Hello friends! Usually I’m pretty happy with the decorative papers I have on hand, and if not I look for a little retail shopping to find what I need.☺️ Sometimes, though, it’s fun to play around with your stamps and inks and create your own! That’s what I did recently, and I want to show you the process, and some tips for creating your own papers!

It’s called background stamping, or sometimes pattern stamping: 2–3 stamps + 2–3 colors + intentional repetition = your own patterned paper! I’ve included a tutorial at the end of this post to explain the process in detail, so be sure to download it.

Aren’t these snails adorable? I started by taking an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of white cardstock and stamped snails in random patterns.

I added in the Birthday Wishes and present stamps (©Stampin’ Up!), again in random stamping.

I added dots using two of Stampin’ Up!’s blends (alcohol markers): Dark Flirty Flamingo and Dark Pool Party.

to finish it off, I added a few round embellishments in the same colors and a Happy Birthday greeting tag to add visual interest to the card.

The best part with this technique is that it doesn’t require you to buy any new supplies; you can use whatever you have on hand! The free tutorial goes into detail on how to stamp your own paper, from choosing which stamps to use, color ideas, and five different styles of stamping. Download it below ⬇️

Want this tutorial in your inbox early? Join my mailing list here

Happy Creating!

Jen