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Friday Top 5: Creative Background Ideas for Junk Journals & Mixed Media

  • May 22
  • 3 min read

One of the easiest ways to make your junk journals, handmade cards, tags, and mixed media projects stand out is by creating interesting backgrounds. Backgrounds add depth, texture, color, and personality — and they don’t have to be complicated to make a big impact.

This week’s Friday Top 5 is all about our favorite ways to create beautiful layered backgrounds using inks, stencils, stamping, texture, and splatter techniques. Whether you love vintage junk journals, artsy mixed media, or colorful cardmaking, these ideas are easy to customize and fun to experiment with.


1. Add Color with Ink Blending, Smushing & Sprays

Color is often the very first layer that brings a background to life. Ink blending creates soft gradients and smooth transitions, while ink smushing and sprays add organic movement and texture.


Try experimenting with:

  • Distress Ink & Distress Oxide blending

  • Spray stains and shimmer sprays

  • Ink smushing on craft mats

  • Layered color combinations


These techniques are perfect for creating dreamy skies, vintage pages, watercolor looks, and artistic mixed media effects.


💜 Blend. Smush. Spray. Shine.


2. Create Depth Through Collaging

Collaging is one of the core elements of junk journaling and mixed media art. Layering papers, book pages, ephemera, lace, tickets, tissue paper, and scraps instantly adds visual interest and storytelling.


Some favorite collage elements include:

  • Vintage book paper

  • Music sheets

  • Receipts & tickets

  • Washi tape

  • Handmade ephemera

  • Textured papers


The more layers you build, the richer and more unique your project becomes.


💜 Layer it your way.


3. Add Texture with Stencils

Texture is what takes a flat background and makes it feel dimensional and artistic. Stencils are one of the easiest ways to add that extra detail.


Try using:

  • Texture paste

  • Crackle paste

  • Ink through stencils

  • Layered stencil designs

  • Metallic waxes over stencil texture


Even simple stencil patterns can completely transform a background.


💜 Texture changes everything.


4. Use Stamping Around the Edges

Background stamping is one of the easiest ways to make a project feel finished and layered. Try stamping lightly around the edges of your pages or over collage layers for added depth.


Great background stamps include:

  • Script stamps

  • Floral outlines

  • Grunge textures

  • Vintage handwriting

  • Splatter stamps


This technique works beautifully in junk journals, tags, cards, and mixed media canvases.


💜 Small details. Big impact.


5. Finish with Splatter & Spritz

Sometimes the final touch is what brings the entire project together. Ink splatter, shimmer sprays, and water droplets add movement, texture, and an artsy finish.


Some easy finishing techniques:

  • Water splatter over Oxides

  • Paint flicking

  • Shimmer mist sprays

  • White splatter for contrast

  • Metallic splatter accents


These little details make backgrounds feel more organic and creative.


💜 Messy in the best way.


Final Thoughts

The best part about creative backgrounds is that there are no strict rules. Layer colors, mix textures, experiment with stencils, stamp over collage pieces, and have fun discovering your own style.


Backgrounds are where creativity really starts to shine — and every layer adds more personality to your project.


✨ Which technique is your favorite: blending, collaging, stenciling, stamping, or splatter?

We’d love to hear what you’re creating!


Want to See It in Action?

✨ This month we’re focusing on Junk Journaling and Mixed Media — from creative backgrounds and layering techniques to easy projects you can actually finish.

If you’re just getting started, you’re in the right place.


And if you’ve been crafting for years… it’s always fun to experiment with new techniques and fresh creative ideas.


🎨 Join Us This Saturday!

We’ll be sharing creative demos, background techniques, mixed media inspiration, and fun ways to add texture and color to your projects.


It’s a great way to learn something new from the comfort of home — or stop by the store and we’ll be happy to show you in person!


👉 Join us LIVE on Facebook or YouTube at 9AM EDT

OR

👉 Visit us at ScrappyShak


💜 Ready to start creating?

Shop your favorite junk journaling, mixed media, stamping, and papercrafting supplies here:https://www.scrappyshak.com

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