Chris' Faux Bargello Background Using Graphic 45

This is a great way to use up strips and scraps and make a variety of backgrounds. I started with four different papers (3 from Graphic 45 Hallowe’en In Wonderland Collection and one orange from my stash). I then cut the paper into strips about 3/4" wide by 8" tall and fiddled around with them until I liked the sequence of the strips. (You could possibly cut to six inches, but that limits how much shifting you can do with the strips later.) Using my Pink ATG, I glued them down on a thin piece of cardstock. (See figure 1)


I then turned the paper with all the strips sideways to cut through the 8" lengths, so when I cut the next set of strips they would have all the colors in them. (See Figure 2)


I cut these at random widths from 1/2" to 1". Now putting them next to each other on the table I shifted some strips up and some down until I had the pattern I wanted. (See Figure 3)


I transferred these strips to a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of cardstock that I had run through my Xyron. I made sure that I covered the whole piece and kept my pattern. Now all I had to do was trim off the excess paper and finish my card.


I used Happy Hauntings Cricut cartridge to make the tree at 4 1/2". The background layer was yellow Bazzill card stock and the top layer is a piece of Graphic 45 paper. I inked both layers with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and staggered the top layer as I glued it down with my Zig Glue Pen. The ghost is cut from mulberry paper, using the same Cricut cartridge, cut at 2 1/2". “Beware” is cut at 1". The green trims are remnants from a border I had made for another card, but that just set off the top of the card and under the tree.

Card 2 of 7 for Halloween done…how many do you have to make?