Tutorial: Using Stamps to Make Your Own Pattern Paper Part 1

Using stamps to create your own pattern paper allows you to choose the images and colors that are perfect for your layout, card or project. This can also be a very cost effective way to create projects using beautiful papers since you can use your stamps again and again to create new and different papers.

The simplest papers to create use one stamp and one ink color. Here I am using Ruby Ink and a stamp from the Simple Memories set both from Close to My Heart. I inked up my stamp and started somewhere near the middle of  the page.

This flower shaped doily stamp works well in a repeating pattern. I re-inked the stamp and turned it slightly to continue the pattern across the page. Repeating a pattern across the page is easiest if your stamp doesn't have an obvious top or bottom. Stamps that can look "upside down" don't work as well for this technique. 

You could easily fill a whole page with this technique. I added another element to my paper by keeping the same stamp but use Champagne ink. I continued the same process of inking the stamp and then turning it so that the flower petals fit together. 

One tip to make your patterns look more realistic is to continue the pattern off of the page. On this paper I stamped off the page on each side. (Just be sure you have covered your work surface!)

When I stamp my own background paper I don't worry about it looking perfect. Sometime the images are closer together than others. Sometimes the images don't stamp perfectly. This mimics many of the distressed papers that are available to purchase and just adds to the homemade feel of the paper.

Check back on Wednesday for another way to use stamps to create your own pattern paper!

Have you ever created your own paper? Why not try now! Share your examples here. I can't wait to see what you create!