Tutorial: Envelopes

I've had a few comments lately about envelopes so I thought I'd take a few minutes to expand, which turned into a tutorial of sorts ...

Yes I make about 99% of my envelopes. It's very rare that I use store-bought envelopes, though I do have some in my stash. I use the envelope templates from one heart... one mind, which are fabulous layered templates, and worth every penny! So if you see envelopes on my blog, almost all of them are made with those templates. I love the square one (tougher to find square envelope templates) and the longer style envelopes. Even on the rare occasion I do use a pre-made envelope, I usually add an envelope liner (again I have a template, but its easy to make your own, just trace around the envelope and cut slightly smaller). I really do think adding a matching envelope gives a greeting card that extra special touch!!!


The thing I love about making my own envelopes is I can make any size I want to fit a card. Even if you aren't using a template its pretty easy, just think of it like wrapping a gift.

• Green Tip: You could simply take an existing envelope, carefully unseal the edges and use it as a template. Works great and saves $$ on buying templates. You just have to remember which envelopes are your templates so you don't use them!

I've mentioned before that I use DCWV stacks and old papers from my stash for envelopes. Some people might think this is a waste of scrapbook paper, but trust me, there is NO WAY I could ever use the amount of paper in my stash if I didn't make envelopes from it too! We all have those older papers, stuck in the back of our stash, ones that won't see a layout ever (you know you have those too! Admit it!). So I figure USE them! From a 12x12 sheet of patterned paper, I can get an envelope and card. With some left over for use on another card, or notecard/gift tag etc.

• Here I used a 12x12 piece of DCWV patterned paper, traced around the template and cut it out. You can see here that I stayed close to the edge of the paper when tracing the template to take advantage of every piece of the paper.
  

• Score and fold the envelope, then apply adhesive to the larger flap.

• Once the envelope is done, I then set about making the card. As the paper had preprinted sentiments and patterns I used these to my advantage.

Supplies: Paper: DCWV; Epoxy: Creative Imaginations; Acrylic: JoAnns;

• Once finished I had a few scraps left over. As I have 2 more sheets of this paper I opted NOT to save them, and threw them into the recycle trash. I could have quite easily made a card/gift tag from these scraps though! In fact I may go dig them out of the trash and do just that!
  

Remember though that this isn't limited to scrapbook materials. There are TONS of envelopes sitting around your house just waiting for a chance to be made.

• Green Tip: Think about using existing materials. Like newspaper, magazines, printed paper (use the reverse), you kids doodle sheets, wrapping papers, brown paper bags, old scrapbook papers... and many more! Just look around to see what you have on hand.
  

• Green Tip: Remember too that envelopes don't have to be made from paper! You can use material, thin plastics like polythene and vinyl, really think outside the box!

I hope you think twice next time you're out and think about buying some envelopes. If you're a scrapbooker you have everything you need right at home to make your own envelopes.

Happy Envelope making!

Di