Upcylcing old magazines into envelopes

Research Question: What can I do with all those damned magazines and catalogues that I just can't throw away.

Hypothesis: Three options:

1. Shred them and use them in the litter box
2. Use them to line a bird cage
3. Make envelopes out the pages

Well, since I have neither a bird nor a shredder, I decided on option number 3.

Previous Research: I had stumbled across the Art by Ren Adams blog, which inspired the latter option. 

Materials: 

• A magazine
• Scissors
• Rubber Cement (or glue stick, but I'll explain my choice later)
• An old envelope

The best part is you probably have all these items just sitting around your house RIGHT NOW!

Methods:

Find those old envelopes you have sitting around, from birthday cards, bills etc. I used a couple different sized so that I had options depending on the size and orientation of the magazine page I was using.

Carefully pull apart the envelope at the seams. Make sure to not tear the paper, and there you have your very own envelope template!

I traced it onto a thick page from one of the magazines, you know, one of those obnoxious ads making the magazine difficult to thumb through? The thickness will help the template act like more of a stencil.

Find the page you'd like to use as an envelope.

Some advise: I prefer the ads with not a lot of text and I try to center or creatively off center the main picture. Remember to test the stencil on the page before tracing it. That girl's head could easily end up on the top flap, making your envelope look like it has a headless model on it. Then again, if you are going for that look, by all means...

Trace the envelope on the back side of the page, so the pen markings don't show up on your final product.

Carefully (when would someone say 'uncarefully'?) cut out your envelope.

Fold in the sides and fold the back flap. Make sure to do this before putting on the glue, makes things more difficult if you don't.

Put glue on the side flaps and press the back flap onto them. You can remove any excess glue by rubbing your finger over it. No need to go out and buy a rubber cement remover!

Note: I prefer rubber cement because I have observed that over time glue sticks do not work well on magazines. Rubber cement it cheap and easy to use!! But glue sticks work fine if you prefer them.

Fold over the top flap and voilà! You have yourself an envelope. Now you can cut out small squares for the address info, use sticky labels or just write it on the envelope with a Sharpie.

Results:

Discussion: I realized that most magazine pages are quite thin and make for delicate envelopes that might not make it through the postal service very well. I think I shall find some fancy paper and make a lining with it, so you see it when you open the envelope. :-)

Further Research: Now what to do with all those vintage LIFEs and Purple Parrots (Northwestern's magazine) I got from my grandmother...