Help with a background

I'm interested in learning how the background at http://members.shaw.ca/annaps/list/bg.gif was created? I'm assuming it's a pattern fill but am not sure.

Two things I'm really interested in are:

1: On the left side of the image, it almost looks like the pattern isn't filled completely and there areas where there are just a few of the darker pattern filled areas, as if the pattern has been splattered.

2. Starting in the middle of the pattern, moving towards the right had side, it looks as if the pattern is torn and the underlying lighter blue is showing up. Is this done manually by just erasing some of the top layer pattern or is there an easier way of creating this look?

Just to make it a bit easier to see the image, I have the normal size image at the top of the website listed above and below that is a zoomed in image so that the details can be seen better.

Thank you.

Anna

It looks to me like a number of filters were used to create this. Probably two simple layers of different colors merged and then multiple filters applied. I can't think off the top of my head which ones were used, most likely the pointilize mixed with mosaic tiles to get the "dotted" look out to the side. Also, they probably applied a layer beveled texture to get the weird texture it has. Try messing around with a bunch of different layers and layer options and see what happens.