Note from Ro: This is a muse I wrote more than three years ago. When I found it, I realized that it was exactly what I need right now. I hope you find it helpful, too.

Rozanne Paxman

The Jackrabbit Principle

In the 1950s, Yale graduates were asked how many of them had written goals. Only three percent stated that they had specific, written goals. A follow-up study discovered that the three percent had not only achieved their goals, their net worth was as much as the rest of their graduating class combined.

Why?

Goals keep you focused.

I found a marvelous book by Leslie Householder called The Jackrabbit Factor. In it, principles of setting goals and believing that one can achieve them are taught in story form. Common errors in thought processes are pointed out in an approachable way. The book is so good that I read it twice in a row - in one sitting! I've never read a book in that manner before, so you can take that as an indication of how highly I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in improving their life. I won't spoil the book for you by telling you the story, but I will share with you one of the "ah-ha's" I had that day.

When I discovered it, I was feeling "stuck." I didn't know why, but I began to feel like I was on a treadmill and couldn't think of anything new to interest or challenge me. It was as if I was pushing through a cement wall.

During this time, I periodically had the thought, "You need to dream a new dream." It felt completely random when I had it and so I immediately pushed it aside each time.

After I read The Jackrabbit Factor, it occurred to me that this thought was significant. A poster board of goals I have had popped into my mind, and I jumped up and ran to it. I gasped! Without realizing it, I had achieved all of my goals.

When I made the poster, the goals I put on it felt nearly impossible. Because they somewhat overwhelmed me, I didn't look at them much.

Over time, the poster melted into the wall. It was part of my office landscape. But, it was there – a written, visible order of what I would like to see happen. And guess what? Everything happened. My orders had been delivered.

I need to dream a new dream. It is imperative that I dream a new dream.

One of the most significant teachings of The Jackrabbit Factor is that you must write down your goals. They should be specific. You should put a date with them and that date should keep you up at night because you know you'll have to push to achieve it. You should write your goal carefully, focusing on how you will feel when you achieve your goal. The goal should be written in a way that doesn't accidentally give the achievement to someone else.

The next thing to remember is that once you have set your goal, you must release the process of how the goal will actually be accomplished into God's hands. Trust Him. Trust that He has bounty enough for all of His children. Trust that He intends for you to have joy in your life.

Don't worry about how things will come to you. Be alert to follow the tiny twinges of inspiration you receive. Be brave enough to follow them.

It is important to know that inspiration generally doesn't scream, "Here I am! Take me!" Inspiration generally comes in the form of thoughts that pop into your head when you are climbing into bed, ideas that strike you when you are shopping in the mall, words that jump out at you in the middle of a conversation, or by meeting someone who brings you new information. If you follow these leads that God sends to you willingly, you'll be delighted to find yourself in all sorts of interesting places. You'll achieve things that you would not have believed possible.

Remember the three percent? The author of The Jackrabbit Factor also points out that a mere three percent of the population write down their goals. I suppose that most people don't understand what an impact the small act of writing goals can have on their life. If they did, I think the majority of people would do it.

I would like to say that I have led a lifetime full of goal setting and achievements, but that wouldn't be true. I have been uneven in my willingness to set my dreams down on paper. But when I have done it, and when I meant it enough to post the list where I could see it, I have received the necessary blessings to obtain my target. Perhaps this is why The Jackrabbit Factor fascinates me so much. It's easy to recognize truth when you have experienced it for yourself.

I challenge you to set a goal down on paper. Dare yourself to do it. Today.

- Ro

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
larger view

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!

QUESTION: I have a question. I usually make my layouts in 12x12, then print in 8x8. Is there any advantage to this? Is there any reason not to just make the layout in 8x8?

ANSWER 1: I make mine 12x12 and then print them 12x12, so I, too, will be interested in what is posted here. I did make them into 8x8 once, but found some of the journaling small, so it may depend on what you are doing.

ANSWER 2: I do the same thing - make them in 12x12 and then print in 8x8. I like the flexibility of being able to print in 12x12 if I want to, so that's part of the reason I do that. Another advantage is if you use File> Place or drag and drop to get your products (such as papers) into your layout, they will be much closer to the size you need (less resizing to do) if you scrap in 12x12. Or you could use ScrapSimple Tools – Scripts: Copy and Close 11101 if you want to scrap in 8x8 because I believe that automatically resizes the items (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

ANSWER 3: Well, here is your alternate opinion! I used to scrap 12x12 but then found some things that look good at that size don't look as good in 8x8 (too small and the proportions are slightly different... twos not threes.) So, I scrap at 8x8. I usually resize each item individually. This can be a pain, but it also means I automatically am sizing it to fit my layout. It also makes tiny pieces, like brads, easier to see and move.

This gives me a great feeling of freedom as I scrap - only like one part of the paper? Then just use that part. Want that flower to be the same size as something else? Done. Want a frame for an odd-sized photo? Done (although that one can be trickier.)

Since I always print out 8x8 at home, I feel like I know what it will really look like. (I do save a copy in layers so I could resize it if I needed to.) I feel a greater sense of control over the finished product.

But I do scrap in 12x12 if I am doing it for someone else (the swap crop, for example.)

ANSWER 4: I scrap in 12x12 and when I print, I resize the layout to 8x8 to fit on an 8x10 document. I've always done it this way... haven't really noticed any difference between the two except the smaller size. Then again, I don't print nearly as much as I'd like to. I think with this one, it's a matter of one's own taste.

ANSWER 5: If you want to get your book bound at a book binding company, they recommend you scrap in 12x12 and then choose the printed bound size you want. You can get them bound in 12x12, 8x8 or other sizes and it's much easier that way.

ANSWER 6: My old eyes don't see as well as they used to, so it is harder for me to judge what is going on in the loss of size when I am making them! That's probably the only reason I can think of.

ANSWER 7: I often scrap in 12x12 and print 8x8 at home simply because the paper is less expensive - uses less ink, too. I printed out my SG 52 layouts from last year and I LOVE how it turned out! It makes me want to print more of my pages at 12x12. I do have a wide format printer, so I can do it at home.

QUESTION: Has anyone else had this issue with Photoshop Elements 8.0 (PSE8)? I can only get about 20 fonts to show up in the drop-down Font menu. If I click on a font, it moves to the top of the list and the next 19 show up, but I have no scroll bar to move back up in the list. I have looked through preferences and see nothing. I have changed the Font View Size from "huge" to "small" and it makes no difference.

ANSWER 1: Oh my gosh... I just figured it out! PSE8 does NOT provide a scroll bar for fonts. You have to use your Up/Down arrows. How crazy is that?! It's not like they don't know how to do that. There's a scroll bar for everything else. Weird.

ANSWER 2: Wow, that is just too weird. I use PSE7 and it does have a scroll bar for the fonts and it works just fine. But the Brush picker has a slider, but when I click on it to slide it, it closes the drop-down. What I have found I can do is put my cursor over a brush name in the list and then use my arrow keys to go up or down in the list. Since the slider is there, but it doesn't seem to work, that seems like a bug in the program. It seems funny that the designers of PSE would leave the scroll bar out of the fonts.

ANSWER 3: Do you mean the little gray bar that slides up and down on the font list? My PSE8 does have that. Or do you mean being able to use the scroll wheel? Not having that does annoy me, but it seems to be a choice between setting it for zoom or using it for everything else.

ANSWER 4: It seems to me that someone posted about taking PSE out of 'maximize' mode... that their scroll bars for styles would then show up? Might be worth a try for the fonts! Seems crazy, though!

ANSWER 5: I had that problem with PSE7. Sometimes the scroll bar would show up and other times it would disappear. In PSE8, I do have the scroll bar! Go figure! The only problem I've had with PSE8 is it will go through periods of not responding - I guess the program is thinking - and a couple of times it just shuts down on me.

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 Durin Eberhart
larger view

Designer Freebie by Durin Eberhart coordinates with her
ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Painted Florals, part of this month's ScrapSimple Club offering.

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Painted Florals, ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: Pearl Edge Monograms, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Rolled Tears, Dynamic Brush Set: Sketched Borders, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Pearl 5102 Super Biggie, Dynamic Brush Set: Sponge Painting 5101 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Antiqued 5101 Super Biggie 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

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!

Swap Crop Chat
Saturday, March 27th - 6:00PM MT

It's time for the Swap Crop Chat! We've done the swapping and created the layouts, now it's time to chat about all the gorgeous layouts! I don't know what it is, but these swaps bring out the best in everyone. This is the time to chat about the theme, the beautiful layouts and learn about the swap crop if you haven't participated before. I'll even reveal the theme for next month! Join Carla (CRS) for a fun chat at 6pm MT on Saturday, March 27th.

Desktop Challenge Chat
Sunday, March 28th - 1:00PM MT

Tired of the boring desktop wallpaper backgrounds that your PC or MAC came with? Join Becca and Shari PV Mom on Sunday, March 28th at 1pm 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!

Life Moments Chat
Tuesday, March 30th - 3:00PM MT

Join April (April Showers) in the chat room on March 30th at 3pm MT for another Life Moments Chat and Crop. These chats are focused on building a scrapbook about you, one layout at a time. This week we will be working on the Teenage Years, so open your old yearbooks, dig out some photos, write down your memories, and be sure to join us in the chat room!

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!