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Background Stamping ~ Making Your Own Patterned Cardstock

Dawn Burke
Scrampin’ Love Bug
Newbies Scramping Team Designer

The ability to be able to stamp your own patterned background cardstock is one of the great advantages of using rubber stamps with your scrapbooking. You don’t have to go out to buy special cardstocks for your pages. You can use your rubber stamps to totally customize the look of your layout!

Supplies:
Fall Scribbles Rubber Stamp Set (TAC, The Angel Company)
Alpha Blocks Rubber Stamp Set (TAC, The Angel Company)
Burnt Sienna Palette Hybrid Ink (TAC, The Angel Company)
3”x3” Acrylic Block (TAC, The Angel Company)
1”x1” Acrylic Block (TAC, The Angel Company)
VersaMark Watermark Ink (Tsukineko)
Terra Cotta Cardstock 8 ½” x 11”  (TAC, The Angel Company)
Straw Cardstock (TAC, The Angel Company)
                     cut to: 4”x 5 ½”  2 pieces for photo mats
                               2 ½“ x 2 ½”  1 piece for journal block
                               8 ½“ x 2 ½” 1 piece for title header

Stardust Cardstock (TAC, The Angel Company)
cut to: 1 ½ “x 1 ½ “ 1 piece for journal block
           7”x 2” 1 piece for title letters

Twine (Unknown)
Leaf Buttons (Unknown)
Gold Mini Brads (TAC, The Angel Company)
Hydra Sponge (TAC, The Angel Company)
Paper Trimmer (Fiskars)
1/8” Long Reach Punch (Marvy)
Kai Scissors (TAC, The Angel Company)
Glue stick (Marvy)
Scotch Double Stick tape removable (3M)

Instructions: 

1.    Arrange 3 leaves and pumpkin from the Fall Scribbles Rubber Stamp set onto the 3x3 acrylic block. This will make your pattern on the cardstock so arrange how you please.

2.    Ink up arranged stamps with the VersaMark pad. Randomly stamp onto the 8 ½”x11” Terra Cotta Cardstock. Cover cardstock completely. I like to stamp some of the images off the sides a bit to make it not so perfect. Set aside.

3.    Put 1 leaf stamp from the Fall Scribbles Rubber stamp set on the 1x1 block.  I used the more bold leaf.

4.    Ink up the stamp with the Burnt Sienna Palette Hybrid Ink.  Randomly stamp onto all pieces of the Straw and Stardust cardstock.

5.    After you have made your pattern, take the 8 ½ “x 2 ½” piece for title header and tear along one side of the 8 ½” long side.

6.    Take Hydra Sponge and ink it up with the Burnt Sienna Palette Hybrid Ink. Fleck along all edges of the Straw cardstock pieces, To do this, dab the sponge a few times onto the ink pad. Then, brush the sponge across the edges of the paper using a top to bottom stroke.  Re-ink the sponge as needed to achieve your desired look. Set aside.

7.    Spell out the words Fall Fun with the Alpha Blocks Rubber stamp set and place onto the 1x1 block.  Ink up the letters using Burnt Sienna Palette Hybrid Ink and stamp onto the 7”x2” piece of Stardust Cardstock for a title. Cut each letter out close to image with your Kai Scissors. Set aside.

8.    Take the Stardust piece for a journal block and journal as you wish.

9.    Now, let’s put it all together! Adhere the cutout letters to the title block with glue. Adhere the journal piece to the Straw 2 ½ “x 2 ½” with glue.

10.           Punch holes with 1/8” long reach in each corner of the Straw pieces for photo mats. Add the Gold mini brad.

11.           Attach the Title header to the Terra Cotta Stamped Background paper about ¼” from the top with glue.

12.           Place photos on the Straw photo mats with double-sided tape. Arrange the Photo mats in the middle of the Terra Cotta Stamped Background with glue.

13.           Adhere the Journal block on the left side near the bottom.

14.           Punch 2 holes with the 1/8” long reach punch spaced close together starting about ½ inch in on the title header on both left and right sides. Take a piece of twine and tie knots for accent.

15.           Cut a piece of twine about 17 inches long, thread leaf buttons on the twine, and wrap around the bottom of the layout. Secure on the back with tape.

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