A Designer's Life: Katherine Weaver

Everyone has addictions. I'm sure you've seen the reality TV shows highlighting family interventions for drugs and alcohol. I've always considered my own addictions as simple and harmless, but I'm pretty sure if reality TV producers phoned my husband, he'd be more than happy to open up an intervention of our own. The TV producers would have to take our intervention show in a new direction though because instead of addiction to drugs and alcohol, my vices have always been cake and Coca Cola Classic.

Life Muses by Ro: Just A Little Mistake

Bookkeeping provided a small, but regular living for Andy. He had a few important clients that he counted on and visited them regularly, priding himself on keeping their accounts tidy. Over time, the people in the offices became so accustomed to the quiet man coming and going that they paid as much attention to him as a filing cabinet.

Life Muses by Ro: All Of The Options

Consider all of the options...

Best of the Scrap Girls Blog: Great Minds Think Alike

Note from Ro: I found this post on the Scrap Girls Digital Adventures Blog by Ariadna Wiczling. I love the side-by-side comparison of two layouts by two different people who used the same collection biggie. They are both demonstrations of great layouts using good design principles such as using things in threes. I want you to notice a couple of things: Look at the clever title Armi created. (Hint: It's in the background.) Notice how Christy grounded the journaling in the "grass."

Life Muses by Ro: A Very Observant Fellow

He: I just got home in a little under an hour. There wasn't much traffic.

She: That's nice.

He: Anything new?

Customer Muse: Jennifer Hamilton

A couple of years ago, we took the kids on a big family trip. My husband had been deployed for four months and had some leave saved up, so we made plans for a three-week trip. On the agenda were numerous educational stops. Since we homeschool, we wanted to make it like a field trip. From Carlsbad Caverns to the Grand Canyon and the redwoods in Northern California, we had a blast. Among the destinations on the itinerary was Las Vegas. Out of all of the experiences we had on our trip, the one I have recounted the most is probably how Aspen earned her nickname, "Butterpants."

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.

It's that time... the Scrap Girls Convention is nearly here! Don't miss the chance to learn, meet, and make friends with other Scrap Girls from all around the world!

Here are the facts:

When: October 8-10th, 2009

Where: Salt Lake City, Utah

What's Included
- 4 (four) meals (two lunches and two dinners)
- A Collection Biggie, designed especially for the convention
- Other free digital scrapbooking supplies, designed for class materials
- PDFs of the class materials
- Action-packed classes on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Crops, games, and time to hang out and make friends with other Scrap Girls
- The chance to meet in person and get help from Scrap Girls designers, layout artists, and welcoming committee members
- Memories that will last forever!

Note: Convention begins at 1:00 pm - Thursday, October 8th and ends at 6 pm - Saturday, October 10th.

How many people may attend? Only 126 and almost all of the seats have been sold! Don't miss out on this opportunity - secure your place now!

What will you learn? Here is a list of the classes and who will be teaching:

- How To Create Silhouettes with Brandy Murry
- How to Combine and Mix-up Digital Layout Templates to Create Unified Albums with Angie Briggs
- Using Styles To Make Your Photos look like Oil Paintings with Shalae Tippetts
- Tips and Tricks to Make Albums Fast! with Cherise Oleson
- How To Improve the Lighting of Your Photos with Laurel Lakey
- New Tricks for Using ScrapSimple Paper Templates with Marnie Adams
- How To Make a Slide Show with Your Layouts with Brandie Valenzuela
- Advanced Techniques To Improve Your Layouts with Christy VanderWall

A Canon Representative will be there to teach advanced techniques for using our cameras. She is going to award a prize! Then we will take a field trip for a special photo shoot.

We hope you come because you're special to us and we are dying to meet you! Scrap Girls is all about making friends while we enjoy the hobby that allows us to save our memories in a fun way. Having you with us would be awesome!

Sign up now!

Want to see more cute layouts? Go to the bottom right of our Home Page and check out our newsletter links.

Monday, September 7, 2009

"Camera Shy" by Michelle Torres
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Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

I wanted to place rivets underneath the staples on Paula's ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Wired - Wired Sheet. I arranged the rivets where I wanted them to go, then I went to the Layers Palette and clicked on the Add Layer Mask icon along the bottom. A mask thumbnail will appear on the layer. I zoomed in very closely to each individual rivet to mask the part I didn't want to see. There are two ways to mask. You can start with your layer mask white and paint with black to hide part of the layer, or you can fill the layer mask with black to hide the layer completely, and then paint part of your layer back in with white.

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Wired, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Ribbon Borders and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Burned are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop CS3

Name of challenge: Use three or more ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates.

Other Ingredients:

Font - LDJ Lefthand Jam

Journaling: Looking at these photos a person would come to the conclusion that you are camera shy. I would have to say that they are right too. Thank goodness you have your sister to help you hold your head up so I can take your picture. I guess this proves that sisters are good to have around sometimes!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Layout by Angie Briggs
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This product is included in this month's Scrap Girls Club offering. Members receive a substantial discount on these club supplies. They are also available elsewhere in the Boutique at regular prices for those individuals who would rather not join a club.

If you have praise, comments, or questions for any of our Product Designers or Layout Artists, did you know you can send them a PM (private message) using the message board? It's easy!

If you are a registered user of the message board, just click on the "PM" box at the bottom of any of their posts to send them a message. Or, to check out more of your favorite designer's layouts, visit the Scrap Girls Design Team section of the Layout Gallery.

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 September'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 or Word Art Template Set
1 Brush Set
2 Designer's Choice Items

A commercially licensed version of the ScrapSimple Club is also available here.

Layout by Brandy Murry using September's ScrapSimple Club
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Created for you by Brandy Murry and Durin Eberhart

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!

ScrapSimple Club Concepts Mini Tutorial: Create a Journal With ScrapSimple Templates

The gift giving season is drawing near and journals are a fantastic personal gift that is perfect for many people on your list. This tutorial gives you the basics for using ScrapSimple templates as printables to create a beautiful writing journal.

Scrap Girls Convention Chatter: An Interview

Welcome to Thess, known as TallCool69 on the message board. She lives half-way around the world from Salt Lake City! Thess sat down to give us an interview regarding her experience from the 2008 Scrap Girls Convention and her excitement for 2009!

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Create Your Own Alpha by Re-coloring ScrapSimple Alpha Templates

It's easy to create your own alphas by re-coloring the ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: Varsity Letters. In this particular alpha template, there are several options to create the layered letters. Since I will be using several letters, I have chosen to layer the sheets of letters. Another option is to open each individual PSD file. It just depends on your personal preference and desired outcome.

Way Cool Stuff Digital Scrapbooking Product Review: ScrapSimple Alpha Templates

One of the many fabulous products in the Scrap Girls boutique that often gets overlooked is the assortment of ScrapSimple Alpha Templates. I really love using them on my layouts as titles or to emphasize a certain letter that I want to draw attention to. Sometimes, I am using a collection and the alpha isn't the color that I want to use on my layout. This is where the wonderful versatility of ScrapSimple Alpha Templates comes in! I'm able to create an alpha to suit my needs!

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Creating Your Own Decoupage Layouts and Photos

I have a stash of canvases in my crafting gear. If I'm ever at a craft store and I see they're on sale, I'll grab a few. There really isn't much hanging on the walls of my home – but the things that are there are some of my favorite photos, layouts and art I've made. I discovered a neat way to use the canvases with some of my favorite digital scrapbooking supplies.

Way Cool Scrap Girl: Tara

Meet a Way Cool Scrap Girl, Tara (Michigan*Mommy), as she shares her experience with digital scrapbooking and Scrap Girls!

Layout and Contest Winners

Congratulations to our Weekly Layout Winners, RosemaryS and Sonia11! Check them out! Congratulations!

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 CS4, CS3, CS2, and CS
NEWLY UPDATED! Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Photoshop Elements 6.0 and 7.0*
Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed for Paint Shop Pro X (XI)

(*Have Photoshop Elements 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, or 5.0? We have a tutorial program that will work for you. Please visit the product details page for more information.)

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

It's time for you to stop playing catch-up in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and start having a blast creating your own digital scrapbooking supplies! You'll also learn all sorts of tricks that professionals and advanced digital scrapbookers use in their layouts. And because Ro covers so many topics in the series, it is one of the most cost-effective methods of moving your skills to a higher level. Join in with the thousands of digital scrapbookers who have chosen to learn advanced skills from Ro. You'll be happy that you did!

Note: These are NOT beginning tutorials. If you get this training and you have never used Photoshop or Photoshop Elements before, or if you aren't pretty sure of yourself in the software, you are going to be lost. You simply have to understand layers, where things are located, and all of the basic, important skills that Ro teaches in her Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed series before you try to use it.

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:

The Virtual Canvas eBook

What happens when you move digital scrapbooking beyond the basic page? What happens when you allow the layout to blur the edges between keepsake and art? The Virtual Canvas: Celebrating The Art of Digital Scrapbooking eBook will provide those answers for you.

Colour (me) Creative eBook with 36 color swatches

Scrapbooking 911 - 20 Sketches to Revitalize Your Digital Scrapbooking - Book 4

Scrap Girls Tutorials & Way Cool Stuff eBook Set
2009 - 2nd Quarter

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 Paula Wright
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Designer Freebie by Paula Wright coordinates with her Thankful Collection

* 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, September 15th - 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.

Musing About Life with Ro
Tuesday, September 15th - 7:00PM MT

As you might be able to tell by now, Ro spends a great deal of time thinking about how to become a better person. (Thus the muses...) She hears from a lot of you that you feel we have a lot in common because you recognize the circumstances or emotion she is expressing. She thought it may be nice to get together once a month and lift each other. This will be a private chat so that we can share our feelings, hopes, dreams, and more with each other in a safe way. If you would like to come, send Ro a private message on the board and she'll give you the room name and the password.

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, September 16th - 10:00AM MT

Join your guest host April Showers for the East Coast High Noon Crop every Wednesday at 10am Mountain Time. 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 September 16th, we'll do a No Photo Challenge! Create a layout without any photos. Everything else is fine! Are there some things you'd like to document but you don't have photos? Try using scanned memorabilia or extensive journaling to make a memorable layout without photos. You'd be amazed what you can get done in just one hour! We hope you'll join us!

NSBR Chat - Early Edition
Thursday, September 17th - 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 Michelle (Shelbi) and Shari (Shari PV Mom) on September 17th at 2pm MT!

Heritage Crop
Thursday, September 17th - 6:00PM MT

Do you have boxes of heritage photos just waiting to be restored and scrapped? Are there family stories just waiting for you to write down and preserve? Then this is the crop for you! Join April (April Showers) and Carla (CRS) for the Heritage Crop and Chat! We'll help you get motivated to scrap those heritage photos and record your family stories for future generations to enjoy.

Ad Inspiration Challenge & Chat
Thursday, September 17th - 7:00PM MT

Please join Pat (PBarnes) on Thursday, September 17 at 7pm 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, September 18th - 9:00AM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry_Lynn at 9am MT Friday morning 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 & Chat
Friday, September 18th - 8:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room on Friday, September 18th 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!

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

September Message Board Game: BINGO!

It's that time again! Join us for an exciting game of BINGO on the Message Board in September! Pick 25 words from the list provided in the Monthly Message Board Game forum and send them in an e-mail to [email protected] with a subject line that says "BINGO CARD" and your message board user name by Wednesday, September 2nd (11:59pm MT) in order to play in the first round which will begin Thursday, September 3rd. Each day, members of the Welcoming Committee will call 5 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 game thread 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.

Layout Contests:

September Monthly Layout Contest: We're coming up on the date 09/09/09. For this layout contest, we want you to create a layout using repetition. It can be a photo that is repeated, an embellishment, a color... the possibilities are many. Create your layout and post it in the September Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight MT on September 30th. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the details tab. If your layout is chosen, you will win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

September Mid-Month Layout Contest: Everybody has some one or something in their life that has made a difference for them. For the September Mid-month Gallery contest, we want you to scrap a page about someone or something that has been a positive influence in your life. It could be a parent, a spouse, a teacher, an organization, or maybe a school or church. Create your layout and post it in the September Mid-Month Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight on October 15th. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the details tab. If your layout is chosen, you will win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

Signature Contest: Season of Change

Summer is coming to a close with Fall just around the corner in the Northern hemisphere and weather is getting warmer in the Southern. Kids have gone back to school and before we know it, the holidays will be upon us. It's time to update those signatures. The guidelines for signatures and instructions for linking can be found here. Create your signature using mostly Scrap Girls products, following the guidelines, and upload to the Season of Change Signature gallery by 11:59 PM Mountain Time, September 30th to be eligible for the contest. Two winners will be randomly selected - one person will receive a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls boutique and a runner-up will receive a $5 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls boutique! It's time to replace those crazy monkeys before they're gone for good!

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.)