My Creative Scrapbook: How to Create a Layered Background (and save cardstock!) by Tracy McLennon

Design Team member Tracy McLennon is sharing how she saves cardstock during her layering process!

As some of you may have already noticed, part of my “Tracy Style” when creating scrapbook layouts, is that I love to create a Layered Background. So today I thought I would share, just how I do that....and share a little bit of my frugal side with cardstock.

Have you ever been scrapbooking and YES!!! You found that perfect shade of pink cardstock for that layout. But....you only have 1 precious sheet of it. That is exactly where I began being frugal with my cardstock when layering. You have that ONE piece, and you want it as one of your background layers, but you also want it to mat your photo or create a title block. Some of you may already know this trick or have seen it but never tried it. Well here we go!

Here is the cardstock that I used for my project and the leftover bits that I had from my February Main kit. You will notice in the first image of my completed layout, that the dark green cardstock is my largest (12x12) layer. All I do is set the cardstock in my trimmer at the 1” mark. Now, instead of cutting a full strip off like you normally would with a trimmer. I started about an inch down, and cut down to about an inch from the bottom of my cardstock. I continued this for all 4 sides. What you are left with is a middle that will pop out....or will with a couple of snips from scissors.

It takes some practice to get used to. But eventually it will happen automatically.

Next I took my white cardstock. Your first step is to cut the next layer to the overall size that you want it. In this case I cut it to 11x11.

Then like the first layer, you are going to set it in your trimmer at the 1 inch mark, and again begin your cut 1” down from the top and cut down to 1” up from the bottom, and continue this on all 4 sides. Again, the middle will pop out and now you have both white and green for matting.

I also pulled a small piece of pink cardstock from my scrap stash for an additional matting layer.

Next, we are going to cut your last background layer. In this case it's the mustardy green colour, and I cut it to 10.75x10.75. I did not cut the middle out of this one.

Your background in now ready to assemble! Another little tip for you, I always start adhering with that top layer. So I would put adhesive on the outside/back of the mustardy green and place it down on the white and so on. To try to adhere the flimsy white onto the green frame first will only end in heartache.