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Create A Template To Line Your Own Envelopes
Many Customers Are Asking How...
Many of our customers are interested in lining their own invitation envelopes for a one of a kind look. Although we have envelope liner templates available for many of our straight flap invitation envelopes, we do not have templates for all of the shapes and sizes we carry. While recently browsing on the web I stumbled upon a post in which the author mentioned she sacrificed an envelope to make a custom lining template - a simple but great idea that would work for an envelope of any shape or size - an idea I wanted to try for myself.
For this project, I wanted to create a unique look, so I chose to line a European Flap Envelope with plum yellow Japanese Pearlized Paper, and the end result was beautiful. I found this project was quicker and easier than I anticipated, and with just a bit of trial and error, I created a perfect lining template from an envelope. The same few steps I used can be replicated on envelopes of any shape or size. If you are interested in custom lining your own envelopes, read on to learn how.
Import Note: Address Envelopes Before Lining
It is recommended that you address your envelopes prior to lining them. If you print your envelopes after they have been lined, the lining may get damaged through the printing process.
Partial Line Or Fully Lined Envelopes
To determine the base of your template, the first step is to determine how far down into the envelope you want the liner paper to go. For the purpose of conserving paper & saving cash, I chose to go only one inch down into my envelope and to mirror the shape of the bottom flap. If you would like your liner paper to go all the way to the envelope bottom, or find it easier to keep the base of your template straight across, simply measure and cut according to your preferences.
Create the Base of the Envelope Liner Template (Partial Liner)
To make your template begin with a flat, open envelope identical to the ones you will line. Starting on the left side of the envelope, I measured one inch down and marked the location. I did the same on the right side, and then in the center. After marking the three locations, I traced the path in pencil, so as to mirror the shape of the envelope.
Use Width of Gum Seal to Create Upper Portion of the Template
Although you want your liner and envelope flap to be the same shape, you do not want them to be the same size, or the liner will not fit or align correctly. Ideally, your liner should start right below the envelope's gum seal and mirror the shape of the flap all around - simply a smaller version of the envelope flap. To achieve this look, you need to create a template that is proportionately scaled down from the flap. To accomplish this, first measure the width of your envelope's gum seal, then size simply scale it down by that width, all around.
See below for example:
I measured the gum seal on my envelope to determine it was 7/16 of an inch. To scale the my template down accordingly, I then marked 7/16 of an inch in towards the center at all major points of the flap, as indicated by the arrows. Next I traced a path around them, again mirroring the flap’s shape, yielding the outline of my template.
Cut the Template Out of the Envelope
Now that you have traced the shape of your template, you are ready to cut it out. Starting at the bottom of the gum seal, cut the template from the envelope, following the pencil lines you have created. When you are finished, you should have something that looks like this:
Trace the Template Onto Liner Paper & Cut
Now simply trace the shape of the template onto the paper you have chosen for your liner, and cut it out. This is your complete envelope liner. You are almost done!
How To Adhere the Liner Paper
To adhere the liner to your envelope, use a glue marker, fast drying adhesive, or craft glue stick on the back of the liner. Be careful not to use too much glue, or your liner may wrinkle. A light path around the edge should be sufficient.
Insert Liner Into The Envelope and Adjust Accordingly
Next, carefully insert the liner into the envelope, and adjust it so that it sits right below the gum seal and evenly inside of the flap.
After aligning, press the edges down firmly. Before the glue is dry, fold the envelope closed to make sure the lining folds with the envelope naturally without wrinkling.
That’s it! You have just created a custom lined envelope for your invitation!
About Japanese Decorative Pearlized Paper
Decorative Pearlized Papers vs. Standard Pearlized Papers
The term "pearlized paper" may be used to describe any specialty paper card stock that has a shiny, light reflecting, and thus pearlescent, finish. LCI has two types of pearlized papers - standard and decorative.
Standard Pearlized Papers:
Standard pearlized papers, such as those of the Aspire Petallics and Stardream Paper lines, have shiny, reflective, metallic finishes. They are uniform in color and have no pattern or design present other than the subtle sparkle of their mica coated finishes. They are available in both card stock and text weight sheets, both of which are significantly heavier than any of the decorative pearlized papers. While these papers may be referred to as pearlized, at LCI, we most commonly refer to them as metallic specialty papers.
Decorative Pearlized Papers:
Decorative pearlized papers, or Japanese pearlized papers, are authentic Japanese imports. They get their "pearlescent" title from the patterns that are silk screened onto colorful base sheets using light catching metallic inks. These colorfully dyed base sheets are very light weight, and are luxuriously soft and smooth to the touch, resulting in an exquisite decorative paper.
Brief History of Japanese Decorative Pearlized Papers
For over fourteen hundred years, the manufacturing of Japanese paper has remained a family affair, governed by the principles of great care, quality, and respect for the environment. In both appearance and caliber, these long standing traditions resonate throughout Japanese papers, placing them in a superior category of their own.
Our decorative pearlized papers are silkscreened in a family owned studio in Japan that produced paper by hand for several generations. Over the past few decades, there has been a domestic drop in the market for handmade papers, and as a result, the family had to give up the long tradition of handmade paper. However, the same care in production that was essential to making fine even paper by hand, is employed in the process of creating the pearlized gems you see here.
What Can I Do With Decorative Pearlized Papers?
Decorative pearlized paper is malleable yet durable, and is available in over thirty colors and patterns, making the creative possibilities for this paper endless! Its vivid pearlescent allure makes it irresistible for wrapping, scrap book pages, origami, invitation layers, wraps, and even for printing.
Invitation Wraps
Create a sense of intrigue by wrapping your invitation in a slightly transparent sheet of pearlized paper.
Invitation Layers
Add tasteful decorative layers to your invitation with colorful pearlized paper. Try it as an underlay or a border, centered or off centered, or any way you choose to create the look that is right for you.
You can use lighter colors and more subtle patterns as printable invitation layers, creating a striking presentation. However, while this paper is laser and inkjet compatible, it is more commonly used for decorative purposes.
The light weight yet durable nature of this paper makes it ideal for lining you own envelopes. With so many colors and patterns to choose from, you are bound to find a color that complements your invitations!
Or, Create Layers & Matching Envelope Liners!
With decorative pearlized paper, you are limited only by your imagination!
Do you offer custom paper and card sizes?
Do you need a card cut to a size that is not already offered on our site? We offer a custom cutting service to assist you with your project. Watch our video to learn how the service works.
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Why does curling occur when my invitations come off the printer?
Invitation curling will sometimes happen on printers with paper paths that are not straight through. Many of the printer manufacturers have such models. If curling does occur, one suggestion is to take a stack of the curled invitations, and gently bend the stack back and forth. Generally speaking, this will take the curl out of the cards. If you do have access to a straight path printer, such as Canon, Epson, or Lexmark, I suggest that you use them as a first choice.
What is the appropriate paper thickness for my printer?
With the huge number of available printer models from various manufacturers and the legacy devices in use in homes, this can be complicated question. Here are three ways to judge if a particular weight of paper is suitable for your particular printer
1. Pay attention to our printing recommendations
Based on our testing and data received directly from the mills, we offer printing recommendations for every paper variety that we sell, right on that particular items product page. If a paper is better suited to laser printing as opposed to inkjet printing or vice versa, that will be reflected in our recommendation. If a paper is too thick for most home printers, then we will not recommend inkjet or laser printing. Keep in mind that our results cannot guarantee your results with your particular printer. However, our recommendations offer an educated first consideration.
2. Consult your printers specifications
Compare our papers listed weights with the recommendations found with your particular printer model specifications. If you have misplaced or discarded your printers specifications documents, you may be able to find them online. Search for your printer manufacturer and model followed by the word specifications. Once you have located the document, find the paper specifications section. You can look for keywords like thickness, paper weight, media types, etc. Try to find a range of recommended paper weights that the printer is manufactured to print. You may see two sets of units, pounds and grams. You can then compare that range with our listed paper weights. If you are unfamiliar with either the North American paper weight system or European grams per square meter system, you can learn about it in our article and video, Text Weight Paper,Card Stock Paper and Paper Density Explained.
If your printers documentation does not include a range of recommended paper weights, then you may be able to find out by contacting the manufacturer.
3. Test a sample sheet
Once you have read our printing recommendations and compared the paper weight with your printers range of recommended weights, you can feel confident that you have done your homework. Printing a sample sheet is the final stop toward gaining the confidence that you printer can or cannot handle a particular paper. We offer single samples of all of our papers in home printable sizes for customer testing.
Unless you are experienced with the exact paper brand and line you want to print, before placing your full order, it is always best to first order a sample and test it in your printer.
