Note from Heidi: Paper tearing is one of those paper-crafting techniques that can give some extra texture and interest to a layout or project without overwhelming your photos. However, the look can be difficult to replicate in digital scrapbooking. Fortunately, we have some awesome product designers here at Scrap Girls who have made it so easy to achieve a realistic torn-paper look, so there's no excuse not to try it! Here's Angie Briggs with a great tutorial on how to use digital templates to get started...

Angie Briggs

Creating the Illusion of Paper Tears in Digital Scrapbooking

This free digital scrapbooking tutorial was created using Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 with Windows XP, but should be able to be adapted easily to other systems. If you have questions about how to do this, just ask on our Scrap Girls Message Board!

One of the things you'll see done in digital scrapbooking is paper tearing. Here at Scrap Girls, we have made it really easy for you with the ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Tear It Up series. This tutorial is going to show you how to easily use these digital templates and how you can customize them. For this tutorial, I'm using Templates 1 and 2 from the ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Tear It Up 2 set. But you can easily mix the tears from any of the Tear It Up series.

First, open the tears you want to work with and a new, blank document.

Next, decide what you want your final digital layout to look like. I picked these two templates because one has a very uneven tear and the other is pretty straight across. When you put these together, it gives a really great look for a strip of paper going across your page that is torn on both sides.

Place your digital templates in the design where you want your digitally torn paper to be. For this example, I changed the color of one of my templates. I did this so I can more easily see the difference between the two layers. This is something you may want to do if you notice the templates you are working with are the same color. Also, on the larger template, I have taken my Crop Tool and trimmed it down so it's smaller. Don't worry about trimming too much off, you can always add more to the template later.

Once you have trimmed your template and placed both tear templates on a new document, you should have something that looks like this.

Before we merge these layers, decide if this will give you the final size of template you are looking for. If your placement is too wide, it can be very easily adjusted by moving the layers. (The main thing to remember is that you don't want to see any of the bottom layer sticking out from under the top one.) When the adjustments are done, this is what you will have.

If you want a wider strip, place the two template layers where you want your paper strip to begin and end. You will have some blank space between them. Using your Rectangle Tool, place a new layer over the top of the two tears. This gives you the option of adding on and customizing your template. Next, merge the template layers and place the paper you would like to be "torn" over your new, merged template.

Then clip (Ctrl+G in Photoshop Elements, Ctrl+Alt+G in Photoshop) your paper to your new tear template. If you want, you can merge your clipped paper to the template.

The final step to creating your torn paper is to take the white "tear" layers and place them under the template. Once those have been placed, you are able to adjust how large or small you want the tear to appear.

Another thing you can do if you want to make the tear look a little rougher is to take the Eraser Tool and a grunge brush (Brush Set: Mudstained 1 is shown here) and erase part of the white. This gives you the ability to personalize the template a little more.

Finally, merge the template layer (which now is covered with a patterned paper) and the two white tear layers or leave them separate. As a final step to making a realistic-looking paper tear, add a drop shadow. If you have left your white tear layers separate from your main template layer, try adding a tiny drop shadow to the main layer as well. You are now ready to complete your layout.

Layout by Heidi Dillon
larger view

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Tear It Up 2, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Stitching 6401 Mini, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Paper 4902, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Paper Textures 4901, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Blended 8201 Super Biggie and Brush Set: Mudstained 1 are also available.

Free digital scrapbooking tutorial written by Angie Briggs

P.S. Like the torn look? Here are some other fun products to try!

ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Paper Tears PSE 5001
ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Paper Tears 5001
ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Mixed Media 1
ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: RipTorn II
ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Tattered
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Torn Edges
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Torn Edges 2
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Tear It Up - Paper Strips
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: 4x6 Torn Mini
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Fancy Folds 2

Learn the basics - and a whole lot more - of digital scrapbooking when you check out the incredible tutorials on Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed and MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed!

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 McGee using April's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Amanda McGee

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 Shalae Tippetts using April's ScrapSimple Club
larger view

Created for you by Jan Hicks and Shalae Tippetts

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!

Embellishments

I'm always looking for ways to make my layouts better and faster. While I've spent hours fussing over the arrangement of frames, ribbon, brads, and tags, there may have been a better way! I have found that using pre-grouped embellishments speeds along my digital scrapbooking and allows me to make beautiful pages quickly.

First, I selected a paper and an embellishment cluster from The Bee's Knees Collection Biggie and The Bee's Knees Embellishment Mini - Clusters. Then I placed them on a new 12x12 document in Photoshop Elements (PSE). I tentatively positioned the cluster on the layout.

Next, I created a mat and added a title, the date, and a monogram to the small tag on the cluster. Because I chose to use the embellishment cluster with the shadow already added, I only needed to add a quick drop shadow to my mat. I love how the Scrap Girls designers give us the options of having a well-placed deep shadow or creating our own.

Finally, I added my photograph, and I had a completed layout in just a few minutes. It was fast, easy, and all thanks to a cool embellishment set.

Check out Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed and MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed to learn more about using embellishments, drop shadows, and all kinds of digital tools for your layouts.

Layout by Kelly Favor-Chronister
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Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Penned, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Altered Photos PSE 8201 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 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:

Scrap Girls 2009 Digital Scrap Link Class:
Let There Be Light

Follow Laurel, Scrap Girls' Layout Artist Coordinator, along as she teaches you the basics of light in your photography. You'll learn about the different types of lighting, about reflectors (including frugal ideas), and secrets on how to photograph small items or embellishments.

ReMix: (Digital Scrapbooking) From Ordinary to Extraordinary! eBook

Have you ever wanted to get a makeover - A layout makeover? Do you ever wonder how someone might decide to make certain changes and why? In ReMix: (Digital Scrapbooking) From Ordinary to Extraordinary! eBook, you have the opportunity to virtually "look over the shoulder" during the remake process.

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 - PS: How to Combine ScrapSimple Paper & Photo 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 Melanie Johnson
larger view

Designer Freebie by Melanie Johnson coordinates with her Eclectic Collection Biggie

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Mega Lift II-Circular Biggie and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Aged Folds 5001 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

NSBR Chat - Early Edition
Thursday, April 22nd - 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!

Ad Inspiration Chat
Thursday, April 22nd - 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, April 23rd - 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!

Emphasis on Embellishments Chat
Friday, April 23rd - 6:00PM MT

Join angelaNussbaum on Friday, April 23rd at 6pm MT for the Emphasis on Embellishments Chat. This chat is geared towards challenging you to use more elements/embellishments on your layout. Each month, you will be given a specific number challenge to inspire you to start using more elements on your layouts or to create your own cluster of embellishments!

Siggie Swap Chat
Tuesday, April 27th - 6:00PM MT

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

New Member Chat
Tuesday, April 27th - 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, April 28th - 10:00AM MT

Join April (April Showers) on Wednesday at 10am MT for the East Coast High Noon Crop. All coasts and time zones are welcome! 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 April 28th, we'll do an Embellishment Challenge. Create a layout using at least three different types of embellishments - flowers, buttons, brads, staples, tags, ribbons, whatever works with your page! Upload your layouts to the special High Noon Crop Gallery. You'll be amazed what you can get done in just one hour, but there is no High Noon Sheriff timing you!

Desktop Challenge Crop
Thursday, April 29th - 2:00PM MT

Tired of the boring desktop wallpaper backgrounds that your PC or MAC came with? Join Becca and Angela (angelaNussbaum) on Thursday, April 29th at 2pm 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!

APRIL EVENTS

April Message Board Game: Progressive Word Scramble!

The object of the game is to correctly guess the name of a product in the Scrap Girls Boutique by solving clues and unscrambling letters we give you. Each day, you will be given a letter found in the product name as well as a clue. You won't know how many letters are in the product name until it is complete. We will keep giving clues until a correct guess is made.

The designer's name or the word "Collection" are not included as part of the puzzle. Letters from any other words in product names (such as "Biggie," "Brush" or "Transparency") may be given as part of the puzzle.

Be the first to answer it correctly and win a $5.00 Gift Certificate to the Boutique! You are only allowed ONE guess per daily clue, and you are only allowed ONE win per month. When you make your guess, you MUST provide a link to the boutique item you are referencing. We will play the game daily during the entire month of April. When a correct answer is given, the new puzzle will start the following day.

For complete details and examples of game play, visit the "Games" folder on the Scrap Girls message board.

Layout Contests:

April Monthly Layout Contest: It's time to get your silly on! For this month's layout contest, we want to see layouts featuring the silly or mischievous antics in your life. Let us see the silly faces, crazy clothes and hilarious moments. Create your layout and post it in the April Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight on April 30th. 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!