Lotus Flowers

 I used the beautiful new Lotus Frame die from Simon Says Stamp's latest Blossoms and Butterflies release and made a couple cards to share with you today...

 The first one, I die cut three frames, adhered them together and then adhered them to a watercolor panel that I stamped, clear embossed and watercolor painted.  I used the new Sketchy Lines background stamp, stamping with versamark and clear embossed.  I added some Tonic Jewel drops to give some extra pretty to the lovely lotus flowers.  Here's a close up...

The second one, I filled in the flowers with non other than paint chips. 

I used three shades of pink  paint chips.  The pics I saw of some lotus flowers showed some with darker tips at the ends of the flower petals, so I used the darkest pink at the tips where I could.  I stamped a "happy birthday" on vellum and white embossed.  I adhered it around the frame, then adhered to a card panel that I had simply stamped the very pretty new Floral Mix background stamp with versa mark and let dry.  Here's a close up...

I love this frame, and although I love them all, this frame is probably my favorite of all the framed flowers in this new release!  Such great fun!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Bouquet of Roses Grateful

I have made a card to share with you today using the pretty new Simon Says Stamp Bouquet of Roses stencil, from the new Blossoms and Butterflies release...

 I had a thought when I set out to use this pretty stencil, I wanted to use embossing paste.  So, I used my white embossing paste, let it dry, and then set out experimenting how to color the paste(the first one I used to experiment on, I embossed a second time for this card).  I tried watercolor...nah.  Markers...nope.  Then, I thought, what if I sponged distress ink over the flowers and leaves?  Well...the first attempts...no go.  THEN, I put the stencil back over the dried paste flowers, masking around the flowers or leaves that I was sponging, to avoid the things I didn't want to sponge, and that was it!!  Something different for me, but I really like the look of these roses.  I used a Simon sentiment die and a sentiment strip to finish the card.  Here's a close up...

This was wonderful fun...and such a sweet surprise when I finished sponging!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Floral Mix Thanks

I used the beautiful new Simon Says Stamp Floral Mix Background stamp, from their latest release, Blossoms and Butterflies, to make a thank you card...

I used my Prismacolor markers to color the flowers of this uber pretty background stamp.  I HAD intended to make this background the FULL card, but I colored some leaves the color of a flower in the upper left hand corner and it looked SO BAD, so I cut a 1/2" off the length...so a popped up card...crisis and mistake averted!!   I added a CZDesign Thanks layered die cut sentiment with a vellum background.  Here's a close up...

Coloring a beautiful stamped image...so much fun...simply done, simply fun!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Floral Mom Frame

I used the new Simon Says Stamp Floral Mom Frame from Simon's latest release, Blossoms and Butterflies, along with some watercolor paints and made a card for mom...

 For those of you who know me, pastel colors are not the colors I work with often.  Somehow, though, I just had to try pastels with this beautiful Floral Mom Frame die!  I brushed four different colors of paint in various different places on the paper, then adhered a layered frame of die cuts over the colored paper.  I added some Tonic Jewel drops peeking through different places on the card for pretty bling.  Here's a close up... 

Such a pretty die...and makes for such a simply pretty card!!  Hope you're having a fun week!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Birthday Record Player

I made a birthday card for my amazing son-in-law who LOVES vinyl and record players...

This amazing die is from My Favorite Things...such a funnnnnnnn die...and I LOVE it!!   I used watercolor paper and sponged distress oxide ink and then splattered water on it, to make a cool looking record.  My daughter was showing me some of the vinyl records that Nic owns, and he has some that are wildly colored, so I thought this would be cool!  I used some wood veneer paper (old paper from Simon, but no longer available) for the player and silver cardstock for the knobs and needle.  I stamped Happy Birthday sentiment on vellum for the center piece...ok, not perfect, but had to bend the stamp a bit to get is rounded, so it wasn't perfect (believe me, I tried and tried, and tried).  This was sooooo much fun!!!  Here's a close up...

Hope you are having a great start to your week...PEACE!! 

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Happy Graduation!

I made a couple graduation cards with the new Outline Congrats die from Simon Says Stamp's latest release, Blossoms and Butterflies...

I used two layers of die cut black and blue (below) card stock letters, and one die cut gold layer of just the outlines of the die cut.  I die cut and layered the graduation cap from the new Congrats Grad die set.  I used a gold marker to put a tiny definition in the tassel(it's all about the details), and three layered die cut stars to balance and give some fun to the card.  The background is from a cool set of Simon stamps, Geometric Pattern Builder stamp set.  I thought it was just the right amount of background, giving some fun design to the card.  Here's a close up...

The same card done in graduation blue...

 Here's a close up...

A special thank you to all you who left comments about my mom

...it touched my heart!! 

Hope you are having a great start to this new week...thanks for stopping by!!

 Hugs!! Lisa

Die Cut Letter Love!

I used the new CZ Design/Simon Says Stamp Archie Jr. Solid letters, from the latest Simon release, Blossoms and Butterflies, to make a couple rainbow cards!!... 

Can I just say, I LOVE THESE LETTERS!!!  They are small and the font is sweet...they are PERFECT for making longer words....I really love them!!!  I die cut white fun foam to layer these die cut letters, another thing that makes these letters SO easy to create with(I die cut the whole alphabet several times to have extra letters)...

I die cut the colored letters from paint chips...when making a rainbow with this many colors, paint chips make it easy to have lots of colors, and to have little pieces...for little letters. I adhered the paint chip letters to the fun foam die cut letters, and adhered them to striped paper, then popped up the card panel on top and bottom of the sentiment.  I added a couple die cut hearts for some happy love.  Here's a close up...

The second one, a thank you card, done just like the first...

 I used a piece of striped, rainbow, Lawn Fawn paper, that I cut from a diagonally striped paper piece, making the lines horizontal(I LOVE this paper!).  I added strips of black paper on the top and bottom for definition.  What is super cool about using paint chips for these fun die cut letters, you can match the letters to the patterned paper!  I don't know about you, but I don't always have cardstock that exactly matches the patterned paper that I use in cardmaking, so in this instance...Paint chips...PERFECT!!!  Here's a close up...

I may have said it before, but worth repeating...I LOVE these letters!!  So much fun, cards that say it all simply with a sentiment!!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Simon Says Stamp Blossoms and Butterflies Blog Hop + Giveaway!

 I am excited to be joining some incredible artists, today, with a Blog Hop, celebrating Simon Says Stamp's latest release, Blossoms and Butterflies!  I love the beautiful flower dies and butterfly stamps, along with stamps and dies celebrating Mother's Day...there are so many fun and pretty stamps, dies, stencils in this release, I just know you're going to love it too!! 

If you are following the blog, you should have arrived here from creative Suzy Plantamura's blog! 

I used two of the new flower dies, Dahlia Frame and Dahlia Corner Frame dies to make two cards to share with you today...I've got rainbows on my mind...

I die cut the die four times, adhered them together, watercolored a rainbow on watercolor paper, and popped up the flower and the panel surrounding it, over the watercolored paper and card.  I stamped the sentiment from the new Tiny Words Encouragement stamp set.  Here's a close up...

The second one, I used a rainbow of paper, cut in strips, to use behind the flower...

I made this one much like the first, using another sentiment from the Tiny Words of Encouragement stamp set that went with the heart strips.  Here's a close up...

My fun is above, yours is below!!

Simon Says Stamp will be generously giving a $25 coupon to one commenter from each and every blog on the hop, simply leave a comment for a chance to win!!  The winners will be chosen and be posted on the Simon Says Stamp Blog on Wednesday, April 17th , so make sure you check the blog on the 17th, to see if you're a winner!

The next stop on the hop is creative Heather Ruwe! 
   The list of participants of the hop are below.  If you get lost, you can head to the  Simon Says Stamp Blog...hope you will check out all the amazing artists' inspiration today!! 

Simon Says Stamp Blog   

Jennifer McGuire

Cathy Zielske

Nina-Marie Trapani

Nichol Spohr

Jessica Frost-Ballas

Suzy Plantamura

                                         Lisa Addesa<----- YOU ARE HERE

Heather Ruwe

Amy Rysavy

Heather Hoffman

Lea Lawson

Before you head off to the next blog, don't forget the free offer from Simon that was in the heading...

Use code BLSM999 to receive a jar of Unicorn Dust Glitter (while supplies last!) with any purchase!!...AND don't forget to head to the Simon Blog tomorrow for a second Blog Hop...FUN!!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

For Mom

 It's release day at Simon Says Stamp!!  The newest release, Blossoms and Butterflies, is wonderful, and I 've made a card with a beautiful die, Outline Floral Mom die, just perfect for Mother's day, or ANY day for Mom... 

I received amazing and wonderful stamps, dies and stencils from Simon for this release, but the beautiful Outline Floral Mom Die that I made today's card with, came in my mailbox late last night.  I rarely share my life on my blog, but my mom passed away almost three weeks ago, and life, of late, has been really challenging.  I had made other cards for this release, but last night and this morning, I HAD to make a card with this die!  I must admit, creativity is also challenging right now, and this card took me MANY attempts at colors and patterns for the "MOM", but I'm happy with it.   More than that, I created a Mom card...some bittersweet happiness in it all.  I will give it to one of my son-in-laws for their moms. 

I die cut the die four times in white, and one time each in 4 colored cardstocks...2 pink and 2green.  I filled in the flowers and leaves, then die cut the letters from some old Lawn Fawn patterned paper, and added some pink rhinestones(remember those??) on and in the flowers.  Here's a close up...

I'm thinking I will be making another card with this die...it is soooooo pretty and and I have 2 son-in-laws with moms:)!! You could put ANY sentiment on the inside...so it's possibilities are endless!!  

 Hope you will check out the new release, and join Simon for a two day Blog Hop full of artists showcasing the release tomorrow(I'll be there),  and Saturday! 

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa