DieCember® Blog Hop!

I am so thrilled and thankful to be a part of today's Simon Says Stamp's Blog Hop, celebrating the Simon Says Stamp DieCember® release!  This is the 10th year that Simon has had a DieCember® release...a month long celebration of dies and die cutting.  I can remember creating cards when dies did not exist...what an amazing and, for me, much loved, part of card making that came to be, when dies came to be!  I have used one of the beautiful new dies as my constant on all four of my cards, showing you how it can be used in different ways on a card, for different occasions...

I have used the beautiful new Whirl Leaves for all four cards.  The first one, I simply die cut the leaves in white and in gold and adhered together.  I die cut and layered the new wonderful  Flourished Merrry Christmas, and  adhered both to one of the new Color Blend Cardstock pieces.  Can I just say...I LOVE these papers!!  They are beautiful!!  I love that the color blending is already done for you, no ink necessary(and are done more beautifully than I could probably do them!!), cardmaking made a little easier...I am really in love!!  I have already ordered a number of them😄😄!  Here's a close up...

The second one, I used the leaves die cut in white with some vellum behind them...

I used some Simon Vellum for the leaves behind the white leaves, and  another piece of the Blended paper for the background, this time, teal/blues.  I used the letters from the cool new Thanks Frame die for the sentiment.  I also used the Simon T Ruler to make certain that my letters were straight...love cool tools!  Here's a close up... 

The next one, I added some flowers to the leaves...

I had die cut the Whirl Leaves in white cardstock, and colored with two green markers.  I then layered the leaves with an extra set of leaves.  I tried to figure out ways to allow the pretty green leaves to go solo on the card, but they just "needed" something!  When searching through my flower dies, I discovered that I already had some layered Etched Flower Buds die cuts in their envelope, and I loved how they had lines that just "went" with the lines on the leaves...so done!  I cut them apart and adhered both flowers and the green leaves onto the card.  I die cut the new Fancy Birthday die in white for the layers and silver for the top layer, and adhered that over the flowers and leaves.  Here's a close up...

The last one, by my sister's request, I made the beautiful leaves into a sympathy card...

I used the leaves, die cut in silver, and added some of the also beautiful new Winsome Branches die cut in white and vellum cardstocks.  I adhered them to a piece of textured olive cardstock.  I added a white embossed sentiment and popped up the panel on the 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, December 7th, so make sure you check the Simon Blog on the 7th, 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

Jennifer McGuire

Amy Rysavy

Suzy Plantamura

Keisha Charles

Barbara Tarayao

Bibi Cameron

                                  Lisa Addesa<----You are HERE

Vicky Papaioannou

Barb Engler

Heather Ruwe

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 Merry on a Line die with any purchase of $25 or more!  Simply use the code MERRY when checking out, to get this gift!  Just remember, the offer is only good until the end of the day on 

December 4th,  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

DieCember® Release!

Simon Says Stamp’s DieCember® Release is here!!  A month to celebrate dies!  I have used 4 of the wonderful brand new dies to makes some gift card holders for all occasions!…

I don’t know about you, but I give a lot of gift cards!  This cute gift card holder is perfect for a quick, simple and wonderful way to give a gift card…you can make it as simple or ornate as you want, but with this die, you will definitely dress up a gift card, and make it even more fun to give!  I used three different pieces of patterned papers, thought it was so nice that they were two-sided.  I added a sentiment to the front of the holder, and layered each.  

I adhered each of the gift cards with a large glue dot, and inserted the die cut end into the die cut slot…

What fun!!!  So simple and I love how nice they make a simple gift card look!  And again, you can use this simple die for any occasion, for any gift card!  I hope you will join me and a whole host of  uber talented artists for day 1 of  2 days of blog hops over on the Simon Blog, tomorrow!  This is going to be a fun month!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Warm Christmas

I have made one last card before Simon Says Stamp's new release, DieCember®. tomorrow!  This card was made with a cute stamp die set from Simon's Holiday Sparkle release, and a perfect Christmas card for my Florida family!...

This was a simple, but such a fn  and to make!  I stamped, die cut, colored and layered the tree.  I added wink of stella glitter to all the decorations and a silver pen to the tops of the ornaments.  I added a cute sentiment from the set and popped up on the card.  Here's a close up...

Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday...and hope you will check for Simon's DieCember® release tomorrow...December is going to be a really fun month!  

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Holly Jolly Berries

I used some strips of cardstock and an embossing folder to make a fun card of Christmas/Winter encouragement...

I two new products from the Simon Says Stamp Holiday Sparkle release. an embossing folder and sentiment die along with a die to cut the strips of cardstock.  I adhered the strips to a thin piece of cardstock, then cut them down.  I embossed the adhered strips between the embossing folder, then added the die cut, layered and glitter embossed sentitment.  To emboss the sentiment, I pressed the layered sentiment onto the versamark pad, then sprinkled with glitter powder, and embossed.  I  popped up the whole panel on card..here's a close up...

I love the sparkle on the sentiment!  What a fun card to make!!  Hope you are having a great start to your week...Simon's DieCember® is only a few days away...stay tuned!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Chilly and Freezy!

Happy Cyber Monday!  I have a card to share with you using an exclusive Tim Holtz DieCember® set, Chilly and Freezy, celebrating the upcoming Simon Says Stamp's DieCember® release!  Customers will be able to receive the die set free with any $25 Tim Holtz purchase, while supplies last, no code required! 

These snow people are adorable!!  I love their hats nd scarves...very cool...get it??!!  I used the Simon Says Stamp Snow White velvet cardstock... for the snow people as well as for the mounds of snow!  I used a Simon Says Stamp sentiment stamped with versamark and silver embossed.  The snow is a Simon stencil and some embossing paste.  Here's a close up...

Hope you will check out the Simon website to get this cute set, as well as the DieCember® release on December 1st...I CAN'T wait!!  Happy Crafting!!  

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Christmas Ornament and Tags

I hope for those in the states, that you had a Happy Thanksgiving!  My sister drove 700+ miles to be with me and my family, and it's the first time I've seen her in almost 3 years! I have been having so much fun, but wanted to show you an ornament and a couple tags I made before she got here!  The ornament was made with a beautiful die and cardstock from Simon Says Stamp's latest Holiday Magic release...

The ornament is a heart adorned with berry branches...

I used the beautiful Fruitful Berries die set for the ornament.  I die cut in white cardstock, and colored.  I added tonic drops to add gloss to the berries.  I adhered them to a die cut and layered heart that was stamped with white ink and the Simon Planks background stamp.  I used three layers of the new Simon Chipboard ...love the heft and the white on the kraft colored chipboard.  Again, I used a store to photograph my ornament!  Can you guess the store I took the pic in??...

IKEA!!  😄😄  Here's a close up...

I was in a berry kind of mood, so I made a couple tags using the beautiful Simon Says Stamp Etched Berry Branch...

I die cut in white, and colored.  I added some tonic drops and adhered to a tag that I had die cut, stamped a "to-from" sentiment, and snow embossed with an old cuttlebug embossing folder.  The second one, done with the same die and done in gold with a gold sentiment...

Now it's off to stuffed shells for our second to last family dinner with my sister.  Hope you are having a great weekend after Thanksgiving...and if you are, you're having fun shopping for Christmas!  

Thanks for coming by my blog today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Holiday Stack

I have made a Christmas card using the fun new CZ Design Holiday Stack die, from Simon Says Stamp's Holiday Sparkle release...

I used a different color card stock for each line of the tree.  I layered each letter three white layers and the colored layer.  To do this, I used my Tombow runner over the whole die cut and with an occasional letter missing from die cutting, placed each over the top of the other.  I placed each colored letter individually over the third tombowed layer, then popped each letter out.  I used glue to adhere each letter to a panel that I had embossed the sentimented-tree on, giving me the ability to perfectly place the letters.  I added my white gel pen to the second red layer with stripes, and the green layer with snow.  I added a silver gel pen to the first red line, and my clear wink of stella glitter brush over the pink layer.  I thought the letters needed some sparkle and interest.  Here's a close up...

What a fun die!!  Thanksgiving is less than a week away...just did my grocery shopping today...hoping you are having a great weekend!!  

I am so thankful for your visit today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Hedge Berries

I used the beautiful new Simon Says Stamp Hedge Berries embossing folder/die set, from their Holiday Sparkle release, to make a Christmas card...

I die cut, then embossed, then colored, then embossed again, the leaves and berries.  I embossed the folder on a panel, cut it down, then took my versamark pen/brush, and brushed versamark on the leaves on the panel.  Then I used my embossing powder...love the soft sparkle of this powder when heated!  I adhered the colored branch on the panel, and adhered the layered CZ Design "merry" over the branch with thick glue dots on either end of the sentiment.  Here's a close up...

I love the sparkle on this card...it looks especially pretty IRL!  Holiday Sparkle on...

Thanks for stopping by today!! Stay warm(if you live anywhere like me!)!   Hugs!! Lisa

Snowflake Card/Ornament

I have used the beautiful new Simon Says Stamp Amelia Snowflake die from the new Holiday Sparkle release, to make a Christmas card that has a" built on" ornament!...

I just love the thought of not just having someone receive a Christmas card, but how cool to have an ornament to keep...a keepsake!  I die cut the snowflake four times.  I adhered two for the front,  and two for the back side, then adhered both sides together.  I then pressed one side of the layered snowflake on my versamark pad, and then embossed with glitter embossing powder.  I repeated for the other side.  Now the snowflake will look good, no matter what side it hangs on.  I used some silver string and put a glue dot in the snowflake center to adhere to card.  I used a piece of scotch tape to adhere the string to the back of the card.  I used the CZ Design Joyful die for the card's sentiment.  I layered it, and versamarked and embossed just like the snowflake. I used one color distress ink, and made it lighter to heavier with my blending brush!   I gel penned all the snowflakes by hand, over the embossed snowflakes(made with the snowflake embossing folder I always use that is very old). The sparkle on this card is wonderful!  I just wish the sparkle showed up in the photos like it does IRL(in real life).  Here's a close up...

Here's a picture I took of it hanging on a Christmas tree...

and the reality...

Early this morning at Walmart...just being real...oh what we do for a picture, sometimes! 😄😄

Hope you are having a great weekend...happy crafting!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Holiday Sparkle Blog Hop!

I am thrilled and honored to be be a part of today's Simon Says Stamp Blog Hop, celebrating Simon Says Stamp's newest release, Holiday Sparkle!  I have used one of the wonderful new stamp/die sets, to make a card, a couple tags, and a shadow box full of very cool Christmas trees...

I love how this set makes such pretty trees. There are four different stamps that stamp nine trees along with their bases. Each stamp stamps a different part of the tree, which gives you the ability to use different colors on each of the different parts of the tree...so very cool!   I used the trio of Simon Pawsitively Saturated Ink pads that were perfect for a pine tree, Pine, Sage, and Aspen, and went to stamping.  I used my MISTI, as it is the easiest and most perfect way to precisely stamp this combo of stamps.  After stamping, I die cut all the trees. 

 For the first card, I layered the die cut trees a couple times and adhered to a card panel that I had stamped one of the wonderful sentiments from this set, and embossed some snowflakes with a very old and very loved Cuttlebug rain/snow embossing folder.  I have included an embossing folder, in my supply list,  that is somewhat similiar, but sadly, since the Cuttlebug folder, I have not seen another with the light and varied snowflakes.   You can also use embossing paste and a stencil, I've also included a stencil that I think would be perfect for this.  Snow or no snow, these trees are beautiful!!  Here's a close up...

Then I made a couple tags...

I had been watching Hallmark Christmas movies, and this song was part of one of my favorite movies, A Crown for Christmas, so I used it for all my projects today!  I used some Simon tag dies, and then stamped a "to and from" from a CZ Design stamp set, on the back(there is an additional die cut tag adhered to the back side of the tag so both sides look "nice"(my Big Shot makes the back side of my die cutting a bit rough).  Here's the back of the tags...

The third thing I used the trees for was for filling an almost discarded wooden set of shadow boxes box that had contained some wooden trinkets...

I LOVE recycling...all kinds!  So, when it comes to the craftroom, I save anything with any potential for future use, so this wooden shadow box was a keeper.  I used foam, die cutting and layering three foam trees for each stamped and die cut tree.  I adhered them with my Tombow runner, wet glue did not work.  I adhered them together, then adhered into the box, and added the same sentiment stamped in the Pine ink and adhered to the box.  I thought this would be sweet on a desk, shelf or mantel!  Here's a close up...

Here, you can see the depth of the trees with the foam...

I had SO much fun making my projects...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, November 16th, so make sure you check the Simon Blog on the 16th, 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

Jennifer McGuire

Amy Rysavy

Suzy Plantamura

Keisha Charles

Yana Smakula

Barbara Tarayao

Emma Williams

Heather Ruwe

Bibi Cameron

                               Lisa Addesa<-----You are HERE

Barb Engler

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 Holiday Zipper Pouch with any $50 purchase!  Simply use the code CUTEBAG when checking out, to get this gift!  Just remember the offer is only good until the end of the day on November 13th, or until supplies last!  

Second...there is another blog hop tomorrow at the Simon Blog, so hope you will join the fun for more celebration and inspiration tomorrow!  

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

Hugs!  Lisa