Wa-hoo, Look at You! A Self Made Background Using Patterned Paper Scraps

I'm sharing a little playful bit I threw together last weekend in a burst of creativity.  I had seen a similar card online and I have so many different MME paper pad scraps that this card seemed to need to be made.  It was simple to put together, let me see if I can remember each step:

1. I created the thin, angles slices by first making a long, thin rectangle from the scraps.  Some were the full length of the 6 in paper pad and about 1.5 to 2 inches wide.  The rest were smaller than that, depending upon the scrap of paper that was left behind.  After they were a nice rectangle, I used my paper trimmer to cut them on the diagonal creating a very pointed triangle.
2. I punched the circle from a piece of the patterned paper and one from plain white printer paper with my 1 in paper punch.
3. I colored a piece of white cardstock using my Peacock Feathers Distress Stain.  I wasn't overly careful as I intended this for the background which would only show about 1/8 in. around.  I trimmed the final piece down to fit on the card base.
4. I used a tape runner to glue the white circle to white cardstock in a strategic location and then placed tape runner all along the piece- covering the white circle as well.  I used a tape runner so it was forgiving and sticky.  
5. Then it was a matter of piecing each paper scrap down.  Some, by necessity had to go on the short side.  Sometimes the choice was simply to balance the color combinations.  I, ultimately used papers from three different, but complimentary paper pads- not all papers from each pad, but coordinating ones.  The trick is to try to keep the "pointy" end of the paper focused.  Sometimes, I trimmed the pointy end to get the larger widths on the outer end the paper.  In the end, it is a matter of taste and your own style.  Don't be afraid to lift a piece up and try it in another place or another location. Ultimately, I trimmed the piece down to fit onto the Peacock Feathers colored paper acting as a matting for my self made background.
6. The flower is white cardstock cut with my Vintage Floret die and colored with Peacock Feathers with a I'm Amaized prills center.  The circle is adhered with some foam squares.
7. The sentiment is stamped in black Archival Ink and glued right onto the background paper.

This is a great all purpose card I left in the stash with a blank page on the inside to fill up with either a handwritten note or a stamped sentiment for a specific occasion.  It was a fun experiment that tested my crafty eye.  I say- give it a try yourself sometime and use up some of those scraps!