Scrap Girls Chit Chat Newsletter: May 28, 2009

Occasionally, email clients or Internet Service Providers have email delivery issues that are beyond our control. If you are having issues reading the newsletter or viewing any of the images, you may find it is easier to read the web page version. It is available here:
http://www.scrapgirls.com/NL/Chit_Chat_090528_Thurs_Bubbles.htm

What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?

Digital scrapbook layout by Syndee Nuckles

Layout by Syndee Nuckles
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Jeweled 6302 Biggie, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Aged Photos 6301, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Houndstooth Fabric and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Flourished Photos are also available.

Digital scrapbook layout by Caroline Kaiser

Layout by Caroline Kaiser
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Commercial license versions of Dynamic Brush Set: Seasons 8201 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: WaterDrops 5301 Mini are also available.

Digital scrapbook layouts by Kim Thompson and Marnie Adams

"Before" by Kim Thompson
"After" by Marnie Adams
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Glitter Metals Mini 4102 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Glitter Brights Super Biggie 4101 are also available.

Digital scrapbook layout by Valerie Randall

Layout by Valerie Randall
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Dirty Press 5401 Mini, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Paper Textures 4901 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Painted Plastic 6401 Super Biggie are also available.

Digital scrapbook layout by Brandy Murry

Layout by Brandy Murry
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Commercial license versions of Brush Set: Chicken Wire Biggie, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Petite Frames, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Ties and Tags and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Sequin Sparkle-Gradients Super Biggie are also available.

Digital scrapbook layout by Shalae Tippetts

Layout by Shalae Tippetts
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Word Art Templates: Summer, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Corrugated 1, ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Beads and Strings and ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Sew Torn Up are also available.

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.

Best of the Scrap Girls Blog

Note from Ro: I was instantly drawn to this post on the Scrap Girls Digital Adventures Blog because of the clean lines of the layout. The calendar on it is cool! Nice work, Shalae.

The other day, I was in the front room when I heard my little boy holler at me from the kitchen. I went in to find that he had climbed on the counter and was sitting on the edge of the sink with his feet inside.

"Bubbles myself!" he exclaimed excitedly and pointed to the little bubble pan that was dripping in liquid dish detergent.

He had somehow made the connection that the liquid dish soap would make bubbles. He had somehow lifted the large container, squeezed it into the dish pan and was excited when bubbles actually came out of his bubble wand.

He was a wet mess and there was dish soap everywhere, but I couldn't help but smile at his proud moment. I helped him thin the soap out a bit so the bubbles would blow better and let him go at it. Soon his sister joined him, making a soapy, slippery mess all over our kitchen floor.

It is times like this that it's so easy to get upset and mad that he's wasting the soap or making a huge mess but, in reality, who cares. It can be cleaned up. He can enjoy his proud moment of doing it all by himself and enjoy the fun and magical moment of blowing bubbles all over the kitchen.

- Shalae

Digital scrapbook layout by Shalae Tippetts

Layout by Shalae Tippetts


Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Photo Book 1 are also available.

Shalae Tippetts

Important to Know: Retirement Sale

We've just opened a 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!

Way Cool Stuff

Digital Scrapbooking Product Review
ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes

Have you ever wanted to dabble in creating your own embellishments? Where do you begin? Chances are you don't want to start from scratch, but would like to have a starting point that enables you to customize and create them to your liking. Well, then the ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes are just what you're looking for! They are an easy way to begin playing with creating your own elements for your digital scrapbooking layouts.

One of my favorite ways to use them is to use my Cookie Cutter Tool (in Photoshop Elements 7.0) and cut out my shape from one of the background papers, as I've done below. In this example, I use the ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Edgings 4901 to create this torn notebook edge look.

Way Cool Stuff Tutorial Screenshot: Custom shape.

Another one of my favorite ways to use ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes is to apply various styles to them. In this example, I use one of the shapes from ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Witty 6302 and my Cookie Cutter Tool. I then apply the pink style from ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Unique 5104. I really like to play around with all of my different styles to see which gives me the best look I am going for on my page.

Way Cool Stuff Tutorial Screenshot: Apply style.

Using these two techniques, you can really begin to play with and create your own custom embellishments with any of the ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes from Scrap Girls!

Digital scrapbook layout by Amy Lemaniak

Layout by Amy Lemaniak
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Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Worn Overlays, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Satin Stitch 5104 Super Biggie, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Unique 5104 Biggie, Dynamic Brush Set: Embroidered Stitches 4901, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501, ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Edgings 4901 and ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Witty 6302 are also available.

Amy Lemaniak

Article written by Amy Lemaniak

What's Happening at Scrap Girls?

If you have never been to the Scrap Girls Chat Room before or have questions about it, this tutorial, Chat Basics, will provide lots of helpful information.

Crops and Chats

NSBR Chat - Early Edition
Thursday, May 28th - 4:00PM ET

What is NSBR? It's a non-scrapbooking related chat! We talk about everything, including some scrapbooking and usually chocolate. It's a great chance to meet new friends, catch up on what everyone is up to, and just relax! If you have a problem, we'll lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on. Have some great news to share? We'd love to celebrate with you. So, join Michelle (Shelbi) and Shari (Shari PV Mom) at 4pm ET, in the chat room lobby! Hope to see you there!

What's New Chat
Friday, May 29th - 11:00AM ET

Join Michelle (Shelbi) and Sherry_Lynn at 11am ET to chat about all the cool new things in the boutique. You never know who else is going to show up!! What are you getting? What did you kaboodle? And most importantly show us the layouts or other projects you made with your new goodies! There's a thread every Thursday and now there's a chat too!

Desktop Crop
Friday, May 29th - 8:00PM ET

Are you bored with the simple backgrounds that your PC or MAC came with? Want to learn more about using your Scrap Girls products to make exciting and colorful new desktop wallpapers? Join Angela (angelaNussbaum) and Becca at 8pm ET (5pm for those of you on the west coast!) for this month's Desktop Crop. A few hours before chat time, we'll give you some details on how to get started, plus a technique challenge and a theme for an extra dose of motivation!

Swap Crop Chat
Friday, May 29th - 9:00PM ET

It's time for the Swap Crop Chat! We've done the swapping, and created the layouts, now it's time to chat about all the gorgeous layouts! I don't know what it is, but these swaps bring out the best in everyone. This is the time to chat about the theme, the beautiful layouts and learn about the swap crop if you haven't participated before. I'll even reveal the theme for next month! Join Carla (CRS) for a fun chat at 9pm ET on Friday, May 29th!

NSBR Chat
Monday, June 1st - 9:00PM ET

What is NSBR? It's a non-scrapbooking related chat! We talk about everything, including some scrapbooking and usually chocolate. It's a great chance to meet new friends, catch up on what everyone is up to, and just relax! If you have a problem, we'll lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on. Have some great news to share? We'd love to celebrate with you. So join Carla (CRS) on June 1st, at 9pm ET in the chat room!

Life Moments Chat
Tuesday, June 2nd - 4:00PM ET

Join April (April Showers) for our next Life Moments Crop and Chat. These Crops are about building a scrapbook all about you, one layout at a time. This week we will focus on Outdoor Fun! Did your family love to camp, go to the beach or lake, or have big family barbecues? Anything that happens outdoors is perfect for this challenge. Dig out your photos, write down your memories, and join us for a super fun chat!

High Noon Crop
Wednesday, June 3rd - 12:00Noon ET

Join April Showers at Noon ET for a fun chat and crop. 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 June 3rd, we'll do a single photo challenge! Create a layout using a single photo, either paper-style or graphic-style! Make a statement with one single, large, wonderful photo! You'll have one hour to create a layout and upload to the special High Noon Crop gallery. You'll be amazed what you can get done in just one hour! We hope you'll join us!

May Events

May Board Game: BINGO!

It's that time again! Join us for an exciting game of BINGO on the Message Board in May! Pick 25 words from the list provided in the games forum on the message board and send them in an email to scrapgirlang@gmail.com with a subject line that says "BINGO CARD - your SG message board username" by Sunday, May 3rd (Midnight MT) to participate in the first round, starting Monday May 4th. Each day, members of the Welcoming Committee will call 5 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 forum to win that round. After a winner is verified, the boards can be cleared and a new round will begin the following day. All winners receive a $5 gift certificate to the boutique! We like to see lots of winners, so please remember that each person can only win one round during the month. Have fun!

If you miss the first round cutoff date, 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. Everyone who sends in a Bingo card will receive a confirmation email that their card has been received. If you do not receive confirmation within 24 hours, please re-send your list of words.

Layout Contests:

May Monthly Layout Contest: Mother's Day is in May in the U.S. so for this month's layout contest, we want to see your layouts paying tribute to a mom or a mother-figure in your life. You could win a $10 gift certificate to the boutique if your layout is chosen! Just post your layouts in the May Monthly Layout Gallery before May 31st at Midnight ET and you will be eligible to win! Be sure to include the credits for items used in the description area or under the Details tab.

May Mid-Month Layout Contest: Even though it isn't officially summer (or winter in the Southern Hemisphere), in many places it's getting very close. For this layout contest, we want to see layouts about what you look forward to at this time of the year. Is it summer barbeques, days at the beach, or long summer evenings? You could win a $10 gift certificate to the boutique if your layout is chosen! Just post your layouts in the May Mid-Month Layout Gallery before June 15th at midnight EDT and you will be eligible to win! Be sure to include the credits for items used in the description area or under the Details tab.

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

Today's Freebie

Digital scrapbook layout by Amanda Sok

Layout by Amanda Sok
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Designer Freebie by Amanda Sok coordinates with her Fairy Dust Paper Mini



Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Fairy Dust and ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Ornate Blooms 6401 are also available.

* 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.

1 ScrapSimple Paper Template Set

1 ScrapSimple Embellishment Template Set

1 Brush Set

1 ScrapSimple Layer Your Own Brush Set

1 Designer's Choice Item