Playing with Backgrounds

I participated in a background swap this summer, where we each made 12 quarter sheet backgrounds. For my backgrounds I used the textured gesso technique, which are pictured here. I used the technique described by Adrienne, check out her website. I forgot to make some of these for myself. When I returned from my trip this month, I had received 12 different backgrounds in the mail.
I had a difficult time deciding if I should keep the backgrounds I received as samples to refer to or if I should play with them. I decided to cut off an ATC sized piece from each background (2-1/2" x 3-1/2"), write the creators name & instructions on the back, and then turn them into finished ATCs and store them in an ATC album. I now have the samples with instructions turned into my creations, and have more pieces of background to play with. I took pictures of the ATC sized cut backgrounds and what I made with them and put them in a slide show below. A BIG thank you to everyone for their inspiring backgrounds! I had a lot of fun.