10 Uses for a Kraft Envelope

Many of the kraft envelopes I've seen are not all that exciting or particularly inspirational to look at other than the fact that they are brown which, I suppose, automatically lends an antique usefulness to them. Sometimes we just need a little help with uses to really get the imagination spinning in the right direction so the question becomes, once you have these nifty little treasures, what do you DO with them?

1. Sachets - fill with a little potpourri to make a scented drawer sachet
2. Wedding Favor - fill with 2 tbs bath salts for a unique wedding favor
3. Money Holder - need I say more?
4. Buttons - a great way keep your buttons organized unless you're a button junkie in which case you'll probably need something larger
5. Scrap holder - if you're anything like me you hoard even the smallest bits of paper because you never know when they might come in handy on another project

We'll get to the other 5 uses in a moment. Here are a few digital, printable kraft envelopes I designed that have a little color to them. Not saying the plain envelopes are boring per se, I do like the look but maybe something with a little more pizazz is in order, eh? 

printable digital kraft envelopes in the boutique

Wanna see what these beauties look like from the front? Fortune smiles on you today because with a single wave of my magic wand, I can instantly transport you to Le Charmed Life on Etsy where you can get more detailed views of these magnificent creations. Now for the final 5 uses.

1. Journal Pocket - add interactive elements to your journal
2. Letters - why not send your sweetheart off with a little love note tucked into one of these, oooh, that sparks a few ideas
3. Trinkets - keeps track of charms and trinkets and other small embellishments
4. Seed Packet - why not give your favorite gardner the gift of seeds packaged in a unique way
5. Envelope Journal - create a little envelope journal

I've noticed that when I push myself to come up with uses for things, the most dynamic and exciting ones start coming after you've listed the most obvious uses. Can you think of some others? I would love to hear about them. Enjoy!

Emery Board Envelope

Here's a crafty idea for carting around your emery boards in a way that expresses your unique style. I found this emery board envelope on Sherry's Simple Blog where you can also find a tutorial for putting this together.

emery board holder and tutorial

I really love the distressed effect used on the embossed pattern. Also the buttons make a fantastic alternative to the craft envelope disc. This doesn't have to be an emery board holder exclusively. It could hold a book mark or be used to hold bits of ephemera.

emery board envelope
best if printed on legal sized paper
template height is 10 3/4"

This fits nicely in a scrapbook and could also be used to hold secret notes or small photographs. At any rate, I have recreated the template digitally so there's no need for you to measure anything. Click the image to enlarge, download and print. Enjoy!

How to Make a Scented Paper Sachet

While we're on the subject of sachets, I thought I would post a little tutorial on how to make them. These are especially easy to make out of paper. No special fabric or sewing knowledge required. All you need is an envelope template and your favorite dried flower.

learn how to assemble the favor envelope

Think outside the box a little bit about envelopes. These can be seed packets, over sized tea bag covers, or even a small paper bag. The envelope above was made from decorative vellum.

download template and labels from eat drink chic

Assemble your envelope, add dried flowers using a paper funnel, seal and embellish as desired. With some imagination, digital collage, fabric, ribbon or other bits, these can be really quite pretty!

lavender sachet from 
Regency Gifts and Crafts

The above photo is a commercially made sachet just to help get the creative juices flowing and give you an idea about what you what you can do with these. Have fun!