Envelopes!

I LOVE making & receiving handmade cards and handwritten letters. I'm pretty lousy at the handwritten letters part, but I have a stash of cards just ready to have the perfect occasion come up to send them. When I sit down to make one card I often end up making a few more just because the creative mood as struck. 

If there is one thing to be said for store bought cards though is that they come beautiful bound with matching envelopes the perfect size to store its contents. Oh Hallmark...

I have a whole board on Pinterest devoted to fun card ideas, and have lately realized that there are some mighty cool envelopes out there as well just ready for the making. So I decided to try a couple different styles. Here you go, let me know what you think, if you would use one over the other and definitely pass on some other sweet envelope designs that you have come across.

Envelope #1

This envelope was EASY PEASY and looks beautiful and intricate upon complete. It's really so simply.

• Cut out 4 circles on the paper of your choice
• Fold in half
• Overlap them like closing a cardboard box
• Glue in place
• Done :)

I added some fancy fibers & ribbons to fancy this one up a bit, but you could definitely just fold it down and be done with it if you were in a rush. I also think this would be pretty sweet with multiple different papers, textures, and colours to add some pizazz. You can have some much fun with this design. 

Another BONUS to this one is that it's almost like a little gift box! You could stow a pair of earrings or other small gift inside the envelope to add that little something extra :)

I will definitely be using this design again in the future. You can easily make any size you want. Mine was big, but I think some small ones would be uber cute too.

Pin, Lose, Draw? Definitely a WINNER!

Envelope #2

This was was also so simple, who knew that the HEART was the secret to the perfect envelope shape! 

Envelope #2 took me back to elementary school where I first learned to draw a symmetrical heart. 

1. Fold the paper hot dog ways (as opposed to hamburger fold)

2. Draw half a heart

3. Cut out = automatic symmetry

After making your heart shape fold in the sides, fold up the bottom, glue in place, VOILA! You have pretty much the quickest, easy, envelope ever.

I dig this one a lot. But I did notice a downfall... I cut my heart on a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper and my ending envelope size was not as big as I was expecting... You definitely couldn't fit a normal size card in there, but you could fit a lovely handwritten note for sure. AND if you knew ahead of time your envelope size you could make a card to match (not to future crafty self...)

Pin, Lose, Draw? I vote this one a WINNER due to least materials, quickest time, and ease of making. But it's not my favourite for a special occasion.

Well folks, there you have it. Two different envelope styles. I'm pretty stoked to stockpile my envelope stash to match my card stash now. May I (and you) never again get into the pickle of having a card without an envelope :)