Let’s make something bright and fun and fast and easy and colorful, shall we? Let’s make envelopes with Astrobrights paper!
To get started Astrobrights sent me a rainbow in a box. Wouldn’t you just burst to have this show up on your doorstep? (More on that at the end of the post!) I almost did. I got GIDDY. And nostalgic. I’ve used most of these colors over the years and I can actually remember which projects I used each of the colors for.
When Astrobrights e-mailed us recently about working with them I couldn’t say “YES YES YES” fast enough – in part because I already had a draft of this project sitting next to my keyboard.
Download the envelope template here and get to work! Making envelopes is SO fun! It’s natural to think about folding a piece of paper into a card. But making the envelope too? Now we’re talking! My 7-year-old was looking over my shoulder and asked “how’d you learn to do that?”. So, this offers the added bonus of feeling super smart. All you need is a template, a piece of paper and a glue stick.
The finished envelopes hold a 4 x 4 inch insert – which is perfect for an Instagram print, a lunchbox note, a note to accompany a gift or a gift card!
Each template uses just a regular 8.5 x 11 sheet. Each also works on A4. Easy peasy. The file includes 6 slightly different shapes for the closure, because I can’t settle for just one of anything, ever. Nor can I settle for two. Which is why tequila and I broke up entirely a few years ago and chocolate and I meet each other in the multi-pack area rather than by the one-at-a-time register impulse area. Wait, what were we talking about? OH! Back to the yummy and blissfully calorie-free paper story.
Well, actually, while I’m being ridiculous, behold: my first crush. Stardust. I LOVE THIS PAPER. It’s a subtly fancy and affordable neutral in paper world. Flyers, awards, brochures, invitations, stationery – everything looks good on it! I’ve used Stardust in the card stock weight to print my envelope templates. Start by cutting the templates. For the envelopes both a text weight (thinner) and card stock (thicker) work – and both are available in all 26 colors!
So, there are 4 ways to cut our your envelopes. Depending on your making style. (Which of these are you?)
1 – most precise – print it directly on your envelope paper.
2 – precise but paper-conservative – place the template on top of your paper and trace around it
3 – less precise but no marks left on your edges – place the template on top of your paper and carefully cut around it
4- “Meh”. Just hold the template on top of your paper and cut not so carefully because it’s just a piece of paper and you can always print another one if you want to go crazy. The good crazy.
Once you’ve cut the envelope (2.5 seconds) shape folding them up takes about 2 seconds.
Fold the longer side in first and ready your glue stick. I’ve been purposely globby here for visibility’s sake, but of course, smoother application means smoother finish. Stick the shorter of the two wide flaps on top of the wider one and then the bottom flap.
Then make a THOUSAND. Because you can. And because it’s so satisfying to do.
Ready to win your own rainbow in a box JUST like the one they sent me AND an Office Depot gift card? Yes, I think you are. (And look how nicely a gift card works in these!)
Enter now! (No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law.) The winner will be announced on our Facebook page!
This post is sponsored by Astrobrights. I was about to post about this idea anyway when they e-mailed me, how cool is that? Thanks to them I had about 20 more colors to work with than I would have had otherwise. Except the purple ones. Dedicated readers will notice the removal of purple. Because we can.
I’d be all set for a summer of crafting.
I would turn my kids loose on it because they would have a blast! thanks for the chance!
I love making cards! This will make my summer card collection so bright and lovely.
:)
I am kind of thinking a wall of pinwheels
baby shower invites to start with!
Thanks for the tutorial and the giveaway! Yay!
I hope you’re saving all the purple ones for me, because that’s my favorite!
So many things to make! I live all the colors – and I love having a stash of awesome paper for when inspiration hits.
Not sure where my comment went so if this is s duplicate – sorry. I love all the bright colors and love having a stash of great papers for when inspiration hits. Thanks for the giveaway.
I think my kids and I would have a blast crafting with these over the summer
Eeek! I love itty bitty things. And so many yummy colors!
I would love to use for kid crafts!
What a great box to receive!! I love paper and sending cards so this is perfect!!
Super cute!!!!
I think I would just sit and drool if I won a box of paper in so many beautiful colors! I have a serious addiction to textiles and paper.. my husband thinks it’s a problem, but I prefer to think of it as part of my charming personality :)
Why envelopes of course :-)
That white paper with the “confetti” in it looks just like the paper I used for my oldest’s birth announcements, but our was red with “confetti.” He was born just before Christmas, so the red was quite appropriate.
I’m not sure what we’d do first with these papers, but I guarantee they’d be put to good use with me being a paper lover and my two sons who love to paper craft!
Ah-mazing colors!!! I’d love to win this!!
Ooooo looks fun! And super easy
I would have a lot of fun using the paper to have a craft day with the little ones.
Love Astrobrights! I worked for my dad in his printing company for a number of years and we used loads of that paper. My kids and I regularly stop in and steal some. :-)
it’s a box of Pinterest ideas waiting to come to life!!
make cards, lots of cards! My daughter is also into making cards these days and she would love these bright colors.
Cute idea :)
Wow! I’ve never heard of Astrobrites, but I am now in love with all those colors! Thanks for sharing!
Definitely going to try these envelopes! My daughter loves getting mail.
Such a fun project!
Love the colors!
I would cut out pretty shapes with my new Cricut Explore
pinwheels!
I could totally use these to ship my lanyards in! (with a more permanent glue!)
I love the paper. I have a few currently…
so many paper crafts i want to do and the astro papers are awesome. i woudl LOVE to win this. LOVE LOVE LOVE
My sons and I would make tons of different projects!
These envelopes make me so so happy!
everything about this makes me happy :)
make envelopes and die cut to my heart’s content
LOVE this idea and the colors are fabulous. You can use these as mailing envelopes but I think I will make some to add to my art journal to hold ephemera.
I’d love to make crafts with my two daughters. We LOVE rainbows.
Fight with my 7 year old over them!
I’d probably do the same thing, make envelopes!
I’d make all kinds of things; envelopes, garlands, just pinning scraps of those beautiful colors to my bulletin board.
With Astrobrights, I would make custom cards, envelopes, and wrapping accents. I would create art with my toddler and school kids. I’d also craft party and holiday decorations.
I’d start with the envelopes and so where it goes from there!
Oh wow this takes me back! I’d probably make some fun envelopes to send letters to friends, and maybe some fun bunting for a summer party!
What beautiful, bright paper. I’d make stacks of lovely envelopes and note cards.
love astrobrights i’d make boxes.
Making envelopes to go with homemade cards…heaven!
This would be so much fun! Thanks for the tutorial and the chance to win!
Oooooh, the possibilities! I’d make this, and then that, and then…and then…endlessly!
Love the colors, they make it so easy to match cards to envelopes for that personal touch!
I would look at all the lovely colors, smell the paper (I’m strange, I know!), and then maybe let my kids do some crafts. Maybe.
I have so many projects I can do with these… Envelopes, stationary notes… Ohh the possibilities are almost endless!!
Astrobrights are the perfect thickness for these envelopes!!
I would make cards to go with packages I send to friends, family or people I make stuff for. Along with a note saying were I got such beautiful paper. So they know where they can get some.
We could make birthday, Christmas and all kinds of other card. FUN, FUN, FUN!!!
Oh yes please, what fun this would be!!!!!!!!
Would be set for envelopes for a long time!
I love them! I would be crafting all the time with these! the colors are amazing… Oh the Cards I could make with these! Thanks for the great give away!
So I just got this crazy image of printing black and “white” pictures on these, using the colors in the negative (“white”) spaces to create layers of beautiful. Honestly I don’t know exact projects I would make with this because it looks like a lot of paper, but I’m sure there would be a few envelopes and a lot of happy children. And mail. I like to send mail.
Not on FB, sadface I can’t enter more of the giveaway!
I’d make envelopes and note cards to write letters when my kids are away this summer
I would make die cuts for my daughter’s pre k class!
I’d make a ton of these envelopes to send photos of my daughter to family members :-D
Card and party favors to start! I’ll definitely be trying out the envelopes now too.
thanks for the templates!!!
I would also make some envelopes and crafts with my grand daughter.
I;m thinking fans to decorate for a tea party!
As a school librarian I can come up with lots of ways to use Astrobrights to cheer up our library! Thank you for sharing the envelope template, too!
First, I’d let my daughter go through the paper stash and then we’d get to work making a rainbow of origami balloons.
Envelopes of course followed by paper garland,,paper lanterns and decoupage art. I’m sure hundreds more ideas will pop up if I see that glorious package on my doorstep :)
I would teach Grandkids to make cards and envelopes.
The envelopes are wonderful, but I’m not sure what I would do with the paper. Maybe use it for scrapbooking.
I would like to make cards with some of them and then make something cool with the grandbabies!
There is a 5th way to cut these out. Just put your astrobrights into your printer and print the template directly onto it. You are going to print one out anyway! I do this all the time. Lots of time saved from tracing and fiddling with templates.
Nevermind. I see that is #1 already. Remind me to read more carefully next time. But on a side note, since this is not the most paper conservative method, you can always use the extra scraps for quilling projects or recycle if you make your own handmade papers.
I’d make mini-books and use them in art journalling as well as this wonderful opportunity to make cards and envelopes.
My daughter loves origami. I think we’d start there…after making some fun envelopes to send to family members of course. Those are so cute!
Oh the envelopes I could make! And little pennant banners…and cards…and origami…and…and…and… The possibilities are endless!
I would love to work on paper projects with my daughter. It’s one of those things we enjoy doing together. It would be awesome to have all of these colors.
Where to start??? Envelopes, for sure!
What a colorful way to start the summer crafting season!
I would make die cuts to decorate cards and envelopes to match. Thank you!
The envelopes are pretty. I would also like to make a birthday paper chain.
Gorgeous colors and so many possibilities – first cards and envelopes, then some origami, we LOVE origami – we have a zoo full!
Wow! The kids would go wild with this!
My daughter loves paper crafts, so do I, when I get the chance! Perfect for summer holidays!
Endless hours of creations!
I have twin 4 year old girls, so this box would disappear FAST, haha! They would be in crafting heaven!
I love those envelopes! That would be a perfect thing to do
I have a 1.5 year old. I’d start a stash for rainy days and for when she hits school age! I’m all about stocking up :) I love having her make her own cards for Grandparents.
Origami mobiles for the babies that are due in our family, making envelopes is a great idea too. And lots of other ideas will pop up if i give it a bit more thought.
So many colors and possiblities. I just got a new cutting machine I’m itching to cut and make lots of new cute things!
Love this! I’d definitely do invitations for my daughter’s birthday with these!
All kinds of fun letters and notes!!! And plenty of envelopes since I know how, now!!!
Wrong email address for the first one!! It’s fixed now!
Ack, I’m a children’s minister I could find ALL SORTS of uses for these gorgeous papers! :)
Origami and envelopes and cards with the grandkids. A wonderful day.
Could use these bright colored envelopes to send out my Thank You’s for the teacher gifts I received!!
I would make some envelopes, cards & also use them for home decoration crafts.
I love the idea of colored envelopes. Thank you for the template.
I’d make all sorts of crafty goodness with my silhouette.
My kids would love to make stuff to send to their grandparents :)
Totally going to make DVD envelopes
A rainbow of silhouettes and gift tags are a few things I would make…
Love this idea!!!!!
I would make and send cards to everyone I know.
A ton of stuff! I’d definitely make envelopes, homeschooling printables, all sorts of fun stuff!
There are a million and one things I want to make with that beautiful rainbow!