Ro Paxman

Be Still. Right Now.

"Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break but stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it." – Marcus Aurelius

Be still. Right now.

Close your eyes and imagine that you are sitting on a hill far from the city, the moon shining across the tops of the trees. You hear silver-dollar shaped leaves of Quaking Aspens trembling in the breeze. You smell musty earth mixed with pine needles. You feel the cool earth beneath you.

There is no one to speak and disturb your thoughts and you ask yourself who you are and why you are here. You listen to a small, still voice inside of you whisper and you know that you are more than you have thought yourself to be. You are a child of God and you become strong as the thought flows through your mind.

Be still. Right now.

Know who you are and what you are and what you are meant to be and you will discover a firmness of mind that the greatest philosopher, doctor of medical science, or the most brilliant politician cannot transmit to you. Know that you were given gifts of great importance that you were meant to share. They are important simply because they are yours and it is important that you use them.

Be still. Right now.

You do not have to be thrown about with waves of thought, doubt and confusion any longer. You do not have to go here and there, seeking acceptance. Once you discover that God is the steadying force of your soul, you will relax, look about and see how mankind's fascination with scurrying about, chasing rainbows, and seeking recognition causes one to miss that which would make one feel true joy.

Be still. Right now.

Consider the foundation you are standing on. Is it firm or sandy? Are you wobbling back and forth on a pencil tip, waiting for someone else to write a permission slip for you to seek what you were meant to share with the world? Or, are you walking forward - self-propelled - because you have learned that the world will not voluntarily give you permission to do anything but sit in a corner and wait.

Be still. Right now.

Listen to the stillness tell you that joy is found in being true to self, no matter who you interact with. Hear the core of your heart teach you that reacting with grace and honor, despite a hurricane of spite or anger coming from within, brings you one step closer to the peace you seek.

Be still. Right now.

Hear the sound of crickets chirping on a warm summer's night. See the North Star shining in the dark skies. Feel the calm that comes from knowing that you are who you were meant to be. Find the firmness of soul that comes from

Simply

Being

Still.

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.

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!

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 Melissa Renfro using November's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Melissa Renfro

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 Armi Custodio using October's ScrapSimple Club
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Created for you by Brandy Hackman and Erica Hite

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 Original

A few years ago, when I was still paper scrapping, I came across a poem that I fell in love with. In my opinion, it embodied the relationship between a parent and child perfectly. I decided to create an album based on this poem.

I never finished the album. I've thought about it on and off ever since. I think the problem was that I was totally uninspired both by the papers that I'd chosen and my scrapbooking ability. I wanted to create pages that somehow caught the spirit of the poem and I wasn't satisfied that I was succeeding. On top of that, the paper sets that I had chosen were drab and boring.

Original layout by Jan Hicks

Original layout by Jan Hicks

I decided to have another go at this album, this time as a digital scrapbook album, of course! I am also going to make it a 4x6 album, instead of my previous format of 12x12. Making 4x6 pages and using ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates will help me to create the pages faster, hopefully allowing me to complete the album!

The Do-Over

I want to make the pages brighter and more fun this time. I'm using various pieces from the Just Be You Collection Biggie, Just Be Messy Paper Super Mini and Assemble Your Own Zoom Pages: Just Be Playful. I'll also use the ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 4x6 Childhood Memories, changing the titles and journaling when I need to.

I start by creating a soft background with the ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Mudstained 1 and Brush Set: Mudstained 1. I also convert all of my photos to black and white to provide consistency throughout the album. This will also help the photos to stand out against the backgrounds, whether I use soft or brighter colors.

It is then just a matter of altering the given page elements, adding a few more and adding the poem lyrics to complete the page. To make the second page, I simply copy the elements from the first page and flip them.

Here are the first few pages of my new album. I'm very pleased with how it's turning out so far! When I'm done, I'll be sure to show you the completed album!

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Layouts by Jan Hicks
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Commercial license versions of Design Pack: Mudstained 1, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 4x6 Childhood Memories, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Old Photo Frames Biggie, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Coin Folders Chipboard - 3201 Mini and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Distressed 4901 are also available.

Designer Do-Over by Jan Hicks

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:

Artistry: A Celebration of Digital Design Excellence eBook

Artistry: A Celebration of Digital Design Excellence highlights the best-of-the-best in digital scrapbooking focusing on high quality layout design, imaginative use of products, creative vision, top-notch typography, and artistic expression. There are different layouts in a wide range of styles and techniques to be found in the book, and there are a multitude of ideas to be culled from the pages.

Colour (me) Creative eBook with 36 color swatches

Learn about the color wheel, color terms and their meaning, how to load the colour palettes in Adobe or use the colour strips with a colour selection tool. You get both valuable lessons and inspiration in this book filled with 48 layouts showcasing the use of the colour palettes along with links of all the products used to create the digital scrapbooking pages.

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

Now you can have all the past Scrap Girls Newsletter tutorials and Way Cool Stuff articles of the 2nd Quarter of 2009 in one convenient PDF format. It's easy to find those helpful hints with just the click of your mouse. You get two eBooks for the price of one!

Start to Finish eBooklets

Start to Finish eBooklet - PSE: How to Emboss & Texturize with ScrapSimple 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 Armi Custodio
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Designer Freebie by Erica Hite coordinates with her
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Specimen Jars, part of this month's ScrapSimple Club offering!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Keepsake Library Cards and Brush Set: Write It Down 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, November 3rd - 4:00PM MT

These crops are about building a scrapbook all about you, one layout at a time. This month we are focusing on Gratitude. Make a list or write down your stories, find some pictures and join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and April Showers for the Life Moments Chat and Crop on Tuesday, November 3rd at 4pm MT.

Creative Card Chat
Tuesday, November 3rd - 6:00PM MT

Do you use your digi-supplies to make cards? Do you want to? Instead of going to the store every time you need a card, you can save money and have fun making cards with your stash! Make a note of any cards you might need for the upcoming month, and join Michelle (Shelbi) and April Showers for the monthly Card Chat on Tuesday at 6pm MT. Can't wait to see you there!

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, November 4th - 10:00AM MT

Join your guest host April Showers for the East Coast High Noon Crop every Wednesday at 10am MT. 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 November 4th, we'll do a white space challenge! Create a layout using white space. This 'negative' or blank space guides the eye to the important areas of your page. Remember, it certainly doesn't have to be the color white! 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!

What's New Chat
Friday, November 6th - 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, November 6th - 8:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room Friday November 6th 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!

Aussie Chat & Challenge
Monday, November 9th - 9:00PM Australian Eastern DST

Please come join Karen (kazbar73) & Jo (scrappingjo) at 9PM - Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time on Monday 9 November for a chat and challenge. This week's challenge is a Quote Challenge. Watch the boards on Sunday for the thread that will tell you what the quote is. Create a layout using this quote and then join us in the Live Chat Lobby for lots of fun and laughter as we talk about our layouts. For our International ladies, the chat will be on at 3am MT (5am New York) time.

NOVEMBER EVENTS

November Message Board Game: The Alphabet Hunt

We're taking your ABC game skills to a whole new level this month... and tacking on some prizes as well! This month's message board game is "The Alphabet Hunt." Every few days, we'll give you a new theme and a searching task and then set you loose to start building our list in alphabetic order! Find the specifics about game play in the November Message Board Game thread in the Monthly Message Board Game folder on the Scrap Girls forum.

For each item you correctly add to our alphabetic list in the game thread on the message board, your name will be entered into a drawing which will be held at the end of the month. Five winners will be drawn and each will win a $5 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls boutique! Additionally, the person with the most correct contributions to the game will automatically win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap GIrls boutique! Participation is what counts big this month, so join us on the message board for the detailed rules, search specifics and LOTS of fun!

Layout Contests:

November Monthly Layout Contest: Life is busy; so full of activities and distractions. What pulls you away from what you really want to do? We want you to scrap it! For the November Layout Contest, we want to see what pulls you away from what you want to do. Create your layout and post it in the November Layout Contest Gallery before Midnight on November 30th. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the details tab. If your layout is chosen, you could win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

October Mid-Month Layout Contest: Anniversaries are very special times. For the October Mid-Month Gallery Contest, we want to see your layouts about an anniversary. It doesn't have to be a wedding anniversary. Birthdays are anniversaries too. Anything that you remember annually is an anniversary. Create your layout and post it in the October Mid-Month Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight on November 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.)