The Amazing Envelope Punch Board

 Over the years I've purchased many envelope makers (mostly templates), but they were just simple trace and cut tools and could only do a few sizes.  This new tool available at Ben Franklin Crafts is a delight for crafters who want to make special envelopes for their card creations.  The envelope punch board can create many, many different sizes of envelopes. It is simple to operate even for a non-mechanical person like me.  I have found that the large sheets of wrapping paper sold at Celebrations (next door to BFC Mapunapuna) are perfect and economical for envelope making.

Here are a few samples of envelopes I made in just a few minutes.  If the bottom flap protruded up too much, I cut the tip off with a scissors. Sometimes I reversed the paper if the front side was too busy or slick so that names and addresses could be written without using a mailing label.

Remember the anniversary card I showed in a previous post?  I decided I wanted to make a special, fun envelope to go with it.  I used dot paper from Celebrations to make an inner envelope and created an outer one from the liner of a cereal box.  (The punch board could not cut through the plastic, but left enough of an impression so that I could cut out the notches by hand.)

Between the two envelopes, I enclosed some dots punched out from my scrap pile.  I think the moving inner dots make a delightful surprise.  Just think of all the possibilities!

An extra long ruler, cutting mat and rotary blade are useful to use with the envelope punch board.  To form the envelope, double stick (Merikan) tape is my choice.  The envelope glue is a product from BFC which helps make your envelopes more professional (especially if you are making gift sets) because once dry on the flap, it can be moistened later to seal the envelope.  I hope that if you are a card maker you will try this new envelope maker.  You will be able to make clever envelopes by recycling calendar pages. magazines, shopping bags, etc.  Also you will be able to make an envelope to fit any size card that you create. I love this new tool and I feel certain that you will too!