Scrap Challenge!

My Favorite Things and I have teamed up to create a new monthly Scrap Challenge! Each month I will be creating a regular sketch as well as a Project Life Sketch using some of my favorite MFT products. Use the sketches to get your pages done, but be sure to share at the Split Coast Stampers gallery when you are done. MFT will choose a random winner from the gallery each and every month.



The first sketch is up. Head on over to the MFT Blog to grab the sketch, learn more and see some great samples from the MFT Design Team!

Five on Friday

1. Halloween is only 12 days away and the boys haven't picked out their costumes yet! We usually start mid-August. Yikes! My Pirate Booty page was featured on the CK Blog yesterday along with some other great costume pages!


2. It took everything in my power to resist buying these at Walmart last night when Emmitt and I were buying the Halloween Candy. "Laina, do not buy the Peanut Butter Kisses. Your kids hate them and you will end up eating the entire bag." Conversations I have to have with myself every day.


3. Lots and lots of drawing. Anyone upgrade to CS6? I have the program, just haven't had time to install and play. I think Sunday is the day! I've been working on the new Jillibean collections all week. Jill's ideas are once again superb and I am having a ball creating patterns and pretty stickers. I can't wait to share. In the meantime, head on over to the blog for a fun game and giveaway today!


4. Getting ready for another Friday Night Lights tonight. Bay versus North Ridgeville, who luckily has had as bad of a season as Bay. It's been a struggle this season for Max as a player and for the entire team. He has battled a severe ankle injury, a losing record and some not so nice or effective coaching. Trying hard not to wish it over since it's his last season. Sigh. The good news is that he has finished and submitted applications to Case Western, Wittenburg and Ohio Northern. The Denison application needs a little more work but we are almost there. Max has been working his tail off between school, football and the application process. I haven't broke the news to him yet that we need to start applying for scholarships in November!


5. Starting my Christmas lists for the boys. It's going to be tough this year. The little guys are at the age that they don't need anymore toys than what they already have, yet Emmitt still believes in Santa. (Cooper the 5th graders is of course pretending that he still does to trick me into buying him more gifts. I got his number.) The y are both technology nuts and have way too much product awareness. Steve and I are struggling with what to give them. Probably an inexpensive laptop for them to share and some sort of flipcam. I still need some Santa stuff for under the tree but don't want to waste money on toys that won't get played with 5 days after Christmas. Emmitt is obsessed with WWE right now. All four of the males species I live with are. Emmitt the most though. Not my favorite show at all. The only thing he can tell me he wants is this belt. Great. I look forward to seeing it on him every day this Winter. Not!

Have a great weekend!!!

Christmas Already!

When I was at Target this week I noticed that they are starting to stock holiday lights in the row behind Halloween. You can tell they are itching to sell that spooky stuff out and go full guns on the Christmas decor. Good thing I finally just finished my holiday pages from last year!

Happy Holidays Concert uses a bit of Winter Tortellini and Spinach Soup as well as Banner Bites (my favorite Jillibean Stickers ever)! Little Emmitt has grown so much since this picture and his glasses make him look so much older. A very good reminder of why I make these pages and record their quickly fleeting childhood.

Today's the Day!

You can see the first stamps and dies in my collection! Previews of my October sets went live this morning on the My Favorite Things Blog.

My idea when creating the collection was to create stamps and dies that could be used universally by Project Lifers, scrapbookers and cardmakers. I hope you like what I have come up with!

First up are the Die-namics. Insert It - 3x4 Insert is the perfect size for creating journaling cards and PL inserts. The cut card fits perfectly into page protectors and the rounded corners make it perfect for cards and mini albums.

Accent It - Flags and Tags is a collection of pieces and parts that can be used on their own or with many of my current and future stamp sets. These pieces are sized to make great accents on just about any type of project.

What good are dies without great stamps to match? Journal It - Top Ten includes a useful notebook paper stamp, a number set for creating lists and a few key title words.

Document It  - December was created with December Daily type projects in mind, but of course can be used for just about anything for the holiday season!

The stamps are easy to mix and match with the dies and future stamp sets will be designed around these die shapes as well.

Here are the details about the upcoming release:

• You can attend the New Release Party on October 16 from 8-10 PM EST HERE in the MFT forum, where you can WIN PRIZES!
• The MFT release, including all new stamp sets and Die-namics, is on October 16 at 10 PM EST. You’ll find all the newest products HERE at release time.
• The guest designer contest is going on now! Check out the forum for details on how YOU can win over $200 in stamp sets and Die-namics.
• Head on over to the MFT blog to see 18 projects created with my new sets by the magnificent MFT Design Team. I am awed by their creativity! (Links are at the bottom of the post!) Be sure to leave comments as you go for the chance to win one of 2, $10 gift certificates given away daily. The winners will be posted on October 16 just before the release party, here on MFT blog.

I made some cute projects with the sets and will be sharing them soon! Thanks for stopping by!

Five on Friday - Projects to Share!

Fall Fridays - don't you love them? My Senior Max has his Homecoming Game tonight. We are all pretty excited about watching play tonight. He has been battling a high ankle sprain since Game 2 of the season and although he played last week, he still wasn't 100%. He looks to be in better shape and is ready to battle tonight! The little rascals are excited because prior to the game is the Annual Homecoming I mean CANDY Parade. The entire town comes out to see the different groups, sports and clubs march. Did I mention they all throw candy? My boys won't even march with their teams...that would mean missing the grub.

1. One of his many Senior Pics you will be seeing me scrapbook this year. Can't believe he is a Senior. I say it to myself every single day. On location at Cleveland Browns Stadium, taken by my fabulous friend Trish.

2. Happy Eight - Had this page up on the Jillibean blog this week. Finally had time to use Grandma's Lima Bean Soup. Love how this came out, even when I didn't have the best photos to use.

 3. Another Card! We were challenged to use Hexagons this month. Love how easy it is to use the Hexies Stickers for quick projects and more.

4. Party Planning - My head is swimming with ideas this week. I was coerced into being a co-Chair for After-Prom this Spring. Basically a 4 hour party for the Seniors to celebrate (and keep them safe!) We have already started the planning process. Anyone have experience with this type of thing? Any ideas to share?!?

5. Picked up some new fall clothes at my favorite new store...JCP. Yep, JCPenney's. That same horrible, awful store my mom dragged me to in High School to buy school clothes and shoes. I remember how mad I was at her for being SOooooo uncool and making me shop there. Have you been to one lately??? Wow has it changed. Their new CEO has a new vision to make the stores modern, organized and all at one low price. No ridiculous sales every two days like Kohl's. I am loving the new brands they have. Simple, funky and low priced. Plus the new store by my house has a Sephora inside. Dangerous...