Transparencies in Altered Art

 One of the perks about being on a design team is getting the chance to test drive some goodies from time to time. Occasionally we will have some new items in the store to play with in order to entice you to buy them too! I always love this part of my job because normally I am extremely excited about the new product and already have a dozen or more projects floating around in my head. Normally.
 A few weeks back I was sent these Peek-A-Boos from Glitz. Immediately I thought awesome! These will be so much fun...Large printed transparencies with vintage images how cool, right?
Then I tried working them into my art. One here, one there...but I was having a problem with how "shiny" and "new" they looked in my otherwise altered vintagey art. I mean, everything else on the album or ATC or canvas was grunged up and shabby chic'd but this was just glaring out at me.
Fast forward to this weeks project. 
So I wanted to do something out of the ordinary today and went to my favorite resource--About Holidays--to see what we could *celebrate*! Today is the anniversary of the first known airport! I knew I had lots of fun collage images of planes and knew I could come up with a fun project for my office--travel specialist by day, altered temptress by night. While looking through my envelope stash of already printed collage sheets I saw this package of Glitz Peek-a-Boos! Hmmm --they have that nice BIG [5×7" big] transparency of an airport poster--that might be fun. I got out my distressed corrugate board and distressed the edges of the transparency with my distress tool and attached it to the cardboard with some brushed metal brads. It looked VERY VERY SHINY and not distressed at all. So as I pondered my project I decided i'll put a pearl mist on it because everything is better with some shimmer--it really is--and as I reached for my heat tool I reminded myself to be easy so not to mess up my transparency.
But then I realized my transparency was moving and thickening up. I got a corner to curl and then I was hooked. The heat was what I needed to alter my transparency to make it perfect for my art. I was able to melt it so it looked like the poster has been hanging for a long time. It was worn and tattered and shabby and perfect! I hope my story helps you to "mess up" you super shiny slick items in your altered art. You'll be glad you did!
Thank you for stopping by!
~leslierahye