Valerie Randall

Thanks

The air is crisp, which is good because we need more than a shot of espresso to motivate us this morning. We arrived in New York City late last night and, today, we are heading into Manhattan with my brother-in-law. We are still on west coast time but, today, we are experiencing the Big Apple lifestyle first hand: taking the subway into Manhattan and then walking to Google where my brother-in-law works.

He makes sure our cell phones are synced and we understand where we are and when he expects us back. We have reservations to enjoy the free lunch Google provides all of its employees. (We are guests and Google allows a certain number of employee guests each year per employee.) We know to hail a cab if we get lost but, meanwhile, we set out to explore. We head off, already enamored with the architecture and the energy of this iconic city.

Cameras in hand, we begin to walk and see that the city is gearing up for the holidays. Tiny bakeries are bulging with pies. Chic boutiques have amazing window displays, wonderful signage and often a wacky sense of humor. We are called forth as visual delights appear. A wonderful little park with a giant metal statue in the center, a tiny, nearly hidden garden next to a church for those seeking refuge, and Christmas trees already stacked along the sidewalks.

We head down an alley and as a young woman whizzes by on a bicycle a wad of paper drops out of her pocket. My husband picks it up and, recognizing it is cash, begins to run down the street calling to her. People around us realize what is happening and others begin to holler to get her attention. "Girl on the bike! Girl on the bike!" The voices echo down the street and she stops, grateful to find a stranger handing her what she nearly lost.

We discover that we need to hightail it back to the Google building if we are to make it on time for our tour and lunch, but I can't resist quickly photographing vignettes for the digital scrapbooking pages I plan to create. Lunch is delicious, amazing, incredible, an entire story to itself.

We are so blessed. Not just today, nor on the designated holiday, but every day is a day for giving thanks.

- Valerie

Layout by Valerie Randall

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 Shalae Tippetts 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 Laurel Lakey using November's ScrapSimple Club
larger view

Created for you by Amanda McGee and Brandie Valenzuela

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!

ScrapSimple Paper Templates

ScrapSimple Paper Templates - a sweeter product has never been designed!

If that opening line doesn't tell you that I am a huge fan of paper templates, I hope that this Way Cool Stuff article will.

I haven't scrapped many pages without using at least one ScrapSimple Paper Template, simply because of their versatility. You can use them to enhance the look of photos by clipping the photos to the ScrapSimple Paper Template. Here, I use Brandy Murry's ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Background Blenders to blend the photo into the background.

You can also use a ScrapSimple Paper Template to enhance the look of a premade paper. Place the template on the layer above the paper and play with the Blending Modes until you achieve the desired effect.

You can also apply layer styles to the templates, giving them a whole new look.

As you can see, you can do a lot with ScrapSimple Paper Templates. They are fun, creative and easily adaptable to your digital scrapbooking needs. They can also be used with so many other ScrapSimple products, alphas and elements. Have fun with the ScrapSimple Paper Templates and see what you can create with them.

Layout by Jo Corne
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Background Blenders, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Edgy, THIN and ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Document are also available.

Article written by Jo Corne

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 Melissa Renfro
larger view

Designer Freebie by Melissa Renfro coordinates with her
Inspired Pockets Embellishment Mini, part of this month's Scrap Girls Club offering!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Photo Basics 5001 and Lettering Delights Dear Diary 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

Heritage Crop
Thursday, November 19th - 5:00PM MT

Do you have boxes of heritage photos just waiting to be restored and scrapped? Are there family stories just waiting for you to write down and preserve? Then this is the crop for you! Join April (April Showers) and Carla (CRS) for the Heritage Crop and Chat! We'll help you get motivated to scrap those heritage photos and record your family stories for future generations to enjoy.

Ad Inspiration Chat
Thursday, November 19th - 7:00PM MT

Join Pat (PBarnes) at 7pm MT for an Ad Inspiration Challenge and Chat. A few hours before the chat, a magazine ad will be posted on the message board to use as inspiration for a layout. You can use whatever you want to from the ad - the colors, the shapes, the composition. There are no wrong answers!

What's New Chat
Friday, November 20th - 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!

Back-Up Party and Chat
Friday, November 20th - 8:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room on Friday, November 20th for a Back-Up Party and Chat. We'll go over several different ways to safeguard your files. You won't want to miss this one!

Aussie Chat & Challenge
Monday, November 23rd - 9:00PM Australian Eastern DST

Please come join Karen (kazbar73) & Jo (scrappingjo) at 9pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time on Monday 23 November for a chat and challenge. This week's challenge is a Recipe Challenge. Create a Recipe Card (4 x 6) with your favourite salad recipe and then join us in the Live Chat Lobby for lots of fun and laughter as we talk about our recipes. For our International ladies, the chat will be on at 3am MT (5am New York) time.

New Member Chat
Tuesday, November 24th - 7:00PM MT

Join Pat (PBarnes) and Carol Ann (Zaz) for the New Member Chat at 7pm MT 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, November 25th - 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 25th, we'll do a gratitude challenge. Create a layout using photos and journaling to document what you are thankful for. 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!

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!

November Mid-Month Layout Contest: We all know one; maybe you even are one. You know her, the woman who can do it all and make it look easy... a Superwoman! For the Mid-November Layout Contest, scrap a layout all about that Superwoman in your life. Post your layouts in the Mid-November Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight, December 14th and you will be eligible to win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the details tab.

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.)