Envelope Craft | Make Envelopes from Maps and Brochures

I just returned from a short vacation in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  My son and I went camping in a caboose, searched for waterfalls, hiked trails in the woods, and visited a couple state parks.  We also collected a plethora of brochures and maps along the way.  As I unpacked from the trip, it occurred to me that each time we travel, we end up with these pamphlets that either end up in the recycling bin or perhaps a scrapbook.  I decided to repurpose them this time.  I love mail art, and making an envelope craft is a relatively easy project –so I repurposed our brochures and maps by turning them into envelopes. This envelope craft can be used a few different ways: 1. The most obvious purpose for this envelope craft is to use it for mailing a letter or small item to someone.  Handwritten notes and letters are few and far between these days, so consider sending a friend or loved one a quick hello or thank you. 2. Use them in an altered book, collage, or travel journal– the envelopes can be glued to the inside of the book or onto a collage.  Notes, receipts, tickets, etc. can be left inside the envelopes to be found and read. 3. Use them in scrapbooks to show where you traveled or to keep notes in them.  For example, make this envelope craft from a brochure of a place you visited, then tuck a note inside that tells a funny or special moment about your visit there. 4. If you travel with children, have them draw a picture of their favorite memory from the trip or location and tuck it inside the envelope for safe keeping.  Or mail the picture to the child’s grandparent or friend in place of a postcard.  

Materials for Envelope Craft

• Brochures and maps from your vacation
• Scissors
• Glue
• A card envelope (to trace) or an envelope template (these can downloaded from the internet if needed)
• White or light colored paper

Directions to Make Envelope Craft

• Unfold the card envelope gently so as not to tear it.  This will be used as your envelope template.  
• Trace the envelope template onto one of the maps.  As you might have noticed, envelope templates are quite long– regular brochures might not be big enough to trace a template.  Maps are usually wider and have more ample room.
• Cut the template out.
• Fold and glue the envelope flaps into place.  It may help to lay your envelope templates on top of each other and fold in place where the original envelope is folded.
• Cut white or light colored paper into small squares or rectangles to glue onto the envelope–this is where you will write the address and return address if needed.  You can also add a border around these areas by making a dotted line or other pattern around the edges.
• Cut words, logos and pictures from the brochures to glue onto your envelopes.  These are used as decoration, so be as creative as you like.

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