Be True to Yourself
Monday, January 9, 2012

IN TODAY'S ISSUE:

• Cute Stuff
• A Designer's Life: Andrea Trump
• Scrap Girls Club
• Back To The Basics: Using the Paper Bag Album Paper Mini in a Layout
• Designer Freebie
• What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
• Ongoing Opportunities for YOU

Andrea Trump

New Year's Resolution? Focus Word? Or nothing?

With the New Year now in full swing, we often think of the year past and make resolutions, or maybe we choose just one word to focus on all year.

I'm not sure I've ever really stuck to either of those things. Things happen. Life changes. Sticking to a resolution or focus word seems too restricting to me. I mean, now that my kids are older and more independent, I'm choosing to take better care of myself. Is that a resolution? No, for me, it's a choice. And the thing for me is that I don't wait until the New Year to start.

Last summer, I had surgery to repair an injury which has stopped me from doing most types of exercise. Sadly, over the two years I was "grounded," I didn't continue to eat as healthy as I did when I was very active. I let myself go, even gained weight (which is unheard of for me).

After surgery, once I was given the go-ahead to exercise, even though I was really settled into being sedentary and eating unhealthy, I got right back up and started making good choices. Although it was a slow process at first, I began to see the changes. I was excited to have a head start on the New Year – three months before it even arrived.

My plan has always been to be active again, to be able to run around with the kids, get active at the gym two or three times a week, and attend Tae Kwon Do class to train for my Black Belt. When the injury occurred, I was six months away from the Black Belt test. After sitting around for two years, it will take me a year or more of training to be fit and focused enough to take the test, but that is my goal. I'm hoping and praying that the injury repair holds so I can accomplish what I've set my sights on. I don't think of it as a resolution, though I guess we could call it that. But it's not one of those things I waited to start in the New Year, then to go at it for a while before giving up.

I can just imagine all the retail money made due to New Year's resolutions! Exercise equipment is always featured in ads around New Year's. People buy pricey outfits to wear at the gym, where they finally use that gym membership that's been forgotten for months. They walk into a facility packed to the max with classes full as people start their resolutions. But soon, only the truly dedicated will stick around.

For me? I'll be there. I'll be there when it's packed and afterwards, too, because I already started months ago. So you know what? I'm not going to set a resolution or a word for the New Year. I've just decided that I'm going to focus on this phrase: "Be true to yourself."

So, have a wonderful 2012 - and Be True to Yourself!

- Andrea

Favorite Product I've designed:

ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Around It Mini 1

I love edges. You can have a beautiful solid paper, add an edge to it, and it just adds a little dimension, a little flair. My ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Around It Mini 1 have swirls and flowers that I use to make papers unique.

Layout by Andrea Trump
larger view

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Around It Mini 1 and Laughter and Sunshine Collection Biggie 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 January's Scrap Girls Club designed for you by Jen Reed Club Exclusive! JIFFY Easy Page Album Club Exclusive! Designer's Gift
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

Using the Paper Bag Album Paper Mini in a Layout

Tutorial created using Adobe Photoshop CS3 with Windows XP

Today, our digital scrapbooking tutorial is in the bag!

Paper Bag Album Paper Mini

Yes, today we are going to play around with using digital scrapbooking supplies from Paper Bag Album Paper Mini in a digital scrapbooking layout. This product is a creative, fun way to make layouts on your computer. Just like real paper lunch bags, the digital version has wonderful texture and will add warmth and depth to your artistic layouts. You can use the bags themselves as the base of the layout, but today we are going to incorporate the bags into a bigger 12x12-inch layout. The paper bag files are roughly 5x11 inches so they are perfect for including into this size of digital scrapbooking layout.

There are so many great ways to add these digital paper bags to a layout. I settled on using three pieces of paper bags, and I lined them up in row across the middle of the layout. Then I added some string from the Cottage Christmas Collection Biggie to form tic-tac-toe lines around them. The files I used are SBA_PaperBagAlbum_5_BackCover.png in the center, then SBA_PaperBagAlbum_6_FlatFront.png, and SBA_PaperBagAlbum_7_FlatBack.png on either side.

I continued the tic-tac-toe theme with some circle photos, and added playful X and O embellishments. (You could easily adapt this layout for themes that centered on sweethearts, Valentines, or love, too.) Here I used a pale blue background that contrasts with the red-and-white string to help create a winter layout theme.

There we have it! I embellished with some paper snowflakes and finished it off with a "Snowflake Kisses" title to go with the snow photos. Paper Bag Album Paper Mini gives a lovely relief to the white snowflakes while it adds texture and warmth to this digital scrapbooking layout.

Layout by Sarah Batdorf
larger view

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Cut Out Snowflakes, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Photo Borders 6501 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501 are also available.

Article written by Sarah Batdorf

Learn to make digital scrapbooking layouts and more! – Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Find out how easy it can be to learn how to create digital scrapbook layouts, edit photos, use and make brushes, recolor papers and embellishments, make your own simple backgrounds and embellishments, save and share your layouts and much more! Ready to learn advanced techniques? – MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Learn to use paper templates, embellishment templates, custom shapes, styles, and brushes to make your own supplies. Learn advanced clipping mask and lighting blend techniques. Learn to make and use patterns. Learn to make brushes from your own doodles. Learn to extract images from photos. Learn work flow techniques that will speed up the layout creation process and advanced photo editing skills and much, much more!

Layout by Jen Reed
larger view

Designer Freebie by Jen Reed coordinates with her Reflections of the Heart Collection Biggie,
part of this month's Scrap Girls Club offering!

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.

Journaling Chat
Monday, January 9th - 6:00PM MST

Join Carla (CRS) and Lei (Bride) for a Journaling Chat at 6pm MT on the second Monday of each month. Struggle to find the right words for your layouts? Are your layouts more decorative than descriptive of the moments you're trying to capture? Then you won't want to miss this chat - we'll have a special challenge to encourage you to journal on your pages more! See you there!

Quote Challenge Chat
Monday, January 9th - 7:00PM MST

Come join Pat (PBarnes) for the Quote Challenge Crop at 7pm MT. Including a quote on your layout can be a touching and meaningful addition, especially if you use the quote to create your own word art. Here's how it will work. Early on Monday, Pat will post a thread on the Chat section of the board giving you the quote that you will use to make your own word art. It's not hard, and she will have a layout with a Word Art example in the gallery. Then we'll meet in the chat room to have fun, chat, and create our Word Art layout! Everyone can participate and create a layout, even if you can't make the chat. Hope to see you there!

Project SG Chat
Tuesday, January 10th - 6:00PM MST

Join April (April Showers) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) in the chat room Tuesday, January 10th at 6pm MT for the first Project SG Chat of 2012! Come learn the details of this year-long challenge. You can even win fantastic prizes for joining in!

New Member Chat
Tuesday, January 10th - 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 will need to have Java installed on your computer to access the Live Chat.

East Coast High Noon Crop
Wednesday, January 11th - 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 11th, we'll do a "Use Your Stash" challenge! Create a layout using products you've had for a while, but just haven't used yet! 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!

Hybrid Craft Chat
Wednesday, January 11th - 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!

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 an exercise plan 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 prizes@scrapgirls.com and we'll get it out to you right away!

Copyright Scrap Girls, LLC 2004-2012

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