• 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. sdelane3 says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:14 pm

    Just beautiful backgrounds on all of these card and thank you for the video.

    Reply
  2. Bunny says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:15 pm

    Those dies and alcohol inks spell fun. Lovely cards.

    Reply
  3. donna joy says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:17 pm

    love how you used the alcohol inks! beautiful cards~

    Reply
  4. eliza d says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:19 pm

    Those backgrounds are SO gorgeous and I love that you kept it simple with the rest of the cards in white or matching glitter!

    Reply
  5. R. Hill says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:22 pm

    WOW! Love the night sky with the trees, especially. Really nice.

    Reply
  6. Barb Housner says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    beautiful cards, I forget to use my alcohol inks. thanks for sharing your talent

    Reply
  7. Jen Finley says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    I like the falala withe the big snowflakes. Its simply stunning. It reminds me of the night sky in winter.

    Reply
  8. Tracy TImm says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:27 pm

    your backgrounds are so inspiring!

    Reply
  9. barbara lassiter says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:33 pm

    These are stunning. Thanks for the video on how to use the alcohol inks on Yupo paper!

    Reply
  10. Terry D says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:34 pm

    Love the alcohol ink backgrounds. I have done quite a few for Christmas cards this year.

    Reply
  11. Monica C Bartz says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:39 pm

    Love the backgrounds. I am going to have to give this a try since I just got some samples of the yupo paper! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  12. Lee says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:49 pm

    Stunning work!!

    Reply
  13. Judy H. says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:49 pm

    Love this technique! Your cards were absolutely gorgeous. Hard to pick a favorite die but would have to say Felicity snowflake….or maybe the collage dies…just want them all!

    Reply
  14. Ivana Pekova says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:50 pm

    Great backgroung,lovely cards.

    Reply
  15. Mary Schmidt says

    December 2, 2017 at 3:51 pm

    Great Cards. Creating galaxy is all the rage now. It is amazing how many cards you were able to use the one piece of galaxy on. Love all the snowflake dies.

    Reply
  16. Kelly Fusco says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:02 pm

    I love these dies and they are so versatile! Boy you guys are talented.

    Reply
  17. Ali says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    Beautiful cards! Thanks for the inspiration using alcohol inks. I purchased a bunch and am anxious to give them a try.

    Reply
  18. Mindy Berardi says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    just love the colors….. makes me want to do my own right now!!!

    Reply
  19. Janelle says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:13 pm

    Wow! Your cards are truly dramatic with your bold colors on white. Very inspiring.

    Reply
  20. Karen B Walker says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:16 pm

    The colors in these cards are SO beautiful!

    Reply
  21. Donna Streagle says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    Your beautiful backgrounds go so well with the cut out dies!

    Reply
  22. Kay Tanaka says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    Gorgeous!! Alcohol inks are so fun to play with, don’t you think? The only part I don’t care for is some parts have too much ink and feel tacky but you also don’t want to fix it it too much and ruin it.

    Reply
  23. xen77 says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:21 pm

    Incredible backgrounds!

    Reply
  24. Diane Stricker says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    Very pretty. Your use of alcohol inks make nice backgrounds.

    Reply
  25. D Orr says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:25 pm

    Love the rich color of the alcohol inks, very clean and elegant.

    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)
Waffleflower Spring 2018 Release Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAYS!)
Hero Arts November My Monthly Hero Blog Hop
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!)
12 Days of Christmas Video Blog Hop (+GIVEAWAYS!)

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