Our Wedding: DIY Paper-Lined Envelopes
Written by Sara on January 28, 2010 – 9:00 am -
Good morning, readers! I’m excited to share Eco-Vintage Weddings‘ FIRST-ever DIY project tutorial with you!
Over the weekend, I finally had a chance to get started on preparing our Save the Date cards for their voyage into the mailboxes of our families and friends.
Ever since I saw this great Martha idea, I knew that I wanted to line the inside flaps of our envelopes. I plan to do this in some form for every piece of stationery we send out (from Save the Date cards to thank-you notes), so it was GREAT to get started!
I needed to make approximately 60 envelopes, and it took me roughly 3 hours to complete this craft.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
-A6 size envelopes (mine had a rectangle flap, not a diamond like European-style envelopes)
-Decorative paper (I used a 48-sheet collection of one-sided papers entitled “Paris Nights” by GCD Studios; purchased from Hobby Lobby)
-Glue stick
-Scratch piece of paper
-Scissors
-To make the pattern: Heavy cardstock or a lightweight piece of cardboard (I used the back of an old notebook)
-Bone folder (optional)
STEPS:
1. Cut your scratch piece of paper down to the approximate size of the envelope. Stick the paper inside the envelope, and adjust the size of the paper as necessary with your scissors. The paper should fit inside the envelope so that it stretches from the top of the flap (when the envelope is open) to past the opening of the envelope.
2. Place the paper atop your cardboard, and cut around the paper to make a cardboard pattern.
3. Place the cardboard pattern atop one sheet of decorative paper. Cut around the pattern with your scissors.
4. With the envelope flap open, stick the piece of decorative paper inside the envelope, making sure that the paper stretches from the top of the flap past the opening of the envelope (see picture below). Trim the edges of the paper as necessary; the pattern is meant to be a guideline and does not guarantee a perfect cut.
5. With the decorative paper lined up inside the envelope, lift up the top of the paper (where the seal of the envelope is), and use your glue stick to liberally add glue ONLY to the inside flap of the envelope. Do NOT glue the decorative paper; this will bend the paper and make it difficult to stick to the flap of the envelope.
6. Flip the envelope over like the picture above. Look for and trim any overlapping edges with your scissors.
7. Flip the envelope back over, and with your fingers at the bottom of the inside flap, bend the flap of the envelope, as if you are ready to seal it. Press firmly across the crease where the flap and the body of the envelope meet. You could also use a bone folder to help make a crisp crease.
8. You’re done! Here’s the finished product (above) and my collection of envelopes (below):
What DIY projects are YOU doing for your wedding?
Do you have a tutorial to share?
Send me photos and step-by-step instructions at sara.eiesland@gmail.com, and I may feature it
on Eco-Vintage Weddings!
Tags: DIY paper-lined envelopes, lined envelopes, Martha Stewart lined envelopes, Save the Date cards, vintage-inspired Save the Date
Posted in DIY, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Stationery | 1 Comment »