Rozanne Paxman

Chipping Away

Before you stands a great block of marble. Inside the block is a statue of a man with loving eyes. But before you can gaze upon his face, you must extract him from the marble.

You tell your friends, "There is a great man inside of the marble."

"I do not see him," they reply. "I see a block of stone."

But you do not let their failure to see the man inside the marble discourage you. He is there. You know it. You sense it. You feel it.

You take out your tools and begin patiently chipping away at the great block of stone. You understand that the chipping will continue for a long time. Years may pass before you see him emerge from his marble encasing. But as long as you keep chipping... chipping... chipping away, you will eventually stand in front of your kindly-eyed man and gaze at his eyes.

Thus, the artist believes. Thus, the artist is able to continue their work in the face of great odds. The artist does not consider how many chips it will take to see their masterpiece realized. Instead, the artist concentrates on making each cut accurately.

Any great goal is accomplished by endless chipping away at the mountain of tasks until we realize our dream. But if we stop in the middle of the work because we tire of it, if we fail to continue because we can't keep our dream placed firmly in our minds, if we wander away from the sheer monotony of the task of chipping because we wish to do something more exciting, we will never see our objective standing before our eyes.

I am convinced that much of the difficulty many people have in their lives is that they tire of the monotony of chipping. They feel that they must get all of the work done at once (or in a very short amount of time) or they will have failed. They imagine that there might be some worthy goal available to them that will not require such work.

Perhaps they didn't stand back at the beginning of their journey and consider how much chipping the goal might take to achieve. Perhaps they didn't ask themselves if the end goal was worth what they must give up in other areas of their life so that they might have time to chip... chip... chip away.

Sometimes, when people ask me how to achieve a certain objective, I begin to describe all of the many things that must be done to realize it. When they respond to the list of tasks, I can hear the dismay in their voices, and I can feel their defensiveness towards the truth of the matter: They will have to work hard, very hard.

This is not what they wished to hear. This is not what they wanted to learn. They wanted me to say that their journey towards success would be easy. They hoped I would say that they would be able to achieve it in a few days, weeks, or months. But most creditable goals are made up of long strings of small goal-pearls and small goal-pearls that are achieved by chip, chip, chipping away at tasks that are often grueling or tedious in nature.

My mother once told me, "Rozanne, you must learn to love to work because you will spend most of your life doing it." How wise she was. How right she was.

Over time, I have learned to enjoy the mundane chipping that accompanies even the most satisfying work. I have learned that the most joy I obtain is during the process. I have learned that the education I receive while working towards the goal is often more satisfying that the acquisition of the prize.

While I am not a master artist that can bring forth a man with kindly eyes from a block of marble, I am able to use my God-given talents through my effort and God's guidance to craft something worthwhile... and that is good enough for me.

All I have to do is keep chip... chip... chipping away...

- 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 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 Melissa Renfro 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!

The Original

This is one of my earliest layouts. At the time, I was fascinated by the blending techniques I saw used in many of the layouts found in the Scrap Girls Gallery, and I was anxious to try my hand at it. I wanted to create a special effect using this photo of my grandson, Dylan. Unfortunately, the only thing I knew how to do was lower the opacity of a layer. Rather than creating a dramatic backdrop for my photos and journaling, the layout seems muddied. Both the photos and journaling are lost in the busy background.

Original layout by Kim Meeder

The Do-Over

Although I am now able to use Blending Modes, brushes, and other digital techniques to create these effects, I have decided to use a solid background paper. I have chosen to include fewer photos as well as a different set of photos to support my journaling. I intend to place the photos so that they no longer appear to just float on my layout.

An ivory background paper will provide a good contrast to the colorful photos and help them pop off the page. By placing my photos on both sides of the layout, the viewer's eye will be drawn across the page. The photos I have included on the layout will help to tell the story before the viewer even reads my journaling. I am careful to horizontally flip the photos of Dylan picking the flowers so that he is facing inward and toward the center of the layout and the large photo.

To ground the photos to the layout and create a visual line across the page, I place a solid border connecting the photos on the bottom third of my layout. This will also provide a place for my journaling. I use the Eyedropper Tool to choose a coordinating color from my photos that will be perfect for the title font. The title also creates a visual path and draws the eye to the exact place on the photo where Dylan is picking the flower.

The turquoise butterflies add a needed pop of contrasting color to the layout and their pierced pathways repeat the visual path I want to establish. The journaling block, along with the leaf border, provide some needed weight to the bottom of the layout. The negative space balances the weight at the bottom and allows my eye a place to rest. Finally, I add some scattered flowers (buttercups, of course). Frankly, I don't know if there are too many or their placement is perfect. But who cares? It makes me happy! And, after all, that's what scrapbooking is all about - preserving memories while enjoying the art of creating.

Explore the secrets used by our professional designers and layout artists to make amazing digital scrapbooking layouts! Check out the incredible tutorials in Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed and MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed. Drop by the Scrap Girls Boutique today!

Layout by Kim Meeder
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Frame It! Edgy 1 and Lettering Delights Underwood Pica Font are also available.

Designer Do-Over by Kim Meeder

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 Cheré Edwards
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Designer Freebie by Cheré Edwards coordinates with her ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Textures 10401

* 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

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) and Lei (Bride) 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!

Faith Journey Chat
Tuesday, July 13th - 5:00PM MT

Join Elisha (elibar) and Sherry Lynn for a Faith Journey Chat on Tuesday, July 13 at 5pm MT. All faiths are welcome! We'll be chatting and scrapping about our individual faith walk and how we also walk together. Watch the message board for this month's topic of discussion, and if you like - create a layout based on the topic!

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!