I know that Paperclips will already hold your page in a pinch, and I've been guilty of using paperclips myself as a bookmark on occasion, but that's not what this is about. Also paperclips aren't really suited to book-paper, as much as copy paper in their standard shape because book paper is more likely to tear from the sharp ends that it would be in contact with. That's one good reason to try this 5 minute instructible.

Step 1: You Will Need...

1) A Paperclip

2) A Pair of Needlenose Pliers

3) A Scrap of Paper

4) A Pencil (or other drawing tool)

Step 2: Draw Your Shape

Draw a shape for your bookmark keeping the length of the continuous line in mind. I like to do animals, or animal heads.Flowers can work if that's your sorta thing, as long as it has two overlapping downward tines, or three side-by-side tines. Make sure your picture is to scale, and is also one continuous line no longer than the total length of your straightened paperclip.

I like the animals because the legs work well for the pages (even if they look funny with 3 legs).

The reason for three legs is the limitation of having the length of a paperclip to work with, and when it's on the page, you'll only see 2 legs anyway.I try to have the ends of the paperclip above the top of where the page stops (at the top of the legs) to avoid the ends scratching, and possibly damaging the pages.

Step 3: Straighten Your Paperclip

Use the pliers if it helps, but straighten the paperclip so that you can start manipulating it more precisely. If you skip this step, it'll make the project much more difficult, because you'll be working against the standard bends.

Step 4: Follow Your Line

Using the pliers, bend the paperclip to follow your line. I did a pig in this case (in case you couldn't tell) and started with the curly tail. I am making a pig because my daughter is reading Charlotte's Web, and I thought it only fitting.

Remember that your drawing is only a guide, and that things change in even the best laid plans. Notice the ears on my drawing aren't quite what I wound up with, but I like the end result.

If it takes a little practice to get one right, take solace in the fact that paperclips are cheap.

ProTip. Avoid bending the clip more than necessary. Paperclips stress, and break with relatively little back & forth bending, and sharp bends cause much undue stress.

Step 5: Stop Losing Your Page in Your Book

You are now done, and these make nice little themed accessories in case you're giving a book as a gift. If I' had thought about it earlier, I would have liked to have given this along with Charlotte's Web to my daughter.