Easels & Envelopes by Judi Kauffman

 

Thank you for inviting me back as a guest designer, Bibi. I thought it would be fun to make something a little different – a Card Stand/Easel that can be mailed flat, inside a matching envelope along with a card, postcard, photo, calendar page, recipe, poem…whatever would look nice perched on the easel.

Card Stand/Easel:

Die cut an easel from heavy cardstock or lightweight board. I chose shirt cardboard from the laundry. Smudge the surface with inks in two or more shades of brown and let the inks dry, then stamp faux postage and envelope art stamps in black. Carefully and firmly fold the easel at a right angle along the scoring line and perch something on it. Enjoy! (Or leave it flat for mailing and write a note to the recipient so she knows how to set up the easel when it arrives).

Envelopes:

Start with Kraft brown 5.25” x 7.25” envelopes, or any size you prefer. (Larger envelopes offer more space for stamping, but small ones are fun, too.) Stamp faux postage and envelope art stamps in black, except for the lips. Stamp lips in bright red. Smudge various shades of brown as shown or as you prefer, using a sticky note mask here and there to create straight edges. 

Work by the batch so you have a nice stack of envelopes when you’re done! Be sure to add one or more of the ‘Air Mail’ stamps for the envelopes that will travel a long way. 

Optional: Color the ‘Snail Mail’ snail with a pencil or marker.

  

Supplies:

Rubber Dance Stamps – Envelope Stamps

Elizabeth Craft Designs – 1071 CardStand/Easel die

Other – Black, Brown and Bright Red inks; Shirt cardboard or heavy cardstock; Kraft brown envelopes; Artist’s sponge or ink dauber; Acrylic blocks with low-tack tape for temporarily mounting the stamps

About Guest Designer Judi Kauffman:

Judi wears, and has always worn, many hats at the same time. She is a designer, writer, and teacher who has worked in the craft industry for over 25 years. She has also been a graphic artist, art director, photo stylist, illustrator, and weaver. She has an undergraduate degree in printmaking and a master’s in fibers. Judi’s projects, articles, and reviews appear in a wide variety of magazines, she works for several manufacturers in design and product development. She is a frequent guest artist for Elizabeth Craft Designs, Walnut Hollow, StencilGirl Products, and other manufacturers. She has also written five books (alas, all now out of print). 

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