Today I have a really fun project for you, and even better, it’s very quick and easy! I guarantee that it will take you longer to read through these instructions than it will to whip up a few envelopes – they really are that simple to make.
And even better, chances are excellent that you already have on hand all the supplies you need. Let’s get started!
You will need:
- Decorative paper (either lightweight or card stock will work)
- Scissors
- A ruler
- Double stick tape (or paper glue)
If you’re anything like me, you have a good-sized pile of scrapbooking paper laying around. It’s hard to resist all the beautiful and fun patterns in those big packs of paper. Because you start with a square sheet of paper for these envelopes, traditional 12” x 12” scrapbooking paper is perfect. Or cut any paper you have so that it’s square.
With the patterned side of your paper facing down, fold your paper in half and lightly crease it in the center, then fold your paper in half going the other direction, lightly creasing it in the center.
Fold two opposite corners into the center, so the corner tips just touch.
Turn your paper so the folded edges are on the sides. Take the bottom triangle and fold it up toward the center, but do not fold it all the way to the middle – leave a gap of about ½" or so (you don’t have to be perfectly precise).
Now take the bottom panel and fold it upward, stopping about ½” from the top. You can adjust the height of this fold to your liking. Make a nice crease on this bottom fold line.
Open up the last fold you made and apply double stick tape to the edges (the arrows are pointing to the bottom of the left edge tape and the top of the right edge tape, to give you an idea since it's hard to see the clear tape), and fold the bottom panel up again on the fold line, pressing the sides of your envelope together.
And you’re done! If your envelope is going through the mail, seal the flap down with a piece of double stick tape on the inside, or a piece of cellophane tape on the outside, or use a dab of glue.
If you have any double-sided scrapbook paper, be sure to try making an envelope with that, because then the outside and the inside are pretty. You can adjust the size of your finished envelope by altering the size of the square you start with.
Have fun with these – use them for sending cards or notes in the mail, or for holding gift cards, or for keeping receipt files at home, etc. The more you make, the more uses you’ll find for them!