Project: Laced letter holder

This handy letter holder is a great way to organize incoming and outgoing mail. One lightweight but sturdy piece of mat board is scored and folded, then covered with handmade paper. With the wide variety of paper colours and textures available, it is easy to customize this project to match any room. Lacing together the front and back helps keep letters in place, strengthens the structure, and provides an easy way to personalize the holder. Try using ribbon, elastic cord, or wire instead of string, and experiment with different lacing patterns.

MATERIALS
• mat board or cardboard
• handmade paper in yellow and natural or other assorted colours
• glue stick
• craft knife
• 3 mm (1/8") hole punch (optional)
• string or twine

Starting out:

1 Cut and score board
Measure, mark, and cut out a 25 cm x 51 cm (10" x 20") rectangle on a piece of mat board or sturdy cardboard. Beginning at one of the 25 cm (10") ends, measure up 9.5 cm (3 3/4") and 17.5 cm (6 3/4") and mark lines straight across at both points. Score these lines with a craft knife and fold them to create a U-shape.

2 Paper board
Cut two 28 cm x 3 cm (11" x 1") pieces of paper and use a glue stick to apply them to the underside of the scored joints. Make sure they wrap around the front, and are tautly and smoothly adhered. This reinforces the joints and helps keep the holder's shape. Next, cut two 28 cm x 53 cm (11" x 21") pieces of yellow paper. Apply the paper to the back and then the front of the holder. Fold the edges over each time and glue securely in place. Next, cut a 24 cm x 16 cm (9 1/2" x 6 1/4") piece of natural-coloured paper and apply it to the front of the mail holder, where it will be laced. Using the same paper, cut out and apply the envelope flap to the top of the holder.