A Miracle from Our Lady of Guadalupe

I believe in miracles. In fact, I believe what we call coincidences are often little miracles.

This is a true story about a pretty big miracle that just happened for me on the day that Catholics in the Americas honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady of Guadalupe is a church-recognized apparition of Mary, the mother of Our Lord, as she appeared to a poor Mexican Indian in Tepeyac near Mexico City in 1531. For this reason, she is much revered in Mexico, where she is affectionately called "La Guadalupana."

I'm a U.S. citizen living in Mexico. I've gotten to know Concha, who had been a maid for two very good friends of mine who moved back north. They loved her and were sorry to let her go, but were confidant she would find new employment. After all, good maids are hard to find.

Concha had approached me two or three times on the street and at church over the past six months looking for work. Each time, I asked around but none of my friends needed a maid.

Things went okay for a while. Then Concha needed surgery and follow-up care. She lost her jobs. Many maids work part time for several families to cobble together enough money to get by. They earn only $3 an hour.

After recovery, Concha could never find enough work again. The last time I saw her was the day before Our Lady of Guadalupe's feast day, December 12.

Concha had been out of work for six months and was getting desperate. Again, she asked if I knew anyone who needed a maid. Sadly, I couldn't think of a soul, but told her I would ask around again.

On Our Lady's feast day, something reminded me that I owed a call to my friend, Pat. I had completely forgotten that we had a call cut short over two weeks ago, and I promised to call her back.

Pat was glad to hear from me. The next words out of her mouth were, "Do you know of any good maids who are looking for work?" To make a long story short, Concha got the job. Her new employers are generous and quite well-to-do. They immediately took to Concha, hired her full time, and will pay her more than she has ever made in her life.

¡Gracias a la Guadalupana!

- Eileen Bednarz

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 Angie Briggs using July's Scrap Girls Club
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Created for you by Angie Briggs

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 Valerie Randall using June's ScrapSimple Club
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Created for you by Melissa Renfro and Valerie Randall

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!

Once a month, we give you a round-up here of recent classes that have been held at Scrap Girls. We're sure you've noticed that Scrap Girls Instructor, Anna Mansfield, has been teaching up a storm! We hope you've had a chance to sign up for one of her classes. They are a definite favorite at Scrap Girls. They do fill up fast, but if you see one in the Boutique that interests you, be sure to sign up right away so you can reserve your spot.

Here's a report of some of Anna's most recent classes, as well as a layout by one of the students in each class.

Online Class: Selection Magic
Instructor: Anna Mansfield

There are some amazing things you can do with a selection tool, and this was the class that taught it! This two-session class took students beyond the basic selection tools in Photoshop Elements. Anna instructed students with a combination of chat room discussion, step-by-step screenshots, private Message Board posts, plus the private gallery where students posted their altered photos and layouts for feedback from Anna.

Students learned how selection tools can make their scrapbooking easier and faster, but they also found that with a few tips and tricks, they could create their own beautiful new papers and custom word art from scratch. They learned how they could customize all the pretty Scrap Girls supplies they had already bought.

In this digital scrapbooking layout below, Kim (podiumchick) used the selection tricks she learned to change orange stripes to pink stripes, plus she made title work for her space with a bit of selective copy and pasting:

Layout by podiumchick
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Water 6101, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Notebook Paper, ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Tabs Biggie 5401 and ScrapSimple Type Paths: Curves 2102 are also available.

Online Class: Totally Touchable Textures
Instructor: Anna Mansfield

Rough, smooth, soft, hard, bumpy, lumpy - textures are all around us. They can add depth and interest when they are added to scrapbook layouts. And with digital scrapbooking, you can use them without worrying if items are acid free, what kind of adhesive to use, or whether they are too bulky to fit into page protectors.

Anna taught this class to encourage students to look at the plethora of textures available to us as digital scrapbookers. She taught six different techniques to her students, including how to completely customize textures using ScrapSimple products and the default tools included in Photoshop Elements. The end result was students learned to create textures that look so realistic, people will want to touch them. They were able to effectively combine ScrapSimple templates, styles, and actions with Custom Shapes to create unique embellishments for every layout.

Here is a layout by Brenda (ArizonaAngel). She added her own transformed shadows to the sunflower embellishment and added a variety of different textures to this layout to add depth.

Layout by ArizonaAngel
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: So Basically Textures 6401, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Tattered Photo, ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Sketch It PSE 8501 Mini and Dynamic Brush Set: Fibers 4901 - Biggie are also available.

Online Class: The Art and Importance of Journaling
Instructor: Anna Mansfield

Journaling can be overwhelming and intimidating, but Anna has learned some simple tricks to make it easier. In this class, she shared her knowledge with students, to help motivate and inspire them to add more journaling to their own layouts. They discovered ways to help it become part of their layout design rather than an afterthought.

Some of the key points of this class included five different formats of journaling, easy ways to proofread and edit journaling, how to tell the story behind the picture, and how to include journaling without distracting from the focal point.

In this layout below, Rosemary (RosemaryS) brainstormed for journaling that reminded her of the word "clouds."

Layout by RosemaryS
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Entangle, Brush Set: Photo Talk, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Clips and ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Photographic are also available.

We have some great classes coming in the near future, plus re-runs of customer favorites, so be sure to keep a watch on the Newsletter and in our Online Class section of the Boutique for future learning opportunities!

Article written by Brandie Valenzuela, Scrap Girls University Principal

Weekly Layout Winners

Layout by Janice Ingram
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Layout by Nutmeg
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Fabric Frames Biggie and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Beach House 5102 Super Biggie 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!

June's Monthly Layout Contest Winners

Layout by MrsCropper
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Tear It Up 3 are also available.

Layout by Reminiscing
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: InstanTexture Biggie, Brush Set: Edging Set: Curves 1 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 are also available.

Congratulations to the winners of the June's Monthly Layout Contest, Barbara (MrsCropper) and Michele (Reminiscing). Their layouts each fit the theme of creating a layout inspired by your favorite candy's wrapper or package. Barbara and Michele each receive a $10 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique for their efforts. Congratulations!

Congratulations to this month's winners. Please email [email protected] to get your gift!

Want to see past winners of the Monthly Layout Contest? Visit the Monthly Layout Winners gallery on our message board here!

Member of the Month: July 2010

Congratulations Ann (AnnBK)! The Scrap Girls Team has chosen Ann as the Member of the Month for July!

Ann has been a wonderful addition to the Scrap Girls family since joining in January 2007. She is involved in all the swaps at Scrap Girls. She's very active in the Games Forum and Gallery, too. Ann is quick to help other members and offer support. Ann is a friendly, fun and helpful member!

Ann receives a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique and has the honor of wearing the Member of the Month blinkie!

When you have a few minutes, Ann, please tell us a little about yourself and share a link to your favorite layout! Thank you for making Scrap Girls a wonderful, friendly place! Congratulations!!

Contest Winners

June's Message Board Game: Quotable Quotes

Congratulations to the winners of June's Message Board Game! Each of these members won a $5 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique:

princessrunningfingers
Jane in N.Z.
camerabug
angdrumm
RosemaryS
B&K Mom

Congratulations to this month's winners! Please send an email to [email protected] to claim your prize, if you haven't already received it!

Project SG - 2nd Quarter Winner

Congratulations Theresa (TheresaK)! You have been randomly chosen as the Project SG Challenge - 2nd Quarter winner!

Theresa receives her choice of one of the ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates from the Scrap Girls Boutique! Please send an email to [email protected] to claim your prize!

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: Tips and Tricks to Make Quick Albums Fast!

Have you ever received an email offer for a really great deal on a 20-page album? But then you sit at your computer and get overwhelmed. This eBook will cover some great tips and tricks to help you pull it off in a snap! Included with your purchase, you will receive a special digital layout template set of three layouts in both 8.5x11 and 12x12 size, with which you can practice the techniques taught in the eBook.

Artistry eBook by Marnie Adams

Artistry: A Celebration of Digital Design Excellence highlights the best-of-the-best in digital scrapbooking focusing on high quality layout design, imaginative use of products, creative vision, top-notch typography, and artistic expression.

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: Patterns, Blends & Filters, Oh My!

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 Janine Buckles
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Designer Freebie by Marnie Adams coordinates with her ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Grand Old Flag

Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Bitsy THIN Mini, Brush Set: Nearly Taped and Brush Set: Stamped Dates 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
Monday, July 5th - 7:00PM 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 Carla (CRS) on July 5th at 7pm MT!

Creative Cards Chat
Tuesday, July 6th - 6:00PM MT

Do you use your digital supplies to make cards? Do you want to? Instead of going to the store every time you need a card, you can save money and have fun making cards with your digi stash! Make a note of any cards you might need for the upcoming month and join Michelle (Shelbi) and April (April Showers) for the once-a-month Card Chat on Tuesday, July 6th at 6pm MT. Can't wait to see you there!

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, July 7th - 10:00AM MT

Join April (April Showers)each 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 July 7th, we'll do a color challenge! Create a layout on any theme, any topic, using the color TURQUOISE! Create your layout and upload it 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!

ATC Swap Crop
Wednesday, July 7th - 4:30PM MT

Please join Sherry Lynn and Elisha (elibar) in the chatroom for our July ATC (Artist Trading Card) Swap Crop/Chat on Wednesday, July 7th at 4:30pm MT. We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Project SG Chat
Thursday, July 8th - 6:00PM MT

Have you heard about Project SG yet? This challenge is all about creating an album for 2010 and scrapping your most current photos. Join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and April Showers on Wednesday, July 8th at 6pm MT for this month's Project SG Chat! It isn't too late to start. We'll fill you in on all the details at the chat. Hope to see you there!

What's New Chat
Friday, July 9th - 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!

Recipe Swap Chat
Saturday, July 10th - 6:00PM MT

Join April (April Showers) at 6pm MT in the chat room for our Monthly Recipe Swap Chat. Please check the message board on Thursday, July 8th for this month's theme and the swap details!

Hybrid Craft Chat
Sunday, July 11th - 2:00PM MT

Do you miss working with paper, scissors and glue to create beautiful craft projects? Hybrid crafts combine your digital supplies with traditional scrapping methods to create amazing crafts! Join Sherry (Sherry Lynn) and Carla (CRS) on July 11th at 2pm MT for the Hybrid Crafts Chat where we'll discuss the current project and share ideas. Watch the message board for our next project!

Quote Challenge Chat
Sunday, July 11th - 6:00PM MT

Come join Pat (PBarnes) for the Quote Challenge Crop at 6pm MT. Including a quote on your layout can be a touching and meaningful addition, especially if you use the quote to create your own word art. Here's how it will work. On Sunday, Pat will post a thread on the Chat section of the board giving you the quote that you will use to make your own word art. It's not hard, and she will have a layout with a Word Art example in the gallery. Then we'll meet in the chat room to have fun, chat, and create our Word Art layout! Everyone can participate and create a layout, even if you can't make the chat. Hope to see you there!

Life Moments Crop
Tuesday, July 13th - 1:00PM MT

Have you noticed that one person is missing from your scrapbooks: You? Life Moments Crops are designed to challenge us to scrap about ourselves. For this crop, let's scrap a layout about what makes you happy right now, today! So join Carla (CRS) in the chatroom on Tuesday, July 13th at 1pm MT! Hope to see you there!

JULY EVENTS

July Message Board Game: BINGO!

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

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

Layout Contests:

July Monthly Layout Contest: Most all countries have a national holiday. The time of the year varies across our wide world but the United States just happens to celebrate Independence Day in July. For this month's layout contest, we want you to create a layout showing us something about what you do to celebrate your nation or show your patriotism. Post your layouts in the July Gallery before Midnight MT on July 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!