Simple Basics: Captured Memories

Hi Everyone! Allison (AKA Ally) here with my first Simple Stories blog post! I have to say when I first met Amber and the Simple Stories team, I was completely enamored by the Simple Stories concept combined with the classy and cool stylings of the products. I knew right away that Simple Stories designs and my simple, but technique loving self, were a match made in heaven. I couldn't have been more right too. 

Among my scrapping buddies I'm known as the technique girl - willing to get my hands dirty, and proud of it! But sometimes playing with techniques means spending way too much time on a single layout. But with Simple Stories products, that just doesn't have to ring true. I couldn't believe my own timer when I finished this layout in just under 40 minutes! Really, it's true! Starting with the pre-printed photo overlay added speed and class to the design. 

Here's how you can make quick work of a layout while still adding a flair of fun techniques. First decide on your overlay of choice. I happened to choose one that is a self-adhesive overlay from the gorgeous Destinations line, but this technique works on the straight transparency overlays as well (and probably better too). You will also need to choose some alcohol inks (I chose stream and meadow for a nice ocean blue and green combo). Get out a fresh piece of felt and your blending solution and you're set. 

I then put a dab of stream ink, and a dab of meadow ink onto my felt inking tool (you don't need a lot here)

and proceeded to dab the colors all around the frame. Now, here's where you get to learn from my mistake experimentation :)... the top of the overlay didn't really take the ink at all...

So, I flipped my overlay over and worked on the backside... yes, that worked much better. If you are doing the technique on one of the regular transparency overlays, you will want to put the ink on the NON-printed side of the transparency anyway, so either way, you're working on the backside. Keep dabbing and spreading ink until you are satisfied.

Now, that's a little blotchy for me, so I added some blending solution to my felt and went over the inked areas so that the inks played a little more with each other.

Ahhh, that's better, no? 

Wait a little for the frame to dry - it won't take but a minute. 

To finish things off, I decided that I wanted my frame to be for my title block rather than around a photo. So, I added the overlay to my layout and placed my letter stickers also from the Destinations line right on top. Remember, your ink is on the clear plastic adhered to the adhesive of this particular overlay, so you are not using the self-stick here. But just place your dry adhesive of choice in the areas around the inked edges and it won't show through anyway. 

Here's a close up of the overlay on my layout... I like the bright colors with the kraft color peeking through :). 

And here's the layout all put together. I added more Destinations stickers and hand cut some brackets from the Snapshots paper. 

Now, go off and conquer those alcohol inks that you have tucked away today! 

Comments

[Joyce]

I just got my first SS pp, and wanted to check in for some inspirtion! Love the blog and great page!

[Liz Qualman]

Such a great idea to ink the transparencies! Great work on this project.

[Amber]

What a great idea Ally! Never, ever would have thought to use alcohol inks on the transparancies...but I love it!! The colors look gorgeous with the black print of the transparancy too :)

Thanks for the inspiration!
Amber :)

[Susan]

Great idea! I have never thought to ink a transparency. Thanks for sharing!

[Sandy Zent]

Very cool!

[ZoezMom]

Beautiful, Ally! I have yet to try alcohol inks, you make it seem so easy and artsy! Thanks for the great tutorial!

[Lisa]

Fun technique and layout!

[Michele H.]

Awesome technique Ally! Love that you're on this team:)

[Julie {CalleLillyCafe}]

I have so many transparencies! I hope I can pull this off! Thx for sharing!

[Carol]

Beautiful job, I love inking, fun technique! TFS

[oliwia]

Some genuinely superb content on this web site , thanks for contribution.

[danuta]

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[ewa]

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