Backgrounds

I was fiddling around the other day with trying to make a background - not for anything in particular, just for the fun of it. I used a gothic arch shape simply because it was to hand at the time and was really pleased with the outcome. Its made by stamping the images randomly over the surface in two different colours, then I rubbed it all over with a cotton wool ball dabbed onto a very light brown ink pad to give it an aged look and to take away the white of the card. Next I stamped the wording in dark brown and rubbed the ink pad round the edge of the arch. All in all I was very pleased with the effect. I didn't want to use the arch for anything but thought the effect would be great for a card so I did it again on a birthday card for my Dad which I will give to him tomorrow - his birthday was actually a couple of days ago but I forgot !!! Oooops !!!