Echo Park

In my last post, I mentioned that Echo Park Paper Co. has quickly become my favorite new scrapbook brand.  In fact, you can tell just by flipping through my scrapbooks that most of my recent pages are ALL Echo Park!  So, I was thrilled when I found out a few months ago, that they were searching for new 'Fresh Face' designers for their brand, and eager, of course, to throw my own name into the running! 

Admittedly, the hardest part of the whole 'Fresh Face' submission process was narrowing down my favorite Echo Park Pages to feature on my blog today!  But the first I'm going to share, certainly tops the list.  I used the Country Drive collection on this page.  I couldn't resist it's bright fun colors and patterns!  I recently came across this hilarious strip of photobooth photos and needed just the right paper to compliment this happy memory.  I am always a sucker for photobooths, and jumped at the chance to squeeze my new little family into one on our very first vacation!

(Supplies: all from the Country Drive Collection: Apron Strings, Border Strip and Little Ladies patterned papers and  Elements Stickers, foam adhesive, buttons, Doodlebug letter stickers, Making Memories chipboard hearts and decorative stick pin, machine stitching)

To create this page, I started with a kraft background and cut four 1/2" strips of the 'apron strings' patterned paper to create a border for framing the remainder of the page.  Next, I adhered and sewed through the center of each strip, continuing all the way around the page.  I adhered my photo strip to the right, center of the page and typed my journaling on a scrap of kraft cardstock, which I adhered to the left and bottom third of the photo strip.  I measured and cut a piece of the 'little ladies' paper to fill in the space above my journaling.  Before adhering this rectangle of patterned paper, I distressed the edges with my scissors and sewed around the border.  I used some glittery letter stickers for my title and to fill in the space below my journaling block.  Then, of course, it was time for the fun part - embellishing!  I covered a large and small chipboard heart in 'border strip' and 'apron strings' and pulled just about all of the hearts from the sticker sheet for added fun.  Some of the hearts were popped up with foam adhesive and others were stuck directly to the page.  Finally, I used some additional stickers from the 'elements' sticker sheet to dress up the rectangle of patterned paper and top and bottom page borders.  Here are a couple close up shots of some of the page details:

The second page I'm sharing, includes some pictures I waited a long time to scrapbook.  Maybe I was waiting for just the right paper to use for these pictures or it could just be that scrapbooking wedding pictures quite honestly scares me a bit!  Regardless, I'm glad I waited because Echo Park's Victoria Gardens proved to be just the right style and color scheme to fit my little sister's wedding photos.

(Supplies:  all from Victoria Garden collection: Garden Gate, Cheerful Words, Rose and Journaling Cards patterned papers and Elements stickers, chipboard letter 'B', Making Memories ribbon, Doodlebug button, Queen and Co, adhesive pearls, foam adhesive, machine stitching)

A close up of page one:

and of page two:

To create these pages, I started off with a medium pink cardstock background that would ultimately serve as a border, to frame out the whole two page spread.  There were just so many of the papers in this collection that I LOVED, I wanted to find a way to incorporate as many of them onto the page as I could.  So, I trimmed 2 7/8" squares of the A and B sides of: 'garden gate', 'cheerful words', 'rose' and 'journaling cards' papers and interspersed them along the entire 12 x 24 page border, randomly alternating them with my photos.  I stitched along the edge of each of the patterned paper squares for some added interest (and because I just can't resist adding some machine stiching!) before permanently adhering them to the page.  Next, I cut a light pink cardstock to fill in the middle of the bordering grid on both pages.  On page one, I used the light pink cardstock to highlight my focal point photo and page title.  For the title, I layered many of the floral stickers from the 'elements' sticker sheet and used foam adhesive to adhere one of the journaling cards over top.  Before adhering the journaling card, I ran it through my printer to add my sister and her new husband's names and wedding date, along with a chipboard letter that I covered in some of the leftover patterned paper.  I used ribbon, a button, adhesive pearls and a border sticker from the the elements sticker sheet to finish off the title block.  I knew I had a lot of journaling I wanted to add to the second page, since I had saved my matron of honor speech from that day.  The center block served as the perfect spot for my lengthy journaling and a few additional elements stickers and adhesive pearls.  I finished off the two pages by adding some additional stickers to a few of the patterned paper squares, embellishing them with adhesive pearls, and adding sticker 'photo corner's to the top left of the first page and bottom right of the second page.  A few additional close-ups of the details:

The final project I'm sharing today, uses my most favorite Echo Park line, to date: Little Boy.  With two little guys of my own, I'm always on the hunt for boy themed papers and embellishments.  In my opinion, none have quite captured the essence of my guys quite like Echo Park did in this fun line -- they simply knocked it out of the park!  In fact, this is one of the many pages I have made, using this collection.

(Supplies: all from the Little Boy collection: Awesome Dots, Cool Stripe, In the Clouds, Little Boy Borders and Journaling Cards patterned papers, Doodlebug buttons, Tim Holz mini paper clips, 7 gypsies photo turn, jumbo brad, machine stiching)

To create this page, I started with one of the coordinating solids of the Little Boy line, to create the base of my page.  Next I cut a 10" square piece of cream colored cardstock and centered it on the background.  Then I layered varying widths of: 'awesome dots', 'cool stripe', 'in the clouds' and 'little boy borders' on top of the cream base, leaving an 1/8' border around the perimeter.  I then, sewed along the horizontal edge of some of the paper strips.  Next, I placed my photo and journaling block, which I had pre-printed on the ledger looking side of 'little boy borders', toward the bottom half of the page.  Then, I went to town cutting up many of the journaling cards for additional text and to tuck in and embellish various parts of the page.  I finished off the look with some 3D details including: buttons, mini paperclips, an arrow photo turn and clear star.

I think it's easy to see why Echo Park has won my heart!  Their beautiful collections have inspired me to capture some wonderful memories and perfectly showcase some of my favorite photos.  I know I will be reaching for this brand over and over again!