Tutorial: Recycled Envelope Pocket Books
Here’s an easy idea to recycle all those junk mail envelopes.
Open envelope along one short side and remove contents, as pictured. Cut envelope in half or to desired size. Collect as many of these halves as you would like. They will be the pages of your book. Envelopes with windows are particularly desirable, as they add a fun see-through element to your book.
Alter and decorate envelope halves on both sides as you like. I used spray ink, rubber stamps, punched circles, stickers, etc. After they dry, arrange the pages in the order you would like them to appear. If you want, you can cut a separate cover for your book from cardstock or chipboard, but I liked leaving the book as is.
Bind your book. I used my Zutter Bind-it-All, but you could easily punch holes by hand and use binder rings, or sew using a book binding stitch.
Create tags to slip into the pockets of the envelope halves using scraps of cardstock or whatever you please! Use scraps of ribbon to create tabs along the tag edges. Embellish with photos, quotes, or more rubber stamping.
Enjoy your book once it’s finished or make another one as a gift!
About the designer: Kristina currently lives in Texas with her husband and goofy wirehaired dachshund. Paper crafts and photography are her first loves, but she occasionally beads, sews, and paints Byzantine icons as well. You can visit her blog.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Yummy book! Love the images!
November 19th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Wow, what a great idea!
November 19th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Very cool! I’m doing a bunch of links to recycling projects for my blog today, and I’ll be including this…
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November 19th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
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November 19th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
fun idea- I’m thinking this could easily be made into an advent calendar with a little note or bookmark type goodie in the pages.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Great tutorial, K. A great way to reuse envelopes that would otherwise be discarded!! Another thing you can add to your green list :o)
November 20th, 2008 at 11:06 am
love this! it will make a great project for my girls! they’ll love it. thanks!
November 20th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
What a fun way to go “green!”
November 21st, 2008 at 11:23 am
Thanks for the idea! I have just gone through my stash of stuff to throw away, now I’m turning them into these useful things ;D
November 21st, 2008 at 5:02 pm
What a great idea Kristina! I never thought I could be so excited to get junk mail!
November 27th, 2008 at 2:24 am
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March 4th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Hi!
Today (March 04), I posted an entry on my blog with a link to this tutorial.
Would you let me know if that’s OK?
Thanks,
Nancy Ward
htt[://paperfriendly.blogspot.com
March 15th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
fantastic tutorial!
:)
candy
May 20th, 2009 at 5:12 am
such a lovely idea
i did something like this once for my seeds