Hold On Tight

Today while driving home from getting my hair cut, I came across a butterfly floating across the roadway. I knew the instant that I saw her, we were going to collide. I thought maybe, just maybe, she'd make it past my car, but upon checking my mirrors I didn't see her fluttering away behind me. I was horrified. I know it's just a butterfly to some people, but to me, it means so much more. Every spring I look forward to seeing the butterflies in my garden. They represent new life. To me, they are visits from my family and friends who have left this world before me... a reminder of the love and the laughter we shared. I had a moment of hope when I thought that maybe she was clinging to the front of my bumper, just waiting for the right moment to take flight again. And just as I slowed for the next stoplight, there she was. She sprang up from the front of my car and rose towards the sky. I let out a cry of joy.

And then I got to thinking. The same is true with our lives. One minute you're doing fine... enjoying your life, spending time with your family and friends, relaxing in your home, and then, there it is! Something comes along and snatches you mid-flight, whisking you off into the unknown. One of your children becomes sick, your spouse leaves you for someone else, you've lost your job and you're about to lose your home. And just like that butterfly, in an instant, your whole world is changed. You're headed in an unknown direction... somewhere you've never been before... and you're hanging on for dear life. Unsure of what the future has in store for you.

And like the butterfly, sometimes we need to take a deep breath, hold on tight and see where the ride takes us. Wait for life to slow back down so we can catch our breath once again. We, too, will know when it's okay to let go. We'll know when it's safe to take flight again. We always do.

- Mary G.

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 Brandy Murry 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
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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!

Scrap Girls Member of the Month - March 2010
Member Name: KFiasco

1. What program do you use to digital scrapbook?

I use Photoshop Elements 7.

2. Tell us the make and model of digital camera that you use.

I have an old point and shoot that I got when I started teaching. It is an HP 315. I really need to upgrade.

3. Name one thing that every beginning digital scrapbooker should know.

Go ahead and make mistakes. None of them are permanent, and they are a great way to learn something.

4. If you could be transformed into a digital scrapbooking embellishment, what would you choose and why?

That's easy for me. It would be a flower. I love the versatility of them and was drawn to some of the flower groups when I first came to Scrap Girls.

5. What time of day do you find that you do your best scrapbooking?

Anytime, but I do most of my work at night.

6. What is your favorite snack?

I don't have a preference. The more calories, the better.

7. What brand of toothpaste do you use?

Colgate. It is one of the few things that has never changed since childhood.

8. What is your least favorite household chore?

Once again, I don't have a preference. I hate them all equally.

9. Finish this sentence. "I couldn't live without..."

I couldn't live without my family. They are always there for me no matter what trouble I have gotten myself into.

10. What's your current favorite layout that you've done?

Layout by KFiasco
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Weekly Layout Winners

Layout by jamie b
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Layout by Claireee
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Multiple Photo 3 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!

March's Scrap Girls Club Concepts Layout Winners

Layout by holly1156
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These three products are included in this month's Scrap Girls Club offering. Members receive a substantial discount on these club supplies. They are also available elsewhere in the Boutique at regular prices for those individuals who would rather not join a club.

Layout by mmimmi
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These two products are included in this month's Scrap Girls Club offering. Members receive a substantial discount on these club supplies. They are also available elsewhere in the Boutique at regular prices for those individuals who would rather not join a club.

Congratulations to this club's winners. We loved your layouts so much that we had to share them with everybody! Please email [email protected] to claim your prize - a $5 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls boutique!

Want to see past winners of the Scrap Girls Club contest? Visit the Scrap Girls Club's 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:

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
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Designer Freebie by Brandy Murry coordinates with her Bon Appetit Embellishment Mini - Herbs

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Petite Frames, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Basic Buttons and Brads Biggie and ScrapSimple Type Paths: Squares and Rectangles 2101 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

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!

Siggie Swap Crop
Tuesday, March 23rd - 6:00PM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and April Showers in the chat room at 6pm MT for the March Siggie Swap. During this chat, we will share the siggies we made for each other. You can upload your siggie the day of the chat. We can all talk about how much fun we had and "ohhh and ahhh" over each other's cute new siggies.

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!

Hybrid ATC Swap Crop
Wednesday, March 24th - 4:00PM MT

Do you love mixed media? Ever wondered what it is exactly or thought about giving it a try? Love to exchange cards through snail mail? Then this crop is for you. Break out your creative thoughts, your favorite Scrap Girls supplies, some paper, pens, and whatever else comes to mind. Join Sherry Lynn on March 24th at 4pm MT for our Hybrid ATC Swap Crop.

NSBR Chat - Early Edition
Thursday, March 25th - 2:00PM MT

What is NSBR? It's a non-scrapbooking related chat! We talk about everything, including some scrapbooking and usually chocolate. It's a great chance to meet new friends, catch up on what everyone is up to, and just relax! If you have a problem, we'll lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on. Have some great news to share? We'd love to celebrate with you. So join Michelle (Shelbi) and Shari (Shari PV Mom) at 2pm MT in the chat room Lobby! Hope to see you there!

What's New Chat
Friday, March 26th - 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!

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!