Melissa Renfro

We Are Spoiled!

Did you know that we as digital scrapbookers are spoiled? Spoiled rotten, we are! It became very clear to me recently as I was continuing to work on a project in our home. We took down some paneling in our main room, and it was now time to paint. I picked out a main color and an accent color, both in the gray family, which I was hoping would look somewhat contemporary/country, whatever that is. The first color (the darker of the two for a small accent wall) turned out beautifully. Quite inspired by this lovely color, I began to paint the rest of the large room with the main color. "Well, it is a little dark," I said to myself, "but I'm sure it will look great once it's all up." I continued painting, but in my mind I was thinking, "In Photoshop, I would definitely add a bit of yellow here to take away a bit of the blue, and I would lighten this up a bit and drop the saturation just a tad to get a better color. Hmmm, yes, that would be nice." But of course, I couldn't do that!

After I painted the whole room, I stood back and felt terrible. I didn't like it. I had expected a truly HGTV moment where I would stand back and my whole room would look like a magazine spread. Instead, I had bare electrical outlets and switches crazily springing out of walls with no trim and this ever-darkening, odd blue color of paint. Off to the paint store I went, my confidence quite shaken in my ability to pick the perfect color, but I was determined to do better. This was when I realized how spoiled we are. When I sit down to do some digital scrapbooking or designing, if I don't like a color or it doesn't match just right, I change it. I can adjust things down to the slightest detail if I want. Instead, those paint chips were just torture. This one had too much blue, that one had too much yellow, this one was too dark. Finally, I picked out one that I thought would brighten up the room a bit. I took it home and put a test swatch on the wall. Oh my, it looked almost white. That would never do.

In a last ditch effort to save the whole project, I poured the almost-white paint into the can with the leftover, slightly blue, too dark gray paint and shook it like crazy. In the right light, there is a hint more blue than I had planned, but overall, I finally found a color I could live with.

I think I'll stick to mixing colors in Photoshop for a while.

- Melissa

Layout by Melissa Renfro

Commercial license versions of Lettering Delights Dear Diary Font 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 Christy VanderWall using March's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Brandy Murry

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 Brush Set
2 Designer's Choice Item

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

Layout by Durin Eberhart using March's ScrapSimple Club
larger view

Created for you by Durin Eberhart and Theresa Kavouras

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 Alpha Templates

I must confess, when I saw this product review was assigned to me, I panicked a little. I thought to myself, "I don't use ScrapSimple Alpha Templates, so how can I give a useful review?" But after a little more thinking, I realized that's just how it's supposed to work: The reviewer is given a product, tries it out, and then gives a report. So that's what I set out to do!

I had just one ScrapSimple Alpha Template in my supplies, but I had three of them on my Kaboodle list, so apparently I've wanted to try them. For this article, I chose an alpha template that I've had my eye on for a while: ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: Halftone.

This product has a full set of numbers and the alphabet in both uppercase and lowercase letters. What I really liked about this set was that each character came in a fully assembled PSD file with three layers labeled "outline," "letter," and "effect." Don't worry if you don't use Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, though; they still come in the individual PNG files as well to build your own letter set, layer by layer.

Once I had my layout to the point that I was ready for a title, I opened the PSD file for each letter I wanted to use in my editing program (Photoshop Elements 6).

Once I had all the alpha template files in my document, I arranged the letters as a title. I then found that for this particular alpha set, the Effect (halftone) layers covered up the letter and the outline layers. I wanted to merge all those layers and move them to the bottom part of my title.

To make all of these layers more manageable, I merged the similar layers together. I was able to do this because I treated each layer type in the same way. I selected all of the "effect" layers in the Layers Palette using Ctrl+Click. When they were all selected, I right-clicked on one of the selected layers and chose "Merge Layers" from the dialog box that popped up. I then repeated the process for the "letter" layers and "outline" layers. When I was done, my title had three layers: An Effect layer, a Letters layer, and an Outline layer. (You may need to move the layers up or down to have them in the right order. You can link these three together if you wish.) Then I was able to give each layer a different treatment.

In this layout, I just wanted to recolor the Effect layer. Since it's a simple shape, I just painted it. I selected the entire layer by using Ctrl+Click on the layer thumbnail. There were "marching ants" on the layer in my workspace. Then I picked a color from my layout so that it was my foreground color, chose a large, hard round brush at 100% Opacity, and quickly painted over the layer with my selected color. Only the Effect layer will be painted.

To soften it a bit, I applied a small Inner Glow style. As for the other two layers, I simply clipped a paper to the Letter layer, and applied ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Wires 6401 to the Outline layer.

These step-by-step directions may seem complicated, but the process is really quick and simple. I don't know why I waited so long to try ScrapSimple Alpha Templates. It really was "Scrap-Simple," and I love how the title turned out! I encourage you to try these fun products as well. There are so many ways to use them, and they are customizable to fit in any layout, making them a great value. Now I'm off to get those ScrapSimple Alpha Templates out of my wish list and into my shopping cart!

Layout by Elisha Barnett
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: Halftone, ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Halftone 5701, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Bursting Offset, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Deep Shadows 6501 PSE and PS Biggie, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Wires 6401, Lettering Delights Pirate Pen Font, ScrapSimple Tools - Scripts: Supply Tracker PSE 11101, ScrapSimple Tools - Scripts: File Save 1 PSE 11101 and ScrapSimple Tools - Scripts: Rename Layer PSE 11101 are also available.

Article written by Elisha Barnett

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:

Scrap Girls 2009 Digital Scrap Link Class:
Creating a Painting With Styles

Learn how to create the look of a painting with your digital photographs using simply styles and some filters. You can create the depth of an oil, acrylic, or watercolor painting with various style textures and techniques. You will also learn some other fun techniques to use styles to create real looking embellishments such as a rusted frame.

Ten Basic Design Principles eBook

Learn to design digital scrapbook pages like a pro! Learn to use a grid and understand 10 basic design principles shown through examples with grids and detailed explanations. Includes a 12x12 Grid in png format to get you started.

Scrap Girls Tutorials & Way Cool Stuff eBook Set
2009 - 4th 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 4th Quarter of 2009 in one convenient PDF format.

Start to Finish eBooklets

Start to Finish eBooklet - PSE: Making a Just Because Card Using ScrapSimple Card 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 Brandy Murry
larger view

Designer Freebie by Brandy Murry coordinates with her The Bee's Knees Collection Biggie,
part of this month's Scrap Girls Club offering!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Mega Lift II-Circular Biggie, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Mega Lift III-Linear Biggie and ScrapSimple Tools - Scripts: File Save 1 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, March 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.

Ad Inspiration Challenge & Chat
Thursday, March 18th - 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, March 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! There's a thread every Thursday and now there's a chat too!

Back-Up Party and Chat
Friday, March 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, March 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!

Recipe Card Swap Crop
Saturday, March 20th - 8:00PM MT

Join April (April Showers) at 8pm MT in the chat room for our Monthly Recipe Swap Chat. Please check the message board on Thursday, March 18th for this month's theme and the swap details!

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

Scraplifting can be a wonderful starting point for your layouts! Join Becca on Sunday, March 21st at 1pm 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 Design Team member, and you can choose one of their layouts for inspiration! Hope you'll join us!

U.F.O. Chat
Sunday, March 21st - 4:00PM MT

Please join Sherry Lynn and a special guest co-hostess from our Layout Artist Team, in the chatroom. Let's complete or revamp some of those layouts that are sitting in your "Layouts to be Completed" folder. Post your layout in the UFO Gallery and meet us in the Lobby on Sunday, March 21st at 4pm MT to get some inspirational suggestions from the incredible professionals here at Scrap Girls!

Coffee Break Chat
Tuesday, March 23rd - 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, March 23rd at 5am MT for this month's Coffee Break Chat. We'll chat over the latest issue of the Newsletter and create a challenge based on it! Hope to see you there!

New Member Chat
Tuesday, March 23rd - 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, March 24th - 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 March 24th, we'll do a color challenge! Create a layout on any theme, any topic, using Pink and Green! 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!

MARCH EVENTS

March Message Board Game: Posting Contest!

It's that time again - Posting Contest time! This is where you are rewarded for your flying fingers and chattiness. The contest will run from March 1 when we post the thread to March 31 at 12:00 midnight (MST). We are doing things a little differently this time, so here are the rules:

1) To enter the Posting Challenge, reply in the game thread with your CURRENT post count. This is the number under your Avatar that shows when you post. Do not post the number found on your profile; it is a different number that is calculated differently.

2) During the month, chat your fingers off!

3) On March 31, BEFORE midnight (MST), go back to your original post in the game thread (the one with your starting post count) and take a screenshot of it. Send the screen shot to [email protected]. The screenshot is your contest entry! We will calculate your post count based on the numbers on the screenshot. (Directions for taking screenshots will be posted in the game thread.)

Prizes: The top poster gets a $20 Scrap Girls gift certificate. Everyone over 250 new posts will be entered in a random drawing for a $10 Scrap Girls gift certificate. Everyone over 100 new posts will be entered into a random drawing for a $5 Scrap Girls gift certificate.

Layout Contests:

March Monthly Layout Contest: Smile! The month of March includes Smile Day. Does seeing someone else's smile make you smile? For this month's contest, we want to see your layouts featuring a smile. Create your layout and post it in the March Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight MST on March 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!