Mail for Missionaries

Is it seriously July already? SERIOUSLY!?

You all know that boy I seem to talk about a little too much? Yea well he leaves on his mission in what is it now.. 22 DAYS?

I thought I had more time, but let me tell you, it goes by fast.

Anyways, when I realized my time was cut so short to find Elder Rosequist a gift before he left I about had a heart attack.

I want something that he will actually be able to use and not just sit on his night stand until the next transfer.

I want to give his something that will make him laugh and cry and feel a little bit more at home!

It can't be heavy or bulky because he has to lug it around for 2 years.

Everyone will be getting him ties.

So that's when it hit me ya'll, and thank goodness for Pinterest...

"Open When..." Letters!

If you don't know what Open When letters are they are letters you write ahead of time and label then "Open When..... (fill in occasion)"

A couple of my ideas were:

-you are sick

-you leave the MTC

-need encouragement

-the weather is bad

-you are home sick

-miss me

-you need a pump of patriotism

-you need to be uplifted

-you get your first baptism

-you need a good laugh

-you have 6 months left

-its the last day of your mission

 

 

 

And to make this idea even cuter! This is where Pinterest comes in Make your own envelopes!

I swear to you it's totally worth it!

They come out soooooooooo cute! And I'm going to show you how to do it!
Thank me later.
 

Start with a store bought envelope that is the size you want your envelopes to turn out. This is going to be your template.

 

Next break the seams on the envelope and unfold it.

 

 

Place the envelope on the construction paper, scrapbook paper, cardstock, or whatever you used. I used a mix of cardstock and scrapbook paper for cute designs.

 

 

Then trace the envelope, make sure when you are tracing you trace very sharp corners and straight lines. If you mess up the markings retrace or when you fold it back up it may not fit together right.

 

 

 

It will look like this when you're done tracing.

 

 

 

Next cut your trace again with very sharp edges.

 

 

 

Voila! Now it's time to fold!

 

 

I always start folding with the bottom flap (the one with a dull edge.) Then each of the side flaps. This is tricky, so make sure when you are folding the flaps over they line up perfectly.

Glue where the arrow lines are then press over onto the middle flap. You can use liquid glue, a glue stick, mod podge, or a hot glue gun which is what I used. I just think it's sturdier and less messy.

 

 

And there you have your envelope!

  I even got a little bit witty with my envelope design choice. I'm using this one for the patriotic letter.

 

... And this one for "The Last Letter" Haha! Sometimes I think I'm so funny!

 

 

 

 

 

To fill the envelopes I filled some(most) with letters. I filled some with talks and uplifting quotes.

Stories or inside jokes.

I plan on putting a tie in one so he can spruce up his wardrobe when it's needed.

And a little bit of spending money when his guy appetite needs to be fed.

You can use these "Open When" letters for a missionary or just for cute cardstock, but feel free to use any of my ideas!

 

 

All my love, Lauren