A Designer's Life: Sarah Batdorf

My six-year-old has been asking for a pet. She wants a hermit crab, bunny, cat, hamster and dog. My husband loves dogs, but I am a cat person. There is one animal that hubby and I see eye-to-eye on and that is fish. To describe my enjoyment of fish, I would have to confess that I treated myself to our local aquarium for two of my birthdays.

Life Muses by Ro: Diversionary Tactics

While our society is obsessed with health and fitness, we are also obsessed with how we can become healthy and fit without any effort on our part. In the process, we often find ourselves spending vast portions of our income on these quick fixes which promise complete nirvana. What's worse, we have started watching each other in airports, in the mall, and as we go in and out of movie theatres, to try and assess if other people are doing better than we are in this regard.

Life Muses by Ro: What's For Supper?

I recently stumbled upon a recipe for tuna patties that I had shared with some friends last winter. Before then, I hadn't made it for years. Honestly, I wasn't sure how my kids were going to respond to it because they can be picky. I was afraid they would say, "Gross!" as soon as they saw the plate.

Best of the Scrap Girls Blog: BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Note from Ro: Need a quick meal? Brandie shared this recipe with us on the Scrap Girls blog. I've never tried adding BBQ sauce to quesadillas before, but I will in the future. Thanks, Brandie!

Life Muses by Ro: Take Me to Your Leader

Ro shares one of her doodle drawings - check it out!

Customer Muse by Jennifer Hamilton

All of us have milestones that mean, in some way, that we have come into our own. In my family, I am the baby... by far. My brothers are 10 and 14 years older than I am. By the time I was five, Robbie had moved out on his own and Davy had moved in with my father. Growing up, as the boys married and started families of their own, I longed for the day that I would be seen as an adult, too.

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!

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

Monday, October 26, 2009

"The Face of Determination" by Janine Buckles
larger view

Directions for one technique I did on this layout:

In my original photo, my son's shirt was blue and the wall behind him was white. I really liked the green paper in the Halloween Horror Paper Super Mini but when I placed my photo on it, something wasn't quite right... so, I used my Lasso Tool to carefully extract the blue shirt and then clicked Layer> New> Layer via copy (Ctrl+J), which created a new layer with just the shirt on it. Next, I chose the shirt layer by clicking on its thumbnail image in the Layers Palette and clicked Enhance> Adjust Color> Adjust Hue/Saturation (Ctrl+U). Then I moved the sliders until I had the right shades of green. I repeated the process with the white wall in the background. And that's the cool thing about digital scrapbooking; if you don't like something, change it!

Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Wizardry, Brush Set: Edgy LINES, Brush Set: Ornamental Ink, Brush Set: Grungelle, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Wired, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Background Blenders and ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Deep Shadows 6501 PSE and PS Biggie are also available.

Software used: Adobe Photoshop Elements

Name of challenge: Halloween

Other Ingredients:

Font - Phat
Font - Calibri

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Layout by Brandy Hackman
larger view

This first product is included in this month's ScrapSimple 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.

Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Write It Down are also available.

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 Melissa Renfro using November's Scrap Girls Club
larger view

Created for you by Melissa Renfro

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 Armi Custodio using October's ScrapSimple Club
larger view

Created for you by Brandy Hackman and Erica Hite

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!

Scrap Girls Club Concepts

October's Scrap Girls Club's featured designer is Thao Cosgrove. Her club is full of versatile products that can help you document your photos and get creative in amazing ways. Our entire Scrap Girls staff has put their heads together and come up with some ideas to help you get the most out of your fun, new digital scrapbooking toys!

Best of the Message Board

See how our message board members are helping each other with questions about ScrapSimple Tools, Dynamic Brushes, stitching, type paths, and more!

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Creating Chipboard Photo Frames

It seems like I'm constantly creating frames for my photos while digital scrapbooking. It's an easy way to bring patterns and textures of background papers into my layouts. I'm going to show you how to do it.

Way Cool Stuff - Digital Scrapbooking Product Review: Papers

When I was into paper scrapbooking, I loved to collect papers. I would go through my stash and often think, "If I could only combine this paper with that paper, I'd have exactly what I want for my layout!" The beauty of digital scrapbooking is that I can combine papers to get exactly what I want.

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial: Cut It Out - Getting a New Look from the Windowpane Frames

ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Windowpane Frames give you the option to use a lot of pictures on a layout in a very uniform style. But, sometimes when you are digital scrapbooking you want to use bigger pictures or have a more random look. You can get more use out of the windowpane frames by altering them just a bit to create a totally new look.

What Customers Are Saying...

First, I apologize if I offend anyone. I certainly do not mean to do that, but there comes a point when someone has to take a stand! Someone HAS to stand up on their orange box or if they don't have an orange box, a wooden box of some sort that would hold one's weight without breaking and causing even more of a scene! But, I digress.

Layout and Contest Winners

Congratulations to our Weekly Layout Winners, millpos and ScrapninMX! 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:

Artistry: A Celebration of Digital Design Excellence eBook

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. There are different layouts in a wide range of styles and techniques to be found in the book, and there are a multitude of ideas to be culled from the pages.

Colour (me) Creative eBook with 36 color swatches

Learn about the color wheel, color terms and their meaning, how to load the colour palettes in Adobe or use the colour strips with a colour selection tool. You get both valuable lessons and inspiration in this book filled with 48 layouts showcasing the use of the colour palettes along with links of all the products used to create the digital scrapbooking pages.

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

Now you can have all the past Scrap Girls Newsletter tutorials and Way Cool Stuff articles of the 2nd Quarter of 2009 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!

Start to Finish eBooklets

Start to Finish eBooklet - PSE: How to Emboss & Texturize with ScrapSimple Templates

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
larger view

Designer Freebie by Paula Wright coordinates with her Attic Treasures Collection

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Ribbon Journals Biggie 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

Life Moments Chat
Tuesday, November 3rd - 4:00PM MT

These crops are about building a scrapbook all about you, one layout at a time. This month we are focusing on Gratitude. Make a list or write down your stories, find some pictures and join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and April Showers for the Life Moments Chat and Crop on Tuesday, November 3rd at 4pm MT.

Creative Card Chat
Tuesday, November 3rd - 6:00PM MT

Do you use your digi-supplies to make cards? Do you want to? Instead of going to the store every time you need a card, you can save money and have fun making cards with your stash! Make a note of any cards you might need for the upcoming month, and join Michelle (Shelbi) and April Showers for the monthly Card Chat on Tuesday at 6pm MT. Can't wait to see you there!

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, November 4th - 10:00AM MT

Join your guest host April Showers for the East Coast High Noon Crop every Wednesday at 10am MT. 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 November 4th, 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! You'll have one hour to create a layout and upload to the special High Noon Crop Gallery. You'd be amazed what you can get done in just one hour!

What's New Chat
Friday, November 6th - 9:00AM MT

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Becca at 9am Mountain Time 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, November 6th - 8:00PM MT

Need a little extra motivation to back-up your layouts and stash? Join April Showers in the chat room Friday November 6th 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!

Aussie Chat & Challenge
Monday, November 9th - 9:00PM Australian Eastern DST

Please come join Karen (kazbar73) & Jo (scrappingjo) at 9PM - Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time on Monday 9 November for a chat and challenge. This week's challenge is a Quote Challenge. Watch the boards on Sunday for the thread that will tell you what the quote is. Create a layout using this quote and then join us in the Live Chat Lobby for lots of fun and laughter as we talk about our layouts. For our International ladies, the chat will be on at 3am MT (5am New York) time.

NOVEMBER EVENTS

November Message Board Game: The Alphabet Hunt

We're taking your ABC game skills to a whole new level this month... and tacking on some prizes as well! This month's message board game is "The Alphabet Hunt." Every few days, we'll give you a new theme and a searching task and then set you loose to start building our list in alphabetic order! Find the specifics about game play in the November Message Board Game thread in the Monthly Message Board Game folder on the Scrap Girls forum.

For each item you correctly add to our alphabetic list in the game thread on the message board, your name will be entered into a drawing which will be held at the end of the month. Five winners will be drawn and each will win a $5 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls boutique! Additionally, the person with the most correct contributions to the game will automatically win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap GIrls boutique! Participation is what counts big this month, so join us on the message board for the detailed rules, search specifics and LOTS of fun!

Layout Contests:

November Monthly Layout Contest: Life is busy; so full of activities and distractions. What pulls you away from what you really want to do? We want you to scrap it! For the November Layout Contest, we want to see what pulls you away from what you want to do. Create your layout and post it in the November Layout Contest Gallery before Midnight on November 30th. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the details tab. If your layout is chosen, you could win a $10 gift certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

October Mid-Month Layout Contest: Anniversaries are very special times. For the October Mid-Month Gallery Contest, we want to see your layouts about an anniversary. It doesn't have to be a wedding anniversary. Birthdays are anniversaries too. Anything that you remember annually is an anniversary. Create your layout and post it in the October Mid-Month Layout Contest Gallery by Midnight on November 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!

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.)