Rozanne Paxman

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 Amanda McGee using July's ScrapSimple Club
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Created for you by Amanda McGee and Kerry Veale

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!

Drop Shadows - Going Beyond The 120

Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS2 with Windows XP.

In this tutorial, we're going to look at drop shadows and specifically at the angle or the direction that the drop shadows falls on a layout. Most drop shadows that we work with are set at the 120-degree angle. In this tutorial, we will look at that and then go beyond the 120-degree angle.

Here is my digital scrapbooking layout without any drop shadows.

Here is the layout with 120-degree drop shadows added to it. I applied the drop shadows using ScrapSimple Tools – Styles: Basic Shadows 6501.

Using the 120-degree angle means that the light source is coming from the upper left corner. This is pleasing because it leads the viewer's eyes down and to the right, which just happens to be the same way that we would read words on a page. But changing this up a bit by having the light source come from a different angle will grab the viewer's attention.

To change the angle of your drop shadow and go beyond the 120-degree angle, apply a drop shadow from ScrapSimple Tools – Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 to your layer. Then go into your Layers Palette to adjust the drop shadow.

Here in the Layers Palette, you can open the Layer Style, if it is not already open, by clicking on the little down arrow next to the letters fx. Below the layer will appear the word "Effects" and below that will be "Drop Shadow."

Double-click on the words "Drop Shadow." The Layer Style box will open. Now we are looking at the Drop Shadow layer effects.

The information shows us that the Angle of the shadow is set at 120 degrees. The green check mark in the box with the words "Use Global Light" means that this drop shadow layer is linked to other drop shadows on this layout. Currently, all drop shadow effects are linked and share the same 120-degree angle.

We can move the shadow angle by changing the number in the box or by moving the dial in the circle. It's kind of fun to use the dial. Go ahead and move it around. Watch as the shadows change direction. If the "Use Global Light" box is checked on all of your shadow layers, then all the shadows will change simultaneously.

In this example, the shadow angle is set at 0 degrees as if the light source is coming from the right side of the page. Some other angle settings you might want to try are 30 degrees, and -45 degrees. Experiment with it to find what you like.

One other angle that a light source can come from is from the center of the layout. All the shadows would fan out from the central point and would point toward the edge of the layout that they were closest to. You can use the center of the page or use the main photo as your starting point.

To do this, we need to uncheck the box that says "Use Global Light." Then use the dial to move the shadow and point the shadows away from the center, or main focal point, of the layout.

For my finished layout I used the framed photo as "ground zero." For the framed photo, I set the drop shadow angle at 90 degrees. The other shadows are fanning away from the framed photo (my focal point of the layout).

However you decide to have your drop shadows fall, whether at 120 degrees or beyond, enjoy the process of creating and personalizing your digital scrapbooking layout!

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!

Layout by Sarah Batdorf
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501, Sandy Shores Collection Mini, Seaside Collection Mini and Sweet and Lovely Collection are also available.

Tutorial written by Sarah Batdorf

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 Keri Schueller
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Designer Freebie by Keri Schueller coordinates with her Respite Collection

Commercial license versions of Respite Collection 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

What's New Chat
Friday, July 16th - 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!

Back-Up Party and Chat
Friday, July 16th - 8:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room on Friday, July 16th for a Back-up Party and Chat. We'll also go over several different ways to safeguard your files. You won't want to miss this one!

Journaling Challenge Chat
Monday, July 19th - 6:00PM MT

Join Lei (Bride) and angelaNussbaum for a Journaling Chat at 6pm MT on Monday, July 19th. Struggle to find the right words for your layouts? Are your layouts more decorative than descriptive of the moments you're trying to capture? Then you won't want to miss this chat - we'll have a special challenge to encourage you to journal on your pages more! See you there!

New Member Chat - Early Edition
Tuesday, July 20th - 1:00PM MT

Join April (April Showers) at 1pm MT for a fun chat to get to know our newest members. We will discuss the message board, gallery, chocolate and so much more! Everyone is welcome, new or not so new! Not sure how to get there? Just click the "chat room" button at the top of this newsletter; you will need Javascript enabled to access the chat room.

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, July 21st - 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 21st, we'll do a font challenge! Create a layout on any theme, any topic, and any colors - using multiple fonts - at least 3 different fonts! Mix it up! 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!

Ad Inspiration Chat
Thursday, July 22nd - 6:00PM MT

Join Pat (PBarnes) at 6pm 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, July 23rd - 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!

Scraplifting Challenge Chat
Sunday, July 25th - 2:00PM MT

Scrap-lifting can be a wonderful starting point for your layouts! Join angelaNussbaum and guest co-hostess Marnie (sprinklz) on Sunday at 2pm MT to learn more about scrap-lifting, the importance of giving credit, and more! This month, we'll be scrap-lifting Marnies's layout gallery, and you can choose one of her layouts for inspiration! Hope ya'll join us!

Emphasis on Embellishments Chat
Monday, July 26th - 7:00PM MT

Join angelaNussbaum and Janine (J9Buckles) on Monday at 7pm MT for the Emphasis on Embellishments Chat. This monthly chat is geared towards challenging you to use more 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! You will be amazed at what YOU can do at this chat!

Coffee Break Chat
Tuesday, July 27th - 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, July 27th 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!

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!