Make your own environmentaly
friendly envelopes

 

 

 

 

This tutorial will provide you with all the information you need to create your very own, one off, original envelope, including a Free Envelope Template

 

 

 

 

 

Steps to create your own envelopes;

  • Choose the paper stock you’re going to use. You could use anything from plain white copy paper, colourful wrapping paper or some stunning textured origami paper from a specialist. You can even print your own pattern, picture or photograph onto the paper first. Keep in mind that the paper you choose should be no thicker than around 120gsm or so (remember that regular copy paper is usually 80gsm). Of course, you could try it with thicker paper, but the end result may be too bulky, and the thicker stock may be harder to get a clean fold. Also, the template we’re using here is made to be cut out of an A4 sheet of paper.

 

 

  • You can either print the envelope template directly onto your envelope paper (if it’s suitable to go through your printer) or you can print in onto a regular sheet of copy paper first, then cut it out & trace it onto your chosen stock.

 

  • Cut out the template (along the RED dotted line). Its best to use a craft knife, metal ruler & suitable cutting mat rather than scissors, although scissors would do the job. (if you don’t have a cutting mat, use some cardboard to lean on while cutting with the craft knife & ruler combo, so as not to cut into your table top!)

 

  • A great suggestion emailed in from Julie;
    "Made the envelope, I used fancy edged scissors (from the $2 shop), looks really good. I just used A4 photocopy paper."

 

  • Fold all the fold lines (these are the BLACK dotted lines)

 

  • Fold the side flaps in

 

  • Fold up the bottom flap, using a smear of craft glue, or better yet, some double sided tape, or even a couple of photo squares to stick it to the side flaps. If you use glue, be careful not to use too much - you don’t want the glue to run out and stick the back flap of your envelope to the inside of the front! Its for this reason that I use double sided tape for the job.

 

  • Fold the top flap down, but don’t glue/tape it yet! You still haven’t put anything in it!

 

  • Once you’ve decorated your envelope, and have added its cargo, you can seal the back flap down. Again, you could use glue for this, however I’ve always had better success with double sided tape - you don’t want to glue the back flap to what’s inside! Plus the tape will usually give you a smoother, cleaner finish.

 

  • You're done!! Next you just need to post it off, of present it to the lucky recipient!

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