Mild mannered mail art

Mail art can get very interesting and very  bizarre.  One interesting movement in art that began around 1916 was called DaDA, you can find information here:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dada

daDa moved into the small scale mail art trends and went from the nonsensical placement of words and letters to bleeding eyeballs and scary dolls.  SteamPunk is a more modern offshoot of DaDa.  Personally I don't care for it.  I have no desire to view someone Else's "anxt" in art form.  But I do like mail art , I love to jazz up my envelopes with stamps and envelopes and glitter. Once in awhile I will put a crown on a frogs head on an envelope, while he is attempting to catch a dragon fly that has just written out the address on the paper.  My post man loves it, I have heard from the people that receive fun stuff like that, that their post men like it too!  

A fast easy way to  really colorful envelopes is to make them your self!   They are EASY!!

 

First you need paper, for these samples I used paper in my stash that I purchased from walmart on sale 3.00 per pad (normally 5.00) make sure it is the paper and not cardstock pad.  Mine are 12x12- 50 sheets will make 50 envelopes.

 

for this batch I picked girly paper and masculine

I grabbed a regular A6 size envelope and took it apart to make a  template.  I used a piece of chip board for the template that I traced onto the paper

 

 

This paper is only about 28# and is super easy to cut, it was easier and faster to use scissors  than to use my electronic cutter.  I was able to cut 5 sheets at a time with put any problems

 

Instead of scoring I cut another piece of chip board  6x5and folded the paper around it, creased and then used Zipdry to glue it. you can also use ATG tape, but I make about 100 at a time and I didn't want to use that much ATG Tape, I'm  sure there may be a glue stick that works, but I haven't found one yet.  The Zip dry is tried and true.

Here is a stack of finished envelopes

 

Aren't these fun??

 

Front

Back, you can hardly see the flap here!

 

Some I make with kids in mind, which is this stack for the most part.  Other papers like collages and vintage script are awesome for adults.  Maps make great envelopes too!  This is something you really can have fun with.  If you scrap booking papers are to blah to use in a lay out, try them as an envelope!!

 

Here is a recipe for glue ( I prefer ATG for this step, but when I am making them in a set for sale or as a gift I use this recipe for

Licky Sticky Envelope Sealing Glue

 

Ingredients:

1tsp Elmer's glue

1/2tsp white vinegar

2 drops mint  flavoring

 

Easy and yes this is mildly gag worthy, but not too bad!

I brush it on with a mini foam brush.  Let it dry and  and add another layer. let dry. When you are ready to seal the envelope lightly wet the glue  and seal. I apply

Ta Da!!

 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a happy Monday!!

Ginny M