Using Printed Transparencies
by Gemiel Matthews
Remember those transparencies from grade school? The teacher would put them on
the overhead projector, shine them on the screen and use colored pens to
illustrate some complex problem. Well, transparencies have now crossed over into
the scrapbooking world. But these are not the transparencies of your past.
Transparencies have evolved over the years. Not only can you find better quality
clear transparencies, you can find colored and preprinted transparencies as
well. And you can find all kinds of prints: words, quotes, pictures, photos,
maps, memorabilia, the list goes on and on. In this article, we will explore
some tips and techniques for using preprinted transparencies.
Once the scrapbook industry embraces a product, they run with it. Now there are
many companies that make preprinted transparencies. 7gypsies, Li'l Davis
Designs, Artistic Expressions, Magic Scraps, Creative Imaginations, Daisy D's
Paper Co., Me and My Big Ideas, and K & Co., just to name a few. You can expect
even more companies to enter the market in the upcoming months.
The most frequently asked question about using transparencies is "How do I
adhere them?" This creates quite a dilemma because transparencies are clear so
most adhesives will show through. I have had great success using the Xyron
machine, spray adhesive or Crystal Lacquer or glue dots.
Another option is to use a fine tip glue pen or tiny glue dots and place the
adhesive behind printed letters or other darker printed elements on the
transparency. If you have any areas of your transparency that will be covered by
a photo or other page element, you can use traditional adhesives such as photo
squares, tape, etc. Just be sure to place the adhesive directly under the
section of the transparency that will be covered.
If you don't want to use adhesive, other options for attaching transparencies
include brads, eyelets, snaps, clips, buttons, staples, photo turns, nail heads,
and stitching. Now that you know how to adhere transparencies, let's look at
some ways to use them on your layouts.
Overlays:
Overlays are 8 ½ x 11 or 12x12 transparencies that you just lay over the top of
a completed layout. I have matted my photos, attached them to the background
paper and laid the transparency on top of the layout. I attached the tags and
eyelet phrase to the layout on top of the transparency to help hold it in place.
No adhesive is used to attach the overlay as the layout will be placed in a page
protector. I have also double matted photos, placing one mat on the background
paper under the transparency and placing the second mat and photo on top of the
transparency. I adhered the transparency to the background paper behind the top
photo mat.
Tags:
Transparencies make great tags. Just cut a tag shape out of your transparency
sheet.
Slides and Shaker Boxes:
Use transparencies to make quick and easy windows for slides and shaker boxes.
Pockets:
Because they are see thru, transparencies make great pockets.
Page elements:
Transparencies can be cut apart and used as page elements.
An overlay transparency can be placed over the completed layout.
A printed transparency can be used as a page border and attached to the page
with brads.
Now that you have some ideas and tips for using preprinted transparencies it's
time for you to play. Remember the sky's the limit, use your imagination. You'd
be surprised with what you can create.