What Inspires Me
Monday, November 28, 2011

IN TODAY'S ISSUE:

• Cute Stuff
• Announcement: Be one of 12 people with $25 Christmas CASH from Scrap Girls
• A Designer's Life: Cindy Rohrbough - What Inspires Me
• Scrap Girls Club
• Back To The Basics: What Are Way Cool Stuff eBooks?
• Designer Freebie
• What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
• Ongoing Opportunities for YOU

Urgent* Be one of 12 people with $25 Christmas CASH from Scrap Girls.

Get ready to capture the magic of the Christmas and holiday season! You could be one of 12 people who will win a $25 pre-paid Visa gift card!

Let me explain...

If you are one of the many, many, many who have told me over the years how much you love, love, love my annual 12-part Christmas story, thank you! I write each story from my heart – sometimes it takes weeks and months, and sometimes the inspiration comes so overwhelmingly fast that I have been known to pump out an entire story in a two-day, no-sleep marathon.

This year, I was inspired to ask you to be part of creating a very special experience for the Scrap Girls community. You see, this year, the 12 Days of Christmas will come from your heart. That's right – YOU! I want to hear YOUR stories of Christmases past. I want to share YOUR stories of the marvels and miracles of the season.

So I'm going to do something I've never done before. I'm going to feature one story every day for 12 days, beginning December 13th. And because I want this to be extra special, I am going to award a prize that I've never handed out before...cash. The author of every story that gets selected will receive a $25 pre-paid Visa card that you can use anywhere in the world that Visa is accepted.

CONTEST RULES

Here's what you need to do to be one of the 12 stories that are selected:

1. Write a 500-word (maximum length, please) story that tells about something you have experienced during Christmas or the holiday season sometime in the past. Or tell a story that has been handed down through the generations in your family. All I ask is that it be true (to the best of your knowledge) and somehow connected to you. (Please don't send us a retelling of something you read somewhere else!) Make this a story, a retelling of an actual event, not just a collection of thoughts about why you love Christmas or the holidays.

   Was there a time when you saw something miraculous happen at Christmas or during the holidays? Can you recall a first Christmas or holiday memory with your loved one, your child, or maybe the last Christmas or holiday with your great-grandmother? We love to share good stories around here, and we don't mind having to grab a tissue, so write with all your heart to speak to our hearts!

   We will edit the story as needed for clarity, grammar, punctuation, length, etc., though we will make every effort not to change the meaning of anything you write. However, the better you write, the less we have to edit, and the happier you will make our editor!

2. Submit a layout or a photo that goes with your story. Any layout or photo of a craft product submitted must use only Scrap Girls supplies.

   You don't have to make a layout or a craft project to have your story selected, but we would like to have some kind of image such as a photograph to go with the story. People enjoy stories best when they have images to connect to.

IMAGE REQUIREMENTS:

1. Submit two sizes of each image that accompanies your story:
1. 600 px wide (72 dpi)
2. 300 px wide (72 dpi)
2. Attach images to email, as described below.

STORY REQUIREMENTS:

1. Story should be written in a word processing program, such as MS Word or Works. If you don't have one, you can download a nice one without charge from OpenOffice.org.
2. In the document, you will include:
• Your story
• Your complete contact information (mailing address, phone number, email address)
• Supply list for any layouts/craft projects images you are supplying. Give us the name of the product (must be from Scrap Girls). If you can include the link to the Scrap Girls product page, it would be super-helpful to our newsletter team.
• Image file names
3. Attach the document containing this story, etc. to your email.

SUBMITTING YOUR STORY

1. Email your story to [email protected]
2. Subject line: My 12 Days Story
3. Attachments, which include:
• Story document
• Scrap Girls publication release (Download it HERE)
• Images (see above)
4. The deadline for the story submission is midnight, MST, December 6th.
5. One entry per person.

HOW YOU WILL KNOW IF YOUR STORY HAS BEEN SELECTED

Just to keep things interesting, we're not going to tell anyone if they have been selected ahead of time! You'll just have to hop out of bed every morning and rush to your computer and open up your Scrap Girls Newsletter with all the wonder of a child on Christmas morning and look to see if your story got published that day!

After the newsletter is published, we will send the daily winner the good news and will tell them how they will receive their $25 pre-paid Visa card.

I'm so excited to see what you are going to send me! I think that this year's 12 Days Newsletters will be the best yet!

Cindy Rohrbough

What Inspires Me

A big milestone in my life was when I left my career in the fashion industry. I was 18 years old when I started, and after 18 years at the same clothing manufacturer, I realized it was no longer my passion. It had become more about profitability than creativity. It was a very contemplative time for me, and I knew that I wanted to feel more fulfilled. I was determined to find "purpose" in my life... not to mention something that would involve a lot less math!

It was pretty scary because I was leaving behind my security and hadn't a clue as to what I was going to do. So I started looking around me for something - really anything - that might inspire me.

My boyfriend (who is now my husband) was a studio singer and lived a very freelance life. I would come home from a long day at work, and he would still be in his robe. I thought, "Huh, I'd like to be in my robe all day!” Well, maybe not all day, but his freedom certainly intrigued me. So I knew that whatever I ended up doing, I definitely wanted lots of flexibility and freedom.

I admired my brother who was working with underserved youth, helping them earn their high school equivalency. His generosity and integrity really moved me, and a desire to touch people in some way was born.

My god-daughters were following their hearts in sports and music. They were excelling and loving life. Seeing their joy and passion really made me reprioritize and put more emphasis on happiness and balance in my life.

My mom had to go through a year of physical therapy after two knee replacements, and her determination and fearlessness was incredibly inspiring. On top of that, both my parents shed over 80 pounds combined - and all while in their late 60s! Their desire and motivation to better themselves was incredible to see and made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to.

Inspiration was all around me - but I still had not discovered my passion or purpose. I decided to take some time to reflect. I started to dance, take pictures, decorate friends’ homes, walk on the beach, eat good food, arrange flowers, go to the movies, and draw. It was my love of drawing that eventually inspired me to create my own product line of handmade crinkled paper flowers, leaves, cards, etc. After the last few years of doing lots of expos and lots and lots of packaging and shipping, I was longing for a creative outlet again.

Then along came Scrap Girls. With no design experience of this kind, I knew my chances were slim. But I was given a chance to submit a collection, and I knew I had to go for it. I spent the next several weeks soaking up as much knowledge and as many skills as possible. And to my surprise, I was invited to join the design team. I get a little choked up thinking about it, because looking back I can see it was the perfect answer to all that I had been asking for. It ended up being ideal in every way because it allowed me the freedom I desired as well as a way to express my creativity and share with others. It has brought me so much joy, and it has been so satisfying to learn new things at this stage of my life. And there’s no packaging or shipping... Yay!!!

As for the people in my life who inspired me to follow my heart, one goddaughter just got a full soccer scholarship to a great college. The other goddaughter is entering high school, already a fantastic drummer. My brother is getting his master’s degree in Urban Education and plans to have his own non-profit someday. My parents are continuing to improve their health and are getting stronger and stronger every day. And my husband is still enjoying his amazing singing career.

In the end, I've realized that for me, my purpose in life is not so much about finding that one thing I am meant to do, but rather a constant unfolding journey of growing, appreciating, loving, learning, creating new things... and most importantly, experiencing tons of joy!

As I finish this, I realize that a whole day has gone by, and yes, I’m still in my robe. I should probably change... nah!

- Cindy Rohrbough

Favorite Product I've designed:
Rustic Alley - Wood Paper

Commercial license versions of Rustic Alley - Wood Paper are also available.

The Rustic Alley Wood Paper, Paper Mini Borders, and Embellishments are my favorite products so far because of their versatility. There are elements within each that range from warm and rustic to a soft vintage feel, making them perfect for scrapping anything from camping and horseback riding to layouts of your little ones.

Layout by Cindy Rohrbough
larger view

Commercial license versions of Rustic Alley - Wood Paper, Rustic Alley - Wood Embellishments, Rustic Alley - Wood Paper Mini Borders and Rustic Alley - Metal Embellishments - Trinkets are also available.

		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 JIF 6 Plus Page Set 1 Designer's Choice Item 1 CLUB EXCLUSIVE! Jiffy Easy Page Album 1 CLUB EXCLUSIVE! Designer's Choice Item 1 CLUB EXCLUSIVE! Color Palette November's Scrap Girls Club designed for you by Syndee Nuckles Club Exclusive! JIFFY Easy Page Album Club Exclusive! Designer's Gift
Layout by Syndee Nuckles using November's Scrap Girls Club larger view	Layout by Syndee Nuckles using November's Scrap Girls Club larger view	Layout by Cheré Kaye Edwards using November's Scrap Girls Club larger view

What Are Way Cool Stuff eBooks?

If you haven't noticed yet, the Scrap Girls tutorials in the Newsletter are one of the favorites around here. And it's pretty obvious why - these tutorials feature many great tips and ideas from both our designers and layout designers. But the problem many customers run into is: How do we organize and save these tutorials? Or for subscribers that have currently joined the Newsletter list, how do we get some of the past articles?

We have the answer to both of these problems right in our very own Scrap Girls Boutique - the Scrap Girls Tutorials and Way Cool Stuff eBooks.

First, let me show you how to find these eBooks. From the Boutique, choose the eBook category.

This will bring up all the eBooks we have in the Boutique. Then if you sort by name and ascending order at the top of the page, this will put all the eBooks in alphabetical order, and they will be grouped together.

Once you find these eBooks, you will notice they are divided up by year and quarter.

Once purchased, the eBooks are delivered to you by digital download in a convenient PDF form that can be easily read on a PC or Mac. Once you download and unzip the files, you'll also notice that you receive two separate eBooks: One contains just the tutorials for that quarter, and the other has the Way Cool Stuff articles.

Inside the eBooks you will find an easy-to-use table of contents. This will provide you both with the name of the tutorial, date it ran, and page number to find it on. With some of the more current eBooks, you'll find the title is clickable to automatically take you to that page.

Once you click on the link, you will be directed to that specific tutorial, such as this one on shadows by Julie White.

You will find the full tutorial, including screen shots and a list of products used for the tutorial. Here's a wonderfully convenient benefit of these tutorials: This product list is clickable (linked to the Boutique), so by clicking on the photo of the item, you will automatically be taken to the item in the Boutique!

(In a few rare cases, if you are directed to the Boutique store front, then that product has been retired and is no longer available.)

I hope you have enjoyed this look at our Scrap Girls Tutorials and Way Cool Stuff eBooks. Keep them in mind the next time you wonder just how you are going to organize or save all the fantastic tutorials from the Scrap Girls Newsletter!

Article written by Angie Briggs

Layout by Ang Campbell
larger view

Designer Freebie by Syndee Nuckles coordinates with her Picturesque Collection Biggie

The first three products are 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.

A commercial license version of ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Photo Basics 5001 is also available.

Today's freebie designed by Syndee Nuckles

* 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.

Hybrid Craft Chat
Monday, November 28th - 6:00PM MST

Join Carla (CRS) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) in the chat room at 6pm MT for this month's Hybrid Craft Chat. We will show you how to create a unique craft project with your digital supplies and goodies from your craft room.

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, November 30th - 10:00AM MST

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 November 30th, we'll do a quote challenge! Create a layout using a meaningful, inspiring or funny quote. It can be in place of journaling, or use a beloved quote as a starting point for your journaling. Any quote is OK! 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!

Speed Scrap Crop
Wednesday, November 30th - 6:00PM MST

It's time for some Speed! Join Carla (CRS) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) at 6pm MT for the Speed Scrap Crop! We'll give you some tasks, spread out over an hour, and you create the layout! You can check out some of the past Crops in the Speed Scrap Gallery!

Project SG Chat
Thursday, December 1st - 6:00PM MST

Join April (April Showers) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) in the chat room on Thursday, December 1st at 6pm MT for the monthly Project SG Chat. If you aren't sure what the project is, join us to find out the details. You can even win fantastic prizes for joining in!

What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique Chat
Friday, December 2nd - 9:00AM MST

Join April (April Showers) and Theresa (teecee) 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!

November Message Board Game: Thankfulness Game!

It's time to give thanks for all the large and small blessings in our life! Each day during November, with the exception of Sundays, a member of the Welcoming Committee will post the name of an item for which we are thankful in the official game thread. To participate in the game, you will search the Scrap Girls Boutique and Gallery for layouts including that item, and then post a link to either the product or gallery page in the game thread.

Each member who links to a Boutique product layout will be entered into a drawing for one of three $3 Gift Certificates. Each member who links to a gallery layout (and leaves love on the layout) will be entered in a drawing for one of five $5 Gift Certificates!

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

November Monthly Layout Contest: This November, let's be a tourist in your own town! Show us around and tell us what makes the area you live in so special! Why do you live there? You can scrap about your town, city, county, or state. Share those layouts in the November Monthly Layout Gallery before Midnight MST on November 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 [email protected] and we'll get it out to you right away!

Copyright Scrap Girls, LLC 2004-2011

This newsletter may be freely redistributed by email in its unedited form. We encourage you to share it with others.

Customers or advertisers, you may contact us at:
Scrap Girls
10817 Highland Circle
Highland, Utah 84003
www.scrapgirls.com

Toll-free: (866) 598-3444

P.S. If you ever need any assistance, please email [email protected] or call 866-598-3444 and we'll help you as quickly as possible!