Note from Ro: I found this post in the Scrap Girls Digital Scrapbooking Adventures blog. It reminds me of how much I enjoyed receiving letters from friends – back in the day when I received letters from friends. (No computers = no email.) Katherine's post has inspired me to locate my postage stamps!

Katherine Weaver

Snail Mail

Some days I'm pretty sure I couldn't live without my computer. It's where I work, where I play, where I (happily) do most of my shopping. I love the fact that I can walk 37 steps to get to work (18 up the stairs, 19 to my desk). Even more so, I love the fact that I can survey the contents of a store, and in one fell swoop quickly make my purchase to immediately go back to what I was doing before. No more driving to the mall to pick up a turkey roaster pan. No more weeding through aisles and aisles of candy, clothes, and bobbles to get to that one pair of shoes I'm wanting. Yes, my computer makes my days easier and more efficient. But... when it comes to correspondence with family and friends, just call me an old-fashioned kind of girl.

Emailing is great for asking and answering quick questions, and I use it often. But I'm still a sucker for snail mail. I like to send handwritten notes when I can, because I know the recipient will enjoy holding and reading it as much as I enjoyed writing and sending it. There's something special and timeless about handwritten correspondence. I keep important notes from family and friends in pretty fabric-covered boxes, and from time to time I'll stop to look over these very special pieces of mail.

Personal stationery can be expensive, and choices can be limiting, so I often use my digital scrapbooking supplies to create my own custom stationery. When I design my own, I know I'm getting what I truly want. And I don't have to worry about purchasing a minimum number of items, because I can make as many or as little as I need. Below is an example of one of the custom stationery items I've made.

I used ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Mother (colored blue) to line the envelope's flap. After trimming the printed piece, I attached it to the envelope's interior with double-sided craft tape. For the flat note card, I adorned my initials with a pretty frame from ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Framed Calendar 2010 Biggie. I used heavy card stock for the note card, trimming it to size with a paper cutter. It was fast, economical, and with limitless options.

Try it for yourself, you'll love it. Not to mention that your recipients will once again enjoy the trip to the mailbox. Amidst the mountain of junk mail and bills, a personal note from you will be like a sweet Christmas surprise year-round.

- Katherine

Stationery by Katherine Weaver

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Mother and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Framed Calendar 2010 Biggie 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 Amanda Sok using January's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Amanda Sok

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 Template
1 ScrapSimple Embellishment or Word Art Template Set
2 Designer's Choice Items

A commercially licensed version of the ScrapSimple Club is also available here.

Layout by Janine Buckles using January's ScrapSimple Club
larger view

Created for you by Keri Schueller and Ariadna Wiczling

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!

Assemble Your Own Zoom Pages: 4x6

It could not be easier to put together quick and easy layouts with Assemble Your Own Zoom Pages: 4x6!

Recently, I met my cousin and her kids at a park for a picnic and playtime. I wanted to give her some of the great photos I took of our kids, but being a digital scrapbooker, just handing her a stack of plain photos would never do... so I created a few 4x6 layouts for her using Amanda McGee's Assemble Your Own Zoom Pages: 4x6 Park Play.

For my own album, instead of creating a brand new 12x12 layout, I decided to incorporate the 4x6 layouts.

First, open a new 12x12 document and all the 4x6 layouts. I used the JPG versions not only to keep the file size down, but also because they were already finished, and I wasn't going to make changes to their appearance.

Next, click on the finished layouts in the Layers Palette and drag them to the new 12x12 layout, then scatter them around the page.

Finally, add a simple background and some quick journaling about the event, and you have a super-quick layout!

Layout by Kelly Favor-Chronister
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Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Handwritten Thanks Biggie, AMC_Friendly Font, AMC_Happy Font, ScrapSimple Tools - Lightroom Presets: Soft Focus 10301 Mini, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501, ScrapSimple Tools - Scripts: Copy and Close PSE 11101, ScrapSimple Tools - Scripts: File Save 1 PSE 11101 and ScrapSimple Tools - Scripts: Supply Tracker PSE 11101 are also available.

Article written by Kelly Favor-Chronister

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
NEWLY UPDATED! Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Paint Shop Pro X (XI)

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

Now that you've learned the basics of digital scrapbooking with Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, you are ready to learn advanced skills for having even more fun while you create digital scrapbooking layouts!

Get a big boost learning how to use ScrapSimple products to make your own backgrounds, embellishments, and alphas with the MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements movie tutorial series. You'll learn so much that your digital scrapbooking layouts will never be the same!

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:

Inspirations eBook

With three richly illustrated sections, Inspirations eBook not only offers a virtual gallery of stunning works by EIGHTEEN contemporary digital artists in a variety of styles, but it also describes the techniques they used and gives several key points on how you can recreate each of these TWENTY-EIGHT layouts yourself.

Ten Beginner Tips on Type eBook

If you're creating a digital scrapbooking layout, it's almost guaranteed that you'll be using type on your pages somewhere. But did you know that type can make or break your page? What typeface will you use? What size font? Where will you place it on your page? If you want to take some beginner steps towards improving the type on your layouts, and thereby improving the overall look of your layouts, then this eBook is perfect for you.

digital Photography Simplified eBook

This eBook is full of easy to understand information and photographic examples, and is tailored to the beginning digital photographer who wants to take better photos. More advanced photographers will also benefit from this eBook with the sections that get you out of your comfort zone.

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 Keri Schueller
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Designer Freebie by Keri Schueller coordinates with her
ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Look Up, part of this month's ScrapSimple Club offering!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Look Up, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Embroidered Florals, Brush Set: Breathe Swirls and ScrapSimple Tools - Scripts: Supply Tracker 11101 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, January 21st - 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) at 6pm MT 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, January 21st - 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, January 22nd - 9:00AM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry_Lynn at 9am MT 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, January 22nd - 8:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room on Friday, January 22nd 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!

Scraplifting Chat
Sunday, January 24th - 5:00PM MT

Scraplifting can be a wonderful starting point for your layouts! Join Becca on Sunday, January 24th at 5pm MT to learn more about scraplifting, the importance of giving credit, and more! A few hours before the chat, I will post the name and gallery link to a Scrap Girls Team member, and you can choose one of their layouts for inspiration! Hope you'll join us!

Coffee Break Chat
Tuesday, January 26th - 5:00AM MT

If reading the Scrap Girls Newsletter and having a cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea first thing in the morning is a part of your daily routine, join Sherry Lynn on Tuesday, January 26th at 5am MT for this month's Coffee Break Chat. We'll chat over the latest issue of the Newsletter and give you a challenge based on it! Hope to see you there!

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, January 27th - 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 January 27th, we'll do an embellishment challenge! Create a layout using lots of embellishments - flowers, tags, frames, whatever you'd like! Make use of those fancy, fun embellishments! 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!

Desktop Challenge Chat
Wednesday, January 27th - 5:00PM MT

Tired of the boring desktop wallpaper backgrounds that your PC or MAC came with? Join Becca and Shari PV Mom on Wednesday, January 27th at 5pm MT for this month's Desktop Challenge Crop. We'll show you how to use your digital scrapbooking supplies to create a personalized desktop wallpaper of your own. For this challenge, we'll give you a theme and a technique challenge to choose from! Keep your eyes on the message board for more details!

JANUARY EVENTS

January Message Board Game: Jumpstart January!

Join us on the message board this month for "Jumpstart January!" This is a message board game and challenge to start your year with fun and focus on taking time to scrapbook regularly despite the little speedbumps of life. When the month is over, you'll have completed several layouts and been challenged and treated to some fun along the way.

A member of the Welcoming Committee will post a mini-challenge/task every day from January 1-30 in the games folder on the message board. Check out the game thread titled "Jumpstart January 2010" for complete details and rules.

Those who complete all tasks and submit or post required participation by 11:59PM MT on January 31st will be entered in a drawing to win one of three $10 Gift Certificates to the ScrapGirls Boutique! Those who complete just the layouts will be entered in a separate drawing to win one of three $5 gift certificates. (Those who complete all tasks will have their name entered in both drawings!) Winners will be announced in the newsletter on Saturday, February 6th.

Layout Contests:

January Monthly Layout Contest: Did you have dreams as a child as to what your life would be like? Did you dream as a young adult how you wanted your future to pan out? Do you, as a mature adult, have dreams unfulfilled? The beginning of a new year is a great time to think about the future. This month's layout contest, create a layout about your hopes and dreams. It might center on family, a job or a recreational pursuit, show and tell us what your dreams are and how you are making them come true. Create your layout and post it in the January Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight on January 31st. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the EXIF Properties. If your layout is one of the two chosen, you will win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

Club Concepts Layout Contest: 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 the ScrapSimple Club Members' Gallery. Be sure to list all of the Scrap Girls products you used. If your layout is chosen, it will be showcased as a Club Concepts layout winner, and you will win a $5 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.)

Haven't received your prize as a contest winner? Please send an email to [email protected] and we'll get it out to you right away!