Balloon Background Technique

Balloons can be great scrapbooking tools to help you create a one of a kind background for your pages. You can use different colors of ink and even fill the balloons with things to make shapes and textures. Some balloon filler suggestions are macaroni, rice, jellybeans, etc.

Here is what you will need:

• Latex Balloons, not blown up (some loose and some rubber banded together).

• Uncooked macaroni, rice or jelly beans

• Ink pads (any color)

• Cardstock (different colors)

•Stamps

Simple Instructions

Using macaroni:

Put uncooked macaroni into a balloon (as much or as little as you like). Then, take the filled balloon, tap it on an inkpad, and lightly tap it onto your white or colored cardstock multiple times before re-inking again. You will create different variations of your macaroni shape.

Using rice in your balloon:

Put uncooked rice into the balloon, filling it up as much or as little as you would like. Then, take the rice filled balloon, dip it in ink and press it onto your cardstock. Press it multiple times in different places around your paper. This will create a unique pattern. You can use multiple colors to make the design “stand out” and be prevalent in the background.

Using jellybeans in your balloon:

Put different sizes of jellybeans into a balloon (as much or as little as you like). Blow the balloon up not quite half way. Let it sit until the balloon stretches out some (1-2 hours) then let the air out again.

Then, ink up the balloon with your desired color and tap it onto your cardstock in different locations around the paper. Make as many or as little impressions as you would like. You will be left with a multiple of shapes and textures on your page.

With the balloon technique you are basically creating your own background paper. You can coordinate your colors to match certain pictures and themes. The possibilities are endless.