Note from Ro: In November, as I struggled to overcome my injured wrist, Becca put out an emergency call for muses. Charlene Crowder was so gracious and wrote this muse about her struggle to create layouts from photos that aren't "professional quality." It's a good reminder to all of us that we need to quit worrying about things like this... Just do it!

Charlene Crowder

Baby Pictures

I've been thinking a lot about baby pictures lately. Baby pictures of my two boys, to be exact. Toddler pictures, as well. You see, I've been sort of scared to work with them. I've been scared that I wouldn't do them justice. Not that they are great pictures, mind you. That's part of the problem, too. Most of the pictures I have of my boys at that precious age are not fabulous and there are a limited number of them. These days, I take more pictures than I know what to do with. Some of those are even set up to maximize their appeal. The pictures' appeal, not my boys' appeal. The boys are quite appealing, if you don't mind my saying so. Anyway, with there being a limited number of pictures from the boys' early years, I am intimidated by them. I can't just take 20, 50, 100 more. Those years are gone.

Now, don't get me wrong. I long to have an album or two full of sweet baby boy layouts. I've even picked up a number of collections that would be just perfect for such albums. I've looked at each and every item in those collections with that dreamy, sentimental mood setting in as I think about two precious baby boys. Then I remember the two of them crying at the same time and me walking around with one in the crook of each arm trying to calm them. But, let's not think about all of that, OK?

I have had a talk with myself recently. I have come to the decision that I just need to do it. I just need to forge ahead and use those pictures of Ethan and Hunter - even if they aren't professional quality (not that any of our pictures are.) They are precious to me because of who is in them. Those two little boys that came so early that I feared for their lives. Those two little boys that stayed in the hospital for seven weeks. When they finally came home, I wondered after the first day if some big mistake had been made. Who had given the OK for these tiny guys on medications and monitors to leave the watchful eyes of a team of nurses? Who had decided that I would be able to handle it?

It seems that we all made it, after all. Ethan and Hunter are seven-years-old now - even more reason that I should start pulling out those baby pictures. I can't believe how the years are flying by. I guess I should stop talking about it and get to it, huh? First, let me wipe away that tear that just showed up. I get that way sometimes. Where did those little babies go?

Charlene Crowder

Layout by Charlene Crowder
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brushes: Scallops, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Aged Photos 6301, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Deep Shadows 6501 PSE and PS Biggie, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Satin Stitch 5104 Super Biggie, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Wires 6401, Dynamic Brush Set: Textured 8201 and Lettering Delights Nuptials Font are also available.

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 Christy VanderWall using December's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Shalae Tippetts

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 Amanda McGee using November's ScrapSimple Club
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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!

Crafty Uses for the ScrapSimple Craft Templates: Mini Tag Album

Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS3 with Windows Vista.

The ScrapSimple craft templates are a great way to make meaningful, affordable gifts for loved ones. You can use them as is or be creative and utilize them in a variety of ways they weren't necessarily built for. Just like any other part of the ScrapSimple line, ScrapSimple craft templates are a great value for the limitless ways you can utilize them!

You can use ScrapSimple Craft Templates: Mini Tag Album to create a great alternative to the traditional Christmas card.

Choose a tag template that you would like to use for your card. You will be creating a foldable tag card with front, back and inside portions. You can use the same template for all four sides or you can choose different ones. It's up to you.

Assemble all four sides of the card. Keep in mind, you will be creating the following pieces: front of card, back of card, right inside, left inside.

You will essentially be using the same directions included in the ScrapSimple Craft Templates: Mini Tag Album to assemble the card. The only exception is to make sure you lay out the pieces like the example above. It's important that the pieces are laid out exactly like this so when you assemble the card everything is facing the correct way. You can then print the pieces on a letter-sized piece of cardstock.

After printing, cut out the card, adhere the backs together, punch holes and add ribbon if you wish. Consider using this same technique for thank you cards, birthday, name place holders at receptions, etc.

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Card by Amanda Sok
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You can also complete four tag templates separately. Print and assemble with blank pages inside to create mini customized notebooks.

Project by Amanda Sok
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Use other ScrapSimple craft or digital layout templates for cards, too!

Project by Amanda Sok
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Tutorial written by Amanda Sok

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

Surprise! Surprise! More gifts galore!
We have TWO designer freebies for you each day until Christmas Eve!

Layout by Keri Schueller
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Designer Freebie by Keri Schueller coordinates with her A Collaged Holiday Collection Biggie

Layout by Amanda Sok
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Designer Freebie by Shalae Tippetts coordinates with her
Promise Collection Biggie, 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

What's New Chat
Friday, December 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!

Quote Challenge Crop
Sunday, December 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 may use to make your own word art. It's not hard, and I 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!

Aussie Chat & Challenge
Monday, December 14th - 9:00PM Australian Eastern DST

Please come join Karen (kazbar73) & Jo (scrappingjo) at 9pm Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time on Monday 14 December for an Aussie Chat and Challenge. This week's challenge is a Template Challenge. Create a layout using your favourite template 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.

ScrapSimple Club Chat
Monday, December 14th - 5:00PM MT

We know everyone is excited for the new ScrapSimple Club to come out on December 15th. Come join Sherry_Lynn on Monday at 5pm MT for a ScrapSimple Club Chat and Crop! We'll be discussing ideas on different ways to use the current club. As a challenge, let's create one more layout using November's Scrap Simple Club before the next one arrives. November ScrapSimple Club Designer Amanda McGee (amanda) will be joining us for this chat! It's sure to be a blast! Hope to see you there!

Life Moments Chat
Tuesday, December 15th - 12:00Noon MT

Time for another Life Moments Crop! Life Moments is a crop dedicated to pages about yourself. We often neglect our own stories while preserving the stories of our loved ones. We're creating an album about ourselves, one layout at a time. For this month's topic, let's scrap your favorite Holiday Moment! So, join Carla (CRS) in the chat room on Tuesday, December 15th at 12 Noon MT!

New Member Chat - Early Edition
Tuesday, December 15th - 1:00PM MT

Join April (April Showers) at 1pm MT 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.

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, December 16th - 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 December 16th, we'll do a stripe challenge! Create a layout using stripes! Whether it's in the background paper, your photo, or embellishments, we want to see stripes! 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!

Scrap Girls 52 Chat
Wednesday, December 16th - 5:00PM MT

The last month of the year is here! Can you believe it? Join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and Becca at 5pm MT for this month's SG52 Chat! We'll discuss this month's topic and ways to stay motivated to scrap daily photos on a weekly layout! It's never too late to join the SG52 project, so we hope to see you there!

Heritage Crop
Thursday, December 17th - 6:00PM 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 Crop
Thursday, December 17th - 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!

DECEMBER EVENTS

December Message Board Game: Holiday Hoopla 2009

Welcome to Holiday Hoopla 2009! This time of year is packed with celebrations, events and traditions galore! It's also time for our most challenging game of the year! This challenge promises to keep you busy all month long. We're going to celebrate the season together on the Message Board through tasks and challenges focused on holiday and seasonal traditions and of course, there will be prizes in store!

Join us in the Monthly Message Board Games forum for details about this month-long challenge. Find out how EVERYONE who completes the Holiday Hoopla challenge will earn a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls boutique, and learn what you can do to earn an additional $5 Gift Certificate through your participation in the challenge. Join us for fun and festivities as we celebrate the winter holidays together - Holiday Hoopla 2009 style!

Layout Contests:

December Monthly Layout Contest: December is here! It's a time for celebrations and family traditions. For the December Monthly Layout contest, we'd love to see your Family Traditions scrapped for future generations to enjoy! Post your layouts in the December Layout Contest Gallery before Midnight, December 31st. 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.)