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Up Cycled Envies

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Up Cycled Envies
Swap Coordinator:displacedamerican (contact)
Swap categories: Letters & Writing  Handmade  Paper Crafts 
Number of people in swap:66
Location:International
Type:Type 3: Package or craft
Last day to signup/drop:January 8, 2010
Date items must be sent by:January 19, 2010
Number of swap partners:2
Description:

I love handmade things and what better way to help the planet, and make something useful.

For this swap you will be make a set of 6 handmade envies for 2 partners so a total of 12 envies.

The catch these envelopes must be made for old papers. Good paper to use are 2009 calendar, old cards, catalog pages, maps, old child book. You are looking for glossy- thicker paper. Not newpaper it will not hold up in the mailing process.

1.make a white or light colored area on the envelopes for sending and return address.old mail works great for thins

  1. Make them a useable size for mailing not to small or to big.

These are a lot of fun to make and super easy. Get creative and try something new while keeping things out of the landfill a win win for us all. here are a few links for some ideas to get you started patterns, http://familycrafts.about.com/library/projects/bl4.5x6envelope.htm http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm

please mail in a differnet package (try using old packaging )so your partner can use all 6 envelopes.

4.9 or higher, filled out profile. 6 mailed/ rated swaps. please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Discussion

revolutionoise 12/18/2009 #

What a great idea! Another idea is to go to your local thrift store and buy a "large size" book for 50 cents. You can tear out the pages for envelope making.. Ive made them out of old comic books, sheet music, dictionary pages, and atlas pages, its endless! Plus many of the things that thrift stores dont sell they toss out, dumpsters can be treasue troves.

Candyn29 12/18/2009 #

just a note: I made some and a few I made were square. You have to pay extra for square envelopes, because they will get caught up in the machine, so best to stick with the traditional shape

17Papergoddess 12/18/2009 #

This is literally an obsession for me-- I make them on a weekly basis & even sell some of them locally. I'm game for this to be a monthly series, lol. On my watchlist for now as the dashboard fills up too quickly.

displacedamerican 12/18/2009 #

I have made these for a long time my firends love to get them. I want to see how everyone else does this. New ideas. Thanks for all the upcycle love.

Whiskers 12/18/2009 #

have received many of these in the mail but have never made them before. Looking forward to this swap and the learning experience. I have lots of calendars and some wonderful wallpaper that would look great as envelopes.

Can I be nosy and ask 17Papergoddess how many do you sell in a pack and for how much. Please email me off site. Thinks. Smiles [email protected]

smmarrty 12/19/2009 #

To make a template, (for those of you who haven't made envelopes before), take an envelope and carefully open all the seams. Glue it to a piece of cardstock or poster board and when dry, cut it out. This makes tracing super fast and easy.

And I agree about thrift store children's books - these make great envelopes.

smmarrty 12/19/2009 #

Oh, and this is a great way to recycle children's art - I'm a preschool teacher so I take all the "unsigned" art and use it for wrapping presents and making envelopes!

sleepsideways 12/20/2009 #

are you willing to let a newbie in? I love this idea and promise to make my partner super happy.

displacedamerican 12/22/2009 #

Nebies are on a case, by case basis please ask maybe we can work something out. If not I will be hosting another round next month.

hipmama1970 12/22/2009 #

How do you make light areas for addresses and return addresses?

displacedamerican 12/23/2009 #

You can use old white enives you got lets say from junk mail and cut it into a shape of your choice (should bebig enough to write mailing iformation) glue on the very neat upcylced enive. Tjis makes an area that you can write the to and from infomation and also makes it easier for the post office to know where themai is going. DO hope this helps.

Denise 12/29/2009 #

I use white address labels, is this acceptable for this swap?

displacedamerican 12/30/2009 #

Yes the white labels are okay. Remember tho this swap is to try and use old things that would other wise be trash.

hipmama1970 01/ 1/2010 #

I made a few of these from the swap listing http://familycrafts.about.com/library/projects/bl4.5x6envelope.htm and used them for our Christmas thank you notes. Everyone loved them and now I'm hooked :-)

digitalmaven 01/ 2/2010 #

I have a how-to guide and list of envelope-making links on my web site, as additional resources:

http://www.beingcrafty.net/making-envelopes/ http://www.beingcrafty.net/making-envelopes/envelope-links/

cindynvb 01/ 2/2010 #

This sounds like a lot of fun... going to try making a few B4 I join. Real busy these days....

displacedamerican 01/ 3/2010 #

Thanks all of you for the out pour of support. There is a round 2 of this swap for next month.

Cassidymonster 01/ 4/2010 #

I love this swap! I upcycle almost all of my envelopes out of old magazines and scrap paper. Cant wait to swap, i would even send some out to anyone that wants some more just because

SidewaysandShipwrecked 01/ 5/2010 #

This sounds like a lot of fun... I am a newbie and I have tons of great ideas to make a happy partner... is it possible to join?

Janeway 01/ 5/2010 #

I've started making envelopes for this swap and now I can't stop! I've made 30 so far and I am still searching for more paper to turn into an envelope. Help! ;)

displacedamerican 01/ 6/2010 #

It is a lot of fun and quite easy Hint of the day Rubber cemet makes a perment bond for your paper with no mess. ( put a thin layer on both sides you want to bond together. Let dry. Once dry press the two sides together. A perment bond with no bumps or mess. So glad you are all enjoying find useful papers.

Starwatcher 01/ 8/2010 #

Thanks for the inspiration, displacedamerican! I've been storing old calendars for years and, thanks to this swap, I've started to finally make them into something useful again. I'm using my Cricut with the Wild Card cartridge as it makes a nice sized envelope with a pretty edge on the flap. No measuring, no messed up cuts or folds, lots of fun! Thanks for hosting!

aladyde 01/ 8/2010 #

This link shows how to make an envelope from a 21 x 21 cm piece of paper. http://www.dekoatelier.de/basteln/weihnachtskarten3.htm By the way: colored envelopes cost more postage in Germany because the red printed code cant be read by the computer and the letter has to be sorted by hand.

hollychihuahua 01/ 8/2010 #

I'm kind of new, but I'd love to join.

deercnc 01/11/2010 #

I have been asking EVERYONE to send me their old calendars and greeting cards. Once I got started, I JUST COULD NOT STOP! LOL

displacedamerican 01/15/2010 #

just an update the last day to send has changed to the 19th, The Post office will be closed on that Monday the 18th for MLK. Thanks again to everyone.

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