MLAS is growing so much...

...that we're bursting at the seams! You may have noticed that the site went down today. We've grown so much that we outgrew our old server and we're being transferred to our own dedicated server. Woo hoo!

As Carolyn, one of the MLAS owners, put it, "We're really excited about the transfer, we're just sorry that it happened unexpectedly and we couldn't give anyone any warning. We're anticipating 48 hours of down time, but these things are time consuming and it's possible it could take longer, so please be patient.  We're REALLY sorry for the inconvenience and we appreciate you're understanding while we continue to grow."

So there's the scoop. Be sure to check back for more info...and I might even be back with a freebie to help keep you busy scrapping while we wait for the site to get back up and running. :)

Contest winners, & new MLAS challenges

I'd like to start by saying a special thank you to KajunKJ, zeee and miss_mom for playing along in my August blog contest. KajunKJ was the winner of the $5 coupon to my store. And just 'cause I'm such a softie, zeee and miss_mom will also receive a little something from me as a thank you. :)

The new challenges for September 1-15, 2009 are up over at My Life and Scrap. Of course, I'm partial to the Mystery Lift Challenge, LOL, but they are all a lot of fun!

We have an extra special incentive attached to the Mystery Lift Challenge this time around. Linda (MLAS co-owner/site manager) has said that if we get at least 30 mystery lift layouts posted in this thread by September 15, 2009, she will walk up and down HWY 27 in Davenport, FL with a sandwich board that says www.mylifeandscrap.com and wave at the traffic while her DH takes photos!

I know I'd love to see those photos! How about you?!

So c'mon! Let's get going on those Mystery Lift Challenge layouts!

Challenges, a contest & a freebie!

August is in full swing and that means new challenges are up over at My Life and Scrap. These challenges are a fun way to get some scrapping done, and you can earn points towards free stuff from MLAS while you're at it, too!

My favorite is the Mystery Lift challenge, but that's probably because I'm the host. :) You can find all of the details about the current Mystery Challenge here.



And be sure to go check out the rest of the challenges! They're a lot of fun!
(And keep reading for another reason to do the challenges this month…)

Font Challenge

Gourmet Scrapping Challenge

Scrap Mix Challenge

Scraplift Challenge

Template Challenge

Hybrid Challenge

Lyrics Challenge

This month, in addition to the points you can earn good for coupons at the MLAS shop when you complete the challenges, you could also win a $5 coupon to my store! (And I’ve got some great new products that will be going into my store during August!)

Here’s how you get entered for a chance to win a $5 coupon to my store:

Every time you complete a challenge at My Life and Scrap this month, come back to this blog post and leave a comment linking me up to your post in the appropriate challenge thread over at MLAS. Your name will go into the drawing once for every challenge layout you complete over at MLAS. So the more challenge layouts you complete in August, the better your chances to win! Plus if you use any of my products, including any of my past or current freebies, in your layout, your name will go into the drawing twice for that layout! (Of course, be sure to include a list of all products used to create your layout when you upload it to the gallery.) But you have to remember to come back to my blog and link me up. The deadline to post your links here on my blog will be 11:59 p.m. (Central) Monday, August 31.

And now for reading all of that info, here’s a freebie for you! This is actually a sneak peek at one of the new products coming soon to my store. My Frame It Up templates are 5x7 templates for use with a 4x6 photo. Use them as a quick yet elegant way to frame and mat a photo to hang up at home, give as a gift or use in a layout. You can either use the included black or white background, or dress it up by adding one of your favorite digital papers instead. Or you can take the text border and photo mask and use them on their own in your next layout!



Here are a few examples of the template in use:

4x6 photo with text border


5x7 photo with text border overlay


4x6 photo on white 5x7 mat


4x6 photo with added background paper (from my Neutral Set #1 Paper Pack)


5x7 photo with text border overlay


And as always, if you download the sampler I’d love to see how you use it! So be sure to come back and leave a link in the comments!

Happy scrapping!

A FaithSisters blog train...Live, Laugh, Love!

It's time for a FaithSisters blog train! We picked a theme and a color scheme, so as you go blog hopping to get each of the mini kits you can compile your own "Live, Laugh, Love" mega kit! These will only be up for a limited time, and then they will all be turned into a collaboration kit that will be available for free with purchase at Faith Sisters!

***The blog train is now over. But if you missed it, you can still get this great collab kit free with purchase in August over at FaithSisters.***



And here's a map of everyone's blogs, in case you get lost. :)

4 Shades of Blue: http://4shadesofbluedesigns.blogspot.com/
Albums to Remember: http://albumstoremember.blogspot.com
Audra's Little Scraps: http://audraslittlescraps.blogspot.com
Benilda Scraps: http://benildascraps.blogspot.com
Busy Mama Designs: http://somuchtoscrapbook.blogspot.com
Camie Designs: http://camiedesigns.blogspot.com
Chelly Scraps: http://chelsant.blogspot.com/
Claudi Designs: http://www.scrapnfun.de/
Designs By Angel: http://scrappingwithangel.blogspot.com
Digital Compilations by Cinda: http://blog.digitalcompilations.com/
Digital Designs by Lisa: http:/digitaldesignsbylisa.blogspot.com/ ***YOU ARE HERE***
Dragonfly Beach Designs: http://alumnaanimi.blogspot.com/
Eyelet's Scraps Designs: http://eyeletsscrapsdesigns.blogspot.com/
Eva Lindqvist Designs: http://everything-eva.blogspot.com/
Kreative Karma: http://thekreativekarma.blogspot.com
Lifesong Kreations: http://lifesongkreations.com
Merchi Makes It: http://www.merchimakesit.blogspot.com
Meredith Cardall: http://meredithcardall.blogspot.com
Michelle Batton: http://www.blog.mellowbutterfly.com/
Michelle Boroni: http://biabellascrapdigital.blogspot.com/
Robin Willson Designs: http://robin-giftsyoucanfeelgoodabout.blogspot.com/
Simply Susan: http://www.simplysusangodfrey.blogspot.com
Scrap Quest: http://www.scrapquest.com/
Sweet Tomato Designs: http://sweettomatodesigns.blogspot.com/
TMA Designs: http://themathematiciansassistant.com
Willro&co: http://willrownco.blogspot.com/
Dielle Designs: http://diellesdarlings.blogspot.com/

LAST STOP: http://faith-sisters.blogspot.com/

And we hope you will join us in celebrating Faith Sisters’ 2nd birthday in August! Be sure to sign up for the FaithSisters Birthday Bash Newsletter to be sure you don’t miss out on any of the fun!

A new template freebie!

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged…still trying to figure out some kind of schedule to carve out time for my designing/scrapping while the kids are all home for the summer… But of course the kids and summer get priority. I know they won’t be this age forever and I don’t want to miss out!

Thought you’d like to know that I’m hosting the Thursday Template Challenge this week over at FaithSisters. You can check out all of the details here. Come grab the free template and play along!

Happy Father's Day weekend!

I hope you all have a happy Father's Day weekend, and especially a wonderful Father's Day tomorrow. I am so thankful that my husband is such a caring and loving father to our children! (He's great as a husband, too!) Our tradition is to surprise him with breakfast in bed on Father's Day. Typically french toast or pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, orange juice and milk. We have been doing this for him every year for the past few years, so I'm not sure if it's really a surprise anymore or not, but even if it's not he still acts like it is for the kids.

Here is a layout I did a while back, but it seems appropriate to share it with you now since tomorrow is Father's Day. Credits can be seen here.



And in honor of Father's Day, we're having a sale over at My Life and Scrap today and tomorrow (Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21). 35% off all personal use products storewide!
So be sure to go check it out!

Grand Opening Sale, and a free template!

Hi, everyone! Wow, it's been busy lately! Have I got plenty of news to share!

First off, I'm so excited to announce the grand opening of my new store at My Life and Scrap! It is such a fun place! We have plenty of challenges going on in the forum every month, so if you haven't been by, be sure to come check it out. You can come have some fun getting some layouts scrapped, and earn points toward a gift certificate to the My Life and Scrap store at the same time!

To celebrate the grand opening of my new store at My Life and Scrap, everything in my store is 30% off through Sunday, June 14, 2009.



Meanwhile, I'm also hosting this week's Thursday Template Challenge over at FaithSisters. You can find all of the info here in the FaithSisters forum.

You can download the template in the FaithSisters shop.



There will be two winners chosen this week. I will choose my favorite layout, and I will also choose one random winner. Each winner will receive a coupon to my store at FaithSisters.

Here's the scoop! To be eligible to win:

* use the template. Feel free to flip it, turn it, adapt it, make it your own!

* at least 50% of the products used in your layout should be from FaithSisters. (Anyone's products from FaithSisters. They don't have to be mine!)

* Post your layout in the Template Challenge gallery for June 11, 2009. Be sure to list the products you have used in the credits for your layout.

* Link us up to your layout by posting in the challenge thread which can be found here.

This challenge ends Wednesday, June 17, 2009. I will announce the winners over in the FaithSisters forum on June 18.

Have fun! I can't wait to see your layouts!