Rozanne Paxman

Isn't It Interesting?

One of the challenges of writing a regular column such as this is that a great deal of the time, nothing particularly interesting happens to you. You get up, shower and dress, eat the same breakfast that you've eaten for weeks, do the same work, talk to the same people, go the same places, watch the same TV shows, and go to bed at the same time each evening.

Nothing has especially inspired you. Nothing has moved you to think differently or act in a unique way. When you look back, you can't particularly remember what has occurred.

Life feels a waft in sameness... ordinary, blank-minded sameness.

But then, without warning, your mind grasps the idea that your big life is found between the cover of small days. While your life may appear to be connected through major milestones such as births, deaths, marriage, graduation, moves to new cities, and radical changes in employment, those events are simply markers placed along the path so that you might know where you are on the journey.

The journey itself - life - is found in the moving through one simple activity - at a time.

Each time you stand in a line, make a meal, take out the trash, put clean clothes in your closet, read a book, chat with friends, laugh with a family member, comb your hair, or engage in your favorite hobby, try to remember that you are living your entire life at that very moment. And the very moment you remember that your life is lived one moment at a time, you'll feel inspired.

This is your life. Isn't it interesting?

Ro

There are so many beautiful things around us if we open our eyes and see them.

Layout by Ro
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Pop Edges for PS 2201 and Creased N Crinkled - Sassy Paper Biggie are also available.

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!

A Trip to the Zoo

My family loves visiting the zoo! And of course, I bring my camera. I have hundreds of zoo photos in my Organizer.

Digital scrapbooking is my favorite way to capture and show off those fun expeditions. If you have as many zoo photos as I have, you may be looking for products with a zoo theme to help you scrap your trip to the zoo.

Scrap Girls has some great general zoo-themed collections in the Boutique to get you started:

Zoo Collection Mini
Digital Stickers: Zoo Animals Mini
Assemble Your Own Zoom Pages: Zoo
Little Zoo Collection
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Little Zoo 1 - Biggie

If you're looking for a specific animal, try some of these:

Digital Stickers: Tigers Biggie
Digital Stickers: African Elephants Mini
Digital Stickers: Hippos Mini
Digital Stickers: Zebras Plus
Assemble Your Own: Penguin Biggie
Digital Stickers: Turtles Mini
Brush Set: Little Zoo: Tiger And Monkey

If you're looking for kits that have a variety of animals, consider these:

ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Little Friends Biggie
Little Friends Collection Mini
Feathered Friends Collection
Naturalist's Journal Collection Biggie
Digital Stickers: Naturalist's Journal Mini
Digital Stickers: Birds
Digital Stickers: Zoo Babies

Take a look at these for some great animal print backgrounds for your pages:

ScrapSimple Photo Templates: Animals 4901
ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Animal Prints - Biggie

Animals aren't the only things I love to see at the zoo. Zoos often have lush foliage, gardens, and wonderful architecture.

Blossoms & Blooms - Tropical Embellishment Biggie
Watercolor Nature Papers
Design Pack: Leafery
Brush Set: Columns Mini
Mosaic Retreat Paper Super Mini
Chainlink Embellishments
ScrapSimple Photo Templates: Rocks 2102
Assemble Your Own: Frames - Bamboo Biggie

Many zoos are organized by habitat. Use these to document the area of the zoo you're visiting:

ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Maps of the World
Australia Collection
ScrapSimple Word Art Templates: Countries of the World - Middle East, Africa, Etc. Super Biggie
ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Far East

Too many photos for one or two pages? Scrap your trip to the zoo in an entire album!

ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Vacation

Here are the first two pages of my Trip to the Zoo album:

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Layouts by Elisha Barnett
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Commercial license versions of Zoo Collection Mini, Design Pack: Leafery, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Vacation, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Curled Edges Shadows 3201 are also available.

Article written by Elisha Barnett

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 Syndee Nuckles
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Designer Freebie by Syndee Nuckles coordinates with her Loopy Love Collection Mini

Commercial license versions of Dynamic Brush Set: Love Dusted and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Butterfly Shadows 6301 Mini 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

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!

Hybrid ATC Swap Crop
Tuesday, July 27th - 5:00PM MT

Do you love mixed media? Ever wondered what it is exactly or 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 Tuesday, July 27th at 5pm MT for our Mixed Media ATC crop and swap.

July's Siggie Swap Chat
Tuesday, July 27th - 6:00PM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and April (April Showers) in the chat room at 6pm MT for the July 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. Hope to see you there!

New Member Chat
Tuesday, July 27th - 7:00PM MT

Join Pat (PBarnes) 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.

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!