• Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

all the sparkle

jessica frost-ballas

  • home
  • about me
    • about
    • creative resume
    • disclosure
    • house tour
  • Disclosure
  • craftroom
  • video tutorials
  • patreon
  • contact

Simon Says Stamp Diecember Release Blog Hop (VIDEO + GIVEAWAYS!)

2 Dec

Good morning!  Today I’m hopping along to celebrate the Diecember release from Simon Says Stamp!!  I shared my first Diecember card yesterday and today I’m sharing eight cards along with a video!  I know, I know…I never make this many cards at once…but you’ll see how easy it is and you’ll make a ton, too! 😉

Diecember 2017 by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp

You can watch the video below or in HD at my Youtube channel:

Alcohol inks are making a comeback in a BIG way these days and I wanted to try using them as I see alcohol ink artists use them on big canvases on instagram!  I’m not a fan of using the felt blending pads…they never really seem to give me the effect I want and all the colors blend together too much for my liking.  I follow several alcohol ink artists on instagram and I love the way they put droplets on a canvas, blow them around, and then add more colors.  It seems like a very free-flowing organic process and I figured there’s no reason I can’t do something similar for a card, right?  So basically I used that concept but on a much smaller surface, a 9×12 piece of yupo paper.  I used alcohol inks in indigo, denim, turquoise, amethyst, pool, and sailboat blue.  Off camera I used those colors with pitch black alcohol ink on one piece of paper and then on camera I used those colors with silver mixative for a brighter, sparkly look. After the inks dried I splattered the yupo paper with copic opaque white paint to create the look of snow across a wintery night sky.  I let that dry as well and then cut up the 9×12 paper to create a variety of cards!

Diecember 2017 by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp

For the first two cards I simply cut 4″ by 5.25″ inch panels of the alcohol ink background and adhered them to a white card base.  Then I die-cut the Bliss, Joy, and Felicity snowflakes using the new glitter paper from Simon Says Stamp and adhered them to the panels.  Finally I die-cut the sentiments from older SSS releases and adhered them over the snowflakes.  I used two layers of white cardstock on the lighter card and a layer of blue glitter over a layer of white cardstock on the darker card.

Diecember 2017 by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp

I mention this in the video but either of these backgrounds could be used for galaxy cards or underwater scenes!  Lots of ways to use these fun backgrounds for a variety of cards! 😉

Diecember 2017 by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp

For this card I die-cut the Sensational Snowflakes from white cardstock and reserved the snowflakes.  Then I adhered the alcohol inked background behind the white cardstock and adhered two white snowflakes on top.  Finally I added a die-cut sentiment using the silver glitter paper!

Diecember 2017 by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp

My next card uses the pretty Picture Book Tree die!  Again I die-cut it from a white card panel, adhered the alcohol inked background behind it and finished it with a glittery sentiment!

Diecember 2017 by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp

This card uses the same Sensational Snowflakes Collage die I used on my card yesterday but this time it’s backed by the alcohol inked panel.  I stamped the sentiment from Christmas Essentials with versamark, heat-embossed it with silver embossing powder, and then popped it up with foam mounting tape.

Diecember 2017 by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp

The rest of my cards follow a similar layout just using different sections of the alcohol inked background.  I love how unique all the cards look even though they’re using the same panel!  I hope these cards give you some ideas for how to incorporate alcohol inked backgrounds into your card designs.  And if you don’t have alcohol inks…you could easily create a similar look with a watercolored background, color burst sprinkled background, or a distress ink blended background…or even by using patterned paper or glitter paper!  I used only a small portion of the amazing dies that Simon Says Stamp just released for Diecember so make sure to head over and check out the full release!  What’s your favorite one?

And what’s a hop without a giveaway, right?  Simon Says Stamp has generously offered a $25 gift card to EVERY stop on the hop!!  All you need to do is visit and leave a comment on each blog.  The winners will be randomly selected from each blog and announced on the Simon Says Stamp blog!   There’s also a second blog hop tomorrow with even more inspiration and giveaways so don’t forget to check that out!  In case you encounter a broken link here is the full hop list for today:

  • Simon Says Stamp Blog
  • Jennifer McGuire
  • Kristina Werner
  • Debby Hughes
  • Amanda Korotkova
  • Jessica Frost-Ballas —> You are here!
  • Kathy Racoosin
  • Bibi Cameron
  • Heather Hoffman
  • Barb Engler
  • Sarah Moerman
  • Anna Kossakovskaya

Good luck!  If this is your first time visiting my blog I hope you’ll come back again!  You can subscribe to my blog via the sidebar on the right or find me on Instagram and Youtube.  Thanks for visiting and have a fabulous day!  Happy Hopping!

Interested in the products I used?  To make them easy for you to find, I have listed them below. (Affiliate disclosure can be found here). Your purchases through my links help keep my blog running with no additional cost to you and I thank you so much for the support!

Simon Says Stamp Big BLISS SNOWFLAKE
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp Big JOY SNOWFLAKE
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp Big Huge FELICITY…
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp PICTURE BOOK TREE…
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp SENSATIONAL…
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp EVERGREEN CIRCLE
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp SENSATIONAL SNOWFLAKES
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp BELIEVE
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp FA LA LA
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp Cardstock SILVER…
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp Cardstock WHITE…
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp Cardstock ASSORTMENT…
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Clear Stamps ADVENT…
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Clear Stamps CHRISTMAS…
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink POOL
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink TURQUOISE
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink SAIL BOAT BLUE
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink AMETHYST
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink DENIM
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink INDIGO
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink PITCH BLACK
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink SILVER Metallic…
[ SSS ]
Yupo WHITE WATERCOLOR 5×7 144lb Paper…
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Adirondack WHITE ALCOHOL…
[ SSS ]
Copic OPAQUE WHITE WITH BRUSH…
[ SSS ]
Tim Holtz Ranger ALCOHOL BLENDING…
[ SSS ]
Neenah Classic Crest 110 LB SMOOTH…
[ SSS ]
Inkadinkado EMBOSSING MAGIC Powder Bag
[ SSS ]
Tsukineko Versamark EMBOSS INK PAD
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp Premium Ink Pad…
[ SSS ]
Simon Says Stamp EMBOSSING POWDER…
[ SSS ]
Wagner Precision Heat Gun
[ SSS ]
Ranger Inkssentials GLOSSY ACCENTS
[ SSS ]
3M Scotch PINK ATG ADVANCED TAPE…
[ SSS ]
3M Scotch DOUBLE-SIDED FOAM TAPE
[ SSS ]
Sizzix BIG SHOT PLUS MACHINE
[ SSS ]
Ranger Inkssentials Non Stick CRAFT…
[ SSS ]

Share This:
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on email
Email

You May Also Enjoy:

  • CZ Designs + Simon Says Stamp!
    Yes You are Hashtag Legit by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp
  • Simon Says Stamp Encouraging Words Release!
    You're a Star by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp
  • Simon Says Stamp February 2017 Card Kit
    Coffee and Friends by Jessica Frost-Ballas for Simon Says Stamp

Comments:
427 Comments
Categories:
bloghop, card-making, crafting, design team, simon says stamp, video tutorial
Tags:
alcohol ink, simon says stamp

« 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist
Hero Arts December My Monthly Hero Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAY!) »

Comments

  1. Susi says

    December 2, 2017 at 1:44 pm

    Wonderful cards using this new Simon Says Stamp Die-Cember release, along with previous wonderful products!

    Reply
  2. Cheryle King says

    December 2, 2017 at 1:50 pm

    Excellent demonstration and tips. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  3. Barbara Chapman says

    December 2, 2017 at 1:51 pm

    gorgeous backgrounds and cards from the alcohol inks

    Reply
  4. Janet D. says

    December 2, 2017 at 1:52 pm

    Fantastic backgrounds, I love alcohol inks, the colors are so vibrant. I will have to try the technique you used.

    Reply
  5. Natalie says

    December 2, 2017 at 1:55 pm

    Awesome backgrounds! I watched your video and love that little tip for applying the “snow” spatters. Next time I try spatters I will put my work in a box and tap the box edges like you did to get my spatters to go straight down on the paper instead of shooting off on an angle.

    Reply
  6. Kati Caprara says

    December 2, 2017 at 1:55 pm

    Jessica, these cards are just gorgeous! I love your designs and these new dies are just fantastic! I just had to put the snowflakes in my cart!

    Reply
  7. Cindy Beach says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:01 pm

    Amazing cards and technique, Jess! You showcased the dies beautifully against the gorgeous backgrounds.
    I alos want to tell you I loved your video and beautiful card from the Craft Kindness class. I will be giving that a try!

    Reply
  8. dannscraftingwhims says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:06 pm

    These background are gorgeous and set off the new dies perfectly! I need to play with alcohol inks more!!

    Reply
  9. littlen says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    Beautiful backgrounds. TFS.

    Reply
  10. Ava G says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:15 pm

    Great presentation. Love the deep tone of the alcohol inks

    Reply
  11. Deborah Kaye says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    Your cards are beautiful! The alcohol ink backgrounds are amazing! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  12. Candace W. says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:21 pm

    gorgeous cards! the backgrounds are really cool. I have wanted to try alcohol inks and this Yupo paper….they are on my Christmas wish list. hoping I get some to try :))

    Reply
  13. Betty says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:27 pm

    beautiful cards, Jess – gotta get those alcohol inks out and give this a go!!

    Reply
  14. Debbie Scassera says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:28 pm

    Awesome backgrounds and cards! Alcohol inks are a lot of fun.

    Reply
  15. Joy Blonska says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    Wow! Amazing. Love them.

    Reply
  16. Oliev says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:37 pm

    Awesome cards!

    Reply
  17. Carmela says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:41 pm

    Love the vibrant blues and purples! Makes for some beautiful night skies and amazing cards!

    Reply
  18. vdoyle8 says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    Beautiful! You’ve inspired me to dust off my alcohol inks!

    Reply
  19. Becky Schneider says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:47 pm

    Love the vibrant colors! Very pretty! Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  20. Samantha Johnson says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:50 pm

    I love your inking, I was so inspired.

    Reply
  21. Caro Geo says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    This looks like you had a lot of fun — my kind of fun. Very appealing.

    Reply
  22. kathy Forpahl says

    December 2, 2017 at 2:56 pm

    Beautiful! I love the idea! Thanks for sharing your ideas!

    Reply
  23. mckcampbell says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:02 pm

    Those cards are so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing the alcohol ink process. I will be trying this myself today.

    Reply
  24. Stephanie W says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:06 pm

    Absolutely gorgeous cards!! Wow! love the look you made with the alcohol inks.

    Reply
  25. SuzanD says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:09 pm

    Jess, your alcohol ink background is a stunning. I need to try this technique to add artwork to my walls.

    Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! I read and appreciate all of your thoughts! :) Please know comments are moderated so it may take a few minutes for it to show up!Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Jessica About Me Photo
Hi, I'm Jess! Thanks for visiting my blog where I share my adventures in cardmaking and papercrafting! I hope I can inspire you to craft with a little extra sparkle!

Subscribe Via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email!

Join 3,083 other subscribers

Crafty Sales (updated regularly)

Favorite Crafty Shops

Previous Posts

Instagram

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No connected account.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to connect an account.

Disclosure

I design for several companies because I truly love their products! Anything I recommend on my blog is something that I genuinely love and regularly use. I do not get paid for product reviews and I will never recommend a product that I do not like or would not use.

I am affiliated with several of my favorite crafty companies which means I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you!!) when you click on one of my links and make a purchase through the store.

You can find my full disclosure as well as a list of the companies I am affiliated with HERE. Thank you so much for supporting me!

Most Popular Posts

Pinkfresh Studio Ink Pad Release Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAYS!!)
Chibitronics and Winnie & Walter Collaboration Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAYS!)
Hero Arts August My Monthly Hero Blog Hop (+ GIVEAWAY)
Hero Arts November My Monthly Hero Blog Hop
Waffleflower Spring 2018 Release Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAYS!)
Altenew Crafty Friends Blog Hop Day 1 (+GIVEAWAY!)
Simon Says Stamp DieCember Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAY!)
Winnie & Walter 4th Birthday Bash Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAYS!)
Layered Stenciling - Heffy Doodle and Trinity Stamps Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAYS!)
Guest-Designing for So Suzy Stamps (+ a giveaway)!

Copyright

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.

Copyright © 2026 · Bloom theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · All The Sparkle