Transparencies are clear sheets that can come preprinted with a design or clear for you to print your own design. Many companies are now offering preprinted transparencies in lots of colors, designs and sizes. Transparencies can vary in thickness quite a lot so bear this in mind for your projects, especially if you want the transparency to be the background of the project, you’ll need to choose a thicker style transparency sheet.
You can use the preprinted transparencies like you would patterned paper or vellum, in place of a solid sheet, as an accent or as the background to a project, there really are a lot of options for using this medium. On the card below I chose to use the transparency as the background for the card. It really is a great way to make your projects stand out from the crowd, and makes great cards or invitations!
 | Two Shall Become One Beginner Project Zoom in to view this project closer Make this project: |
As well as using transparencies for the background of the project the can be the focal point, replacement for patterned paper, the embellishment or just a finishing touch. When using them in this way the biggest challenge becomes hiding the adhesive after all the whole point of transparencies is that they are clear, allowing you to view the papers underneath.
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On the card above I attached the transparency using brads. Mini brads are a great way to attach transparencies and it also unifies and reinforces a color scheme. I also added some adhesive behind the silver cardstock. Hiding your adhesive is a quick and easy way to adhere transparencies! The card below also features hidden adhesive under the ribbon! Adding the ribbon hides the cut edge of the transparency and hides the adhesive. Using photo corners is another way to attach transparencies!
 | Happiness and Joy Beginner Project Zoom in to view this project closer Make this project: |
There are so many ways to attach transparencies to projects, here is a short list:
• Hide the adhesive – be resourceful and hide adhesive with accents, photo’s, paper or cardstock.
• Photo corners – Incorporate them into your design and slip the transparency in!
• Brads/eyelets/paperclips/ staples etc – attach the transparency to the project using metal embellishments
• Buttons – hides glue dots and great embellishment!
• Sewing – a few hand stitches keep the transparency in place, or get the sewing machine out to stitch along the edges
• Ribbon – hide the adhesive, or make holes to thread through and knot in place
• Cardstock – use a frame around the transparency or a strip at the edges
So dig out those transparencies, and pick new and unique ways to attach them to your projects!
To find the products mentioned in this article and shown in these layouts, check with your local scrapbook retailer. Browse our Premier Retail Stores for coupons to a store near you.
