Envelope Rehash 2: Envelope Book Basics

Day 2 of the envelope basics and some more ideas. 
This is a great way to use up envelopes and make something with a wow factor!
All you need is 2 pre-fab envelopes.

 Insert flap to flap and glue the under flap to the top envelope.

 This is how they look tucked together.

 Space on the inside for decorating.  I used another much smaller envelope as a gift card holder on the interior.  Watch the thickness though or you will be paying more to send your envelope book.

 Front after I used small labels to attach.  Washi tape or regular tape can also be used.

Important:  Make sure to include opening instructions so all your hard work doesn't get torn up!

I do these often and love making them.  They do take some time, but they are fun!
-b

Envelope Rehash Week: The Basics

Every now and again I hear of people just joining us in the mailing world and just discovering the ideas of customizing and embellishing their letters.  So I thought I would toss up a variety of envelope ideas as a review of what I do to make my missives more marvelous!
I plan on breaking it down in short bytes as today's age of hurry up and rush has made my attention span that of a 3yr old, so over the next week, I will have pictorial posts showing a variety of easy ideas.  And please do not mind the lack of polish on my missives, I have never ever claimed to be artsy!  Quite the opposite, although there was a few high school art challenges that I won but that was more from unusual materials than true talent!
I digress.

The Basics:
An envelope surrounds a letter and helps to carry the more delicate innards to folks.  That's all.  The post office is not terribly picky about "what" you use to make an envelope, but they do charge based on size and weight.  You can stick with a standard size easily enough.

1) Open a pre-fab envelope and trace the design to cardboard (chip preferably over corrugated)

 

2) Use this template to trace onto your desired choice of material.

Wallpaper anybody?

3) Fold and glue.  You can stop here if the material you are using can legibly be addressed, if not go to step 3b.

3b) Add a label if needed.  I use all my tiny bits of paper, paper punches, hello tags, post its, etc . . .  to complement the under paper.

Or invest in a good label punch

4)Stamp and send! 

5) Reap the rewards of friends, family, and coworkers oohing and ahhing over your creativity!

fashion magazine, wallpaper, Chinese menu, map, gift wrap

Tomorrow we take it another step ; )
Happy Creating,
-b

 

Are You Part of the In Crowd?

Hello all,
I am back at it.  I always think I am not replying quick enough or that I have not received much until I get down to taking pictures of it and placing it on the blog.  Then I know I have been a good little snail mailer and contributing lots!
Here is what is new in the mailbox!

 Shivani sent me a card with a reminder to send her my Postcrossing ID - yikes!  But it's all ironed out now!  Thanks Shivani!

 The wacky sense of humor from my friend NF.  She keeps my mail interesting!

 

 A nice note from Christi in CO!

 A note from SG  - my former coworker, now pen pal!

 I nice thank you from Mom about our mother/ daughter holiday!

 JK makes her pictures into postcards and I enjoy the images.  This is Tinkertown in NM.

 A semi annual note from an old roommate!  Nice of her to think of me!

 Postcrossing.  Did you know that Germany hosts the largest computer show in the world?

A happy note from my pal Wolfey!  Glad she's off traveling these days and out of NYC for the chaos.

CK sends her thoughts on pretty stationery.  I enjoy the Canadian insect stamps!  They are so vivid!

A long letter from GL.  I always look forward to her thoughts on life!

A postcrossing from Canada.  I couldn't get the blasted glare gone from my camera shot.

A thoughtful letter from Troy.  Adapting well in his new home.

A happy Halloween card from a friend I visited in RI

The Piccadilly Post and a wonderful hand made Halloween card filled with goodies!

Postcrossing monsters from the USA

 A nice Netherlands postcard complete with vintage stamps (not shown, sorry)

A nice letter from my send something friend Miss Millie

LR and I's continued commentary on Project Runway!  We are now into AllStars and a whole higher caliber of design!

Melissa of Craftgasm sent me a nice note.  She'll be in Brooklyn at the Renegade fair.
She's also holding a holiday mail party!

I think this gets Halloween tidied up.  Next we will celebrating Thanksgiving in the USA, which is one of my favorite holidays!  But first I have a big week of blog posting ahead of me!  Stay tuned, it's a subject we are all fond of!

Happy Mailing,
-b

Long But Good Day

Hello all!
This is the end of a long and wonderful day.  Now I sit with my feet up, the dog back from the pet sitter, and a glass of cold Malbec wine.  My day started off early with packing the car and grabbing a few last minute items before starting the drive to Harrisburg.  Once there I had to ignore my GPS and its terrible directions until I found the Midtown Scholar, which was a big open bookstore.  I am not going to steal any of the Post Muse's thunder since she is going to have a finale post, but I thought I would throw up a photo of some of the creations I made while there!

he card is insulation, gift wrap, and flower punches.

Tomorrow its back to business and unpacking all the items I took.  I felt overwhelmed with all the choices I had to create with as everybody contributed goods to the event.  Topics of conversation wafted between how to use insulation foam creatively to our favorite sticky substances.  All in all a good day! 
-b

Candlelight Mailart Any One?

The hurricane - to borrow a Project Runway term- was fierce! I like most everybody in the area lost power and had to improvise.

But all is well now!  I will be dealing with the insurance and a contractor to deal with some minor damage, but it could have been way worse and I am counting all the things to be thankful for.  I hope those to the East of here get back to their lives soon! 
And as for the Letter Writing Social: the show will go on!  I got word today from the Midtown Scholar that all is well on their end, so I will see the intrepid folks who trek out that way for the social! 

A rare shot of all 4 of my critters together.  Nothing like a hurricane to bring us all closer!  They camped out next to me all night.  The tiger is my kitten from this year, Alphonse Mucha.  He's now the largest cat in the house and growing.

My Best Always,
Becky