Tutorial: Collaged Handmade Envelope

Thank you for all the kind comments about my homemade, fancied-up, envelopes.  Don’t you love getting “good” mail?  I do and I love to send it, too.  Follow these steps to make your own Fabu-licious decoupage envelope.

What you need:

• Scissors (best tool EVER!)
• Either a Cricit (and cartridges) and/or Rubber Stamps and/or Stencils
• Ephemera - Don’t you love that word?
• Matte Medium
• Kraft paper (can be grocery bags.  Does anyone use brown paper bag anymore???)
• Assorted papers – Don’t try to “match” papers!  Look for contrast.  Try to choose light, medium and dark papers.
• Rubber Stamps & Ink – not required
• Sewing Machine w/ colorful thread
• Decorative Scissors

Steps

1.  Cut your kraft paper into two generous square/rectangle shapes.  You will want this to be 5 inches or larger than the desired envelope size.

2.  Using your Cricut, begin cutting elements.  I like to cut elements that do not require layers to look nice.  I usually will cut all sorts of shapes on one sheet of 12X12 scrapbook paper.  Any unused elements are added to a folder of leftovers for my next project.    Below is an example of what I cut from the green paper.  If you do not have a Cricit, use your rubber stamps/stencils to make image and then free hand cut out. 

3.  Continue cutting elements until you have a nice pile to choose from.

4.  Let’s get messy.  If you have nicely manicured nails, now is a good time to put on protective gloves.  Me?  I just get dirty!  Pour out a puddle of matte medium and spread it out with your fingers.  (I’ve tried using brushes, but I prefer to use my favorite tool – my hands).  I usually keep a 1 or 2 inch margin dry, just so I will have something to hold onto later.  Remember, that is why we cut an extra large margin!

5. On top of the base layer of matte medium, start laying down elements in a manner pleasing to your eye.  Don’t forget your ephemera.  Then, apply matte medium on top of the element. 

6.  Once you are happy with your collage, apply one additional layer of matte medium on top of the collage, to insure everything is adhered to the background.

7.  I hang my wet collages from pants hangers to dry.  Overnight is fine, but in a rush I’ve hung it outside in the sunshine.

8.  When dry, stack the collage on top of the second square/rectangle of kraft paper.  You are ready to sew!  At this time, you can add additional images with your rubber stamps.  For this project, I did not, but I usually do!

9.  At your sewing machine, choose long, straight stitch.  I changed my stitch length to 4.5, but 5.0 would have been better.  Choose a longer stitch length over a shorter one, because a shorter stitch might perforate the paper. 

10.  Begin stitching a rectangle-ish shape around the envelope.  Make sure you have room for your desired contents!!!

11.  As you stitch around the envelope, remember to place your items inside the envelope.  Once you sew it up, you can’t add anything else!!!!

12.  Sew around your envelope at least three times.  All the stitch lines look nice, plus it adds extra strength to the envelope.

13.  Trim the edges with decorative scissors.  Leave a generous margin between the stitch line and your cutting line.

 

14.  When done, you have an awesome envelope.  Add the mailing address (I suggest using a Sharpie, paint pen or mailing label). 

 

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