As I approach my upcoming 50th birthday, I keep getting asked "How do you feel about that?" My reply, up until today, has always been "It's like another birthday. I don't feel any older." People are always telling me that I can't be that old or I don't look a day over 35, up to 38.

When I was young (preteens to teens), I remember thinking when I get old I am NOT doing that. Only old people do that. In my twenties, I sometimes thought like that. I should have kept a list. It would have read something like this...

You know you're getting old when:

You decide comfortable shoes are more important than the current style.
Your hairstyle starts looking like your grandma's.
You start wearing those beaded eyeglass chains to keep your glasses on your person, so you won't lose them.

Then it happened. Today, I had my "Ah ha!" moment. I was getting ready for work and took one last glimpse as I was going by the mirror. Oh NO! Before my eyes, there I was, wearing those eyeglass chains connected to my transition eyeglasses.

I wear transitions because I don't want everyone to know I wear bifocals. I tell myself that I bought transitions because the sales clerk said it is easier to get used to them than the old-fashioned bifocals with the lines. You know the ones I'm talking about - they have that line about a third up from the bottom that tells everyone in the world you wear bifocals.

I've started becoming that old person who, as a youngster, I told myself I was not going to become. So today I had pictures taken of me and my glasses, chains and all, in preparation of scrapping my "Ah ha!" moment. I think I need to take pictures of my shoes and hairstyle, too.

I challenge those of you out there who consider yourself young to make your list and scrap about how you feel about the prospect of getting old. Then, when you hit the "Ah ha!" moment, scrap again and compare the two layouts. I wish I had a layout to compare my own "Ah ha!" moment.

Jenny Hawk

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!

To all of the Scrap Girls - from Ro and Valerie, on to the FANTASTIC Design Team, AMAZING Layout Artists, FABULOUS teachers, CHARMING Welcome Committee, SPIRITED Rah Rah team members and anyone else who has anything to do with making Scrap Girls the BEAUTIFUL place it is... We applaud you!

Thank you to each and every one of you, for giving me something special to look forward to every day. And for your wonderful friendships. You've blessed my life in so many ways, and in ways I never imagined, when I came here looking for info on digital scrapbooking. You are a truly amazing bunch, and I am thankful for all of you! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

I just want to say how grateful and thankful I am for this wonderful, little, fuzzy, purple place that Ro has provided for us all to be a real Scrap Girls family. I really can't remember my life without it, and the longer I am a part of this amazing place, the more I am thankful for being a part of it.

Ro, Valerie, and all the amazing Scrap Girls designers - I applaud you, and I just think you are all so wonderful and so good to us. You give us a place to come and just chat, games to play and have fun with, the most amazing designers, a top notch admin group and one we could just not function without. Classes, chats, birthday wishes, a place to share our ups and downs, and so much more. Scrap Girls is truly a family of its own, and I thank you for allowing me to be a part of it. I feel as if it really is my home away from home. Thank you all so much for making what we have together possible.

Thank you so very much! And I, too, am very thankful for all of you and the team here. I can't imagine how empty my life would be without this fuzzy purple place.

Today, one of the big things that I am thankful for is Scrap Girls. I know that it is Ro, Valerie, and that fantastic team of people who wear those purple shirts who make it such a wonderful place to spend time. I am so thankful for all the friends that I have made here, and all those I have yet to make. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do. I love all of you.

Thank you for all the joy and happiness you have given me. And for teaching me so much, and for becoming a major part of my life. You, Ro, and all of SG are the best. Love all of you so much! Thankful for every one of you! You are all the best! Forever a Scrap Girl!

There are so many people to be thankful for here at Scrap Girls - from Ro and Valerie to Angie and the product designers, layout designers, Welcoming Committee members, newsletter writers, those who lead our chats and challenges, and I know I am forgetting people! You all come together every day to make this a place I couldn't live without! You offer so much more than digital scrapping info - friendship, inspiration, support and laughter. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all you do for us.

Like others have said - what a wonderful, wonderful surprise to wake up to these gorgeous layouts this morning. I'm going to leave love on them - I really am. I was just too overwhelmed with gratitude for YOU all to do it and not repeat myself over and over. Hugs to all of YOU! Without you guys, Scrap Girls wouldn't be what it is, either. It takes us all to make this such a wonderful, amazing place.

Let me just add my THANK YOU's! Scrap Girls has been such a positive addition to my life since I found this site last year. From the daily chatting on the message board, to all the challenges pushing my creative limits, to the fantastic designers taking all my money in the boutique, to the unbelievable convention this year. I have enjoyed every second of this purple place. We are so blessed to have Ro and Valerie and all of the designers and staff here with us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

I want to add my two cents to the many thanks for this wonderful place. I haven't found anything else like it, and really, there's no need for another place. This is the best. The friendships made here are real and vital. The art here is incredible and has inspired me in ways beyond just digital scrapbooking. We've laughed, we've cried, and then laughed some more together. This is a place that is safe and comfortable to come home to. It's a place of refreshment, revitalization and renewal. I'm a better person because I found SG. Thank you to everyone - you've richly blessed me.

I agree... Scrap Girls Rocks! I LOVE this place. It's my HOME! Even though my life will get much busier with my time with Layna's family and Rook Night once a month, I will still find time to be with my Scrap Girls Family! Thank you so much... you have enriched my life in ways you can never imagine in the past two years, and I hope and pray for many more years to come!

Weekly Layout Winners

Layout by erlaine
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Layout by SkyeRoque
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Want to see your layouts make an appearance in the Scrap Girls newsletters?

Simply post your digital or paper layouts that use Scrap Girls products in our online gallery, and if we choose your layout to be featured in the newsletter, you'll win a prize! To be considered, don't forget to list the Scrap Girls products that you used in your layout.

Congratulations to this week's selectees. Please email [email protected] to get your gift!

Want to see past winners of the Weekly Layout Contest? Visit the Weekly Layout Winners gallery on our message board here!

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 Amanda McGee
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Designer Freebie by Amanda McGee coordinates with her A Letter to Santa Collection Mini

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Ties and Tags and AMC_Chalk Talk Font are also available.

Layout by Julie White
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Designer Freebie by Julie White coordinates with her Christmas Wonderland Collection

* 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

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!

What's New Chat
Friday, December 18th - 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!

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.)