Best Moments in Parade History

I am a volunteer in the local military band. One Friday, I had the privilege of playing with the band for a Change of Command parade. It's our job to support the Wing in such functions, and this was a big deal because it was for the Wing Commander. It was during this parade that I witnessed what I consider to be one of the Best Moments in Parade History. Surely they should make a "Canadian Moments" vignette about it for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

At the beginning of the parade, after those on parade had formed up, an announcer read the histories of the Reviewing Officer, as well as the incoming Wing Commander. When she finished, she told the spectators, "Please stand for the arrival of the Reviewing Officer. Please be advised that there will be a flypast." It's good to be made aware of something that normally requires you to cover your ears.

Not a full minute passed after this announcement when a large gull flew over the parade square, squawking just as it passed over the dais and the spectators. A ripple of laughter broke out on the parade square and grew until everyone was laughing. That bird's timing could not have been better!

When all the laughter had settled down the announcer spoke into the microphone. "There will be another flypast." Laughter broke out again as we appreciated the announcer's sense of humor.

I have only been participating in parades for three years, but I've seen quite a few over the last 25 years with my husband. This was, by far, the best moment I had ever seen in parade history!

- Heather P.

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 Trish Yochum using February's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Trish Yochum

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
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Created for you by Keri Schueller and Ariadna Wiczling

Alert! Alert! TOMORROW is the last day you can sign up for the ScrapSimple club and still get this great group of products at this amazing price.
Don't delay... sign up now!

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!

Here are just of the few nice things people have said about us recently...

I don't need help this time, believe it or not! I just wanted to let Ro know that the tutorial on using File> Place (in the "10 Top Questions Answered" in the newsletter in July 2008) was the best tip I have ever gotten. I have been having trouble getting the templates to place correctly with my version of Photoshop Elements. That trick worked like a charm, and the bonus is that the layers renamed themselves to the items used — that's wonderful. I never have to go back and figure out whose item I used for the credit. I had an awesome day yesterday creating a page that actually worked from beginning to end. Thank goodness I printed that tutorial and ran across it yesterday morning. You guys are awesome!

I usually "lurk" in the background and don't participate in the contests, blogs, or chats. I do, however, read each newsletter first thing in the morning when I get up. It is my first stop of the day... and one I look forward to with anticipation.

I love your editorials, Ro. They are inspiring and hit home with me a lot of the time. I tried your Sweet Roll recipe and loved it! I'd forgotten what you could do with Rhodes Frozen Rolls. Being a widow and trying to cook for one, it was easy to fix just one serving.

I appreciate the spiritual aspect of your business, which you don't find on the other scrapbooking websites. I like the way you run your business by not forgetting God is in all our lives. Oh yes, I do visit the other sites every once in a while, but I'm usually disappointed in the content and the designs. Your website is so superior, it is amazing.

Your designers are amazing, and Angie Briggs is so good at support. She always is friendly, courteous, and timely in getting back to me.

I'm not very good with words, but THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

First, I'm writing to tell you how much I adore the Scrap Girls site and newsletter. The sole reason for opening my email every day is to read the latest daily newsletter. I'm so hooked on everything Scrap Girls, and it's because of the amazing people involved in the production of THE best site on the Internet — not just the best digital scrapbooking site... the best SITE. Period. You could give lessons on how to build a site that keeps customers coming back. I love it, and I thank all of you for your dedication and hard work. I hope to be reading Scrap Girls newsletters 50 years from now!

I know we have this topic every once in a while, but it needs to be said again (and again and again!) Thanks, Scrap Girls designers and Ro and V for the amazing holiday freebies — two at a time! It really was like an extra little gift each morning. I felt so spoiled. The quality of freebies was unbelievable. I think there was at least one 12x12 paper each day since December 1! That's amazing! It is so true that there is no other place like Scrap Girls. Generosity and care oozes (in a very nice way) from the veritable pores of this site. Thanks so much just doesn't say enough.

You may not believe this, but I find the whole Scrap Girls boutique perfect! The goods are beautiful, the service amazing, the prices very good, the newsletters are a huge treat... and then there are the sales... oh, those sales!

Scrap Girls is my favorite web site with the best products and the most helpful, informative people. I have visited several other digital scrap web sites, but I always come back to Scrap Girls. There is always someone to answer any question I have and the products beat all others.

Scrap Girls has always impressed me as having the most talented designers in the field, and it's my "go-to" digital scrap site. I've recommended y'all to acquaintances new to digital scrapping because of the quality of your products, friendly on-site people, and level of professionalism.

Weekly Layout Winners

Layout by Michelleds
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Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Reawakening Word Art are also available.

Layout by mbc72
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Pearl 5101, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Water 6101 and ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Photo Basics 5001 are also available.

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
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:

Scrapbooking 911 - 2-page Sketches
to Revitalize Your Digital Scrapbooking eBook

Are you stuck in a creative corner? Need a jumpstart to your layouts? Want more ideas how to go from a blank page to a digital masterpiece? With a fresh collection of original sketches, all the hard design decisions (such as balance, composition, and rule of thirds) have already been made for you.

Scrapbook Quotes eBook
The right quote for your scrapbook layouts

Looking for scrapbooking quotes or quotes to use for greeting cards? Here's your solution. This packed eBook contains hundreds of quotes, collected over many years by Rozanne Paxman specifically for use on scrapbooking layouts.

Scrap Girls Tutorials & Way Cool Stuff eBook Set
2009 - 3rd Quarter

Subscribers to the Scrap Girls Newsletter have one thing in common: they love to learn new techniques! Each issue shares ideas, tutorials, and new ways to use Scrap Girls quality digital scrapbooking products. Now you can have all those past tutorials and Way Cool Stuff articles of the 3rd Quarter of 2009 in one convenient PDF format.

Start to Finish eBooklets

Start to Finish eBooklet - PS: The Beauty of Blending Modes: Using them with ScrapSimple Products

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 Syndee Nuckles
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Designer Freebie by Syndee Nuckles coordinates with her Bittersweet Collection Mini

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Butterfly Shadows 6301 Mini 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

ScrapSimple Club Chat
Sunday, February 14th - 4:00PM MT

We know everyone is excited for the new ScrapSimple Club to come out on February 15th. Come join Sherry_Lynn and guest ScrapSimple Club Designers Ariadna (scrapariadna) and Keri (Keri S) on Sunday at 4pm 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 January's ScrapSimple Club before the next one arrives.

Love Stinks! Chat
Sunday, February 14th - 5:00PM MT

It's Valentines Day and you're home. No fancy restaurant with fine cuisine or a quiet evening having love showered upon you? Well, Scrap Girls loves you! Join Sherry_Lynn in the Chat Room Lobby at 5pm MT on Sunday, February 14th! We will talk about boxes of chocolate, fabulous flowers, even our favorite Valentine's Day ever. Did you already celebrate? Well, don't despair! We still want you to join us!

New Member Chat - Early Edition
Tuesday, February 16th - 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, February 17th - 10:00AM MT

Join your 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 February 17th, we'll do a patterned paper challenge! Create a layout on any theme, any topic, and any colors - using multiple patterned papers - at least 2 different patterns! Mix it up! 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!

Heritage Crop
Thursday, February 18th - 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.

What's New Chat
Friday, February 19th - 9:00AM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry (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!

Back-Up Party and Chat
Friday, February 19th - 8:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room on Friday, February 19th 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!

Scraplift Challenge Chat
Sunday, February 21st - 1:00PM MT

Scraplifting can be a wonderful starting point for your layouts! Join Becca on Sunday, February 21st at 1pm MT to learn more about scraplifting, the importance of giving credit, and more! A few hours before the chat, you will be given the name and gallery link to a Scrap Girls Layout Artist Team member, and you can choose one of their layouts for inspiration! Hope you'll join us!

FEBRUARY EVENTS

February Message Board Game: BINGO!

It's that time again! Join us for an exciting game of BINGO on the Message Board Forum in February! Pick 25 words from the list provided in the forum and send them in an email to [email protected] with a subject line that says "BINGO CARD - your SG message board username" by Saturday, January 30th (Midnight MST) in order to play in the first round, which will begin on Monday, February 1st.

Each day, members of the Welcoming Committee will call five random words from the Bingo list. Match just 15 of those words to win a BINGO. You must be first to call bingo in the forum to win that round. After a winner is called, the boards can be cleared and a new round will begin the following day. All winners win a $5 gift certificate to the boutique! We like to see lots of winners, so please remember that each person can only win one round during the month. Have fun!

If you miss the first round cutoff date, you can still play! Just send in your Bingo card at any time during the month and you'll be eligible to begin playing when the next new round starts. Everyone who sends in a Bingo card will receive a confirmation email that their card has been received. If you do not receive confirmation within 24 hours, please re-send your list of words.

Layout Contests:

February Monthly Layout Contest: During the month of February, many people turn to thoughts of love. What greater love is there than the love for family. For this month's contest, we want to see layouts about your family – either the one you grew up with or the one you have started. Create your layout and post it in the February Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight MST on February 28th. 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!