October - Make a Book: the envelope book

 

I'm carrying on with my October challenge of making as many varieties of simple books as I can, and today's example is just about the simplest there is.  All you need are a stack of envelopes and a glue stick.  

I've already made and started to decorate a couple of these envelope books.  Both were made using square brown envelopes with rectangular flaps, but the method's exactly the same whatever shape or size of envelope, and regardless of whether its closure is straight edged or triangular.  

With this book I've added a pocket to pop a tag into.  

I've added Gelli prints to book pages, and stenciled over them with my favourite bubbles stencil.  

Added a few stars too.  

So, how do you make an envelope book?  Well, it's easy-peasy.  Grab a stack of envelopes and a glue stick and it'll take you barely five minutes.  I came across six white envelopes while I was tidying out a drawer, and will use those.  But you could use six or sixteen, or however many you've got.  

Unless the gummed strips on the envelopes are extra-extra-sticky I'd advise you to use a belt and braces approach to assembling your book, hence the glue required.  A glue stick's probably the easiest, but double sided sellotape would do fine.  I reckon PVA would be too gloopy, and anyway you'd have to wait for the glue to dry and that'll slow you down.

Lay two envelopes on the surface you're working on.  One with the front of the envelope face upwards (B), the other with the gummed flap face upwards (A) which you apply glue to.  

Then slide the glued flap of envelope (A) into envelope (B).  That's two pages of your book that're joined.  

Now, add glue to the flap of envelope (B) and insert that into envelope (C).  Then (C) goes into (D), (D) into (E) and keep going until you run out of envelopes.  The photo below shows all six of the envelopes used, and all I need to do is glue down the remaining flap and that's it.  

Add a cover to your book if you wish.  Cut two pieces of thin card slightly larger than the size of your envelope.  Maybe cover the card with decorative paper or collage, then glue to the front and back of your book, maybe adding tape or ribbon along the spine to make it look neater.  And that's it!  I told you it was an easy book to make, didn't I?  

Keep an eye out in charity shops for cut-price packs of envelopes that someone else has clutter-cleared, and make yourself a no-frills art journal, all ready to personalise.  

Have fun!