I admit it…  I keep everything that I might be able to use or recycle later on.

If it’s pretty, cool, or unique, it’s somewhere in a plastic bin or drawer waiting to be reimagined.

I’ve been recycling my paper calendars as long as I can remember.  Each December, I start eyeballing the soon-to-be-obsolete model, wondering what it will be in a month or so.

In the past, old calendars have become postcards and gift boxes.  My favorite by far is envelopes.  Calendar pages, especially really cool calendar pages, make great envelopes!

You’ll need:

• an old calendar, the bigger, the better!
• envelope template – cut out, and transferred to a piece of lightweight card stock or cardboard
• staple remover
• scissors
• pencil
• double stick tape OR a glue stick
• Blanket mailing labels (optional)

Remove staples from the calendar

Separate pages and tear apart along the crease line

Position the template on a calendar page and trace with a pencil.

You might want to fussy cut here, if part of the page is more interesting than the rest.

Using scissors, cut along pencil lines.

Repeat for all pages.

Fold bottom of envelope up towards top, aligning with the bottoms of the side flaps.

For heavier paper, use your template or a ruler to crease. If you have paper-folding tools, this is a great time to use them!

Fold side flaps, making sure they’re even with the top and bottom.

Fold bottom flap out.

Place double stick tape, or use a glue stick, on the side flaps, leaving 1/2″ to 1″ at the top without adhesive.

Fold top flap down.

Finished envelope from the front.

Optional:  for darker papers, add a self adhesive mailing label.

Repeat until you have a pile of gorgeous envelopes!

For sealing, use double stick tape, a glue stick or fun stickers.

The same template, different calendar.

Same envelope from the front.

Now, what to do with the gorgeous thumbnails on the back of this calendar?

How about buttons?!

Have more pretty calendars? Keep recycling!

Recycled Envelopes to gift.

Happy crafting!

Find my free patterns on Sewhooked & Fandom in Stitches.

♥ Jennifer O

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