Create Unique Envelopes No One Will Throw Away!

Want to add a personal touch to your mailings? It´s easy to do, and you can turn out a series of personalized envelopes quickly to use for your own mail outs or to give as gifts. Some crafty folks even sell them with matching stationary!

It is probably easiest to use an existing, store-bought envelope as your starter pattern. This can be adjusted, but follow the pattern for the first time. All you need to do is carefully separate the flaps of the envelope until is laid out flat. Iron it if the flaps won't stay down and then use it as your pattern, it can simply be laid out on top of your cardstock or paper and traced around.

Use some cardstock to make your envelopes extra durable. This can be covered with decorative paper. There's no need to buy expensive paper, you can just use wrapping paper scraps, or even fabric, if you like! Glue it onto the card stock and let it dry overnight. The following day, lay the card stock paper side down and trace around your envelope pattern. Cut the pattern out and fold the flaps in. The bottom and sides can be glued into place immediately, but leave the top for after you have a letter to put in.

That's all there is to it. Make a handful of envelopes with different paper finishes and then you can start adapting the pattern, if you like. Make rounded flaps, or fancy shaped ones, change the size of the envelope, etc.

For those padded bubble envelopes that are often used to send small objects, you can reuse bubble wrap from a recent purchase, or buy some at the craft shop or a packing supply store. You will probably want to use a larger envelope for this pattern, perhaps even a bubble wrap mailer taken apart as a pattern. Glue the bubble wrap to the card stock before you begin to fold and secure the envelope design, leaving a good space around the edges so that you will be able to fold it fairly easily.

If you have difficulties folding the flaps, these can be scored using a dried ball point pen or the back side of a knife. Place a ruler against the paper before starting or you won't get a good straight line with the scoring.