Project reNEWit – recycled envelope mini album
Hi all, (scrappy)Kate here with this months Project reNEWit…
how to make a mini album out of old envelopes!
Now all my envelopes just happened to be all white, and the same size. I had bought a pack years ago and never used them, as they weren’t the right size for the cards I was making at the time. They were just sitting there begging to be used for something!
I get most of my junkmail/bills/subscriptions online these days, so I don’t get those return to sender envelopes much anymore, but they would be perfect for this. I think it would be more interesting to use different coloured ones, different sized ones, ones with text/addresses on them or even ones with windows, for that peek-a-boo effect!
Now, here’s the how-to…
I used “Boy on Wheels” from Digi Keepsakes by Monica Evan. I sealed the envelopes and ran them straight through my printer – back side up.
Stick two envelopes, front to front so the printed side is on the outside. Two envelopes makes one sheet.
This next step was done because this project is for my 3yo son and I wanted the pull out cards to have some ridgidity. You don’t have to use cards anyway, you could pop photos, little keepsakes or anything in there!
Keep it together!
Decorate!
Create some digital layouts to fit your pockets.
Glue printed layouts on to cards for the aforementioned ridgidity!
Decorate – again, cards this time. Attach something to use as a pull out tab.
I inked all the edges with a sponge and black ink for a bit more grunge and to get rid of the white bits 
Here’s the back…
Some of the inside…
And back to the start…
Why don’t you try making a mini album out of some old envelopes? We’d love to see it, so be sure to post it to our hybrid gallery!
Hey All – Donna here from reCREATE. With some eco-facts about junk mail… Did you know that according to 41pounds.org that “An average of 41 pounds of junk mail is sent to every adult citizen each year. Approximately 44% of this mail goes into a landfill unopened.” I also read that between 65 and 100 million trees are cut down each year for the direct mail industry, and that the average American spends eight months of their life dealing with junk mail – Scary, huh?! www.41pounds.org and www.greendimes.org. You can also check out this article, and easily do it yourself!www.recreate.org
There are several companies that will take your name off the junk mail lists for a small fee
If you do get something you don’t need – by all means – craft it up like Kate did with this cool envelope album!
Donna Sangwin, Director
Have a great holiday season and I’ll see you back here on the first day of 2009 for another tutorial!
Kate
December 18th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Wow, Kate, great project! Love how you illustrated all the steps!
December 18th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Fantastic post Kate, love your project!!
December 18th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Really cute album – I bet I could make a zillion of these albums from the junk mail that arrives in my mailbox -
December 18th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Kate this is such a great idea! I have a box of envelopes I just found, that somehow got sealed in the box, now I have a use for them.
Thanks for hte wonderful tutorial.
December 20th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Nice idea of an album. I can’t believe the 41lbs of junk mail. I guess over the course of a year it really adds up! my new year resolution shall be try to stop some of the mail coming into our home! Thanks for the wake up call!
December 20th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I sometimes think i should be changing my name to all fired up. i have just started my first hybrid project and i have so many more already queued. What i really want to do is things that recycle and reuse. What a fantastic idea!!!