it's that time again.... December Echo Park Blog Hop

Hi there.  It's time for another blog hop with Echo Park Paper.  There are a lot of fun Collections being released right now, and along with the rest of the team I wanted to share a project I created.  This card was made with the Winter Wishes mini collection:

This is a cool color palette that's perfect for a winter themed project.

Recently on the Scrapbook and Cards Today blog I was asked to create something to celebrate Hanukkah.  I thought of this collection immediately, so just wanted to share what I came up with.  I created a dreidel garland:

There are a lot of pretty patterns in the Winter Wishes Mini Collection.

A blog hop means a giveaway.  All team members participating in the blog hop today will have an opportunity to give away one collection.  Please leave a comment on this post and I will draw a name for a prize on Sunday.  I reply to the comment here on my blog so if you don't leave an email address, hopefully it notifies you that way or you check back.

Here's the list of team members playing along:

Echo Park Paper: http://www.echoparkpaper.typepad.com/

Kandis Smith: http://www.mycreativetreasury.blogspot.com/

Wendy Sue Anderson: http://www.wendysueanderson.blogspot.com/

Tamara Tripodi: http://happylifecraftywife.com/

Linda Auclair: http://elendae.wordpress.com/

Lowri McNabb: http://www.papervinenz.com/

Susan Stringfellow: http://creativelysavvy.blogspot.com/

Be sure to leave a comment at all blogs for more chances to win!

Have a great day!  Hug your babies close.

Davinie

Echo Park November blog hop GIVEAWAY - Christmas Card Outtakes

It's the middle of November, which blows my mind, and that means it's time for the November blog hop from Echo Park, a chance to check out some EP inspiration and get an opportunity for a collection pack of your choice.  Yay!

For this blog hop I made time to play with This & That, one of the EP Christmas collections, which is the perfect addition to the December album I will be working on next month.  I'll be sharing my cover this week.

For my layout I used a photo from our Christmas Card photo shoot that my sister did last year.  I think this photo just tells a bit of our story.  Steve was trying to get the garland lined out and the girls were helping him.  I feel like it shared a bit more of their personalities which is why it made for a great layout.

My journaling was done with a white pen which showed up really well on this great woodgrain.

I used some circle punches for the garland and mounted some of them on pop dots to help them stand out.  I also added some fun brads from this collection to dress it up and add some color.  I thought the garland was a fun addition to add to the photo.  The tag is mine, the snowflake is a punch, and the trims are from May Arts. 

If you'd like to see some other Echo Park inspiration, check out what the rest of the team is up to:

Kandis Smith: http://www.mycreativetreasury.blogspot.com/

Davinie Fiero: http://davinie.blogspot.com/  <----- are="are" here="here" nbsp="nbsp" you="you">

Susan Stringfellow: http://creativelysavvy.blogspot.com/

Tamara Tripodi: http://happylifecraftywife.com/

Linda Auclair: http://elendae.wordpress.com/

Lowri McNabb: http://www.papervinenz.com/

Nancy Damiano: http://www.thepaperorchard.blogspot.com/

Wendy Sue Anderson: http://www.wendysueanderson.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Gallacher: http://jengallacher.blogspot.com/

Leave a comment here for a chance to win a Collection pack.  Do that at every blog along the way and you will get several opportunities to win.  I will be drawing a name on Sunday.

Have a great day!

Davinie

DIY - Fall Garland

As you may have noticed, I'm having a love affair with these arrow pieces.  I have scraps all over the place from layouts using the framed pieces.  These are the negatives.  I was looking at them and felt they'd make a fabulous fall garland, so I trimmed some more colors from the Echo Park Dots and Stripes line, added some hole punches, twine, and created a garland.

NO SEWING REQUIRED!  :)

Kids could even help with this project.  I punched holes and threaded the pieces with twine.  The holes are big enough that no needle is needed either.

I always have the hardest time getting a good photo of the fun garlands I make, so had a young assistant quickly stand outside for a photo.  She may or may not have been bribed with leftover Halloween candy.

And she may or may not have been covered in cracker crumbs at the time of the photograph but that couldn't be helped.  There is only a small window of time between the afternoon bus stop and complete darkness with this time change and time was of the essence!  :)

After standing for 2934729379173 photos, she insisted I get one last shot with the garland a la Santa's beard (someone is already thinking ahead to December).  

I really like how this garland turned out.  I made two, one for each living room window.  I think I'm going to make a similar garland for the winter with a few additional elements.  I'll be sure to share when I do.

I am in love with this color palette.

Supplies:

InLinkz.com


Have a great day!  Davinie

Echo Park Giveaway - the September blog hop!

ETA:  Please add Kandis to your list!  She jumped in the line after my post was made.  :)


Happy Monday Morning!

Welcome to the Echo Park blog hop!  I am sharing another project today made with the For the Record Two - Tailored Collection.  You know I love this line!

This card was created utilizing a sketch from Paper Crafts magazine.

I love how the different prints in this Collection stand alone yet work well together.
Check out the entire Collection here:  http://www.echoparkpaper.com/collections/ftr-tailored/

I topped the flower with enamel dots from MME.

Did you by chance notice the new Silhouette shapes from EP?  You know how obsessed I am with the butterfly and doily shapes.  How lovely to get them from the Silhouette store!  Check out that blog post here.

Interested in something from the latest release?  Simply leave a comment on this post and on Monday 9/24 I will draw a winner for a Collection pack.  Easy enough, right?  While there, check out new Collections coming soon from Echo Park, like the This & That and Photo Freedom.  Hello.  Favorite Christmas line ever.  And is that Project Life, calling my name?  I can't wait to play with them both myself.

If you'd like more chances to win, be sure to check out the blog posts from other team members, as well as the EP blog.  We all have Collection Packs to give away and it might as well go to you, right?

Echo Park Paper: http://www.echoparkpaper.typepad.com/

Tamara Tripodi: http://happylifecraftywife.com/

Linda Auclair: http://elendae.wordpress.com/

Susan Stringfellow: http://creativelysavvy.blogspot.com/

Nancy Damiano: http://www.thepaperorchard.blogspot.com/

Wendy Sue Anderson: http://www.wendysueanderson.blogspot.com/

Lowri McNabb: http://www.papervinenz.com/

Kandis Smith: http://www.mycreativetreasury.blogspot.com/

Have a great Monday!  Davinie

Echo Park love - Stitch and Out Here

I've got a few things to share this week and I'm getting behind!  I started student teaching in a 4/5 blend class on Monday and I get home and make dinner and get ready for the next day.  I keep forgetting to blog.  :)

I am truly enjoying my time on the Echo Park team.  I'm so glad that opportunity came my way.

The other day I shared a layout on the Echo Park blog that I wanted to share here.  I am a little addicted to the For the Record Two - Tailored Collection, (available for purchase now) as I've mentioned a few times, lol.  This is what I came up with for my blog post:

For more details on my process for this layout, please check the Echo Park blog here.  

A note, though.  Morgan made that penguin all by herself.  Payton and I made a tooth pillow because she had a couply of wigglers and refused to let them come out until they had a proper pillow.  Inspired by that, Morgan went and made her own.  Alllll by herself.  It's made of felt.  I offered assistance with ideas when it came to stuffing and stiching it closed, but the design and the process was all hers and I couldn't have been more proud!  The tooth goes in the little heart pocket.

Why is Morgan second to get a tooth pillow?  Because Morgan has had 10 teeth pulled by her dentist, and hasn't lost any on her own, and Mom has never had her act together at the appropriate time to finish a pillow at the appropriate moment.  SIGH.  In the end, this worked out perfectly!

In case her wondering, for some reason her adult teeth don't eat up the roots of the baby teeth.  Morgan has a friendly mouth.  All teeth are perfectly happy to move over or stick out in order to make room for their friends.  Hello ORTHODONTIA.  Now you see why Mama has to go back to school for her Master's degree!  This crafting business does NOT pay the bills.  lol.

Anyway, back to Echo.

I still had product out so made another layout with this same line:

I've mentioned my obsession with this paper line.  I'm also smitten with these triangle shapes and had to use them on a layout.  I LOVE the texture it adds.  I've mentioned before how much I like the print with the journaling spots.  I used a circle punch and added a few to this layout as well.

That's Morgan, Payton, Oliver the kitty, and Sunshine the chicken.  We have ourselves a little farm over here.  :)  For the record, (how appropriate), Sunshine pecked at Oliver shortly after this photo was taken, and chaos ensued.  :)

Have a great day!  Davinie

Echo Park Blog Hop - Giveaway now CLOSED

Hello friends!  I'm so excited to participate in my very first Echo Park Paper Blog Hop!  I've been busy crafting away with the latest releases from Echo Park and am excited to have a chance to share what I've been up to.  This project was created with the For the Record 2 - Tailored Collection:

I didn't want to waste my paper, so I trimmed 1/2 inch strips from the orange paper for my border. 

I layered stickers and chipboard for the decorative elements on my page.  The big tag and button are from my stash.

Of course I had to do a layout with one of the photos my sister took of us with Cooper before he passed away.  My sweet boy.  He certainly led a good life.

One quick note on that:  kids are resilient. There were tears and sleepless nights for only a short while.  My sweet angels bounced back quickly and are able to tell stories and look at pictures without being upset.  It is something I really worried about beforehand and am grateful that everyone has handled it all with grace and strength.  Again, thank you for your kind words and stories.  Losing a pet is so hard!  

Anyway, back to crafting!

Take a peek at this collection:

Here's a closer look at the sticker sheets in the Collection Pack:

I love that there's several alphabet choices, border stickers, and lots of labels.  It makes it easier to create layers and add details.

The following is my favorite print from the Collection:

I was immediately drawn to the B side of this paper.  The whole sheet is Vanilla and covered in circular journaling spots.  I cut a few of them out with a circle punch for my layout and am saving the rest of the sheet for another project.  I love it a lot!

Another thing I wanted to point out is the vanilla cardstock I used for my base.  You know I am a natural, vanilla/kraft sort of girl.  I have my go to vendors for kraft and vanilla.  For years.  

but CHECK this out!

Can you see the linen texture to this vanilla cardstock???!!!!

It's cardstock from Carta Bella!  And I am in heaven.

Right now they have Kraft, Natural White Linen, and Ultra White felt.  I'm telling you, this is delicious.  I adore the linen texture.  And the kraft?  It.  Is.  KRAFT.  It is exactly the same weight, color, and texture of the kraft cardstock we all know and love.  

Don't be afraid to check out Carta Bella cardstock if you see it for sale online or at your LSS.  I'm serious.  I wouldn't profess my love if it wasn't something I'd actually use.  I really am sold on that linen texture.

The For the Record 2 - Tailored Collection also has some additional products that I used on my layout.   Following is the chipboard accents:

There's also brads and layered chipboard elements as part of this collection.  You can check it out on the Echo site here.

Blog hops are more fun when there is fun stuff to give away, so of course I want you to have a chance to play with the For the Record 2 - Tailored Collection!  Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner Monday morning, August 27th.  

A blog hop wouldn't be complete without additional stops to visit as well, so check out these other blogs for a chance to win a collection pack, and of course, hop over to the Echo blog as well:

Echo Park Paper: http://www.echoparkpaper.typepad.com/

Wendy Sue Anderson: http://www.wendysueanderson.blogspot.com/

Susan Stringfellow: http://creativelysavvy.blogspot.com/

Lowri McNabb: http://www.papervinenz.com/

Linda Auclair: http://elendae.wordpress.com/

Tamara Tripodi: http://happylifecraftywife.com/

Have a great Monday!  Davinie