Introduction

I haven’t met many people that don’t like receiving mail. Now, I don’t enjoy receiving bills and junk mail, but I absolutely love receiving a letter from a friend. And it always makes me smile when I open my mailbox to something bright, cheery, and different. Enter custom, handmade envelopes!

DIY crafting has come a long way over the years. Paper crafting is no different. Where scrapbooking used to be what one would think of when someone would mention “paper crafting,” a person will now ask, “What type of paper crafting do you do?”

Card making introduced the ability to make cards for literally any occasion, and with that came the ability to make your own envelope, giving the envelope as much flair as your imagination could go. Simple envelopes have been transformed into their own type of craft, allowing you to get creative in so many ways. As crafting started to trend more, machines like the Cricut Maker opened up the ease of creating envelopes even faster than tracing a template and cutting out the paper.

The right supplies help ensure you are creating a product that will not only last through the gift giving, but will also give you extra comfort when you are sending something in your handmade envelope through the mail. Paper that is light, flimsy, and easily tears through the simplest wear and tear, won’t make it far in either scenario.

• Heavy weight paper - I prefer a heavy cardstock, no less than 65lbs in weight. The weight can usually be found on the front of the cardstock package.
• Cutting instrument - Scissors, template cutter, or cutting machine.
• Burnishing tool or boning tool - Using a burnishing tool (like you would with vinyl) or a boning tool, will allow you to get extremely good creases in your folds. Using your hands is fine, too, but you will get amazingly sharp and crisp folds using one of these tools.
• Glue or tape - Glue stick, double sided tape, precision liquid glue, or roller tape are all options. I often find that a simple glue stick will come undone with heavier cardstock, and prefer to go with one of the other mentioned options.
• HTV or vinyl - Optional, yet a very fun element to add to a simple envelope. Using HTV to adhere a fun design, or vinyl to create stickers to seal the back are both newer options to add extra elements to your handmade envelope.

Using a 12x12 piece of cardstock, flip it over, so the print is face down. Fold the paper corner to corner in both directions.

With the cardstock unfolded, follow the creases, and guide each corner, one at a time, to the center of the paper, and fold, using your boning tool to crease the fold. Repeat with remaining corners.

Flip your paper over to determine the “top” of the envelope. This only applies if you have patterned paper where the design can present upside down.

Put glue on the bottom triangle tip, and the bottom half only of each of the side flaps, as shown below. Then, starting with the bottom flap, fold the triangle up and press to adhere the glue.

Put glue on the left and right panels as shown in the photo below, and fold the bottom up, pressing from bottom to top to adhere the two pieces together.

Write sweet sentiment, enclose it in the envelope, and seal with a custom vinyl sticker! If you would like a more secure closure for sending this envelope through the mail, simply place some double sided tape along the edges of the top flap, and press closed. For an extra fun element, use designed edge scissors to trim the closing flap before sealing!

Voila! A very simple way to add a personal touch to your letters and cards. Your friends and family will surely feel special when they see a custom envelope sitting in their mailbox waiting for them to open!

Making envelopes can be very elaborate, or extremely simple like our tutorial here. Having a cutting machine truly opens up the world of possibilities for endless combinations to suit your fancy. I encourage you to start with a simple envelope, and then stretch your creativity by trying new sizes, adding extra elements with washi tape, HTV, vinyl stickers, and other embellishments. Don’t forget to come back and share your journey with us! You never know who you might inspire with your creative flair!