Recycling Security Envelopes with Art Impressions!

Hey everyone - I'm posting the first card below as inspiration at Die Cut Divas today. Our September Challenge involves recycling, reusing or repurposing materials on our cards. Knowing this was our theme, I've been saving security envelopes - some have amazing patterns that can be used in place of patterned paper!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps w/dies - Art Impressions Woodland Critters

Dies - Art Impressions Story Tile Template;

Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders

Other - Copic Markers; white gel pen;

recycled security envelope

We have Art Impressions as sponsor, donating a 

$25 gift card for our random winner.

Here's a photo of some security envelopes I've gathered over recent weeks for recycling:

I decided I wanted to do a grid style card using one of the patterns as the background. I die cut two white Story Tile Templates and reserved the blocks that cut out. I used one to stamp the sentiment and trimmed others down to serve as snowbanks. I shaded the snowbank & sentiment edges with a B0000 Copic. For my background, I selected the plaid envelope piece and trimmed it to fit behind the frame. Before adhering it, I sponged Robin's Egg ink all over it. 

Next I glued the sentiment and snowbanks into their windows, then glued a second frame atop the first for dimension. I had a stack of stamped and die cut critters from a previous project so colored them with Copics and added gel pen details. Popped 5 of them into their windows & done!

I'll add this card as my fourth entry at Merry Little Christmas Challenge #70 where Anything Christmas Goes. Since I have a reindeer on the card, I will also share it at Christmas Kickstart Challenge #114 Reindeer Games as my third and final entry.

For my bonus, I made some matchbook envelopes and a mini-card. First the mini with its envelope:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps w/dies - Art Impressions Woodland Critters

Dies - Art Impressions Matchbook Envelope Dies

Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders

Other - Copic Markers; printed sentiment strip;

recycled security envelope

I used the circle grid security envelope to die cut the matchbook envelope. I used the dotted grey envelope as the "sky" background on the mini card. It reminded me of falling snow! I formed a 1.75x2" mini card and trimmed the dotted paper to a mat layer. Added a snowbank and another woodland critter. A printed sentiment strip (probably from Simon Says Stamp) finished the card.

The matchbook envelope was designed to match Art Impressions Matchbook series. It has score lines in such a way to make more of a pouch since the matchbooks get thick. For my mini card's envelope, I didn't need the thicker format so just used one scoreline of thickness. I made a second matchbook envelope using the plaid security envelope from card one, sizing to fit a completed matchbook. Here's a photo of the two envelopes side by side:

And here's a photo of the envelopes from the side to see the difference in thickness:

I have a bunch of sets from the Art Impressions Matchbook series. You can see the Matchbook card I put inside the plaid envelope HERE, if desired. I made it last year but never made it an envelope until now! Since my Matchbook envelope die got first play here, I'll share at Darnell's September NBUS Challenge #90.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll check out the September Diva Challenge!