Homemade Bookmarks

Craft: Personalized Photo Bookmark

Materials:

• small photo (3x5 inch works well)
• 2 inch wide clear packaging tape
• pencil or pen
• scissors
• ruler
• hole punch
• thin twine, yarn, or embroidery thread
• A bead, if you would like to use one

Instructions

Now place the photo on a flat clean surface. Pull out a bit of extra length of the tape than the length is of the photo and carefully start placing it on one edge of the photo. Be sure you slowly and smoothly rub the tape as you work towards the other end.

Now turn it over and place the tape the same way on the other side. Press the tape well along all of the edges and then cut the excess tape away from all sides of the photo.

Punch a hole at either end of the now encased photo you wish to place the hole. What I did is string a bead through a very thin piece of twine in to the center of the twine, pushed the two ends through the hole punched portion of the photo, looped the two ends through the hole again and knotted them. Then I made a little loop and knotted again. You don't need to be as complicated as using the bead idea.

You can use just about any paper or cloth item to make a nice personalized bookmark like this. How about a piece of fabric from a favorite dress, shirt, pants, blanket or some wrapping paper, a portion of a greeting card, or your baby's first haircut clippings on a piece of blue or pink paper. Hey, the sky is the limit! For those of you who remember my request and helped me last year about ideas regarding my childhood blanket, well, guess what, I have a bonus childhood blanket bookmark now. My only word of warning is to practice with something you aren't worried about losing/messing up first, LOL!

Have fun and please share a photo of your creation if you use this idea.

By Deeli from Richland, WA

Craft Project: Wallpaper Bookmarks

Approximate Time: 30 minutes

Supplies:

• Wallpaper book
• Contact paper
• Iron
• Scissors
• Ribbon
• Paper punch
• Tea towel

Instructions:

Wanting to have a small thank you gift lead me to make these free bookmarks. I have been collecting discontinued wallpaper books for years and using the paper for many paper projects. On one page in the books is a sample of the borders in that book. They are just the right size for a bookmark.

1. Cut them out with fancy edged scissors or tear them for a ragged look.

2. Then glue them to co-coordinating construction paper.

3. I make quite a few at a time, say 10 or so to save time. Lay them about 1/2 inch apart on a sheet of contact paper. Then carefully unroll another sheet of contact paper over the top of them. Make sure you don't have any wrinkles as you go. There is no lifting and redoing so go slow and slide your hand back and forth across the contact paper as it unrolls to secure it to the bookmarks.

4. Now that you have both layers of contact on your bookmarks cut out around the group leaving a good 1/2 inch border.

5. Layer your group of bookmarks between two layers of a pressing cloth, such as a tea towel that is smooth on a hard surface.

6. With a hot iron, press the cloth firmly laminating the bookmarks on both sides. I have never melted one; they can take a lot of heat, you will have to watch your iron, may take 15 seconds to 30 seconds. Check once in a while and see if they look like they are smooth and look like they have been laminated. You can't tell the difference when you get done.

7. After they have cooled, cut out as you wish leaving 1/4 inch on all 4 edges and punch a hole to run a ribbon through.

I like to leave a small token of my thanks on the nightstand when I stay with people overnight, these work great.

By Ann Winberg from Loup City, NE

Duct Tape Bookmarkers Don't Slide

Here is a duct tape book marker my daughter made for me for my reading.

They don't slip out because of the texture, and they are so colorful.

I just love it!

By Robyn

Craft Project: Glitter Foam Bookmarks

Approximate time: 20 minutes

Supplies:

• glittery craft foam
• fabric glue
• paper punch
• 8 inches of ribbon or cord
• craft foam shapes, purchased or cut out
• pinking shears

instructions:

1.Using pinking shears, cut out a 6 inch by 1 1/2 inch rectangle for base of bookmark. Glitter craft foam can be purchased at your local craft store.

2. Use purchased or cut out shapes of glitter foam or regular craft foam. Shapes such as squares, strips and triangles can be cut with pinking shears. This is a good way to use up shapes left over from other projects.

3. Using fabric glue, glue accents onto base of bookmark.

4. Let dry.

5. Using a paper punch, punch a hole 1/2 inch from the top.

6. Using a complimentary color of ribbon or cord loop through the hole.

by Dejohnsrld from Nevada, IA

Simple Bookmarks

I was looking for a simple bookmark that my kids could make themselves. We had a lot of embroidery floss in a ton of colors so I decided to have them use that.

Approximate Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 bookmark

Supplies:

• 10 in of embroidery floss each (3 colors)
• 1 paperclip

Steps:

1. Hold the three strands of embroidery floss together and fold them in half. Put the loop end through the top end of the paper clip. Pull the loose ends through the loop and pull tight. Separate the strands so that you have three groups.
2. Braid them together until you reach your desired length. Tie a knot in the end and trim off any excess floss.
3. Slip the paper clip bookmark onto the top of the page, where you left off reading. Allow the floss tassel to hang outside of the book.

By lalala...