Making your own background card stock

I don’t have a big stock of printed patterned paper at home. Don’t get me wrong, there are some absolutely stunning papers out there and I do use them occasionally, but I prefer to make my own backgrounds using different techniques. Often, I spend my time in play mode, experimenting with different things. Here are a few examples I’ve created.

I used all Gina K Designs products on this card panel. Firstly, I stamped one of the designs from the Double Background 2/Grip Mat with Moonlit Fog onto white card stock. I then stamped images from Summer Silhouettes and Gentle Silhouettes in Dark Spruce. I also ink-blended some of the Moonlit Fog in various places. I will probably make a Christmas card with this background.

This background was made using Gina K Designs Petite Flourish embossing folder. I then randomly added Metallic Rub-Ons in the following colours: Walnut, Rosewood, Silver Blue, and Iris. This gives the panel a vintage look so I’ll continue with that theme when creating the card.

This panel was created by using a stencil (from my stash; not sure what brand) and spraying Simon Hurley Solar Spray in Overheated, Golden Hour, and Crocodile Tears. This technique doesn’t give you a perfect finish – it’s not meant to – but more of a grungy look.

I pressed what was left on the stencil onto some black card stock. This time, it has a soft look.

I sprayed black card stock with Simon Hurley Solar Spray in Golden Hour, then used Simon Hurley Solar Paste in Beluga with a stencil (again, from my stash and not sure which brand).

Again, using a random stencil from my stash and black card stock, I sprayed with Simon Hurley Solar Spray Royal Flush and Cross My Heart, and maybe a touch of Beluga.

I swiped warm yellow card stock with metallic ink then, using the same stencil as for Panel 6, I added Simon Hurley Solar Paste in Crocodile Tears. I then matted with black and mint card stock.

I encourage you to have play time with your products. This is where you’ll create amazing backgrounds that you can later turn into beautiful cards. I’ll post a video soon with the cards I make from these backgrounds.