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Gifts Galore! Place an order totaling $10 or more before December 23rd and
Layout by Cheré Kaye Edwards
Scrap Girls' 12 Days of Christmas!
Layout by Shari Payne
Designer Freebie by Ro
12 Days of Christmas Games! Christmas Tree of Doom The Christmas Tree of Doom is here! For those of you who are new to this game, the object is simple. You must correctly identify the items shown in the Christmas tree card image, created from products found in the Scrap Girls Boutique! Send your guesses for this game to [email protected]. Use the subject line "Christmas Tree of Doom" for your email entry; include your name and your Scrap Girls Forum user name, if available. Please include the product name and its web address link for each item you find in this Christmas Tree of Doom! You have until 11:59pm MST on Saturday, December 31st to enter. The Christmas tree card above is made using 14 different papers. The paper designers include:
The Christmas tree card has 27 embellishments. Those designers include:
Now don't panic! You don't have to find them all to play the game. (Whew!) But anyone who DOES get them all correct will automatically win a $10 Gift Certificate! No problem. You've got it. This means more than one person can win a $10 Gift Certificate. (Anyone this motivated deserves a prize!) The winners of these gift certificates can get in on the rest of the game, too! For all players:
Does that sound possible? Hope so! HINTS: The background paper and the star paper are both included; the drop shadows are not. Everything is very straight-forward: papers and embellishments only. There are no ScrapSimple products, brushes or tools. Even if you aren't up to playing the game, look at the pretty Christmas card that was made for you and see if you can recreate it using your favorite papers and embellishments! Have fun! |
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Special Delivery - Candy Canes!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
IN TODAY'S ISSUE:
- Gifts Galore!!
- 12 Days of Christmas
- 12 Days of Christmas Stories
- What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique
- ScrapSimple Club
- Tips from the Pros: Creating a Vignette
- Designer Freebies
- What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
- Ongoing Opportunities for YOU
GENERAL INFORMATION
Support Center We Accept:
The entire Scrap Girls team wants to say how grateful we are that you have chosen to participate with us. You'll never know just how much your support means to us and our families. Ro P.S. Your email address is safe with us. We never share, rent, sell, or loan our list with anyone! P.P.S. If you ever need any assistance, please email [email protected] or call IMPORTANT TO KNOWDon't forget to check out the Retirement Sale section of the Boutique. Items in this section are always on sale for 30% off. The items you will find during any particular month will be discontinued permanently on the 5th of the following month. So if you see something you like, grab it while you can! OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUCustomer Muses: Would you like to share your own Life Muse with our readers? To have your own essay considered for publication as a muse in the column for our special Saturday newsletter, send your essay to [email protected]. If your essay is selected, you will receive a $20 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique. Way Cool Scrap Girl: We are so excited to have all of you meet some of the amazing people that have become Scrap Girls! If you would like to be spotlighted and win a $25 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique, send the following items to [email protected]:
Project SG Challenge: Stay motivated to scrap your current photos! Post your 2011 layouts in the Project SG Challenge Gallery to earn one point per layout each month. You can earn up to four points per month this way! Earn a bonus point each month by attending the monthly Project SG Chat! Each point gives you an entry into a quarterly drawing for a special prize! And at the end of the year, each month that you participated in will earn you an entry into the Grand Prize drawing for a 12 X 12, 52 page Keepsakes photobook from Color, Inc! Our fourth quarterly drawing winner will be announced in the Saturday, January 7th Newsletter. Suggest a Challenge, Win a Prize! Have a great idea for a Gallery layout challenge? Submit it to [email protected]. If your challenge idea is chosen, you will win a prize! Friday will be Customer Challenge Day, so keep an eye out on the Message Board calendar. It will be fun to see what YOU come up with for us to do!
Of course, it is a surprise what you will get because birthday presents are always surprises! But you will like it for sure because most people like money.... Anyway, make sure your Message Board email address is current and that you have the correct date entered into your profile to participate. *ADVERTISEMENTS*
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12 Days of Christmas
Welcome to one of Scrap Girls' most cherished traditions - the 12 Days of Christmas newsletter celebration! We've been hosting this celebration since the beginning of Scrap Girls back in 2005. Back then, I was putting the newsletter together when I suddenly noticed that Christmas Eve was 12 days away.
Now, a 12-day event is something I love best about Christmas.
In some areas of the United States, people enjoy picking out a family in their neighborhood that they can secretly give little gifts to as a way of celebrating how grateful they are for the birth of Jesus Christ. Every evening after dark, some lucky person in the gift-giving family sneaks up to their target's front porch, deposits that day's gift, rings the doorbell, and takes off running with all their might. A successful 12-day campaign means that the receiving family never knows who has showered them with love.
Because I hadn't planned it out, the first Scrap Girls 12 Days of Christmas event was pretty simple - consisting of some extra freebies, a daily Christmas muse by me (this is when muses first appeared in the newsletter), and some neat layouts and samples. Angie Briggs quickly noticed that I needed a little help with this project - because, as I said, it was not pre-planned - and she started feeding me extra layouts for the newsletters. I'll always love her for that. She saved my bacon!
The second year (2006), without thinking through the ramifications of what it would mean for future celebrations, I decided to surprise our readers with a 12-part serial story. You know... like Charles Dickens used to write. (I'm a little nuts sometimes.) That first story - The Flight of Christmas - took me months to write and remains my favorite one to this day. (I have now written five serial stories for this annual event.)
The specially-designed set of 12 Days Embellishments first made their appearance in 2007. The games - including the Infamous Tree of Doom - made their debut in 2008.
So, as you can see, the 12 Days of Christmas event grew from me having a desire to share a little extra holiday spirit with you into an event that takes our team months to prepare for. We keep it going because it's just one small way we can let you know how grateful we are for you and your support of our company. When you refer your friends to us and share what we are doing, you help keep Scrap Girls going. Every time you shop with us, you help us maintain our Forum, our Gallery, our newsletters, our blog, and every other service we offer you. And, of course, you help us to be able to continue to provide you with the free daily downloads that you all enjoy so much!
We need you. We understand that completely. We want you to know that our team members and their families are sublimely grateful for you each and every time you choose Scrap Girls to be your source for the beautiful digital scrapbooking supplies you need to make your layouts and projects. Every time you make a purchase in our Boutique, you make a HUGE difference in many, many lives. You help keep this small business going!
This year's 12 Days of Christmas stories come from our readers who submitted them when we put out a call for amazing stories related to the holidays. Every day from now through Dec 24, you'll read a new story that will make you laugh heartily, think deeply, and maybe blink back a tear or two. We received lots of amazing stories and had a hard time picking just 12!
So here we go! This is the 2011 Scrap Girls 12 Days of Christmas event. I hope you have fun!
- Ro
Special Delivery – Candy Canes!
Being a military family, we spent Christmas in a lot of places and tried to embrace new ideas along with our own family traditions. In the late 70s, we were in England. Living in a foreign country offers all sorts of new opportunities, but it also makes it hard sometimes to keep the long-time traditions that are important.
We started a lot of traditions in England that carry on to my grandchildren. One such tradition is Eggnog French Toast for Christmas Eve dinner. That one was born out of necessity. English refrigerators are very small, and when there is a turkey in it, there isn't a lot of room. Canned eggnog made great French toast, and nothing needed to be refrigerated.
The base commissary and BX tried to stock all the traditional Christmas goodies. The problem was, if there wasn't a lot of something and if you weren't there when they put it out, you were just out of luck.
For example, when I was a kid, I always got a candy cane in my stocking along with a new toothbrush, and that carried over to my kids. One year, I didn't manage to get any candy canes. The base was out, and the Brits didn't have candy canes. Looking back now, this probably seems like a silly thing now, but it was a lifelong tradition, and I was pretty discouraged that it wasn't going to happen that year.
We lived in a small village in housing that was leased by the base, along with about a dozen American families and several British families. I decided to have a Christmas Eve party and invited all the neighbors. Everybody was busy on Christmas Eve, so I figured that people would drop by, have a meatball and a glass of punch, and go home. Well, we had a house full until 2:00 a.m. - and the Brits were the last to leave! I was talking with my next-door neighbor about my candy cane shortage, and she said she had some and would be happy to share.
When everyone finally left, we put out the presents and went to bed. My neighbor was still awake and wrapping her packages. She remembered the candy canes about 4:00 a.m., so she came over and stuck them through the letterbox in the door.
My five-year-old daughter heard the noise and went downstairs. She saw all the presents - and candy canes on the floor by the door! She came back upstairs and looked in our room to find us sound asleep. She had been listening to some older kids talking about whether there really was a Santa, and now she had her answer. She heard him herself, and nobody was going to tell her any differently! She woke up her brother and sister and talked the whole thing over with them and eventually woke us up.
So, in 1976, we had Christmas at 4:30 a.m. – candy canes and all!
- Marianne Dickson
Digital Presentation Layout by Durin Eberhart
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Commercial license versions of Presentation Digital Scrapbook 1-2-3: 8.5x11 Memories of Blue are also available. |
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Craft by Syndee Nuckles
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Craft Templates: Gift Card and Check or Money Holders and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Butterfly Shadows 6301 Mini are also available. |
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Layout by Elisha Barnett
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Layout by Syndee Nuckles
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Butterfly Shadows 6301 Mini are also available. |
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Layout by Amanda Fraijo-Tobin
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Layout by Keri Schueller
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Smart Stackers Volume 1 are also available. |
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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.
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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:
December's ScrapSimple Club has been created for you by
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 Layout by Melissa Renfro using December's ScrapSimple Club larger view |
 Layout by Laura Louie using December's ScrapSimple Club larger view |
 Layout by Melissa Renfro using December's ScrapSimple Club larger view |
Creating a Vignette: Cookies for Santa
Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS5 on a Mac
Have you ever wanted to paint or draw a vignette, but you don't consider yourself an artist? Well, here is your opportunity to accomplish that desire! I'll guide you through a few easy steps. You will be amazed by what you can do with Photoshop and the products from the Scrap Girls Boutique, without ever touching an actual paint brush or pencil.
1. Here is an example I've drawn to help you visualize the principles of perspective.
Next, I transferred the vanishing point lines to a 12x12-inch template to be used as a guide. It's not necessary to be exact. Now the fun begins!
2. You will find a number of versatile objects and beautiful papers in the Scrap Girls Boutique that will enhance your theme. Keep in mind that at least one object with "mass" is essential if using a variety of small items. To anchor the scene in the example below, I have placed a dominating black box against the corner.
3. As you begin to place your objects on the page, turn on the layer with the vanishing point lines when needed to align the perspective. Notice how the top edge of the black box in my vignette is at eye level. The framed photo to the right was adjusted using the perspective tool. To do this, go to Edit> Transform> Perspective. You will then see eight dots on a box around the object. Put the cursor over the top corner dot and drag it straight towards the middle or down the side to the desired angle. The more you drag it, the greater the perspective. If you want to set the object down, release the Transform Tool so that you are now out of the perspective command and apply the normal transform box. Put your cursor over the center top dot so that the arrows are pointing up and down, then pull down to the desired angle. To stack objects, duplicate the layer and arrow the object up. Repeat as needed.
4. Finally, a few little tips that you may find helpful in creating a three-dimensional layout.
Objects towards the front should be slightly larger than those placed at the back.
Inserting a window against a wall suggests depth.
When using a striped background, divide the paper into several small sections, slightly increasing the size of the stripes with each section.
If objects are placed on a surface with shine, be sure to use ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Mirror Reflections Mini 8501 to give a more realistic appearance.
Observe how shadows fall naturally. Once you have established a light source in your layout, apply the shadows accordingly.
Obviously, vignettes take a lot more time, but consider it a trip to fantasyland as you create your own little imaginary world!
Layout by Joyce Schardt
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Article written by Joyce Schardt
Learn to make digital scrapbooking layouts and more! – Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Ready to learn advanced techniques? – MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed |
Surprise! Surprise! More Gifts Galore!
We have TWO designer freebies for you each day until Christmas Eve!
Layout by Angela Blanchard
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Designer Freebie by Angela Blanchard coordinates with her
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Heraldic Crest Clusters
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Heraldic Crest Clusters, Heraldic Crest Collection Biggie, Western Rodeo Collection Biggie and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Urban Living Glitter 5501 are also available. |
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Today's freebie designed by Angela Blanchard
Layout by Syndee Nuckles
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Designer Freebie by Syndee Nuckles coordinates with her ScrapSimple Type Paths: Christmas
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Commercial license versions of Merry Memories Paper Super Mini, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Lifted Postage, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Aged Photo Edges 6301 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Butterfly Shadows 6301 Mini are also available. |
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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.
What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique Chat
Friday, December 23rd - 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!
New Member Chat
Tuesday, December 27th - 7:00PM MST
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, December 28th - 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 December 28th, we'll do a photo challenge! Create a layout using your favorite recent photo(s)! 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, December 28th - 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!
December Message Board Game: BINGO!
Join us for an exciting game of BINGO on the Scrap Girls Forum during the month of December!! Pick 25 words from the list provided and send them in an email to [email protected] with a subject line that says "BINGO CARD - your Scrap Girls Message Board username" by Friday December 2 (Midnight MST) in order to play in the first round. The first round will begin on Saturday, December 3rd. If you miss the first round deadline, 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.
Each day (Monday through Saturday), a member of the Welcoming Committee will call five 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 will be cleared and a new round will begin the following day.
Each winner will receive a $5 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique! We like to see lots of winners, so please remember that each person can only win one round during the month. Have fun!
For complete details, visit the Monthly Message Board Games folder on the Scrap Girls Forum.
December Monthly Layout Contest: For the December Monthly Layout Contest, it's all about the gifts! Scrap a layout about a gift that was extra special, either one you gave or received. Or you can scrap about something or someone you consider to be a gift in your life. Share with us what makes that gift special! Post your layouts in the December Monthly Layout Gallery before Midnight MST on December 31st. 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!