Welcome back!
Start with a 12x12 blank page. Add whatever color background you would like. I used Not Quite Navy here. Then you will add a square punch and enlarge to the size you wish to cover. Then you will fill that punch with DSP called Night and Day - pattern 7 for example.
Now you want to change the opacity of the punch to 14% to lighten. The color behind will show thru the patterned paper punch. Neat, huh?
Many colors of backgrounds look wonderful with this pattern 7 dsp. Here is Old Olive.
Then playing more with other Night and Day Patterns and colors. Here is Rich Razzleberry with Night and Day - pattern 1 which is black on the thumbnail but when the opacity is changed it will become lighter.
So here is my finished page inspired by the two page layout in the Stampin Success magazine. The layout also come from one sample they show. Colors are Not Quite Navy, Pear Pizzazz, Going Gray and Basic Gray.
Just for fun, I changed the colors and picture and I have a different page. Colors are Baha Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Soft Suede and Crumb Cake (Kraft)
Hope you are able to use this on your next page!
Have a magical day!
Cindy