Alcohol Ink Galaxy with Nuvo Embellishment Mousse

Here's the last video in my series of experiments with Nuvo Embellishment Mousse to create galaxy backgrounds. This is my favourite! I was thinking about how much I liked the splotchy-ness of the ink-smooshed galaxies I've seen others make with watercolours. Plus, the black ash Nuvo Mousse is actually a grey. I really wanted try a galaxy with a true black top coat.

However, when you use a water-based ink or paint beneath and a black water-based ink or paint above, it can re-activate the bottom layer and you get mud. Nuvo Mousse works on porous surfaces, but dries permanent. However, it makes the surface non-porous, so you can't put water-based inks or paints on top. There's the aha moment! Alcohol inks will work on non-porous surfaces. So, I decided to put black alcohol ink on top!

This is how it turned out. It looks so neat! The alcohol ink leaves a shiny finish, especially where it is thicker. It looks like the paper is still wet but it's not. In person, it looks almost like a photograph because of the glossy finish.

I haven't made any cards with this piece yet because I don't want to cut it up! I did buy a great rocket die in a set so that I could make things with my experimental galaxies. Perhaps, this piece will find it's way to the front of a card sometime.

Click through to my video on YouTube to see my process for making this background.

(I did try one other technique that I did not film: spritzing black ash mousse through a mini-mister. this created a soft but even cover of the grey mousse on the top layer. I prefer to see splotches of colour coming through more vibrantly in my galaxies.)

2 Pattern Card Set with 6x6 paper

I've been watching videos by Kristi Marcotte on her 6x6 paper pad card making tutorials. I have never bought a 6x6 paper pad, but I've had some given to me. I have lots of 12x12 paper though. I have many sheets that I've cut into but still have enough left to cut down to 6x6.

So, I decided to do a mash up between what Kristi does and the One Sheet Wonder concept. Kristi uses card sketches and uses multiple patterns from the pad, which naturally fit well together. So, I chose some card sketches that Kristi has used, inspired by her makes, and I cut a pair of coordinating 12x12 scrap patterned papers to 6x6.

Then, I figured out the most efficient way to cut the paper to get the sketches I wanted out of them. (That's the One Sheet Wonder part.)

Here's what I ended up with:

There are 2 sketches here. The first two cards are the same sketch, one with each patterned paper. You could pair the patterned papers, rather than make the rest out of cardstock if you wanted to use up more paper. But I was trying to stick to my "efficient cut" method, so I didn't have enough paper to pair on that card. I still like how it looks with just cardstock to accompany the patterns.

The middle card in this bunch is a sketch. The other two are just what I did with the left-over skinny strips.

I really like how these turned out. Not only will I do this set again with different papers, I'm going to pick some more sketches and do another version!

What a great way to build a card stash quickly! I have video walkthrough of these cards that shows which sketches I used. (It will take me some time to get it posted though.)