A New Spin on Stationery: DIY Duct Tape Envelopes

Anjelika Temple
Jul 17, 2012

That’s right. Duct tape is at it again at Brit HQ, this time in the form of envelopes. Or, as we like to call them: the most durable and colorful envelopes you’ll ever make! We know, we know. Colorful, fancy, and durable? How can this be? The answer is 3M’s brand new Scotch Color & Patterns Duct Tape. It’s duct tape for folks like us who love functionality and efficiency, but happen to love all things colorful and creative as well. And yes, the lace and plaid patterns you see in the photo above are actually duct tape!

Materials:
– duct tape

– scissors

As always, the first thing to do is to gather your materials. For a work surface, we used a mat cutting board but any countertop, glass or metal surface will do. So long as when you take the duct tape off, it doesn’t take any part of your workspace with it. ;)

Lay one piece of duct tape flat on the board. Now layer a second one so that it overlaps with the first one between a quarter and an eighth of an inch. Continue until you’ve reached a size that works for you. We did about six rows of duct tape.

Peel it off the surface slowly in one sheet.

Turn the sheet over. Use a couple rolls of tape to hold down the corner if needed. Time for the second layer, or envelope liner.

Do the same exact thing but going in an opposite direction. This will ensure that your duct tape sheet doesn’t roll into a tube. Once you’re done, trim the excess tape off the edges.

Now you’ve got an awesome two-sided sheet of duct tape!

To make an envelope, the easiest thing to do is take an envelope you have at home and mimic it’s construction. Or follow these simple steps!

Measure the size you need based on your card or whatever’s going in inside. For our first envelope, we used one of our pop-up name cards. Cut the sheet so that it’s about half an inch wider than the card and about three times the height.

From the bottom, measure and draw out a triangle. Cut it out. Mimic a similar triangle for the top flap, but slightly larger.

You’re done!

To mix things up, we made a matching inside out envelope as well.

Repeat with hot pink and lime green, and any other colors you’ve got kicking around the craft room.

And now, you’ve got a whole set of gorgeous envelopes made entirely out of duct tape! While we think whipping these up for 200 wedding invitations is probably a tall order, we think they’d be great for bachelorette parties, bridal showers, bridesmaid notes, etc.

Duct Tape Feather Earrings

Chevron Cuff, Gift Bags, or Popped Collars yet? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments below or say hi on Twitter.

This post is a collaboration with Scotch Colors & Patterns Duct Tape. Take the Style that Sticks quiz to find your personal style and for the chance to win free samples.


7 Spring 2025 Beauty Trends To Glow All Season

City Beauty
beauty products

Spring 2025 beauty is all about bold yet wearable, polished yet playful looks. From the return of the lip liner to fresh, nature-inspired nail and eye colors, this season’s trends blend nostalgia with modern minimalism. Expect soft, dramatic eyes, skincare-infused makeup, and lip liner that enhances without overpowering. These trends are all about embracing your natural features in an elevated, beautiful way so you glow, and look your best, all season.

Here are spring 2025 beauty trends to try this season.

City Lips® Defining Liner

Liner Revival

The lip liner trend for spring 2025 embraces bold definition with a fresh, modern twist. This season, it's about pairing rosy nudes with soft, lighter lip colors and rich, warm tones with deep browns and cherry reds for a sculpted, high-impact look. City Lips Defining Liner is our favorite new lip liner. It prevents color fading, smudging, and feathering, so you can keep your look intact all day or night! It’s available in two pretty shades: Blush, a soft, rosy nude that pairs beautifully with pink hues and lighter lip colors, and Willow, a rich, warm-toned nude that complements brown tones and deeper shades.

City Beauty

Multitasking Makeup

The trend toward skincare-infused makeup is making your beauty routine work harder with nourishing ingredients. City Lips Defining Liner features vitamin E, helping to keep the lip line smooth while subtly enhancing its shape for a fuller, more defined look. For the ultimate plump and polish, pair the pigmented liner with City Lips Plumping Gloss — a duo that gives you a naturally voluminous pout, plus extra hydration.

Shutterstock

Pastel Pop

From butter yellow to sage green, this season’s nail trends are embracing soft, yet statement-making hues that bring a fresh pop of color. Alongside these chic shades, almond-shaped nails are offering a sleek, elegant look that flatters your mani aesthetic.

Monserrat Tosca | Dupe

'90s Nostalgia

A softer, smudged take on the classic cat-eye is making waves, with eyeliner staging a bold comeback in full, effortless sweeps. Blue eyeshadow is also back and better. Expect a nod to cool-toned, ’90s grunge eyes, a trend that lends itself to easy, minimalist lines, like a single, clean swipe of liner, proving that less can truly be more.

Claire Craig | Dupe

Lobs, Bobs & Natural Manes

Haircut season is in full swing, and lighter, fuss-free bobs at all above-shoulder lengths, plus natural curls, are making their way in and out of salons for spring. We couldn't be happier for the low-maintenance 'dos!

Katie Mansfield | Dupe

Satin Skin

This understated look highlights healthy, natural skin with a soft-matte finish — radiant, yet never flat or overly glossy.

City Beauty

Glossy lips, instead, shine this season. Upgrade your lip routine this spring with City Beauty’s new City Lips Defining Liner and lip glosses for a refreshed look.

beauty productslip linernail trendsbeauty trendssponsoredcustom-sponsoredsponsored-custombeauty

Still Processing? Let's Break Down the Emotional 'The Pitt' Ending

The Pittseason 1 has been nothing short of gripping — and even the slower-paced season finale still lived up to that to that hype. From the moment the medical drama's ending started, we finally got answers to questions we've had all season about the incredible, life-saving doctors we've followed for 15 episodes. Let's unpack it all.

Here's everything you need to know about that emotional The Pitt season finale...

Warrick Page/Max

From the jump, we finally found out why Dr. McKay has an ankle bracelet — she's in a custody battle and was deemed flight risk. This explains so much about the tension with the "Bonus Mom" girlfriend, Dr. McKay's ex-husband, and her son. We don't know why the split and custody battle are so contemptuous, but at least it explains why someone with an ankle monitor is able to work in the medical field. It was always obvious Dr. McKay was a good doctor, but this little detail definitely confused me for the whole season.

I'm glad the police decided to let her go after tampering with the monitor — ya know, so she could save lives after a literal mass shooting.

Warrick Page/Max

This Dr. Langdon situation continues to get murky. He chose to confide in Dana which wasn’t necessarily unexpected, but it was interesting. It's clear he was desperately searching for allies to confirm that he's not actually an addict...whether he's looking to confirm that to himself or to Dr. Robbie is another story.

It seems like Dr. Langdon really believes he was just "weening" himself off of the pain medication like a doctor would, but it doesn't seem like anyone else is really buying that. When Dana tells him that Dr. Robbie will do what's best, it really shows how much the entire staff trusts his leadership, but also how questionable Dr. Langdon's choices really may be.

Warrick Page/Max

While we already know David isn’t the shooter from the festival, it's clear that Dr. McKay still finds him a bigger threat than just a depressed high schooler. He may not have deserved the intensity from the police at first, but I think the subsequent persistence for preventative mental health treatment is brilliant. This all feels especially timely given the “manosphere” and the rise of toxic masculinity in young men right now.

Totally love how they approached this, and I hope season 2 gives us a glimpse into a follow-up here.

Warrick Page/Max

When Dr. Langdon and Dr. Robbie finally had their confrontation about the drug use, I was genuinely shocked by Langdon's behavior. Dr. Robbie offered an out that made sense — NA meetings, random drug testing, etc — without requiring Dr. Langon to lose his job (or medical license). Instead of taking that graciously, Dr. Langdon acted out and used Dr. Robbie's panic attack very obviously caused by PTSD against him. This low blow was incredibly addict behavior-coded, and he really only proved that he's not fit to practice.

Warrick Page/Max

After a pretty tumultuous season for her, Dr. Santos definitely proved her bedside manner is so much better by the end! Her cutthroat mentality, rash decision-making, and blunt demeanor clearly wasn't serving her — or her patients — at the beginning of her first shift. Not only did it upset everyone around her, but it lead to some patient complications that honestly could have been avoided.

Now, by the end of her first 15 hours of her Emergency Medicine rotation, it's clear that Santos embraced a thoroughness and thoughtfulness that ultimately lead her to save a man from future self-harm. So proud of her growth!

(And I can't wait to see what roommate Santos and Whittaker are like in season 2!)

Warrick Page/Max

Throughout the episode, the residual blood prints on the floor highlighted the ever-present tragedy the ER just faced in only a few hours. It's such a good, small, specific detail that shows how the doctors, nurses, and overall hospital staff have to continue on in the face of their own trauma, saving more and more lives as the clock ticks on.

These details make Dr. Robbie’s speech all the more poignant. He said, “None of us are gonna forget today — even if we really, really want to.” And while that's exemplary of how people experience trauma in real life, but it also clearly exhibits his character’s direct experience with the trauma of COVID and the loss of his friend and mentor.

With that in mind, it's fitting that Dr. Robbie and Dr. Abbott share an emotional moment the roof after meeting each other there in the first episode. The men discuss the hardship of this role, questioning why they keep coming back day after day to such a heavy job.

Meanwhile, the ER waiting room starts quickly filling up all over again, further highlighting the continuous fatigue and mental health hardships each doctor and medical professional faces throughout their shifts – and their entire careers.

At the end of the day, when all the doctors cheers to the work, the patients saved, and the patients lost, it felt like Nick Caraway's last quote from The Great Gatsby:

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Warrick Page/Max

Remaining Takeaways:

  • Dr. Whitaker not being able to afford a place to live or a car as a literal doctor shows how messed up it is that we can’t pay a livable wage to the people literally saving lives day in and day out — even when they’re students, interns, or otherwise.
  • Poor Dr. King's caregiver fatigue. I hope she’s okay because she's definitely gonna burnout operating at the level she is — high metabolism or not.
  • The rats coming back is honestly hilarious.
  • Dr. Abbott worked so hard all day with that prosthetic and didn't let a single person or patient feel bad about it. A consummate caregiver.
  • Dana won’t come back — she’ll be the medical professional to break the cycle of putting themselves in this day-in and day-out.
  • We still don't know what's going on with Dr. Collins — I hope she's okay!

Is episode 15 of 'The Pitt' the season finale?

Warrick Page/Max

Yes, episode 15 of The Pitt is the season 1 finale!

How long is the last episode of 'The Pitt'?

Warrick Page/Max

The last episode of The Pitt (episode 15) is 60 minutes long.

Is there a season 2 for 'The Pitt'?

Warrick Page/Max

Thankfully, Max confirmed that The Pitt season 2 is definitely coming! And the best part? We're supposed to get the second season by January 2026 — Yay!

Is 'The Pitt' based on a real hospital?

Warrick Page/Max

No, The Pitt isn't based on a real hospital.

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5 Pro Tips for Surviving The Small Business Lulls

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program
verizon small business program

In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward.


In this segment, Paige Wiese, founder & CEO of Tree Ring Digital in Denver, CO, walks us through some of the ways she encourages clients to double down on marketing when business is slow. Paige built her business as a solopreneur graphic designer to a team of 15, helping clients with SEO, online ads, and social media management. Here’s her Take 5, plus more tips for surviving the business lulls below!

What's a recent small win for you and your business?

Paige: A recent small win has been just seeing business pick up again. I am seeing businesses start to engage with their marketing efforts and really trying to get to the root of why their website might be underperforming. We look at what they can be doing to see their money actually go to a place that it should be going.

What's a big piece of advice that you give to your clients?

Paige: A lot of them want to back off anytime there's a little bit of scarcity. I really think that's the time to double down, whether it be your digital presence, your website, or just adjusting how you're spending your money. But instead of just saying, ‘Hey, we're going to stop [investing in marketing],’ ask ‘How do we double down in the correct way and make sure we're seeing measurable results out of it?’ I do it myself anytime business is a little slow. I think we have to either change or we need to be doubling down. A lot of clients come to us when the pipeline is already dry and money is tight and they’re hoping for a quick fix. Marketing, unfortunately, isn't a quick fix.

See more tips for surviving business lulls below!

What's an unexpected business challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?

Paige: I think one of the bigger challenges that we've run into has been more on the employee side, some of the retention or the hiccups that come along the way and then just learning from them. So how can we be a better, stronger company coming out of this and how do we use it as a growing opportunity?

How has the Verizon Small Business program helped propel your business forward?

Paige: I learned about the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). It's a free resource that’s self-paced and very digestible. The variety of topics it covers is a large gamut for any size business. The Selling with Storytelling course, especially, was really valuable to me, just really getting your messaging out there. I laugh that I sometimes enjoy the marketing ones a little bit more just because it is a refresher or another take on how we do this.

Thanks Paige!

Here Are More B+C Tips For Surviving The Small Business Lulls

Photo by Kampus Production

  1. Refine Your Strategy
    • Review your business plan and goals. Are you on track? What can be improved?
    • Analyze customer feedback and sales data to spot trends and areas where you can grow.
  2. Boost Your Marketing Efforts
    • Refresh your website or social media profiles. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready’s free Put Your Website to Work course will help you get started with best practices for building your business website.
    • Create engaging content through blogs, videos, and newsletters. Verizon’s free Creating Compelling Content course can help you create consistent, quality content for your target customers.
    • Offer promotions or limited-time discounts to attract new customers.
  3. Invest in Learning
    • Take an online course related to your industry, like Verizon’s free Planning for the Unexpected course for building resiliency in your business.
    • Stay updated on industry trends and innovations.
    • Engage with customers too. Send personalized emails to loyal customers or clients. Ask for reviews!
  4. Improve Your Processes
    • Streamline operations or explore new tools to increase your efficiency.
    • Organize your workspace and declutter your digital files.
  5. Self-Care and Rest
    • Take advantage of the slower pace to recharge. A refreshed mindset is exactly what you need to bring forth fresh ideas!

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Tree Ring Digital.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces.

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Here's Your First Look At Sydney Sweeney & Halsey's "Magnetic" New Crime Thriller

Sydney Sweeney and Halsey's Americana movie debuted at SXSW in 2023, but we don't have to wait much longer to see the film on the big screen. Thanks to Lionsgate, the movie is coming to theaters this year — and Collider just gave us an emotional (and bloody) first look at the movie.

Here's everything you need to know about Americana, coming to theaters August 22, 2025 and starring Sydney Sweeney, Halsey, and Paul Walter Hauser.

What is the movie Americana about?

Lionsgate, courtesy of Collider

According to Lionsgate's official synopsis, "a rare artifact falls onto the black market in a small South Dakota town" in the Americana movie, and before long, "the lives of local outsiders and outcasts violently intertwine."

And fans and critics who saw the movie at the 2023 SXSW loved it. "The more AMERICANA sits with me, the more I love it," one X user said at the time. "Halsey’s screen presence is magnetic and the chemistry between Sydney Sweeney and Paul Walter Hauser is so sweet. A neo-western that puts the eccentric characters of the modern wild west in the sun-soaked spotlight."

The Colliderfirst look features an image of popstar Halsey, dressed in a mint green collared top, with blood splattered across their face, looking out a shattered window.

Where can I watch Americana?

Lionsgate, courtesy of Collider

The Americana release date is sooner than you realize! Americana is coming to theaters August 22, 2025.

Who's in the Americana cast?

Lionsgate, courtesy of Collider

The Americana movie cast includes:

  • Sydney Sweeney as Penny Jo Poplin
  • Halsey as Mandy Starr
  • Paul Walter Hauser as Lefty Ledbetter
  • Simon Rex as Roy Lee Dean
  • Eric Dane as Dillon MacIntosh
  • Zahn McClarnon as Ghost Eye
  • Gavin Maddox Bergman as Cal Starr

Why is Americana rated R?

Ursula Coyote/Lionsgate

Americana is a crime thriller, and it's rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual references.

Where can I stream the movie Americana?

charlesdeluvio/Unsplash

Sydney Sweeney's Americana isn't available to stream yet, but stay tuned for the official streaming distribution! (You can also stream the 2016 movie Americana on Tubi).

Stay tuned for the latest updates on Sydney Sweeney and Halsey's Americana movie! Check out The First Look At Sydney Sweeney As "Incredible" Christy Martin while you wait.

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Netflix's 'Pride And Prejudice' Finally Found Its Elizabeth & Mr. Darcy

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I will absolutely eat up any Pride and Prejudice adaptation. Jane Austen's most famous story has everything: romance, sisterly love, and the blueprint for the enemies-to-lovers trope. To this day, I've never read a fight with dialogue as memorable as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, and the fact the story eventually gave us THE hand flex in Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation? That's just the cherry on top.

If you've been on TikTok for more than a day, you've probably seen the scene, which stars Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, replayed at different speeds and angles, which is both its own commentary on the female gaze and a testament to how rich Austen's books are. There are countless glances and touches between Elizabeth and Darcy that add so much nuance to their relationship. And it looks like we're getting countless other moments to turn into TikTok edits because a brand new limited series is coming to Netflix! And the new Pride and Prejudice cast is unbelievable.

Here's everything we know about Netflix's Pride and Prejudice, starring Emma Corrin, Jack Lowden, and Olivia Colman.

Who's in the Netflix Pride and Prejudice cast?

Des Willie/Netflix

The Pride and Prejudice cast is already a super buzzy lineup (and "fantastic," according to one X user). I agree! So far we have:

  • Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet: a headstrong and intelligent young woman determined to marry for love.
  • Jack Lowden as Mr. Darcy: a handsome and wealthy bachelor that has a reputation for his pride.
  • Olivia Colman as Mrs. Bennet: Lizzy's very enthusiastic mother, who wants her daughters married and cared for.

“Playing Elizabeth Bennet is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Emma says in an interview with Netflix. “To be able to bring this iconic character to life, alongside Olivia and Jack, with Dolly’s phenomenal scripts, is truly the greatest honor. I can’t wait for a new generation to fall in love with this story all over again.”

The other characters we're still waiting on are Jane Bennet, Mr. Charles Bingley, Caroline Bingley, Mary Bennet, Kitty Bennet, Mr. George Wickham, Lydia Bennet, and Mr. Bennet. According to The Daily Mail, Daisy Edgar-Jones (Twisters) has been sent scripts for the series, and now I just NEED to see her as Jane! (Maybe we could get Paul Mescal as Bingley?)

Is there a new Pride and Prejudice coming out in 2026?

Focus Features

Yes we're getting a brand new Pride and Prejudice! THR reports the series is set to film later this year, so there's a good chance we'll see the show next year.

Dolly Alderton (Everything I Know About Love) is writing the script for Pride and Prejudice while Euros Lyn will direct.

“Once in a generation, a group of people get to retell this wonderful story and I feel very lucky that I get to be a part of it,” Dolly tells Netflix. “Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the blueprint for romantic comedy — it has been a joy to delve back into its pages to find both familiar and fresh ways of bringing this beloved book to life."

"The book is a gift to adapt — packed with drama and depth as well as comedy and charm," she continues. "In it lies the opportunity to examine the complexities of love, family, friendship and society, while aspiring to Austen’s delightfully observational voice. With Euros Lyn directing our stellar cast, I am so excited to reintroduce these hilarious and complicated characters to those who count Pride and Prejudice as their favorite book, and those who are yet to meet their Lizzie and Mr Darcy.”

Where can I watch Pride and Prejudice?

Nick Wall/Netflix

You'll be able to watch the show on Netflix, but stay tuned for the Pride and Prejudice release date!

This is going to mark the first time the streamer's adapted a Jane Austen story since 2022's Persuasion, which received a 30 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and led to reviews with titles like Netflix's Persuasion is an absolute disaster and ‘Persuasion’ Is Awful and It’s Also Everything That’s Wrong with Netflix. The report also follows the news that the BBC is adapting The Other Bennet Sister, which revolves around Mary.

With Dolly Alderton behind the scenes, I'm sure the new adaptation will have the same wit as the original story, with a modern edge that will attempt to make it more relatable, with (hopefully) enough respect for the original work to make it not feel untrue to the original story.

How many episodes of Pride and Prejudice are there?

​John-Mark Smith/Pexels

Pride and Prejudice on Netflix will have six episodes total.

Where is Pride and Prejudice filming?

Pixabay/Pexels

Pride and Prejudice is set to film in the U.K. later this year.

What is Pride and Prejudice about?

Amazon

Pride and Prejudice Plot

Pride and Prejudice follows the Bennet family and their five daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. When Mr. Darcy arrives to town — and Elizabeth immediately dislikes him — she strives to see as little of him as possible. This proves to be a difficult task when Jane falls for his best friend Mr. Bingley.

Does Netflix have Pride and Prejudice?

Focus Features

Wondering, Where can I watch the original Pride and Prejudice movie? Both the 2005 Pride & Prejudice and Persuasion are on Netflix now! The 1995 Pride and Prejudice is on Peacock.

Check out The Best Jane Austen Books Everyone Should Have On Their Bookshelf to catch up on all the best Austen novels.

This post has been updated.

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