Keeping it Simple - A Card Background

Simple.  Clean.  Clear.

That's my motto!  I am paper hoarder.  I have paper from at least 6 years ago still in my stash.  I finally found a good way to use up my pieces and strips of left over paper.  All you have to do is sort your paper into co-ordinating colours and - voila! - you can make a stunning card background.

I have a square punch but you could use a paper trimmer for this technique.  I like the look of three different patterned papers, but you could use one solid pattern or make every block different if you wanted to!  You can use up a lot of scraps on this style of card!

One trick I sometimes use to break up the sterility of so many straight lines is to ink the edges.  You can either chalk the edges with a circular motion and a Q-tip or cotton ball, or use ink and an ink dauber. 

Once your background is finished, you can dress it up.  On some, I used just a ribbon.  WIth the right colours of paper, this design makes a good masculine card.  On others, I used a large focal point.  Large die-cuts are perfect for this design, whether commercially printed die-cuts, homemade, or chipboard shapes.

Have fun making a good dent in your stash!