An envelope adds a unique and personal touch to a card or letter and can even help tailor its content according to a holiday, occasion, or season.
This technique works on any 8.5 by 11-inch paper, such as a printer or scrapbooking paper. Additionally, it works great for cards or flat objects such as books or calendars.
Choose Your Paper
Paper quality is of utmost importance when creating envelopes yourself, whether sending handwritten letters or handmade cards. While you can purchase premade specialty envelopes in various sizes, creating your envelopes from plain paper is often simpler.
Make an envelope that will fit standard greeting cards by selecting cardstock measuring 4 1/8 by 9 1/2 inches (10.5 by 24.1 cm).
When considering homemade envelopes for mailing purposes, please take note of their weight and handling. It is best to choose an archival quality paper as this will last over time; color, thickness, and coating should also be considered; for instance, items featuring many photos or illustrations look best printed onto glossy coated papers.
Make envelopes out of recycled materials like junk mail and magazine pages to reduce landfill waste while having fun being creative! This envelope works great for gift cards and small presents such as jewelry.
Trace the Envelope Template
Make an adorable DIY envelope using just a few basic supplies. Start with a plain piece of paper and trace the template using a pencil or pen – accuracy isn’t critical as long as you can see where each line goes; when finished, it should look adorable.
If you prefer using different-colored or patterned papers, place the template so it will show well on the front side and cut carefully along its outlines.
Alternatively, you could use a photo or decorative paper to make an envelope. However, the busy report may make writing your address hard to read, so writing it on a separate piece of paper and adhering to it will likely work better.
Before printing an envelope, be sure to review your printer settings. Utilizing appropriate settings will help prevent paper jams and envelope damage; additionally, testing on an empty page before starting printing could enable any necessary adjustments before beginning production.
Bone folders, used in bookbinding and cardmaking to help create sharp creases when folding paper, may also come in handy – they make life much simpler if making straight creases is difficult, envelope-making is frequent, or you have trouble folding. Without one, take your time when folding the paper – everything will turn out fine!
Cut Out the Envelope
Homemade envelopes add a special touch to any card or letter that shows someone how much you care – whether that be friends, family members, clients, or customers! Plus, it’s a fantastic way to use old paper or scrapbooking supplies!
Start with an A4 sheet of printer paper in standard size. If this is your first attempt at envelope making, start off using white or plain sheets until you become adept with making envelopes; as soon as that has become easy enough for you, add in patterns to match both the message being delivered as well as any existing designs on the paper itself.
Carefully lay out a sheet of paper on its flat surface and fold each vertical side inward until they measure 1cm/1/2 shorter than the width of your paper, folding in carefully at both creases so they meet neatly when closed. Finally, fold down and stick down one side edge onto another with double-sided tape, folding the top edge until it meets its bottom edge as you close.
Fold the bottom left-hand corner to meet with the top right-hand corner, creating a triangle shape. Don’t double-crease the paper; leave a tiny crease mark as a guideline for folding all four corners. Repeat these steps for each corner until all four have been folded.
Once your edges are folded, apply glue along the bottom edge of the triangle flaps and tuck them under to secure your envelope! Now it is ready for inserting your letter and closing!
If you don’t have glue handy, stickers or wax seals are another great way to seal an envelope without bond. Plenty of choices exist, so experiment until you find your ideal choice! This project can also be great fun with children as it is relatively straightforward for them to grasp the concept.
Fold the Envelope
Once completed, your handmade envelope will be ready to give as a thoughtful present! Creating such an envelope adds a personal touch and can even be fun for kids – remember to practice on scrap paper beforehand and use scissors with caution!
Position your paper so that its long side faces down, with its short sides on either side of the center. Fold the top right corner into the center to form a triangle shape; repeat this process for the top left corner, but leave an indentation rather than fully folding flat.
Once the triangles have been created, fold their bottom edges so that they meet at the center crease and fold the two lengthwise flaps along their lengthwise seams to meet them. You should now have two length-wise envelopes which can hold your message inside! Please know that larger cards may not work with this method, but the standard letter-sized paper should fit perfectly.
Use a glue stick or candle wax from a regular candle or seal stamp to seal your envelope. Note that using either of these methods is somewhat messy and requires skill.
Another alternative is an envelope moistener, similar to a glue stick explicitly designed for sealing envelopes. This tool can come in handy if you don’t have any glue or prefer not to use chemicals; dip its applicator in water and run it along your envelope’s adhesive surface – this option can be found online at retailers and craft stores.
Seal the Envelope
Envelopes add a personal touch to any card or letter, and while traditional sealing methods (licking) work fine, other more elegant forms will look better and save time.
One simple and quick solution for this task is using a glue stick. Just smear some over an adhesive band and press gently to seal it – quick, easy, and no store trip is required!
Sealing stickers can also be found online and at most craft stores. Similar to regular labels, but designed specifically for envelopes. Since most sealing stickers are clear in appearance, they won’t interfere with the colors or designs on your envelope.
If you want to add an artistic flourish, decorative stickers are also an effective way to customize an envelope and show its recipient just a bit more personality. Position them where the flap meets the body for added dimension – this option works particularly well when sending informal cards as it doesn’t distract from their message.
Learning how to create envelopes is an invaluable skill that can come in handy on many occasions, whether sending greeting cards, invitations, or thank-you notes. Aiming for a uniform appearance between the envelope and card would also add an impressive finishing touch! Making envelopes yourself allows you to tailor them to match the card you’re sending out, so give this DIY envelope-making project a go today – you won’t be sorry! Carissa is an avid crafter and mother to two creative boys. Creative Green Living is her blog about simple green living, healthy eating, and fun crafts. She has won several blogging awards, such as Craftys Award for Best Craft Blogger in 2016. In 2017 and 2018, respectively, she released two hardcover cookbooks; Beautiful Smoothie Bowls by Skyhorse Publishing and Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens from Skyhorse Publishing respectively.
