This craft is so simple and flexible, you won't look at paper the same after! You can use scrapbook paper, junk mail, durable wrapping paper or magazines to make your very own homemade envelopes that are colorful and fun. You could even get fancy and use decorative papers that are fancy or lacy to make something really special and unique!
The sample envelope in pictures for this tutorial was made from the cover of Real Simple magazine. So as you can see, you can still get a fun, unique look without spending a ton of money or buying specialty craft supplies.
This is a great Earth Day or rainy day craft activity for tweens, teens and up! High school and college students who like origami or paper folding will especially enjoy this craft!
And this is really the easiest envelope you can make: You can't need any fancy supplies - no crazy scoring boards, degree in origami, or stockpile of papercrafting supplies and know-how needed!
Once you learn how to make your own homemade envelopes, you'll want to do it all the time, too! It's fun and relaxing and an easy way to reduce waste at home.
Plus mail is just more fun when it comes in a cool envelope! Once you’re done making your special folded envelopes, send a card or letter to a loved one –who wouldn't love to get mail in a special, custom-made envelope?!
Once you learn how to make your own homemade envelopes, you'll want to do it all the time, too! It's fun and relaxing and an easy way to reduce waste at home.
Plus mail is just more fun when it comes in a cool envelope! Once you’re done making your special folded envelopes, send a card or letter to a loved one –who wouldn't love to get mail in a special, custom-made envelope?!
Ready to learn how to make envelopes out of paper you already have at home? Let's do it!
What size envelopes will this make?
This tutorial is designed to make envelopes that will work for either 4x6 or 5x7 cards from a 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper.
This size envelope should work for most birthday cards, postcards, Christmas cards, other holiday cards, handmade cards, etc.
You can also follow this same tutorial to make mini envelopes for gift cards from 5x7 inch paper.
How to Make an Envelope Out of Any 8.5-by-11-Inch Paper
like magazine pages, cardstock, printer paper, wrapping paper and more!
Supplies
- Magazine, calendar sheets, printer paper, scrapbook pages - cut to 8.5 x 11 inches before starting
- Card or letter to mail
(don’t have what you want to mail yet? 4x6 inches or 5x7 inches are good default sizes! Use a piece of scrap cardstock or cardboard to make yourself a template.) - Glue stick or double-sided tape roller
- Pen
- Labels
- Optional: Paper cutter
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Step-By-Step Instructions for How to Fold Your Own Envelopes
Important: This tutorial is based on a standard-= size sheet of paper (which in the USA is 8.5x11 inches). You can fold envelopes out of just about any kind of paper. However, before getting started you should cut your paper down to 8.5 x 11.
Pro Tip: Need help cutting your paper down to a standard size? You can use a piece of printer paper as a template if needed! This will help you keep your lines straight.
Making a mini envelope for a gift card instead? Start with a 5 x 7 inch piece of paper but follow our same easy steps!
How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 1:
Pick a paper or page you like and turn it right side down (pretty side of the paper facing down) on the table in front of you.
Center your greeting card or handmade card on the page.
Don’t have the actual card you want to send yet? Cut a 4.25” x 6.25” OR 5.25” x 7.25” template out of thin cardboard like a cereal box or cardstock to serve as a template and help you get your folds right in the meantime.
Adjust as needed so when you fold you can avoid undesirable text from appearing on the front of your envelope.
Adjust as needed so when you fold you can avoid undesirable text from appearing on the front of your envelope.
Fold in the long sides of the page against the sides of the card and crease along the whole length of the page.
Keep these side flaps folded down and move on to the next step.
How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 2:
Start to shape the flap by folding the top corners down dog-ear style as shown and crease.
Fold the bottom corners dog ear style in toward the center as well and crease firmly.
How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 3:
Using the bottom of your card as a guide, fold the bottom edge of the homemade envelope up to make the pouch portion and crease well along the bottom center line.
Mark the diagonals of the top right and left corners with a pen on the side flaps. You'll use this mark as a guide in the next step.
Mark the diagonals of the top right and left corners with a pen on the side flaps. You'll use this mark as a guide in the next step.
How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 4:
Apply the glue stick or double sided tape on the side flaps from the line you just drew, down to the center crease.
Next, fold the bottom corner up to meet the line you drew and press the edges to seal.
Next, fold the bottom corner up to meet the line you drew and press the edges to seal.
How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 5:
Slide your card or letter into the base of your envelope.
Fold the top flap down and crease across the top of the top flap.
If you are pre-making envelopes, don’t do this last step yet!
To seal your envelope, open the envelope back up and apply glue across the top and on the dog ears before pressing down. Alternatively, you can seal the envelopes with stickers, washi tape or a wax seal (fancy!).
How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 6:
If desired, add labels to the front to make a pretty, writable surface suitable for mailing.
That's it!
Pin these directions for how to make an envelope to save them for later.
Printable Directions for How to Make an Easy Envelope from 8.5 x 11 Paper:
How to Make an Envelope Out of Paper or Magazine Pages
Yield: 1 envelope
Estimated cost: $0
prep time: 2 Mperform time: 3 Mtotal time: 5 M
This easy recycled craft project will let you turn old magazines, books, calendars or any 8.5 x 11 piece of paper into an envelope suitable to send in the mail.
materials:
- Magazine, calendar or scrapbook pages - cut to 8.5 x 11 inches before starting
- Card or letter to mail
- Labels
tools:
- Glue stick
- Pen
steps:
- If the paper you are using is larger than 8.5 x 11 inches, cut it down to that size before starting.
- Turn your paper face down (so the side you want to be on the outside is facing the table). Center your card on the page.
- Fold in the long sides of the page against the sides of the card. Adjust where you fold as needed in order to avoid undesirable text from appearing on the front of your envelope.
- Fold in all four corners dog ear style.
- Using the bottom of your card as a guide, fold the bottom edge up. Mark the diagonals with a pen. You'll use this mark as a guide in the next step.
- Apply the glue stick on both sides of the magazine paper from the line you just drew, down to the fold. Then fold the bottom corner up to meet the line you drew and press the edges to seal.
- Slide your card or letter into the envelope. Fold the top edge down and crease. Open it back up and apply glue across the top and on the dog ears.
- Fold it down to seal.
- If desired, add labels to the front to make a pretty, writable surface suitable for mailing.
Copyright 2012, Creative Green Living
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Want to learn more ways you can make an envelope?
There's more than one way to fold an envelope!
If you're interested in more ways to fold an envelope out of materials you have in your recycling bin, check out my tutorial for How to Make an Envelope for a Card from a Paper Board Cereal Box
About the Author:
Carissa is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she won the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY Blogger" in both 2018 and 2019.
Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious! She is also the author of multiple books including, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018).
Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.
Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious! She is also the author of multiple books including, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018).
Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.
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Brilliant! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to trying this technique......very cool!
ReplyDeletei like different, regular mail is so boring, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI love these! And where do you find those lovely labels?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna! They're so old, I'm not sure but I bet you could get something similar from Vista Print
ReplyDeletethat so awesome
ReplyDelete