What about envelopes?

[Robin E.]

Okay, I've started foraying into making custom cards, but I'm left wondering about envelopes. Do you buy a box of some standard sized envelopes and then make your cards to fit that size? Do you somehow make your own cards to the size you need? How?

I loved the look of the birthday card I made my niece this last week, but I had to tape the money we gave her into it as otherwise it would fall out of the card because I didn't have an envelope.

[honeymoon]

I do a combination. I buy packets of envelopes - usually fit an A6 size card in them, or if I see cheap packets of envelopes I buy these and then make cards to fit.

I also make envelopes based on the template in Lauren's Flower Card and Envelope Quick Click Template (http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2870). I've made some the same as the template and then I also squashed the template to make evelopes for soem 4x4 inch cards that I made. I just use double sided tape to put them together. The great thing about making them is they can match your card.

One year I made all my Xmas cards and about 10 sets of cards as gifts. You get really good at making the envelopes when you have to do it about 100 times. One thing that helped was making a square template the size of the finished envelope to fold the sides around.

Have fun.

[Robin E.]

Oh, thank you. I'm ALWAYS happy about a QuickClick.

So, when you print an envelope, what kind of paper do you use? Card stock seems too heavy, but regular printer paper seems too thin. Do you use photo paper?

[carlalee]

Hi Robin - I love to make my own cards and have spoiled my family enough that I don't dare send a store buy card anymore. ;) I've found packets of cards in my local Wallymart that come with 10 cards and 10 envelopes. They come in a couple of sizes, 5x7 and 4.25x5.5. These are great for printing a quick card. Also, you can buy boxes of 50 or 100 envelopes in the stationary aisle for these card sizes. If I'm making a bunch of cards, like at Christmas time, I found a trick. I get the Epson Matte Paper Heavyweight in 8.5x11 size and create 1 or 2 cards at 4.25x5.5 size (this is standard invitation size) then put them one on the top of the page and one at the bottom of the page. Then when I print them out I get two cards at once. ;) After they're printed, I score the sheet then cut them in half. BINGO! Two cards in half the time with the pre-made envies and I'm set to go. HTH -c-

[Robin E.]

Thanks. I've been meaning to get a paper trimmer already (we homeschool, so there's always something that needs cut), but now I'm thinking it's all the more necessary. I can't imagine doing 50+ Christmas cards with scissors!

[honeymoon]

I use about a 100gm paper to make the envelopes and let's face it most people just throw them out anyway.

I also will make two cards to a page when I get the chance. The main thing is to check that the edges align so that when you do use a paper trimmer to cut them you can make one big cut.

[Robin E.]

I use about a 100gm paper to make the envelopes and let's face it most people just throw them out anyway.

I also will make two cards to a page when I get the chance. The main thing is to check that the edges align so that when you do use a paper trimmer to cut them you can make one big cut.
Okay, lady. Remember you are talking to someone from a country that hasn't totally embraced the metric system yet. We can't buy 100 gram paper here. Paper is typically sound by pounds, that is how much an entire ream of that paper would weigh (it's sold that way even if you are buying less than a ream). 50 pounds is a heavy paper, but lighter than cardstock, like a good quality art paper for pencils or pastels. 20 or 22 pounds is what typical everyday printer paper weighs.

So, is 100 gram paper what is commonly sold as everyday printer paper or heavier? Is it just a little heavier, or a lot heavier?

[honeymoon]

The paper that we print on normally is 80gm i.e. that's what I use in my printer and at work in the photocopiers. So the other is just a little heavier.

Checking another packet I use the 80 is g/m squared or 80gsm. From what I can find on the internet that seems to convert to 54 lbs. Which seems to be really heavey compared to the 20/22 lb paper that you use everyday, but I would have thought they would be the same ??

One conversion chart I have found shows a 100gsm is 150lbs and shows the formula lbs x 1.5 = gsm

I print my cards on a combination of 160gsm and 120gsm, depending on which one I grab at the time. The 160gsm is about the heaviest that will go through our printer.

Metric is great.... 10s & 100s are so much easier to add up. ;)