Trendy Tuesday – Clear Cardstock

 Trendy Tuesday – Clear Cardstock
by Katherine Elliot

Looking for a clear alternative to your usual cardstock projects?  Clear cardstock, also called window sheets, or acetate is a unique canvas for a special card.  The clear sheets also have many uses in 3D projects.  Special ink, such as Staz-On, must be used to stamp directly on the clear plastic surface, but whether you stamp on it directly or simply decorate it with paper and embellishments, it is guaranteed to impress.

Hello card by Lynn Mercurio, image source Stamperosity

Embellish the outside of a clear card and adhere a solid piece of cardstock to the inside to give yourself a place to add a sentiment or greeting.  The adorned card below is just waiting for the perfect words to be inscribed inside…

Transparent card, card design and image source by Elizabeta Kushner

In the Fly Away With Me card below, Liz Munoz cut a balloon shape that is displayed decorated on the outside & plain on the inside of the card.  The same shape in solid white on the interior of the card doesn”t reveal the sentiment when the card is closed.  What a clever card for this wonderful floating balloon!

Fly Away With Me card by Liz Munoz, image source Creative Time For Me

 The interior of your clear card could also be stamped decoratively, or reveal patterned paper on the inside adding some additional style to the project.

Krafty Birthday tag with acetate front by Pamela, image source Miao – a design blog

 

Everything Eleanor card by Linda Gutierrez, image source Stamping Year Round

 Clear sheets and acetate are also fun to use in 3D projects.  Handmade boxes and packaging using window sheets look so professional, you may have to convince someone you made it yourself!  Looking for more clear box ideas and instructions?  Make your own plastic boxes to gift a set of cards to a friend.  Instruction found here at e-how.

Transparent box by Laurie Clout, image source On the Bright Side

Acetate box by Tania Willis, image source Splitcoast Stampers. 

I found the cube shaped window box below in Andrea”s archives from her Sunny Stampin” blog.  I love this box, so even if it may be an older example, it”s still a classic and is a wonderful example of using the clear material to create perfect windows on a cardstock box.

Cube shaped window sheet box by Andrea Walford, image source Sunny Stampin”

  Thinking of windows using this medium, a window does not have to just be on a box.  Window cards are also very popular this time of year.   Any shape can create a window and all you have to do is adhere a clear sheet behind the empty space for easy, yet impressive results!

Free standing window card by Patsy Waggoner, instructions & image source Pat – Stamps to Die For 

Clear cardstock can be found at several on-line retailers, like Inky Antics, Heartfelt Creations, and Papertrey Ink.  Stampin” Up also sells acetate sheets they aptly call,  Window Sheets.  A similar product is called Thermo Acetate, as the sheets are called from Stampendous,  or you can use clear transparency film available from office supply stores, or go green and simply recycle some clear plastic packaging.

Stampendous acetate, image source Hallmarkscrapbook.com

3M transparency film, image source Amazon.com

 Note, transparency film sheets are often sold in large quantities, not entirely a bad idea if you have some crafty friends to share them with…

 A layered window makes a beautiful statement.  Floating butterflies and the interior sentiment revealed through the window on the card below by Susan Lankford looks extra special.  Find more ideas and information for Window Sheets from Stampin” Up by clicking on this link.

Window card by Susan Lankford, image source Stamp and Scrap with Susan

Check out these other beautiful examples of floating shapes on window cards…

Floating image window card by Nichole Heady, image source Capture the Moment

Thank You card by Lainey, image source Made at Home 

 Of course sometimes a window can just be a window!  The card below is a favorite of mine.  It looks so inviting.  Can”t you imagine being transported into the lovely make believe home revealed behind the window when you open this card?

Winter Window card by Ann image source Splitcoast Stampers

 And last, but not least, clear sheets are perfect for creating a shaker card.  Not familiar with shaker cards?  Essentially it is a technique that allows you to place glitter, sand, or other materials behind a layer of acetate popped up & secured on all sides with some dimensional tape.  The dimensional window secures the contents and allows the material to float around on top of the image you have encased in the window when shaken.  A fun technique for the young and old!

Shaker card by Sherrie Siemens, image source Sherrie-CardCreme

 Don”t forget to check out your recycle bin for some clean, flat clear packaging to give this technique a try if you”re not ready to commit to buying a stack of clear window sheets just yet.   Have fun trying some clear sheet projects!  Happy crafting, everyone.