Lemon Zest

I have made a card with the pretty new Simon Says Stamp Lemon Zest die set, from Simon's newest Dream Big release!...

The card was made by die cutting the lemon from yellow cardstock and layering.  I simply used a yellow marker to give the lemon some added shading on the far side.  I also scored the leaves to give them some definition.  I used the lemon die piece to emboss the card panel, after stamping a CZ Design sentiment that I thought went perfectly with the pretty lemon.  Here's a close up...

Having a quiet weekend...rain and thunder as I write...the rain is so badly needed, so a great night!!

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

Bitty Birdhouse Welcome

My daughter had wonderful new neighbors move in next door and asked me if I could make a card for them.  I pulled out my Simon Says Stamp Bitty Birdhouse die set and a perfect CZ Design sentiment die and stamp, and here's what I came up with...

I had used these dies before, and made a card with a rainbow of houses.  Seeing as it was for just-moved-in neighhbors, I opted to make it more house color appropriate, and I wanted an A2 card.    I liked my idea even better after I was inspired by the wonderful card made by Laura Bassen that I originally saw on the Simon Store website, HERE on her website, found when I couldn't remember if there was a "welcome" die, went searching and saw her card!  I layered each piece of each house, and then popped up the houses on the card panel.  I adjusted them on the panel to "fit" the layered welcome die cut.  I added a sentiment stamp from a CZ Design coordinating set, popped up the panel on the card, and done!  Here's a close up...

Love to have wonderful dies to be able to pull out, and make a fun card when needed!  Hope your weekend is great!  Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Sword Fern Die

I have made a very simple card with the beautiful new Simon Says Stamp Sword Fern die, from their Dream Big release!...

I felt this die was most beautiful all by itself.  I die cut the die with white cardstock, and colored with two different Prismacolor markers.  I gently bent the leaves, as they have die indents in them, and it gives the fern some added dimension.  I only adhered the fern at the stem/base of the leaves...this way giving the leaves a more natural look to them.  I added a sentiment from the new Magnolia Apple Blossom stamp  set, stamped with Versamark and silver embossed.  Here's a close up...

On our way to August in a couple days...where is this year going??  Hope you are well!!

Thanks for making me a part of your day!! Hugs!! Lisa

Construction Truck Birthday

I made a card for my grandson's birthday with the amazing Pretty Pink Posh Construction Trucks stamps and dies set...

I was SO excited when I saw this set!!!  My grandbaby, who just turned three, LOVES trash trucks and construction trucks, so I was beyond thrilled that I would be able to make a card with things he loves on it!!  I'm not sure, but in all the years I have been creating cards, I cannot remember a set stamp/die set with trucks like this!  Thank you, Pretty Pink Posh...these are ADORABLE!!  I will admit, my card was made with lots of foibles.  My "happy birthday" is crooked, and despite my best of intentions in making the trucks sliders, they are, I think due to their size, a bit wobbly, and the curve on the bottom truck was not thought out well, as it runs down off the card.  Despite it all, I loved the idea, and for the most part, it turned out to be a card not only was I pretty happy with, but more importantly, one my grandbaby loved!   I DID learn ALOT, though!  I have only made a couple of slider cards, so I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, despite all  the missteps!  

First I die cut all the sliders.  I then masked the card panel to blend the brown and blue inks on the cardstock, and blended a second panel with the brown, to have behind the sliders.  I stamped, embossed, die cut, colored then layered the trucks.  I used THIS video to help me remember how to make sliders.  

Here are a couple close ups...

And here's a video I made to show you how the cute trucks can move(please don't mind the foibles)...

I hope this card gave you some ideas of how you might want to use this adorable set...I am so in love!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Blossom Vine Birthday

I have used one of the beautiful new dies from Simon Says Stamp's newest Dream Big release, to make a birthday card...

The die set is called Blossom Vine, and like so many other of the dies in this release, it is beautiful!  I have die cut the flowers/stems from white cardstock and colored with markers.  I popped up the outside petals from the base flower for some dimension, and I DID add a third flower to the two originals...with the oval die cut, the three just "worked" better!  I added a sentiment from an older Simon stamp set, embossed with silver.  I used an old polka dot embossing folder after die cutting the oval from the card panel, and then added some jewel Tonic drops for some bling.  Here's a close up...  

The dies from this release are making me very happy...having a lot of fun!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Alstroemeria Stem

The new Alstroemeria Stem die set from Simon Says Stamp and their new Dream Big release, is beautiful!  I decided that this beauty was perfect to be showcased solo, so I have made a super CAS card for a friend...

I die cut the pieces from white cardstock and colored with my prismacolor markers.  I took my cream color marker and colored in the middle of the flower, achieving a yellow center, after which, I used a fine black marker to give a little detail to the flower.  I used a sentiment from the Soaring Birthday stamp set, stamped with versamark and silver embossed.  I popped up the panel on the card, and here's a close up...

My true loves in card making are dies and CAS, lately I'm really feeling so led to create in that style, and with the wonderful dies from this release!  There will be more!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!!  Lisa

Winter Welcome Sled

 I know I'm on the tail end of Christmas in July, but I have made a Christmas card using the Spellbinders Paper Arts Winter Welcome Sled die set from the Celebrate the Season Collection...

This sled took me back to my childhood, and I love it!  Growing up in a suburb of Buffalo, NY, we never lacked for snow, and sleds were part of our winter makeup!  I die cut 2 of all the pieces, and layered them.  I adhered them together, and then die cut the "screws" from silver cardstock...to me it's all in the details! I added some thicker twine , and a layered die cut Spellbinders sentiment.  The embossed snow was made with a very old and very loved Cuttlebug embossing folder.  I framed the whole thing on a silver cardstocked card.  Here's a close up...

More to come before the month is over, for Christmas in July!  Have a great weekend!!

You are appreciated by me!! Hugs!! Lisa

Dream Big Blog Hop!

I am thrilled to be a part of today's Simon Says Stamp Blog Hop, celebrating Simon Says Stamp's newest release, Dream Big!  There is so much in this release...happy, fun, beautiful, sweet, stamps, dies, stencils, embossing folders...and all kinds of new accessories from Simon!  I have used a cool and fun new die, sentiment stamp set, and embossing folder, to make a couple cards to share with you...

The die is called Fab Flower, and I felt the name just "fit" a rainbow theme.  The first one, I made the flowers rainbow...

 I chose to color the petals of the flowers the same  rainbow on all three flowers(but moved the rainbow of petals in different positions on the card).  I layered the flowers on both cards with 3 of the bottom pieces, and two of the top.  I then embossed the white panel they would be adhered to, with the cool and fun new Dibble Dot embossing folder!  I used one of the new sentiment stamps from the Big and Bold stamp set, and stamped, die cut, and layered the sentiment.  Here's a close up of thes card... 

 The second card, I wanted more rainbows, but also wanted to make the fab flowers daisies, so...

...I made the background rainbow, and made the fab flowers into cute daisies!  I die cut and layered the flowers, just as I had the ones on the first card.  I cut very thin strips of black cardstock for the stems, and stamped another sentiment from the Big and Bold set onto a piece of rainbow striped patterned paper!  The centers of the daisies were die cut and layered from an older CZ Design die set, no longer available(Buttercup Build-a-Bloom), but you can find little circles in lots of random dies.  I popped it up on a white card, here's a close up...

I had SO much fun making my cards...now it's your turn for some fun!  

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 have to win!  Winners will be chosen and posted on the Simon Blog on Wednesday, July 27th, so make sure you check the Simon Blog on the 27th, 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   

Nina-Marie Trapani

Caly Person

Nichol Spohr

Cathy Zielske

Amy Rysavy

Suzy Plantamura

Lisa Addesa

Keisha Charles

Heather Ruwe

Bibi Cameron

Cheiron Brandon

A couple things before I go...don't forget the offer in the banner at the top of my post! Simon is offering a free Scripty Big Hugs die with ANY purchase!  Simply use the code BIGHUGS when checking out, to get this gift!  Just remember, the offer is only good until the end of the day on 

July 24th,  OR until supplies last!

Second...there is another blog hop tomorrow!  So please visit the Simon Blog tomorrow, for another day of celebration and inspiration!

Thank you so much for stopping by, and keep on hopping!! 

Hugs!! Lisa

Dream Big Release!

There is a new release over at Simon Says Stamp, Dream Big!  I have used a pretty new die and sentiment set to make a couple cards to share with you today...

The die is called Tropical Leaf Bunch and is so pretty!  I die cut it with white cardstock, and colored with my Prismacolor markers.... 

I layered the leaves, then stamped the sentiment, a stamp from one of the very cool new stamp sets, Big and Bold! I stamped it with versamark and black embossed it.   I used the Monstera leaf die to emboss the image all around the card panel, and around the stamped sentiment.  I adhered the leaves to the panel, and popped it up over a couple black strips on a card.  Here's a close up...

The second one, I have to give credit to my daughter, as she suggested I try to make the leaves glossy😊...

I colored the leaves just like the first, but pressed them onto my versamark pad and then clear embossed...and then did it a second time.  Probably could have stood a third time, but two is pretty glossy.  I then adhered to a card panel that I had, again, embossed the leaves onto the panel.  I used the same sentiment stamp set for a sentiment, but this time, I stamped, die cut, and layered the sentiment.  Doing it this way, you emboss the total panel, and it gives a different dimensional look to the card.  Here's a close up of the glossy...

Hope you will check out the new release over at Simon, there is SO much fun stuff in this release(I have a link below, too!).  There are two blog hops over at the Simon Blog tomorrow and Saturday, where you will find wonderful inspiration for the new stamps, dies. and everything else!!  

Thanks for stopping by!! Hugs!! Lisa

Single Cosmos Thinking of You

I've made a very CAS card for a friend with the very pretty Simon Says Stamp Layering Cosmos stencil from their Let's Chill Release...

I used my blending brushes to bring color to the petals, stem and center...so much fun seeing this flower come together.  The design is super simple, the card an easy/fast card, so nice if you'd like a pretty card to send someone quick!  I used a sentiment stamp from an older Simon stamp set, and popped up the flower on the card.  Here's a close up...

Now I'm off to send this to a friend I am missing...hope you are doing well!  

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Happy Birthday with Stars

I have made a birthday card with the Maker's Movement Happy Birthday die set...

I am normally cutting dies apart when I first get them, but I loved that this die set was connected, and I have kept it that way.  Keeping the two dies together, die cuts the letters, while leaving the borders intact...loved it for all the individual letters!  I layered it a couple time and used a rainbow of colored die cut letters to fill in the "happy birthday".  I added some die cut and layered glitter paper stars.  I adhered them all to a chevron embossed piece of cardstock.  Here's a close up...

Simply done...simply fun!  Hope your weekend is off to a great start!  See you tomorrow!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Life's a Beach

I'm not sure what it is, but posting has been a challenge, of late.  I have cards ready to put up, just getting to photographing, editing, and posting....well, there, I have said it, it's just been hard to do all those things, of late, but I will get to them all!  I have made a card using the CZ Design Life's a Beach sentiment die, and the Beachy Keen stamp/die set, from Simon Says Stamp's Let's Chill release...

I used my MISTI to stamp the umbrellas in gray, colored the parts that needed to be colored, put the 1/2 pieces back into the MISTI, and white embossed.  I die cut and layered them.  A COOL thing I discovered...the Life's a Beach sentiment die is the exact same size as the die cut in the Beachy Keen set, so it makes an outline for the sentiment die!!  WAY COOL!  I die cut and layered the border and the pieces of the letters with middles, and added a sentiment strip!  I found some very old enamel dots, and in three of the four colors of blue of the the umbrellas(one of the many reason why it is so hard to get rid of anything in my craft room).  Here's a close up....

Hope your July is going great...more cards to come!!

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