Tuesday, January 29, 2008

4 minute Custom Envelopes (Plus Distressed Ribbon & Tinted Signo Gel-pen)

Edited to Add: Here is a link to the template PDFs for three mini envelopes (instructions are there too!)
Pretty envelopes are so fun for Valentine's Day! If anyone would like custom envelope templates just click here.

This fits into the what the heck and why didn't I think of this sooner categories... :0) Envelopes are so hard to find in good sizes & Stampin Up's 5-in-one template is amazing, but it fits a weird sized card: 3 and 6/7" by 6 3/8" Am I missing something? What's with that? Why wouldn't it fit a standard card??? Anywho, I've decided a couple of times a month, I'll be making custom envelope templates & tutorials to share with you. They take 4 minutes or less, and you can customize them by stamping them or using designer papers.

The first template I've made is pictured above. It fits a 4 2/8" square card. (Easily made by folding a standard sheet of cardstock in half --vertically--and then cutting at 4 2/8" twice.) You get two of these square cards out of a standard sheet with a cute little long note left over. [I'll make a template and tutorial for that too and share both by Sunday.] The envelope can be made on standard paper size too.

Distressed ribbon is fun to make & you get a new look for free. This ribbon used to be just pink! :0)

To make distressed ribbon, just:

1...Cut a strip of ribbon
2...Place it on a scrap piece of paper
3...Take a stamp pad & (I've used Black Craft here; I like the wetness of the craft inks for this & Classic Black has more of a purple tinge than Craft does)
4...Angle your stamp pad (in your dominant hand) on top of the end of the ribbon at about a 15 degree angle lightly touching the ribbon.
5...Pull the ribbon (in your non-dominant hand) through under the stamp pad and adjust the pressure until you have the desired ink coverage. It looks great tone on tone!


Envelope Supplies: Whisper White cardstock to print template. Berry Bliss designer series paper, double-sided tape, & SU envelope glue to construct envelope.

Card Supplies: Stamps: Simply Said & Stitched Background. Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Basic Black, Berry Bliss designer series paper. Ink: Black Craft, Really Rust Craft, Pretty in Pink Accessories: SU eyelets (Soft Subtles), Stampin Up pink grosgrain, Sakura glue pen & clear e.p. (to emboss resist the hearts), white Signo gel pen, Giga scallop punch. Techniques: Glue pen emboss resist

Thanks so much for reading,
:0)
Mel

P.S. If you'd like tinted White Signo Gel pen, just go over your white dots/stitches a couple of times with a Stamp'n'Write marker. (Works best on dark cardstock colours)

Edited to Add: Here is a link to the template PDFs for three mini envelopes (instructions are there too!)

4 comments:

Gwen said...

first of all... love, love the cards!! Pink & black are one of my fave combos! second, thanks for the tuts!!! the are always so helpful :-)

Alhambra Club said...

these cards are great, love the black and pink color combo

Becky G said...

Love the cards and the envies! What a great idea! I make my own white envies all the time. I never think to do them with DP. Thanks for the tip!

Kim Etherington said...

I love all the patterned and stamped envies. You'll have to show slow ol me how to make.
Great work hon!