Ro Paxman

Run, Run, Run!

New paths interest me. I never know what lessons I will learn as I travel them.

Recently, I discovered a walking path that circles the local high school. The first time I walked it, I realized that I had arrived in time to see student summer activities underway. As I turned the bend around the back of the school, I heard the football team yell as they hit the ground during pushups. I saw a freshman being tutored by a senior in the proper manner to serve a tennis ball. I saw the girls' tennis team gathered around their coach. I saw the band practicing marching routines as they slowly counted to eight. I saw the flag team attempt to twirl their flags in unison.

Engrossed in the activities on the grass, I recalled my own high school years and remembered warm summer mornings practicing routines, cheers and music. It was such an innocent time.

Suddenly, my mind snapped forward. I saw a middle-aged woman round the bend of the track, followed by a large pack of girls. As they hit the straight-away, some of them started to call out, "Come on. You can do it. Don't give up now. You're almost there. Don't quit fighting. You can do it! Run. Run. Run!"

A few girls sped up as the cheers rang in the air. Other girls trotted along with their friends, barely breaking a sweat. Trotting behind the pack, with gritted teeth, ran a small group of girls. They were red. They were hot. They were struggling and yet, they ran on.

"Yes," I thought. "Run! Run! You can do it. Don't quit fighting. Don't give up now. You're almost there."

We all face obstacles. We all have challenges. We all experience trials and tests. The thing we must remember when we are in the middle of them is that we must keep trying. Just think how good it would be, if we are tempted to give up, to cheer ourselves on with the wisdom heard on a high school track.

Don't give up. Don't quit fighting. You'll get there eventually. Run. Run. Run!

- Ro

Photo by mikebaird

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 Angie Briggs using September's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Angie Briggs

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 Cherise Oleson 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!

Using ScrapSimple Paper and Embellishment Templates

Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS3 on a Mac.

There are many times when you have a beautiful paper picked out, but you want to add a little something extra to customize it for your digital scrapbooking layout. In this tutorial, I am using two templates. I will add one from ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Lets Play to a paper and one from ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Masks - Story Time to a photo.

First, create a new document at 300 dpi. I will be using a 12x12 inch canvas for this layout.

Open the paper of your choice, hold down the Shift key and drag it onto your newly created document.

Open TYO_SSPaper_LetsPlay_WordSearch.png, hold down the Shift key and drag it onto your document.

I want this layer to add a little texture to the paper, so I set the Blending Mode to "Color Burn" at 75% Opacity.

Open your photo and drag it onto the document.

Open TYO_SSEmbl_PhotoMasks_StoryTime_5.png, hold down the Shift key and drag it onto the document.

Select the TYO_SSEmbl_PhotoMasks_StoryTime_5.png layer by going to Select> Load Selection.

Make sure you are selecting the correct layer listed in the Channel drop-down and then click OK.

On the photo layer, with the photo mask selected, go to Edit> Copy and then Edit> Paste. You should now have a photo layer with a masked edge and you can delete the TYO_SSEmbl_PhotoMasks_StoryTime_5.png and original photo layers if you would like. This helps to keep your file size down.

My background and photo are ready, so I will add all of my other goodies to complete the layout. There you have it - a quick and easy way to create unique elements that will personalize your layout.

Layout by Trish Yochum
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Lets Play, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Masks - Story Time, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Loose Glitter 6401 Super Biggie, AMC_Chalk Talk Font and Brush Set: Urban Cowgirl are also available.

Tutorial written by Trish Yochum

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.

Colour (me) Creative eBook with 36 color swatches

Scrapbooking 911 - 20 Sketches to Revitalize Your Digital Scrapbooking - Book 4

Scrap Girls Tutorials & Way Cool Stuff eBook Set
2009 - 2nd Quarter

Start to Finish eBooklets

Start to Finish eBooklet - PS: How to use ScrapSimple Tools: Custom Shapes & Patterns

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 Angie Briggs
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Designer Freebie by Angie Briggs coordinates with her
Just Be Messy Paper Super Mini, part of this month's Scrap Girls Club offering!

* 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

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, September 2nd - 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! On September 2nd we'll do a Brush Challenge! Create a layout on any theme, any topic, and using at least one brush! You'd be amazed what you can get done in just one hour! We hope you'll join us!

NSBR Chat
Thursday, September 3rd - 2:00PM MT

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 Michelle (Shelbi) and Shari (Shari PV Mom) at 2pm Mountain Time, in the chat room lobby! Hope to see you there!

What's New Chat
Friday, September 4th - 9:00AM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Becca at 9am Mountain Time on Friday mornings 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!

Back-up Party and Chat
Friday, September 4th - 2:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room Friday for a Back-up Party and Chat. We'll also go over several different ways to safeguard your files. You won't want to miss this one!

Labor Day Chat
Monday, September 7th - 7:00PM MT

Join Carla (CRS) in the chat room at 7pm Mountain Time for a fun Labor Day chat! Not only does Labor Day honor the working force, it's the unofficial end of summer in the United States and Canada. It also is the unofficial start to the National Football League and College Football seasons! So, take some time to come chat about your summer, football or work! Hope to see you there!

New Member Chat
Tuesday, September 8th - 7:00PM MT

Join Pat (PBarnes) and Carol Ann (Zaz) for the New Member Chat at 7pm Mountain Time in the Live Chat Room Lobby. This is a great place to ask questions about getting around the Scrap Girls site or about digital scrapbooking in general - and a great place to make some new friends. All are welcome, new and long time members included. You do need to have Java installed on your computer to access the Live Chat.

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, September 9th - 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! On September 9th, we'll do a surprise color challenge! Create a layout predominantly using a color to be chosen by the group at the beginning of the crop! You'd be amazed what you can get done in just one hour! We hope you'll join us!

Journaling Chat
Wednesday, September 9th - 6:00PM MT

Join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and Becca for a Journaling Chat at 6pm MT. Struggle to find the right words for your layouts? Are your layouts more decorative than descriptive of the moments you're trying to capture? Then you won't want to miss this chat - we'll have a special challenge to encourage you to journal on your pages more! See you there!

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

September Message Board Game: BINGO!

It's that time again! Join us for an exciting game of BINGO on the Message Board in September! Pick 25 words from the list provided in the Monthly Message Board Game forum and send them in an e-mail to [email protected] with a subject line that says "BINGO CARD" and your message board user name by Wednesday, September 2nd (11:59pm MT) in order to play in the first round which will begin Thursday, September 3rd. Each day, members of the Welcoming Committee will call 5 random words from the BINGO list. Match just 15 of those words to win a BINGO. You must be first to call "Bingo!" in the game thread to win that round. After a winner is called, the boards can be cleared and a new round will begin the following day. All winners win a $5 gift certificate to the boutique! We like to see lots of winners, so please remember that each person can only win one round during the month. Have fun!

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

Layout Contests:

September Monthly Layout Contest: We're coming up on the date 09/09/09. For this layout contest, we want you to create a layout using repetition. It can be a photo that is repeated, an embellishment, a color... the possibilities are many. Create your layout and post it in the September Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight MT on September 30th. 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.)