Watercolor Note Paper and Envelope

Watercolor Envelope and Note Paper

Even though the envelope isn't strong enough to be sent through the snail mail, it's fun to use to enclose your notes to family and friends for birthdays and other occasions.

1. Start the square for the envelope by folding up one corner of an 8 1/2" x 11" white sheet of printer paper.

2. Use the end of a paint brush to smooth over the crease

3. Put a little water along the crease with the paint brush.

4. Tear off the extra piece.

5. Now you have a square for the envelope.

6. Fold over the opposite corner about one forth inch short of the untorn edge.

7. Fold over this one forth inch extra and smooth crease.

8. Apply water to crease.

9. Tear off the thin strip and save it for later.

10. Open the corners to a diamond shape with the torn edges pointing up.

11. Fold the two side corners in to meet in the middle.

12. Fold the bottom corner up about an inch past the middle.

13. Crease the extra inch of corner and dampen the crease. 

14. Tear off the extra corner and save for later.

15. You are almost finished folding the envelope.

16. Bring the top corner down to close.

• Set the envelope aside while you create two pieces of note paper.

17. Fold a second sheet of white paper in half.

18. Dampen the crease and tear in half.

19. Fold one of the halves in half again and dampen the crease.

20. Tear in half again and you'll have two pieces of note paper one forth the size of the original white sheet.

Ready to Paint

21. Unfold the envelope, turn it over, and set it next to the scraps and two piece of note paper.

22. Using a lot of water so the colors aren't too dark, paint similar designs on the envelope, scraps, and note paper. 

23. Keep a paper towel under your container of water, so you can wipe your brush on it. 

• The painted paper towel will be used to decorate your note paper.

Let Dry!

24. After the paint is dry, cut two pieces of parchment paper about the size of the note paper.

25. Put one piece of parchment paper inside of the envelope.

• The parchment paper keeps the glue from sticking the front of the envelope to the back.

26. Apply white glue with a paint brush along the sides and bottom of the envelope. You'll have a guesstimate a little where the glue if needed.

27. After the bottom of the envelope is glued together, use the second piece of parchment paper to tuck under the flap.

• Now you can decide which closure you'd like. The strip or....

the corner.

28. After you choose your closure, fold the parchment paper up just far enough so you can mark it with a pen to indicate where to glue the closure on.

• Glue on closure.

29. Cut two shapes of your choice out of the painted paper towel.

30. Glue these shapes on to the top of the note paper.

Note paper should fit in envelope without folding.