Scrapbook & Cards Today Blog: Envelope Tutorials with Allison Cope!

I was making a really bright and fun card the other day and I thought to myself, “I really don’t want to put this in just your ordinary envelope.” So I decided to make one of my own and I thought I’d show you how to make one too!

I pulled out my fabulous Envelope Punch Board by We R Memory Keepers. This is an extremely handy tool for all you regular card makers out there! For those of you that don’t have this tool… not too worry! I’ll show you how to design an envelope from scratch down below too.

The Envelope Punch Board comes with a handy scoring/bone folder tool that slips right inside the board (where the semi-circle cut out is on the right hand side of the board) so you always have it when you need it. Screen printed right on the board are your envelope creating charts for over 60 different sizes of cards to make – WOW! The board also comes with an enlarged chart for easier reading and it also includes a chart with card sizes shown in centimeters.

For my card today, we need an envelope for a card measuring 4¼”x 5½” or otherwise known as an A2 card. So looking at my chart, I find the size of my card in the left column. The middle column then tells me I need an 8”x8” piece of paper to create my envelope. The third or right hand column then tells me that I need to place the corner of my paper in the punch board at the 3 ¾” measurement marker to begin creating…

With the edge of my paper at the 3 ¾” mark and butted up against the tool’s edge, I press the teal oval button to punch the paper and then I took my scoring tool and placed inside the void of the teal oval to score.

I dragged the scoring tool across the paper along the scoring groove of the tool. The little insert image above shows you the punched out void and the score line coming from that punch.

Next you rotate your paper 90 degrees counter clockwise. Placing your paper once again into the tool, butt your paper into the back of the tool and line your first score line with the little arm protruding off of the teal oval button. This little guide needs to be places right over that score mark. Next, press the punch button and score your next score line just as you did the first time. You will end up with one punch void and 2 score lines coming from it.

Repeat the 90 degress rotating, punching and scoring until all 4 sides are complete.

Next, take the Envelope Punch Board and turn it around. On the back side of your teal oval punch is a corner rounder – YUP! So clever! Now take all 4 corners of your envelope shape and corner round them.

Fold over your score line and use your scoring/bone folding tool to make those folds crisp. Adhere your side folds over top of your bottom fold to create your envelope.

If you are giving your envelopes as part of a gift, add double sided tape with the backing paper still intact so your recipient can easily close their envelopes.

Don’t forget to decorate the outside of your envelope too! Here I used some simple stickers from the same beautiful We R Memory Keepers’ “Inked Rose” line.

supplies: cardstock, patterned paper, stickers: We R Memory Keepers; stamps: Power Poppy; ink: Copic; thread: Gutermann; tools: Envelope Punch Board, Pfaff Sewing Machine; other, Stickles from Ranger.

Easy peasy right!?! Well, what did you do to make a simple envelope if you don’t have this nifty tool? Here’s how I make mine…

I thought I would walk you through my thought process and steps on how I make a similar envelope. This process can be used for any sized card too!

First, what is the size of my card? In this case, again, my finished card size is an A2 card or 4¼”x 5½”. I know I want an envelope cavity that is larger than my card so it easily slips in so I add ¼” to each of my dimensions to get the front size of my envelope; shown as the 2 dimensions outside of my card in the left side photo below.

Next, I need a flap to come up from the bottom to create my pocket. I chose a depth of 3 ½”.

Now we need a flap to close up our envelope. This is where you need to make sure you flap is long enough to not only cover up your card in the pocket but also have enough of a flap to add adhesive to, to close it. So your bottom flap and top flap need to add up to MORE than the height of your envelope. I chose a top flap height of 2”. So 2” + 3 ½” = 5 ½”; 5 ½” is MORE than the 4 ½” of my card height! We’re good to go!

Next we need some flaps to add adhesive to, to ensure our envelope seals along the sides. I tend to add ½” flaps for adequate gluing but you can add more or less if you wish.

So next I figured out the width of the piece of paper I needed for the envelope; 2 flaps @ ½” each plus the width of my envelope 5 ¾” = 6 ¾”.

Then I figured out the height of the cardstock needed for the envelope; 2” upper flap plus 3 ½” lower flap plus the 4 ½” middle section = 10”. So my final piece of cardstock needed is 6 ¾” x 10”.

Now, how do you score and cut and fold that paper: First you need to score each long side ½” in to create those skinny glue flaps. Rotate your paper and score at 2” to create the top flap. Rotate the paper again and score your paper from the opposite end at 3 ½” to get that lower flap.

Next you need to cut off the excess flaps. Basically you are cutting off those long skinny rectangles from all four corners (shown with X’s in them below!).

This is what your paper will now look like. Fold along all of your score lines and crease them with your bone folder. Next, fold in your 2 skinny side flaps and fold up your lower envelope flap. Using a pencil, draw a line on the skinny flaps of both sides where the lower flap comes up and over. Take your scissors and cut off the excess skinny flap piece. This is optional of course but I think it makes the envelope more visually pleasing when the flap is open.

Now decorate the flap and outside of your envelope and you are ready for your pretty paper package to be sent!

So the next time you make that odd ball sided card, don’t fret! Come and revisit this tutorial and try out the fabulous Envelope Punch Board tool or make your own envelope template from scratch!

Happy packaging and posting!

~ Allison Cope ~

Comments

Thank you so much for the tutorial!!

Posted by: Julie B | May 08, 2014 at 02:50 PM

Awesome, thank you :-D

Posted by: Elizna Parsons | May 09, 2014 at 05:57 AM

LOVELY card & envelope, it is always extra special when you make the effort to create the envelope to match!!!

VERY COOL tool!!!

THANK YOU for sharing your "no tool" envelope tutorial too Allison, you have me convinced that I NEED to make some, might even use my border punch to decorate the card flap :)

Posted by: TracyM #6773 | May 09, 2014 at 06:37 AM