your layout is chosen, you will win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

August Mid-Month Layout Contest: Everybody loves dogs – right? For the August Mid-month Challenge we want you to scrap photos of your dog(s) – current or past. Not a dog person? Then you can scrap your photos of your cat or any other pet. Create your layout and post it in the August Mid-Month Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight MT on September 15th. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the Details tab. If your layout is chosen, you will win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

Check our message board calendar if you have any questions about what is happening at Scrap Girls. All event times are given in Mountain Time Zone unless otherwise noted. Need help converting time zones? Check out the World Clock - Time Zone Converter. (Use 'USA-Utah-Salt Lake City' as the location for the Mountain time zone.)