Rozanne Paxman

You Have Been Digging Wells in Haiti

Since 2004, Scrap Girls has been involved in projects that allow us to donate money to the worthy cause, Food for the Poor, each month. The projects mainly consist of collaborative collections, created by our product design team, in which all of the monies received are passed along to the charity. Scrap Girls does not even take out the processing fees which means that we actually donate more than we receive. This means that when you purchase one of the Food for the Poor items in the Boutique, besides receiving beautiful designs to use in your projects, you are helping the less fortunate.

Unlike many companies, we have chosen not to report to the public how much we are donating. This is because we believe the words of Scripture which say, "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:3-4).

However, I have recently had the privilege of meeting our Food for the Poor representative, and I thought it would be nice to share the experience with you. Each month, after our donation is received, this sweet lady calls me, talks to me about our company, and then says a beautiful prayer for us.

In June, Sandra came out west to visit some of the people who regularly donate to Food for the Poor. She flew into Salt Lake City and stayed two days. Before she visited, she called me and asked to make an appointment to see me. I was stunned. I told her that I'm really nothing much and that I couldn't understand why she would want to come and visit me. I explained to her that I live about 30 minutes south of Salt Lake and it would take a number of hours out of her day to drive down and drive back.

Undaunted, she said that she was determined to come to my office. I explained that my office was in my home. She didn't know this, but it didn't deter her. In fact, this information seemed to make her more interested in coming to see me.

I finally gave in, and the appointment was made.

When she arrived, we spent a lovely hour or two talking about the projects Food for the Poor engages in. We specifically talked about the water projects because Scrap Girls made the determination years ago that we wanted to help communities dig wells. Nothing affects lives more than having access to clean water. Having access to clean water is more important than food and shelter, because without it, nothing else matters. With clean water, mortality is decreased. Disease is decreased. Women don't have to go to the rivers or streams to collect water several times a day, and so their lifestyles are improved.

I told her that we would love to see some photos of the wells we have dug, and she promised that once she got back to the office, she would send something to me. As Food for the Poor largely focuses on the nations of the Caribbean, their attention has been focused on Haiti, so when the PDF arrived, I was pleased to see that one of the recent wells we paid for was dug in Port de Paix, Haiti. Here is a photo of it:

Here's the certificate:

Isn't it lovely that a digital scrapbooking community can do so much when they work together? Sometimes, it feels like the efforts we make are small but - as you can see - small things add up and before you know it, something truly wonderful has happened.

Thank you so much for supporting our company. Your purchases help our team provide for their families. Your purchases are providing work for many and in this difficult economic time in the world's history, this means more than I can express. Your interaction with us in our Forums and Gallery improve the quality of our lives. And when you make certain purchases, you bless the lives of those who cannot help themselves.

May God bless you for your kindness.

- 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 Laurel Lakey using August's Scrap Girls Club
larger view

Created for you by Ariadna Wiczling

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 Thao Cosgrove using August's ScrapSimple Club
larger view

Created for you by Thao Cosgrove and Brandie Valenzuela

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!

How to Color ScrapSimple Paper Templates with Dynamic Brushes

Note: Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS3 with Windows 7.

It's easy to add textural color to ScrapSimple Paper Templates with Dynamic Brushes. This example uses ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Inked Doodles and Dynamic Brush Set: Inking Textures.

Begin by creating a new blank 12x12-inch, 300-dpi document. Then choose your paper template. Select File> Place, choose the paper template (in this example, AMC_SSPaper_InkedDoodles_Flowers) and select "Place."

Create a blank layer below the paper template. This is the layer that you will add color to. Add another layer and fill with white or your desired background color. Select the transparent layer.

Load the Dynamic Brush Set: Inking Textures. An easy way to load the brush set is to click on the ABR icon and drag it onto your Photoshop workspace.

Select a color of your choice and then select the AMC_DynBrush_InkTexture_Scribble brush. To color in the leaf area, select a brush size of 200 pixels.

Draw in the leaf areas with the scribble brush. It's okay to color outside the lines! This technique is lighthearted and fun, and it's meant to look a bit messy.

Continue to color in the flower parts of the pattern design with the AMC_DynBrush_InkTexture_Scratches brush with a size of 100 pixels.

Continue to fill in the pattern design with your desired color and brush choices.

Finally, place your pictures and embellishments on this one-of-a-kind background!

When you dive into Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed and MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed, you'll learn basics and a whole lot more! Explore the multiple methods of quickly color-changing ScrapSimple Templates, of using ScrapSimple Templates to make your own backgrounds, and the tips and tricks for using ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates to create beautiful memories for yourself and your loved ones. And that's just the beginning - there's so much more! Drop by the Scrap Girls Boutique now!

Layout by Amanda McGee
larger view

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Inked Doodles and Dynamic Brush Set: Inking Textures are also available.

Tutorial written by Amanda McGee

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 2008 Digital Scrap Link Class: Understanding and Creating Color Sets

Learn to create perfect color palettes on your digital scrapbook pages with Understanding and Creating Color Sets written by Trish Yochum. Learn color terms, how to put together color palettes, how to mix and match colors by hue and how to create winning color combos every time.

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, as Scrap Girls Product Designer Marnie Adams takes member's pages and plies her design magic.

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 use ScrapSimple Tools: Custom Shapes & Patterns

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 Thao Cosgrove
larger view

Designer Freebie by Thao Cosgrove coordinates with her ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Vintage Folio,
part of this month's ScrapSimple Club offering!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Vintage Folio, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Vintage Folio, ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: Vintage Folio, ScrapSimple Word Art Templates: ABC's of YOU and ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 4x6 2011 Calendar 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, August 20th - 9:00AM MT

Join April (April Showers) 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, August 20th - 8:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April (April Showers) in the chat room on Friday, August 20th 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!

Recipe Swap Chat
Saturday, August 21st - 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, August 19th for this month's theme and the swap details!

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, August 25th - 10:00AM MT

Join April (April Showers) each Wednesday at 12 Noon Eastern Time 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 August 25th, we'll do a patterned paper challenge! Create a layout on any theme, any topic, and any colors - using multiple patterned papers - at least 2 different patterns! 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!

Desktop Challenge Crop
Wednesday, August 25th - 5:00PM MT

Tired of the boring desktop wallpaper backgrounds that your PC or MAC came with? Join Becca and Angela (angelaNussbaum) on August 25th at 5pm 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. Stay tuned for the challenge! We will post it the day of the chat!

NSBR Chat - Early Edition
Thursday, August 26th - 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 April (April Showers) at 2pm MT in the chat room Lobby! Hope to see you there!

Speed Scrap Crop
Thursday, August 26th - 7:00PM MT

Ever wonder what you can get done when time is tight? Here is your chance to find out! Join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and Carla (CRS) for a Speed Scrap Crop! We'll give you six items, spread out over an hour, for you to include on your layout. It's a challenge that is also a lot of fun! We'll see you in the chat room on Thursday, August 26th, at 7pm MT!

What's New Chat
Friday, August 27th - 9:00AM MT

Join April (April Showers) 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!

Swap Crop Chat
Saturday, August 28th - 6:00PM MT

It's time for the Swap Crop Chat! We've done the swapping and created the layouts, now it's time to chat about all the gorgeous layouts! I don't know what it is, but these swaps bring out the best in everyone. This is the time to chat about the theme, the beautiful layouts and learn about the swap crop if you haven't participated before. We'll brainstorm a theme for next month, too! Join us, Carla (CRS) and Angela (angelaNussbaum), for a fun chat at 6pm MT on Saturday, August 28th!

Emphasis on Embellishments Chat
Monday, August 30th - 7:00PM MT

Join Angela (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 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! You will be amazed at what YOU can do at this chat!

AUGUST EVENTS

August Message Board Game: Posting Contest!

It's that time again - Posting Contest time! This is where you are rewarded for your flying fingers and chattiness. The contest will run from August 1 when we post the thread to August 31 at 12:00 Midnight (MST). We are doing things a little differently this time, so here are the rules:

1) To enter the Posting Challenge, reply in the game thread with your CURRENT post count. This is the number under your Avatar that shows when you post. Do not post the number found on your profile; it is a different number that is calculated differently.

2) During the month, chat your fingers off!

3) On August 31, BEFORE Midnight (MST), go back to your original post in the game thread (the one with your starting post count) and take a screenshot of it. Send the screenshot to [email protected]. The screenshot is your contest entry! We will calculate your post count based on the numbers on the screenshot. (Directions for taking screenshots will be posted in the game thread.)

Prizes: The top poster gets a $20 Scrap Girls gift certificate. Everyone over 250 new posts will be entered in a random drawing for a $10 Scrap Girls gift certificate. Everyone over 100 new posts will be entered into a random drawing for a $5 Scrap Girls gift certificate.

For complete details, visit the Monthly Message Board Games folder on the Scrap Girls message board.

Layout Contests:

August Monthly Layout Contest: For August's layout contest, we want you to scrap about what you do to "get away from it all" when you can't get take a big vacation. Do you play tourist in your own town, do you pamper yourself with a spa day, do you just take a weekend day to do nothing? Post your layouts in the August Gallery before Midnight MT on August 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!