Mandala Blossom

  I used a new stamp/die/stencil set from Simon Says Stamp's You Are My Favorite release to make a thank you card!...

I thought this set was SO much fun...loved that the stamp covered the entire card, but especially because there was a stencil set, that helped me to sort of shade color all the flowers and leaves!!  I am no colorer, so this was fun!  One problem...I'm not great at picking out colors, so it took several tries before I was happy with my results.  Picking colors, and sloppy stenciling...I got a lot of some colors where they weren't supposed to be, so this is my third attempt...third time's the charm!  I will admit to you...under the "Thanks for everything" sentiment, is an inking error, so the sentiment is covering it up...I do love the ability in card making, to cover up your mistakes!!  I just let you know that, to say you don't have to be perfect, just creative, when you're not.  I used some clear dots for accents, and used a marker to give them a touch of color, and make them "go" with the flowers.  I layered the flowers with the other two "mistakes" and adhered to a popped up panel.  I used vellum for the sentiment, as I wanted a little see through to the flowers(but enough cover up of my mistake).  I DI used black embossing for a little shiny and added dimension on my card.  Here's a close up...

This month has flown by....it has been a beautiful Spring here in VA...so enjoying every day.  Hope you will get your creative on...have a wonderful Friday and weekend!!

Thanks for coming by, today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Sunflower Birthdays

I have used some sweet Lawn Fawn sunflower dies, and a Memory Box sentiment die  to make a couple birthday cards...

This first one, I die cut and "kind of" brushed some ink on all three of the colored elements...although it just shows on the leaves.  I added a die cut and layered sentiment , and popped up the panel over some cut strips, using the same papers as the flower and sentiment.  Here's a close up...

The second one, I used the same sentiment , but a border of little sunflowers, along with a Simon Says Stamp sunflower filled embossing folder ...

I die cut and layered the row of sunflowers, adding the die cut and layered senetiment.  I adhered them to a couple panels that I adhered together, then ran through my Big Shot with a sunflower embossing folder.  Here's a close up of this one...

Sunflowers are a favorite flower of one of my daughters, and she's having a birthday in a week, so at least one of these will be going to her!  Hope your weekend was wonderful, and that this coming week will be inspiring!  

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Beautiful and Curious

I made a card with the beautiful Simon Says Stamp Beautiful and Curious stamp/die set...

I stamped, die cut, colored and layered the bouquet of flowers.  I then used another stamp from the set, and made a speckled background with an ink color closest to the ink markers used on the flowers.  I added a sentiment from the set and popped up the panel on the card.  Here's a close up...

I have been cleaning my craft room and making a card here and there...chaos does not make for creativity...it does feel good to be getting things in order!  Hope you are having a great weekend...enjoying the wonderful weather, here, today...and Sunday will be even nicer...can't wait!  

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Tulip Love

I have made a couple cards with the beautiful tulips from the new Simon Says Stamp I Love You a Bunch stamp/die set, and the new A2 Rectangle dies, from their You Are My Favorite release...

Both cards are CAS, and both are made with the same stamps, and rectangles...but both just a little differently...

This first one, I simply stamped and colored on a die cut rectangle.  I then layered it once, and then a couple more times with larger die cut rectangles, that were also layered a second time.  

Here's a close up...  

The second one, same stamped image, but die cutting with both the flower and the rectangle...

I die cut the flowers, and then taped two of the rectangles together and die cut them 4x for layering.  I layered the flowers, as well.  I then adhered them to the card that I had positioned and stamped the sentiment.  Here's a close up...

Oh, simplicity...makes my heart happy!!  Hope your week is going along wonderfully...please take care!  

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Poised Primula

I used one of the beautiful new Simon Says Stamp flower die sets, as well as the new rectangle die set, both from their new You Are My Favorite release, to make a birthday card!...

I used a piece of purple cardstock, yellow, as well as a piece of green cardstock, to make the flowers, middles, and stem/leaves.  I did, as I often do, lately, used a purple and green ink with a brush, to brush on some ink for accent/depth.  I adhered to a panel that I had cut from the new rectangle dies.  Then, I decided to frame the pretty flowers, so I used two of those dies, taped together. and die cut several, to make a layered frame.  I added an older sentiment under the frame, and done!  Here's a close up...

Simple in it's design, but if you know me, that's my favorite!  I love the simplicity of these flowers, and though I made less flowers, I doubled the petals on each flower...happiness!  Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Duck Trio

I have made a card with an adorable set of duck dies, from Simon Says Stamp's newest release, You Are My Favorite!...

I thought these ducks were so stinkin' cute!  I found a sentiment from a recent Simon release, that I thought went perfect with these ducks, and just had to figure out a layout for them...and then it hit me, stack them up on top of one another!    So...I adhered them on a panel with the sentiment at the bottom, and the ducks layered on top of one another.  Oh, and I liked their wings sticking out a bit, so I put some foam tape underneath the wing areas, which gave them a slight pop out!  I thought the sentiment had a dual meaning "quack" and "up" as they were ducks, and they went up as they stood on top of each other.  Here's a close up...

I hope you are having a great week...this was lots of fun...hope you are finding ways to have some fun these days.  Please take care!!  

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Mosaic Petals Mother's Day

I have made a Mother's Day card with a pretty new Simon Says Stamp stencil set, sentiment die, and Mother's Day sentiment stamp set...all from their newest You Are My Favorite release!...

This stencil set comes with 5 stencils, the various rows of flowers on 4 of the 5 stencils.  This means that you could make all the flowers different colors...and I might try that, yet, but I opted to make them all yellow with brown middles...like a sunflower, or a black eyed susan.  In any event, they are all the same color.  I added a die cut and layered sentiment and a stamped and cut out sentiment stamp.  I framed the panel with a piece of brown cardstock, and popped up the panel on the card. 

 Here's a close up...

Creating with stencils is so much fun!!  Hope you have had a great weekend!

Thank you so much, for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

You Are My Favorite Blog Hop~Day 1!

I am so thrilled to be a part of today's blog hop, over at the Simon Blog, celebrating Simon Says Stamp's newest release, You Are My Favorite!  With Mother's Day coming up in May, this release has some wonderful Mother's day and "Spring is Here" stamps/dies/embossing folders and accessories, that will make creating for all the upcoming special days, so fun and memorable!!

I have used one of the beautiful new stamp/die sets, and made a couple cards to share with you today!

The Big Botanicals set was the first set I opened when I received the new products from this new release...I just LOVE red tulips and lavender colored hyacinth...these stamps were so pretty, they really spoke to me!!  I stamped, die cut, colored, layered and adhered them to the cards panel.  I chose a mini slimline card for the hyacinth, as it's a bit longer of a flower.  I also chose to simply use the genus name stamps on the panels and forgo a larger specific sentiment, so these cards could be for any time or occasion.  I popped the panels up on each card, and used clear enamel dots for each card.  Here's each card and a close up...

and a close up...

and the hyacinth card...

...and a close up...ee

Okay...I had SO much fun making my cards!!  My fun was above, your fun is below!

Simon is generously giving a $25 coupon to every stop on the hop from our comment sections, so the more hop blogs you comment on, the more chances you will have to win!  Winners will be chosen and posted on the Simon Blog on Wednesday, April 30th, so make sure you check the Simon Blog on the 30th, to see if you are a winner!!  If you are a winner, you can email Simon to claim your prize!

The list of participants in today's hop are listed below...

Simon Says Stamp Blog  
Caly Person
Barbara Tarayao
Heather Hoffman
Keisha Charles
                                 Lisa Addesa<------You are Here!
Emily Midgett
Emma Williams
Mindy Eggen
Bobbi Lemanski
Lorraine Aquilina
Rachel Alvarado
Barb Engler
Nicki Baxley
Dana Joy
Mary Reiner

 Just to let you know...as you read in the title of this post, this is day 1 of 2 blog hops, celebrating this release!  SO...there will be another blog hop tomorrow...and that gives you not only more projects with wonderful inspiration, but also more chances to win one of the $25 coupons from Simon!  Hope you will hop along and join the fun and inspiration! ALSO...don't forget the offer in the banner at the top of the post!  You will automatically receive the Sunny Fern emboss and cut folder, when you spend $30 or more of You Are My Favorite release products !   The offer is only good until the end of the day on March 27th, while supplies last.  Thank you so much for stopping by and "keep hopping"...hugs!  

      Lisa 

You Are My Favorite Release!

There's a  new release out, over at Simon Says Stamp, You Are My Favorite!  I have made a card with one of the sweet new flower dies, and a sentiment stamp from the release!...

I die cut the leaves from green cardstock and brushed on a little more green at the inside tips for shading.  I colored the flower with ink, and shaded it a bit.  I then put all the pieces in a die cut piece, and put three more layers on top, then one last layer, the top panel, on top of them all.  I popped the panel up on the card.  I love the depth achieved by layering below the top.  Here's a close up...

I hope you will check out this new release over at Simon...It is filled with all kinds of wonderful!!  ALSO...there will be TWO blog hops, celebrating this new release...Tomorrow and Saturday...hope you will join in the fun...there will be giveaways, and lots of amazing inspiration!!  "Hop" to see you there!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Pretty Poppies

I have made a card with the Simon Says Stamp Pretty Poppies die set, from their Rain or Shine release...

I simply used a red and a green cardstock for the flowers and stems.  I DID brush some extra red ink onto the bases of the flowers for some dimension.  I put an extra layer behind each of the flowers, and adhered them to a panel, that became popped up on the card.  I added a die cut and layered sentiment across the three stems.  Here's a close up...

I think these flowers are SO pretty...happiness for me and for someone's birthday!  Hope you are having a great week!!  Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Oh, Shiitake

I have finally made a card with a super cute stamp/die/stencil set from CZ Design...Oh Shiitake!  The stamps and dies came out in one release, but the stencil came out in Simon Says Stamp's Favorite Things release...

What I LOVE about stencils, is that they give you the ability to color with an ink pad and a blending brush...not markers.  I am NOT a good colorer, but I LOVE coloring with stencils!  They give you an  abiltiy to shade without having to use different shades of markers!  Anyway, I stamped, die cut, then colored and layered the mushrooms.  I then adhered them to the card that I had stamped a couple of the sentiments on.  Here's a close up...

 

Hope you are having a great day... always...hang in there!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Blessed on Easter

Hope you are feeling blessed on Easter! I have a card that I made with a bunny and sentiment die from the new Simon Says Stamp Rain or Shine release,  celebrating the day with a cute bunny, a shiny sentiment, and pretty eggs.  I have made it a mini slimline size card in order to make it a gift(the second pic)...

I stamped and die cut the eggs, then die cut the bunny and sentiment.  I embossed the background with a very old PTI impression plate, and brushed on the three colors of ink onto the card.  Here's the gift part, with a Simon mini slimline envelope...

And a close up...

Hope, for those of you who celebrate the day, will have a wonderful Easter...for those who don't, I hope you have a wonderful Sunday!  Much love to you all!!  

Thanks for stopping by my blog, today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Argyle Thank You

I have made a card using a fun new Simon Says Stamp stencil set from their Rain or Shine release...

I don't know about you, but I always need thank you cards, so I decided to pair this cool stencil set with a thank you sentiment die!  I used two colors for my argyle and finished it with black accent lines.   I chose the extrs large CZ Design thank you die, I like the straight lines of the sentiment with the straight lines of the argyle.  I did die cut the top layer from glossy black paper, with several layers underneath from black cardstock.  Here's a close up...

The possibilities with this stencil set are endless...soft colors, girly colors, bold colors....I think this looks like it could be a great "man" card...but could go either way, too!  Hope you are having a great week!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Darling Ducky

I've made a card with a super cute Simon Says Stamp die, from their Rain or Shine release...

I die cut the Darling Ducky from light yellow and orange cardstocks...the eyes from black.  I used a gel pen to dot the centers of the eyes.  I used the tree stump from the Rain or Shine stamp/die set, stamped, die cut, colored, layered and then popped up on card panel.  I used an older sentiment that I thought "went" with the ducky...and popped up the panel on the card.  Here's a close up...

I think this little guy is so stinkin' cute...yes...darling!  Hope you're having a great start to your week!  

Thank you for stopping by, today!! Hugs!! Lisa