Baby Got Back(grounds)!

I had some great comments and questions on my previous Smartboard Linky Party post, so I thought I'd share a little bit of my know-how with those interested. One easy, fun way to jazz up your Notebook files is by creating backgrounds. First I must start with a disclaimer: Everything I'm about to show you I learned on my own through trial and error. If there is an easier, faster way to do this, please don't tell me because you'll break my heart. Just kidding, feel free to any tips you have in the comments :)

I know the pix are a bit small, but just click on them and they get much bigger.
First, open a notebook file or create a blank page.

Click on the properties tab - the one highlighted in blue below. You'll see the panel open. Now click on "image" fill and then the word "browse" under the little gray window.

Now, for this you'll need to have some files with background images. I get most of mine from Thistlegirl.com. (If you plan to sell these, you'll need to buy both of her reseller's licenses) Once you click on "browse" a window will open for you to choose your file:

Once you click on your choice, then click the "open" button, your page will fill up with that image!  (Im a Mac girl, so this part may look different for my PC peeps). Now, I think that's busy for a background, so I usually create a blank space in the middle and leave this image sort of like a frame.

 To create the frame effect, click on your page and go up to the shape menu and choose a square.

 Now, click on the square you just created, choose "properties" from the drop down menu, click on "solid fill" and choose a color.

 Now stretch and position the square to make a frame.

To make a border around the frame, click on the square again, choose "properties" and "line style". Now you can play with the color, size and style of your line (which is the outline of the square).

 Lock it in place and you're ready to create!

Play around with this a bit and see how it goes. Let me know how it worked for you. If you have anything else you'd like to know how to do ~ ask away & I'll do my best to help out!

*Check out Mrs. Miner's Monkey Business Interactive White Board Linky