Too Many Socks.
Too Many Photos.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011

IN TODAY'S ISSUE:

• Today's Special of the Day
• What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?
• Life Muse by Ro
• ScrapSimple Club
• Tips from the Pros: Symmetry and Balance
• Designer Freebie
• What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
• Ongoing Opportunities for YOU

Rozanne Paxman

Too Many Socks. Too Many Photos.

My sock drawer is an embarrassment. It's stuffed so full of colored ankle socks, athletic socks, nylons, and squishy socks that I can barely close the drawer. It's not the socks themselves that are the problem; I am. I have a hard time getting rid of things that need tossing out. For example, I have socks that I purchased in the 1980s and kept just in case... in case...in case...

...oh, I don't know... in case we have a nuclear war, and I need to wear 50 pairs of socks to protect myself from fallout.

Something like that.

I have another "drawer" that is an embarrassment to me, too: My photo "drawer." It's completely and utterly out of control for the same reasons. I have a hard time "throwing" photos away, just in case... in case... just in case...

...oh, I don't know... in case we have a nuclear war, and I want to look at 50 photos of a breakfast I ate in 2008 to remind myself that I could get fresh eggs in 2008.

Something like that.

In the spirit of full disclosure (and the hope that disclosing the level of this sickness will motivate me to action), I'm going to show you a things.

First, some screenshots:

I have 43,069 photos in my photo folder.

I have all of these subfolders. One of the subfolders is labeled "000_NeedSorting."

I have 10,941 photo files to sort.

I have all of these sub-subfolders inside of the sorting folder. One of them is labeled "0 New Imports to Sort." At one time, I used this folder in a responsible way and sorted my files about once a week, but then I got behind - seriously behind. The folder got too large to scroll through easily. I started more folders in an effort to help me see what I had.

My plan failed.

I have 3,568 photos in that folder. Here are some highlight photos from this original sorting folder.

Photos of my washer and dryer.

Bad photos of a salt and pepper set. Apparently, I was determined to get a good photo. I have 48 files associated with this particular photo session.

Here are some photos I found while cruising my files for this article. (I did not take them today.)

I'm either embarrassed or sad. I'm sure I took these photos to illustrate a point in a future article.

But now I have no idea what I was going to write about on this embarrassed - or sad - occasion.

Leek soup. I could use a bowl of it right now. (By the way, taking a photo of cream-colored soup in a cream-colored bowl was not the best idea I've had this year.)

This photo of Gary and me, my brothers and sister-in-laws, and my Uncle Joe's kids and their spouses was taken after my Uncle Joe's funeral last January. I can't remember when all of us were together in the same room so this photo is extremely precious. Why haven't I made a layout with it? Because it got lost until today.

Two of my Scrap Girls friends, Theresa and Sandi. I randomly decided to fly out to a get-together they had in Kansas City last spring. I didn't know why I was going when I booked the flight, but it turned out to be an inspired move. They were there for me when something bad happened.

In the crush of my life, I forgot about the photos. I need to record what happened in some layouts while I still remember.

Photos of the most adorable baby girl in the entire world. She was only two days old when I took them, as evidenced by the baby-down on her face and legs.

I have looked for these photos multiple times, but couldn't find them.

Just in case I forget again, they are located here:

E:\0_Photos\000_NeedSorting\0_new_imports_Feb2011

Okay, you get the point. It is time for me to take action and file photos.

Tips to help you avoid backing yourself into the same too-many-photos-to-look-through-when-I-want-to-make-a-layout corner that I'm in.

1. While photos are still on the camera, delete the ones that are obviously bad. (Come on... you know which photos are bad. They will not look better on a big monitor. Trust me.)

2. Immediately after loading the photos on your computer, delete the photos that are obviously bad. (Come on... you know which ones are bad. They will never look better than they do at that moment. Trust me.)

3. Immediately, after loading the photos on your computer, move them into the correct category file folders. (For instance, all of my photos of my granddaughter, Baylee, should be located in the folder named Baylee.)

4. Use renaming functions in your favorite filing software (such as Bridge, Photoshop Elements, or Picasa) to quickly rename files in batches. If the file is named correctly, your ability to find the file is dramatically improved. For instance, Picasa's search function is amazing - assuming (of course) the file name is right to begin with!

I shall begin filing now. If you don't hear from me again, send in the Marines with a bag of Oreos.

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 hello@scrapgirls.com. If it is selected for publication in the Scrap Girls newsletter, you'll get to have fun shopping!

		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). A commercially licensed version of the ScrapSimple Club is also available here. With the ScrapSimple Club, you will receive: 1 ScrapSimple Paper Template Set 1 ScrapSimple Embellishment Template 1 Brush Set 2 Designer's Choice Item CLUB EXCLUSIVE! Nano Collection CLUB EXCLUSIVE! Designer's Choice Item CLUB EXCLUSIVE! 2 Tutorials August's ScrapSimple Club has been created for you by Angie Briggs and Jen Reed Club Exclusive! Nano Collection Club Exclusive! Designer's Gift
Layout by Cheri Thieleke using August's ScrapSimple Club larger view	Layout by Angie Briggs using August's ScrapSimple Club larger view	Layout by Joyce Schardt using August's ScrapSimple Club larger view

Symmetry and Balance

Note: Tutorial created using Photoshop Elements 9.0 with Windows Vista

Have you ever created a layout and sensed that something just wasn't right? Somehow, your layout or design was just off. I think it is safe to say that we have all had this happen to us once, twice, or maybe quite often. When you get that off feeling, you are experiencing visual imbalance.

Creating balance on a digital scrapbook page isn't always clear cut; there isn't any actual physical weight to work with. Instead it's about creating an illusion of balance. We can achieve this through color, shape, and placement of our embellishments and text.

Here are a few tips and guidelines I like to use to help me achieve visual balance on my scrapbooking pages:

• Dark colors have more weight than lighter colors.
• Bright colors have more weight than neutrals.
• Warm colors tend to expand (thus, they have more weight) than cooler colors.
• Regular shapes (rectangles, circles, triangles) are weightier than irregular shapes.
• Larger elements are heavier than smaller ones.
• Filled space has more weight than white (empty) space.
• Elements on the right side of the layout have more weight than the very same elements on the left side.
• Elements at the top of your layout have more weight than the very same elements on the bottom.
• Elements surrounded (or isolated) by white space take on weight.
• Interesting elements (nontraditional texture, image, dimension, color, or shape) have more weight than less interesting elements.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that your digital scrapbooking layout is balanced is by using one of Scrap Girls' wonderful templates and sketches. Our talented designers have already done the hard work when it comes to achieving just the right illusion of balance. However, if you want to create a design on your own, a simple place to start is by utilizing symmetry.

Symmetry occurs when you draw an invisible line through your page either horizontally or vertically so that the two sides mirror each other. The embellishments on either side don't have to be identical, but they should be similar in terms of size, numbers, colors, etc., to keep the "weight" balanced.

Below is my example of symmetrical layout. My photos are anchored on a straight line, and if I draw a vertical line down the center of the layout, they will mirror each other. I followed some of the basic balance guidelines from above and placed my heavier, dark embellishments in the bottom left corner. I also tried to mimic the number of images between the two sides: Starfish, crab, piling with bird on the left, and sand dollar, sea shell, and title on the right. The text on the right also helps balance out the larger, heavy piling image on the left through both color and placement.

I hope these tips find their way into your digital scrapbooking pages and help you conquer that occasional off feeling we all encounter now and again.

Layout by Jennifer Wight
larger view

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Vintage PSE 6502 Mini, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Sand 6501 Biggie and ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Shadow Layer 6501 PSE are also available.

Article written by Jennifer Wight

Learn to make digital scrapbooking layouts and more! – Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Find out how easy it can be to learn how to create digital scrapbook layouts, edit photos, use and make brushes, recolor papers and embellishments, make your own simple backgrounds and embellishments, save and share your layouts and much more! Ready to learn advanced techniques? – MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Learn to use paper templates, embellishment templates, custom shapes, styles, and brushes to make your own supplies. Learn advanced clipping mask and lighting blend techniques. Learn to make and use patterns. Learn to make brushes from your own doodles. Learn to extract images from photos. Learn work flow techniques that will speed up the layout creation process and advanced photo editing skills and much, much more!

Layout by Sara Beth Peterson
larger view

Designer Freebie by Sara Beth Peterson coordinates with her
Shark Lagoon Collection, which is on sale today only for 30% off!

Commercial license versions of Shark Lagoon Collection, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Curled Frames and ScrapSimple Word Art Templates: Title It - Beach are also available.

Today's freebie designed by Sara Beth Peterson

* 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.

Creative Cards Chat
Tuesday, September 6th - 6:00PM MDT

Do you use your digital 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 digi stash! Make a note of any cards you might need for the upcoming month and Join April (April Showers) and Theresa (tiza126) for the once-a-month Card Chat on the first Tuesday of each month at 6pm MT. Can't wait to see you there!

ScrapSimple Club Chat
Tuesday, September 6th - 7:00PM MDT

Join April (April Showers) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) on Tuesday, September 6th at 7pm MT for a chat and challenge using this month's ScrapSimple Club. Did you know that every time you create a layout with the ScrapSimple Club and upload it into the ScrapSimple Club Gallery that you could be chosen to be featured in the Newsletter and receive a prize? Join us for the chat so we can encourage and inspire you and help with any questions that you may have. Let's get those ScrapSimple Club layouts done and uploaded!

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, September 7th - 10:00AM MDT

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 September 7th, we'll do a photo manipulation challenge! Create a layout using a photo you have manipulated in some way - change it to black and white or sepia, remove a distraction, cut out the subject - anything goes! 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!

ATC Swap Crop Chat
Wednesday, September 7th - 6:00PM MDT

Please join Lei (Bride) and Elisha (elibar) in the chatroom for our ATC (Artist Trading Card) Swap Crop/Chat on the first Wednesday of each month at 6pm MT. Come see what everyone has created and we'll talk about next month's topic. We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Project SG Chat
Thursday, September 8th - 7:00PM MDT

Join April (April Showers) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) to hear all the details about Project SG! You can be eligible to win prizes simply by taking part in this Year-long Challenge. It is never too late to start! We hope to see you in the chat room on September 8th at 7pm MT.

September 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 September 1st when we post the thread to September 30th at 12:00 Midnight (MST).

To enter the Message Board Posting Challenge, you MUST reply in the game thread with your CURRENT post count. This is the number under your Avatar that shows when you post. (NOTE: Do not post the number found on your profile; it is a different number that is calculated differently.) During the month, chat your fingers off! At Midnight on September 30th, we will calculate your post count based on the numbers posted in the original thread.

Members with Message Board posts over 50 will be put in a drawing for a $5 Scrap Girls Gift Certificate. Members with Message Board posts over 200 will be put in a drawing for both the $5 Scrap Girls Gift Certificate and a $10 Scrap Girls Gift Certificate. Members with Message Board posts over 400 will be put in a drawing for a $15 Scrap Girls Gift Certificate, as well as the $5 and $10 Gift Certificates.

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

September Monthly Layout Contest: The children are headed back to school, and there is a sense of learning in the air! For the September Layout Contest, share your layouts about learning a new skill! We'd love to see the stories about someone in your life learning and growing. Remember when your little one learned to ride a bicycle or your teenager learned to drive a car? Or how about when you learned to use your digital scrapbooking software? Share those layouts in the September Monthly Layout Gallery before Midnight MT on September 30th. Be sure to list your credits in the description or under the EXIF Properties. Two layouts will be selected to win a $10 Gift Card 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 prizes@scrapgirls.com and we'll get it out to you right away!

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