There are any number of decorative envelopes out there, many of which have been included with Apron Strings kits. Maya Road (Kraft above) probably produces the largest variety of non-standard envelopes. Doodlebug (Teal and Pink above) used to make really cute decorative ones, even minis, but they seem to have moved away from those. However, they are still in my stash. The downside for me about envelopes is I don't make a ton of cards, at least not ones that need to be mailed (I don't generally put a handmade card in an envelope when the recipient is local.) Like most of my stash, I have, pretty much, one way to use something and don't think much off-the-page.
Envelopes, for me, are usually holders of notes, tickets, report cards, letters to Santa, etc. I don't even do much to the envelope, just stick it down. I decided it might be time to broaden the creativity where envelopes are concerned.
I searched Pinterest and found these. They are Doodlebug's, but I think they are homemade envelopes, and not ones you can purchase premade. They are super cute, from the mini brad that holds them closed, to the simple ticket and baker's twine that adorn them. If I'm tucking away memorabilia, why not take a moment decorate.
So, I got inspired by this Doodlebug card. Besides being really cute, and needing to find those mini envelopes, it sparked the idea that with the mini Kraft envelopes in my possession, I could totally translate the mini clothes line of envelopes to my scrapbook page. I could "fill" the envelopes on my scrapbook page version with journaling, the title or even a photo, or I could simply embellish.
Pinterest was pretty void of ideas for mini envelopes, outside of either templates for making them, or creating a coordinating envelope for a card. I searched Google and found this cute envelope and bag combo. Now here, it's being used to give treats, but it's more about how they decorated the envelopes, plus combining it with a small Kraft bag (because I have those, too.) Plus, even with school winding down, who doesn't need a fast teacher gift?
This countdown calendar is A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. First there's the whole idea of a countdown calendar - so cute. However, it's more about how each envelope is decorated; paper trimmed to fit, buttons, chipboard, ribbon, twine - whatever to decorate the outside. Done like this, an envelope can become just another element on the page, whether there's something in it or not.
This romantic envelope is another example of simply decorating the envelope. This is a great way to use up scraps of paper and the odd embellishment or two.
I also found examples of larger decorative envelopes used to create mini albums, though I don't know why smaller ones wouldn't work. A simple search provided all kinds of examples. The envelopes don't need to match or even be the same size. Envelope albums are great for quick travel/vacation albums - receipts and memorabilia on the inside, a photo or two on the outside. You could even convert a vacation countdown to the album for your trip - create a countdown, like the Advent one above, but specific to your trip/vacation. Like most minis, gratification is instant and it gives you something to reminisce over while you produce your more traditional pages.
Go. Create.
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