Step-by-step guide to making an envelope liner

You'll need a piece of card to make a template for the envelope liner. It should be slightly smaller in height than an opened out envelope and slightly smaller in width than the envelope Photograph: Sally Cameron Griffiths

Fold over the top pieces on the card to make a template that will be slightly smaller than the envelope with its flap open Photograph: Sally Cameron Griffiths

Use a guillotine to trim the envelope liner's template. You can spend more time using rulers and measurements if you want to be more accurate. I found my method easy and it looked very neat anyway Photograph: Sally Cameron Griffiths

Use the template to draw outlines of the liner on the liner paper. You can recycle all sorts of paper into envelope liners Photograph: Sally Cameron Griffiths

Here are two envelope liners made from a Paul Smith shopping bag Photograph: Sally Cameron Griffiths

Then stick the envelope liner in an envelope using double-sided sticky tape to make a boring brown envelope into a stunning piece of stationery Photograph: Sally Cameron Griffiths

Be creative. Use old photos, maps and shopping bags to create original and striking envelope liners Photograph: Sally Cameron Griffiths