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Girls' Day
Monday, January 2, 2012
IN TODAY'S ISSUE:
- What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?
- A Designer's Life: Amanda Fraijo-Tobin
- Scrap Girls Club
- Back To The Basics: What are Photo Masks?
- Designer Freebie
- What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
- Ongoing Opportunities for YOU
GENERAL INFORMATION
Support Center We Accept:
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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]:
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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Girls' Day
A perk of being a graphic designer is the ability to work from home. This comes in especially handy when you have three kids. I have two boys (9 years and 7 years) and a four-year-old girl. My two oldest are school-age.
Last year, my middle child started school. I was pretty concerned how my daughter would feel about this because she was not in school yet and doesn't go to preschool. She was going to have to go from having her brother home every day to having only me and the dogs to keep her company. I thought about how hard it was going to be for her, but also for me, as I tried to get work done when she was craving my undivided attention all day long.
I decided I would create a "Girls' Day" that only she and I would participate in once a week. This gave her something to look forward to throughout the week. Now, halfway through the school year, our Girls' Day is still going strong. My daughter and I usually go out for lunch, maybe do a little shopping, and any other random things we may need to get done for the day. She has come to love our day together, and so have I. Next fall, she starts school and I get a bit weepy thinking about not being able to have our weekly Girls' Day.
- Amanda
Favorite Product I've designed:
ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Masks Taped Damask
I love photo masks! Not only for photos, but they make great ways to blend background papers together. This particular set combines some of my favorite things - grunge, damask, and tape accents.
Layout by Amanda Fraijo-Tobin
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Masks Taped Damask and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Paper Borders 6401 Biggie are also available. |
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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:
January's Scrap Girls Club designed for you by Jen Reed
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 Layout by Jen Reed using January's Scrap Girls Club larger view |
 Layout by Jen Reed using January's Scrap Girls Club larger view |
 Layout by Jen Reed using January's Scrap Girls Club larger view |
What are Photo Masks?
Tutorial created using Photoshop CS3 with Windows XP
Photo masks are an easy way to add a certain look or feel to a photo on your digital scrapbooking layout by hiding – or masking - the boring, straight rectangular edges that photographs are known for. Photo masks make a layout look more finished and professional than if you simply plopped a photo on a paper. They are also pretty versatile little creations, as you will see when we take a peek into the world of photo masks.
Here is a photo mask (from ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Photo Masks Basics) used in the most common way, as a clipping mask for a single photograph.
To use a photo mask, place the photo mask on your background layer, then place your photo on a layer above it. Next, clip your photo to it (in Photoshop CS3: Ctrl+Alt+G or Layer> Create Clipping Mask).
I often resize smaller photo masks. It should look good as long as you wait to clip the photo to it after you resize it (otherwise, the photo would be blurry).
This particular set of photo masks can also be layered. Take the larger of the two and clip a colored paper to it, then place another smaller clipping mask above that and clip a photo to it.
You can also use a photo mask as a journaling spot. To do this, clip a light color to the photo mask, set the Blending Mode for the mask itself (not for the color overlay) to "Screen;" set the Opacity to about 80%. As you can see, there is a lot of possibility to get really get creative with these!
Photo masks are not only very easy to use, but they add instant class and interest to your digital scrapbooking layouts. I hope you have fun using photo masks as well as coming up with new uses for them.
Layout by Sheri Johnson
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Article written by Sheri Johnson
Learn to make digital scrapbooking layouts and more! – Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Ready to learn advanced techniques? – MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed |
Layout by Jen Reed
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Designer Freebie by Jen Reed coordinates with her Reflections of the Heart Collection Biggie,
part of this month's Scrap Girls Club offering!
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Today's freebie designed by Jen Reed
* 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.
NSBR Chat
Monday, January 2nd - 6:00PM MST
What is NSBR? It's a Non-ScrapBook Related Chat! We talk about everything, including some scrapbooking and usually chocolate. This is the perfect time to sit back, relax and chat! So join Carla (CRS) and Lei (Bride) at 6 pm MT!
Creative Cards Chat
Tuesday, January 3rd - 6:00PM MST
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!
East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, January 4th - 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 January 4th, we'll we'll do an Embellishment Challenge. Create a layout using at least three different types of embellishments - flowers, buttons, brads, staples, tags, ribbons, whatever works with your page! 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, January 4th - 6:00PM MST
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!
Use Your Stash Chat
Thursday, January 5th - 6:00PM MST
Join Theresa (tiza126) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) at 6pm MT for this month's Use Your Stash Chat. We will challenge you to use something in your digital supply arsenal that you haven't used before. Don't just collect supplies, use them! See you in the chat room.
January Message Board Game: Jumpstart January!
It's time to kick off the new year with fun and focus on scrapbooking! And a few prizes thrown in never hurt, right? Join us on the message board this month for "Jumpstart January!" This is a message board game and challenge to start your year with fun and focus on taking time to scrapbook regularly despite the little speedbumps of life. When the month is over, you'll have completed several layouts and been challenged and treated to some fun along the way.
A member of the Welcoming Committee will post a mini-challenge/task every Monday through Saturday during January. Some tasks will require message board participation, email responses, or gallery posting. Those who complete all tasks and submit or post required participation by 11:59pm MT on January 31st will be entered in a drawing to win one of three $10 Gift Certificates to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Those who complete just the layouts will be entered in a drawing to win one of two $5 Gift Certificates. Those who complete just the speedbumps will be entered in a drawing for one of two $3 Gift Certificates. (Those who complete all tasks will have their name entered in all three drawings!)
For complete details, visit the Monthly Message Board Games folder on the Scrap Girls Forum.
January Monthly Layout Contest: With the beginning of a new year, many people set aside some time to set goals. It might be shedding a few extra pounds or establishing better eating habits. It might be getting your life more organized. Or maybe you set goals for your digital scrapbooking output for the year. Post your layouts in the January Monthly Layout Gallery before Midnight MST on January 31st. Be sure to list your layout's product credits in the description or under the EXIF Properties. Two layouts will be selected to win a $10 Gift Certificate 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!