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!

Join the Scrap Girls Monthly Club and you can have fun with the newest traditional digital and printable scrapbooking looks while saving! (A $40.87 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 Word Art Mini
1 Embellishment Mini
1 Assemble Your Own Zoom Page Set
1 Designer's Choice Item

March's Scrap Girls Club designed for you by Ariadna Wiczling

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.

March's ScrapSimple Club has been created for you by Julie White and Amanda Sok

QUESTION: I've done a layout that fits into more than one category/challenge. Can I upload something into more than one challenge gallery? How? If not, how do I handle this situation?

ANSWER: I don't think you can - but I'm not positive of that. I do know, though that if the gallery has a forum thread (like "ATC chat" or "Tuesday challenge"), you can post a link to your layout in both threads.

ANSWER: It all depends on which category/challenges gallery you want to post to. Some challenges go into the General Message Board Challenges gallery, so you would only post once there and link to the appropriate threads as mentioned above. Other challenges have their own galleries. If you go to the Gallery, you can scroll down to ScrapGirls Challenges, and you will see a list of subcategories and see which categories fall under which galleries. You can post the same layout to more than one gallery. Let us know if you need more help.

ANSWER: If you need to post a layout twice to get it into two galleries, it is okay. I find it easier to post it once and just link it to two threads like others have suggested. If you have done a challenge that also works for something like the monthly Scrap Girls Club or ScrapSimple Club where you need to post it in a certain gallery to be eligible for a little prize, be sure to post it there.

ANSWER: You can post in more than one gallery, but it usually isn't necessary. For things like the monthly contest, you do need to post in that specific gallery, but if the layout fits other challenges, you can link to the contest gallery in the threads for the other challenges.

QUESTION: I just wanted to share a new trick I do to keep track of what elements, papers, etc. I use in a layout so it's easier to tell you what I used when I post it in the Gallery. I have Adobe CS4, and I use Bridge to look through my papers, elements, etc. Before I start a new layout, I clear the recent files (in Bridge there is a little icon that looks like a clock with an arrow - click the arrow next to it to reveal recent files and/or to clear recent files). Then when I finish a layout, I go to "Reveal Recent Files," and I can see all the files I've opened and it is easy to link collections and not miss anything. The only thing I have to remember is any Styles or Actions I have used inside Photoshop. I find this works well for me.

ANSWER: Will this work for Photoshop Elements (PSE)?

ANSWER: I'm not sure - I don't work with PSE - but I think you have a Bridge-like program with PSE. See if there's a "Reveal Recent Files" button anywhere. It probably will work. Wish I could help with that.

ANSWER: Adobe Bridge CS4 came with PSE8 when I got it this summer. I use it for my organizer. It has the same little clock in the top left that was described above. I like your idea. If you have Bridge, you can use it with PSE no problem.

ANSWER: Thank you for sharing this idea!

QUESTION: I was trying to make a digital sticker of some type. I've done this before when the text letters touch each other, it is easy to create a stroke and fill with white. However this time the letters did not touch each other and so the stroke only went around each letter individually. I want to fill in with white and then put a colored stroke around the whole thing. Any suggestions? I am using CS4. Thanks for any help!

ANSWER: Can you "grow" the selection? Some software lets you do this - make your selection, then go to "Grow" and make it as large as you like. Hope this helps.

ANSWER: Well, my first thought was to make the stroke bigger or move the letters closer together. I'm sure others will add more ideas.

ANSWER: Yep, if you typed the letters yourself, you can sometimes use the Text Edit options to move the letters closer together. If not, maybe type them all on separate layers and nudge them all together.

ANSWER: Here is an idea to try:

Type or choose your word.
Rasterize the layer.
Command+Click on the word in the Layers Palette to get "marching ants" around the word.
Go to Select> Modify> Expand.
Put in the size you think it needs. This expands the "marching ants" around the word.
Pick the color you want to use.
Get the Paint Bucket Tool and fill the area with the "marching ants."

ANSWER: Exactly what I was about to type! Let us know if it worked or if you have further questions!

ANSWER: I don't use that program, but in PSE7, I would merge the letters once I was happy with them, then the outline should go around as if it was one word.

ANSWER: Gee, thanks so much for the great ideas! Increasing the stroke size is the ticket! (Can't believe I didn't think of that!) Great to be able to get help so quickly. I love Scrap Girls!

FREE STARTER KIT

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Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed!

NEWLY UPDATED! Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop
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MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed! for Adobe Photoshop Elements

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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 Tutorials & Way Cool Stuff eBook Set - 2010 2nd 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 2nd Quarter of 2010 in one convenient PDF format. It's easy to find those helpful hints with just the click of your mouse. You get two eBooks for the price of one!

Scrapbook Quotes: The right quote for your scrapbook layouts

Looking for scrapbooking quotes or quotes to use for greeting cards? Here's your solution. This packed eBook contains hundreds of quotes, collected over many years by Rozanne Paxman specifically for use on scrapbooking layouts.

Mastering Brushes for Photoshop

Whether you are just finding out about brushes, or have been using them for a while, this eBook will help you see and understand the creative power that brushes contain and give you new ideas for using them in your digital layouts.

Perfect Memories for Photoshop Elements eBook

With five beautifully illustrated sections this eBook not only offers details on the most common photo flaws, but stunning designs by SIX contemporary digital artists in a variety of styles, as well as detailed steps for tackling layouts using your own flawed photos. Designed for the novice and expert alike, Perfect Memories will have you re-looking at photos previously deemed lost causes and utilizing their unique attributes as focal points for digital documentation of life's most cherished moments.

See more titles

Layout by Amanda Sok
larger view

Designer Freebie by Amanda Sok coordinates with her ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Decoupage Flowers,
part of this month's ScrapSimple Club offering

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Decoupage Flowers, ScrapSimple Word Art Templates: Hodge Podge and ScrapSimple Alpha Template: Hodge Podge are also available.

Today's freebie designed by Amanda Sok

* 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

Hybrid Card Swap Chat
Tuesday, March 22nd - 6:00PM MT

Join Carla (CRS) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) to chat about the beautiful card you recieved from your Scrap Girl friend in this month's Hybrid Card Swap.

New Member Chat
Tuesday, March 22nd - 7:00PM MT

Join Pat (PBarnes) and Theresa (tiza126) 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.

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, March 23rd - 10:00AM MT

Join April (April Showers) this 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 March 23rd, we'll do a white space challenge! Create a layout using white space. This "negative" or blank space guides the eye to the important areas of your page. Remember, it certainly doesn't have to be the color white! 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! Hope to see you in the chat room!

Photo Focus Club Chat
Wednesday, March 23rd - 6:00PM MT

Do you want to challenge yourself and improve your photography? Check out the Scrap Girls Photo Focus Club. No membership required - Everyone is welcome. Note that this is not a class but an opportunity to share ideas, ask questions, and try something new. If you are looking for tips, techniques or inspiration to help you take better images, this is the chat for you. Join Becca and Ashleigh (caprimom) on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6pm MT for March's monthly conversation about photography.

NSBR Chat - Early Edition
Thursday, March 24th - 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 Pat (PBarnes) at 2pm MT in the chat room Lobby! Hope to see you there!

Ad Inspiration Chat
Thursday, March 24th - 7:00PM MT

Join Pat (PBarnes) at 7pm MT for an Ad Inspiration Challenge and Chat. A few hours before the chat, a magazine, newspaper or online ad will be posted on the Bessage 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 in the Scrap Girls Boutique Chat
Friday, March 25th - 9:00AM MT

Join April (April Showers) at 9am MT on Friday mornings to chat about all the wonderful new products in the Scrap Girls Boutique! What are your favorite new items? Is your shopping basket full? What did you kaboodle? Have you already done layouts or other projects with your new goodies? Come tell the designers how much you love their work. You never know who will show up. There's a thread every Thursday and now there's a chat too!

Scraplifting Chat
Friday, March 25th - 5:00PM MT

The Scraplifting Chat has been revamped! Join Angela (angelaNussbaum) in the chat room at 5pm MT for a crop and chat about scraplifting! Scraplifting can be a huge source of inspiration to you and your layouts, and it's a lot of fun for the person who inspired you. Come and see what new fun we will be having!

Desktop Challenge Chat
Friday, March 25th - 6:00PM MT

Tired of the boring desktop wallpaper backgrounds that your PC or MAC came with? Join Becca and Angela (angelaNussbaum) on Friday, March 25th at 6pm 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!

Speed Scrap Crop & Chat
Friday, March 25th - 7:00PM MT

Ready for some Speed? We'll give you six tasks, spread out over an hour, to include in your layouts. It's a challenge because you never know what will be required next!! Join Carla (CRS) and Angela (angelaNussbaum) at 7pm MT!

MARCH EVENTS

March Message Board Game: Going on a Boutique Hunt!

Remember as a child when you played the game that started like this: "I am going on a ___ hunt and bringing..." then you listed an item with the first letter of your name or a specific letter? We are playing a similar game on the Message Board during the month of March. Each day, a new theme and starting letter will be posted in the Game thread. Members will search the Boutique for something that fits the theme and post a link to it in the Game thread. Only one product per letter per round will be counted, and products cannot be used more than once. Collections and their individual parts are one product, and time stamps will be used to determine which post came first in case of more than one post per letter. Entries are to follow the alphabet, starting with the letter posted with the theme each day. There's a limit of three posts per person each day, and there must be another player's post before posting again.

PRIZES: Members' names will be added to a drawing based on the number of qualified product links which they post in the thread. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the month and winners will be announced in the April 2nd Newsletter. Gift certificates will be awarded as follows: First prize - $15 Gift Certificate; second prize - $10 Gift Certificate, and third prize - $5 Gift Certificate.

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

Layout Contests:

March Monthly Layout Contest: Do you have a good luck charm? Do you have something in your life that you consider lucky? For the March Layout Contest, scrap it! We'd love for you to share you luck! Post your layouts in the March Monthly Layout Gallery before Midnight MT on March 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!