Create A Layout Fast!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012

IN TODAY'S ISSUE:

• 35% off Customer Appreciation Coupon, plus a FREE kit with purchase!
• What's New in the Boutique
• Tips From The Pros
• Scrap Girls Club
• ScrapSimple Club
• Designer Freebie
• What's Happening at Scrap Girls
• Ongoing Opportunities for YOU

Quick Layouts in a JIF!

Tutorial created Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Windows Vista

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed a layout fast? Maybe you have found yourself needing a last-minute birthday remembrance for a friend or family member, or maybe you need something fast to get that album done and to the printer on time. Maybe you just wanted to get a layout done quickly to record an event or memory while it was fresh, or because you had a ton of housework and couldn't justify the time scrapping. Can you relate? Or maybe, life circumstances have gotten in the way of a fast-approaching deadline! That's what happened to me, so let me tell you how our wonderful selection of products in the "Fast and Easy" section of our new Boutique came to my rescue.

First, I have to tell you my circumstances. Scrap Girls is such a wonderful and caring community that it's easy to share with you all my most personal moments. Normally for these articles of mine that you read in the newsletter, I work well ahead of my submission deadline. However, this past week, an unexpected event turned my days and nights upside down. My 32-year-old cockatiel named Fritzy, which I have had since he was six weeks old, needed to go into Birdie Hospice Care. He had developed a wing tumor a while back which we were monitoring and caring for under a veterinarian's care. The tumor growth suddenly became acute, and I needed to get him through the holiday weekend on my own. I was caring for him by day and monitoring him by night. Needless to say, my family and I devoted all of our time to loving him and keeping him comfortable and doing our best to nurse his wounds. This bird knew he was loved. On Tuesday, I had to make the humane decision to let him go. It was the most difficult decision ever; 32 years is a very long time. Fritzy had been with me longer than any other living thing!

Over the next few days, there was an overwhelming sadness, and eventually, anxiety started creeping in. I had an article deadline approaching! I considered asking for an extension on my article, but I decided instead to browse through the Boutique to at least get ideas for my article. I had no idea what I was going to write about for you.

Then I found the new category "Fast and Easy" in the Boutique, and I started looking through all the options. It became clear to me that this would be a great opportunity to share with you all how "fast and easy" these products really are! As I browsed and came up with ideas, I actually started relaxing and could feel that by being creative, I was healing, even if just a tiny bit.

For my layout, I decided to show you how the JIF 6 or JIF Plus products work. These products will include a completed layout in PNG format, a completed layout in PSD format, as well as individual papers, embellishments, and word art files.

Let me show you how "fast and easy" these products really are. Of course, my mind is thinking only of Fritzy, so I selected my favorite picture of him for my layout. For my first layout, I opened the PNG file that came with my download for JIF Plus: 12x12 Count The Ways. It is a flattened layout with a hole in the layout behind which you place your photo. When you look at the Layers Palette, you will see Layer 0, which is the flattened layout, and a second layer with your photo. The file is fixed, and therefore you cannot make any other changes to it. (You could add additional embellishments or journaling on top of Layer 0, if you wish.)

larger view

Voila! My layout is done, it has taken me about five minutes total, and now I have a very nice, designer-quality layout! However, since Fritzy was so special, I want to add a different title and some meaningful journaling. To do that, I will create a new layout using the PSD file that came with the download.

After opening the PSD file, you will see the exact same layout with an empty space for your photo. This is quite different from the layout in PNG format, which has only one layer. Although the layout looks exactly the same, with this version, you have the added versatility of being able to add or subtract layers. When you look at the Layers Palette, you will see the pre-named layers when you open the file.

For this version of my layout, I used the exact same picture as the first. Instead of placing the photo underneath a hole in the layout as in the PNG version, the photo is clipped to a mask layer. Next, I deleted the title layer with the word art "Mine." Then I added a new, more personalized word art from Count The Ways Word Art Mini. A second word art from Count The Ways Collection Biggie was selected as a subtitle, and lastly, my meaningful journaling was typed in beneath that. I justified the right edges of the title, subtitle, and journaling for a finished look.

Using the PSD version of the JIF 6 Plus, I have a fully complete and personalized layout in 15 minutes or less. I have my layout completed on time for my assignment, and I have spent a little bit of time creating and relaxing, while reflecting on my time with Fritzy.

Do you find yourself pressed for time while working on a layout? Whether you have five minutes or 15 minutes, when you find yourself needing a layout fast, let the JIF 6 or JIF Plus product lines come to your rescue!

Want even more great tutorials? Subscribe to the Scrap Girls Blog via RSS or email delivery here.

Layout by Amy Flanagan
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The three products listed below 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.

Article written by Amy Flanagan

Layout by Brandy Hackman
larger view

Designer Freebie by Brandy Hackman coordinates
with her ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: City Slick Drip,
part of this month's ScrapSimple Club offering!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Alpha Templates: City Slick Drip and Brush Set: City Slick Paint are also available.

Today's freebie designed by Brandy Hackman

* 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.

High Noon Crop
Wednesday, September 26th - 12 Noon EDT

Join April (April Showers) each Wednesday at 12 Noon ET for the 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 26th, we'll be doing a Brush Challenge. Try to use at least two brushes in your layout.

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, September 26th - 8:00PM EDT

It's time for some Speed! Join Carla (CRS) at 8pm ET for the Speed Scrap Crop! We'll give you six tasks, spread out over an hour. You'll then have an hour to get it finished and posted in the Gallery!

Creative Cards Chat
Tuesday, October 2nd - 8:00PM EDT

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 8pm ET. Can't wait to see you there!

High Noon Crop
Wednesday, October 3rd - 12 Noon EDT

Join April (April Showers) each Wednesday at 12 Noon ET for the 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 October 3rd, 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!

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!

September's Forum Game: Simplify September

This month's Scrap Girls Forum game, Simplify September, is designed to help you get more scrapbooking done with a series of simple steps that add up to a finished project at the end of each week.

Throughout September, Monday through Saturday, a team member will post a daily layout step in the Simplify September game thread; the first week has seven steps, and the remaining three weeks have six steps each. These steps will be posted in large purple font so they will be easy to spot.

Members who complete the steps required in the game thread and post all four layouts in the Simplify September Gallery will be entered in a drawing for one of two $15.00 Scrap Girls Boutique Gift Certificates.

Each completed layout posted in the Simplify September Gallery, up to four per member, will be entered in a drawing for one of four $5.00 Scrap Girls Boutique Gift Certificates.

You have until 11:59 p.m. ET on September 30, 2012, to complete the steps and post your layouts to the Simplify September Gallery.

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

September Monthly Layout Contest: September is Classical Music Month! For the September Layout Contest, we'd love to see your layouts featuring music! You could scrap a favorite song, a concert, or even some musical instruments! Post your layouts in the September Monthly Layout Gallery before Midnight ET on September 30th and you could one of the two people who will win a $10 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Please be sure to list your layout's product credits in the description or under the EXIF Properties.

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 Forum calendar if you have any questions about what is happening at Scrap Girls. All event times are given in the Eastern Time Zone unless otherwise noted. Need help converting time zones? Check out the World Clock - Time Zone Converter. (Use 'USA-New York-New York' as the location for the Eastern time zone.)

Copyright Scrap Girls, Inc. 2004-2012

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Scrap Girls
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www.scrapgirls.com

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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!