Katherine Weaver

Simple Addictions

Everyone has addictions. I'm sure you've seen the reality TV shows highlighting family interventions for drugs and alcohol. I've always considered my own addictions as simple and harmless, but I'm pretty sure if reality TV producers phoned my husband, he'd be more than happy to open up an intervention of our own. The TV producers would have to take our intervention show in a new direction though because instead of addiction to drugs and alcohol, my vices have always been cake and Coca Cola Classic.

Some people enjoy cigarettes. I have found, however, that fluffy cake with creamy buttercream icing leaves a much nicer aftertaste. White cake with traditional white buttercream is my favorite. If I could get away with it, without gaining weight, I'd eat it every single day. But, we all know that's impossible, so I look for opportunities (special occasions) to indulge. The month of August happens to be the most opportunistic, since both of my boys have August birthdays. Every year, we go through the same drill. Noah, the youngest, asks for chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Brandon usually asks for something exotic, like Key Lime cake with Key Lime icing. Yet, they know their birthday cake will always be white with white buttercream.

Some people enjoy alcohol. I have found, however, that Coke Classic with a slice of lemon can be enjoyed much longer (and more frequently) without all the nasty side effects. Coca Cola Classic is my drink of choice. Sure, I drink other things too (like water, orange juice or sweet tea) but, more often than not, you'll see me with my trusty red can. For special occasions, my friends and family are used to nuances like, "Hey, let's go out for a Coke."

When I named this article "Simple Addictions," I was thinking more in terms of how a simple item can become an addiction (like cake and Coke Classic). Although, my husband will tell you that my attachment to these simple items happens to be far from simple. For example, I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Well, that indeed sums up what a morning in our household is like without my trusty red can. My husband and I have been married for ten years and he has long given up arguing or trying to rationalize with my morning (afternoon & evening) ritual. Now, he makes sure that each morning the refrigerator greets me with a sea of red: Coca Cola Classic.

Did I mention that I do not share? Okay, well that's not entirely true. I share a lot. I'll happily give a cup of sugar to a neighbor. I'll easily share a snack with my kids. I'll willingly share my bottled water with my husband on a hot, humid day. But, my family and friends know when not to ask for something, like if I'm enjoying a piece of white cake with fluffy white buttercream. Over the years, I've become quite skilled in jousting away offending fingers and utensils with my cake fork. You've never witnessed a death grip like mine when someone thinks they'll attempt a sip from my trusty red can. I'll share anything but my cake and Coke Classic. By the way, as I've been typing this article, my Coke has turned warm. I better go put it on some ice.

- Katherine

Favorite Product I've designed:
ScrapSimple Tools - Lightroom Presets: Diffuse Glow 10301 Mini

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Lightroom Presets: Diffuse Glow 10301 Mini are also available.

I love the ScrapSimple Tools - Lightroom Presets: Diffuse Glow 10301 Mini because with one simple click, you can apply different levels of softening and an ethereal-type glow to any photo. Since it's so versatile, it works just as beautifully on everyday shots as it does for portraits and macros. Whether you're looking for a simple softening or something a bit more dramatic, ScrapSimple Tools - Lightroom Presets: Diffuse Glow 10301 Mini has something to offer everyone.

Layout by Katherine Weaver
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Lightroom Presets: Diffuse Glow 10301 Mini, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Frame It! Edgy 1, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Curled Edges, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Curled Edges Shadows 3201, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Broken In and Lettering Delights Dear Diary Font are also available.

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!

The ScrapSimple club contains items that allow YOU to decide the colors and looks you will end up for your digital scrapbooking designs because the ScrapSimple products are completely customizable. You get all the products shown above, a $19.15 value, for $6.99 or less! And if you would like to create designs to share or sell, there's even a commercial club available! 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!

August's Scrap Girls ScrapSimple Club's featured designers are Keri Schueller and Cherise Oleson. Their club is full of beautiful products that can help you document your photos and get creative in amazing ways.

ScrapSimple Club Concepts Mini Tutorial: Create a Journal With ScrapSimple Templates

Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS2 with Mac OS X.

The gift giving season is drawing near and journals are a fantastic personal gift that is perfect for many people on your list. This tutorial gives you the basics for using ScrapSimple templates as printables to create a beautiful writing journal.

You'll need a pre-made journal, double-sided tape, a printer, an X-acto knife and some ribbon. Any kind of journal will do. I have selected this green, hardbound journal with a black spiral binding. There is an image on the front which will be covered by my printed paper template.

Measure the front cover of your journal so you know what size your printable paper needs to be. My journal measures 5x7 inches. The width includes the spiral binding so I will create my printable paper at 4.75x7.5 inches to make sure that I have enough extra to wrap around the edges. The 4.75 inch width accommodates the space where the spiral binding is which I will not cover.

Create a new file with the dimensions of 5x7.75 inches. With the Rectangle Tool selected, click on "Geometry Options" on the Options bar. On the pop-up, select "Fixed Size" and type in 4.75 inches for width and 7.5 inches for height.

Start at the top left of your file and click to instantly create a box with the specified dimensions. Make sure the box is centered by using the Move Tool. Select "Layer" from the menu bar and then Rasterize> Shape.

Open the ScrapSimple paper template(s) that you'd like to use to create your journal cover paper. I am using the fibers template from ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Naturally Handmade.

Drag your paper template over to your printable paper file. Press Ctrl+G (Cmd+G on a Mac) to create a clipping mask so that the paper template will "stick" to your journal cover paper template. You may want to move this around a bit to make sure the portion of the paper you like best is showing.

This is a good time to colorize the paper template to match the pre-made journal you started with. My journal is green, so I select a complimentary shade of green for my handmade paper template.

Choose the color you'd like and click Ctrl+U (Cmd+U on a Mac) to colorize the paper template. When the Hue/Saturation box opens, click on the box next to "Colorize" in the bottom right corner and move the sliders until you are happy with the results.

You can also add more interest to the cover by layering ScrapSimple embellishment or word art templates on top of your paper.

Open the template file. I have selected the ScrapSimple Word Art Templates: Be Inspired – Life and I am only using the text layer. Hold down the Shift key to keep it centered and drag the text layer to your working file. Use the Move Tool to position the text where you'd like it.

Select the color for the text and click Ctrl+U (Cmd+U on a Mac) to colorize the same way you colorized your paper template. (See above)

If you are happy with the look of the cover sheet, it is time to print and assemble! Print out the sheet and use a scissors or a trimmer to cut out the rectangle.

Using the X-acto knife, cut a 1/4 inch square out of each outer corner of the printed sheet. This will allow you to easily fold the edges over the top, bottom and side of the journal's front cover.

Use double-sided tape or wrinkle-free glue to line each edge of the printed sheet. You may also want to put a line of adhesive around the inside as well, about an inch in from the edges.

With the journal cover open, fold the paper around the top, bottom and outer edges of the journal cover.

Before you add the sheet of paper on the inside to cover the folds, lay down a line of adhesive and run a matching piece of ribbon along the inside where your paper stops short of the spiral binding.

To finish the inside of the cover nicely, cut a slightly smaller piece of matching paper and adhere it carefully so that it hides your folded edges.

Wrap the ribbon around the outside of the cover and tie a small knot or bow. Your journal is now complete and ready to use!

Project by Keri Schueller
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Naturally Handmade and ScrapSimple Word Art Templates: Be Inspired are also available.

Tutorial written by Keri Schueller

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 or ScrapSimple 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!

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 Jacelen Deinema
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Designer Freebie by Jacelen Deinema coordinates with her Watercolor Nature Camping Collection Super Mini

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Torn Edges 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

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!

Scrap Girls 52 Chat
Thursday, September 10th - 6:00PM MT

Join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and Becca on Thursday at 6pm MT for this month's Scrap Girls 52 chat, as we discuss this month's topic and ways to stay motivated to scrap those daily photos!

Sketch Challenge Crop
Thursday, September 10th - 7:00PM MT

Join Marnie (sprinklz) for the Sketch Challenge Crop on Thursday at 7pm MT in the Scrap Girls Chat Room! Like getting a little jump start on your layouts? Then this challenge is for you! A few hours before the challenge begins, a sketch will be posted for you to use as the starting point for your page. You can be inspired by the basic arrangement, the amount of photos, or copy it literally. All interpretations are welcome and encouraged!

What's New Chat
Friday, September 11th - 9:00AM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry_Lynn 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!

Recipe Card Swap Crop
Saturday, September 12th - 8:00PM MT

Please join April (April Showers) and Danna (scrappylibrarian) at 8pm Mountain Time in the chat room for our Monthly Recipe Swap chat. Please check the message board on Thursday, September 10th for this month's theme!

Quote Challenge Crop
Sunday, September 13th - 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 board giving you the quote that you will use to make your own word art. It's not hard, and she will have a layout with a Word Art example in the gallery. Then we'll meet in the chat room to have fun, chat, and create our Word Art layout! Everyone can participate and create a layout, even if you can't make the chat. Hope to 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!

Signature Contest: Season of Change

Summer is coming to a close with Fall just around the corner in the Northern hemisphere and weather is getting warmer in the Southern. Kids have gone back to school and before we know it, the holidays will be upon us. It's time to update those signatures. The guidelines for signatures and instructions for linking can be found here. Create your signature using mostly Scrap Girls products, following the guidelines, and upload to the Season of Change Signature gallery by 11:59 PM Mountain Time, September 30th to be eligible for the contest. Two winners will be randomly selected - one person will receive a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls boutique and a runner-up will receive a $5 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls boutique! It's time to replace those crazy monkeys before they're gone for good!

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.)