Making a bookmark is fun and easy to do! And bookmarks make great gifts for every reader in your life.

Here is one I just made for a friend’s birthday. Notice – it is not perfectly rectangular. How cool is that? Who ever said a bookmark must be boring?!

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Here’s what you need:

  • Sheet of watercolor paper (preferably on a block so it does not wrinkle)
  • Watercolor pencils or paints
  • Pencil
  • Black Sharpie
  • Ruler
  • Hole puncher
  • Assorted beads of your choice (I used glass and turquoise)
  • Bead stringing wire
  • Crimping  beads
  • Crimper
  • Small key ring to attach string of beads to bookmark

Directions:

  • Draw a basic rectangular shape on watercolor paper with pencil. I made mine rather large – 2.5 inches wide by 8 inches tall.
  • Sketch out the design of your choice also with pencil. Go ahead a draw outside the lines as I did. Use a coloring book or clipart if you need inspiration. Ideas: Make a design using the person’s name you are giving the bookmark to; Choose a theme for the recipient’s favorite genre of books; make the bookmark look like a book!
  • Use your watercolor pencils or paints as you wish. Do not use heavy amounts of water, as this will wrinkle the paper. Bold, saturated color looks best for this project.
  • After it is completely dry, outline your design with a black Sharpie to really make it stand out.
  • Cut along the edges of your bookmark carefully in the shape you want it.
  • Take it to a copy shop that has a laminator, and laminate it.
  • Cut around the edges to get rid of the excess laminated plastic. leave abut a 1/8 border around the entire piece.
  • Punch a hole at the top of  the finished bookmark to hang your beads.
  • Cut a long strand of stringing wire.
  • Choose the beads and the order in which you want to string them. A variety of shapes and sizes will make them more interesting.
  • Secure 3 crimping beads at one end of the string. You may want to make a loop with the wire first.
  • String your beads.
  • Trim your wire when you are finished stringing it, leaving it long enough to loop back into the top 2 beads and leave a 1/2 inch loop at the top. Slide 3 crimping beads over the loop and secure with crimper. Make sure the wire stays tucked into the top beads before you crimp! Tug lightly on the crimping beads after crimping to make sure they are solidly in place.
  • Use the small key ring to secure the strand of beads into place wit the loop on the strand of beads.

Voila! It’s Time to Read!

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