Create-Your-Own Bookmark

Many of us own books and often need to mark a page. Most of us own more books than bookmarks, however. Some invest in a limited amount of commercial bookmarks. Others simply scramble for paper scraps when the need to mark a page arises. This instructable will teach you how to create attractive, sturdy bookmarks that you can truly call your own. So spend and scramble no more--let's create homemade bookmarks!

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Caution: Use care when handling items with sharp or pointed edges.

Materials
- cardboard cereal box
- white computer paper (1 sheet)
- construction paper or design paper (1 sheet)
- small picture(s) (optional)
- ribbon (optional)

Tools
- ruler
- scissors
- glue stick (not regular glue, which gets too messy)
- no. 2 pencil (with eraser)
- drawing/coloring utensils (pen, markers, colored pencils, etc.)
- hole puncher (optional)
- printer (optional, if you want to print a small picture for your bookmark)

Step 2: Prepare the Structure

Use your tracer to draw a 17.5 x 14.8 cm rectangle on the computer paper. Note: This is the size of your bookmark. You can make your bookmark slightly smaller on larger based on personal preference. You may also choose to use the same width as the side panel of your cereal box. In this case, you would only use the suggested length.

Step 3:

Carefully cut out the rectangle. This will be your tracer.

Step 4:

Use the tracer to trace a second rectangle onto the computer paper.

Step 5:

Trace another rectangle onto your construction paper, making this one slightly larger than the others. This will be the back of your bookmark.

Step 6:

Trace one more rectangle onto your cereal box. It will be easy if you open the box and trace on the inside. Note: If you are using a side panel, trace only the small sides of the tracer to mark the length.

Step 7:

Cut out all rectangles except for the one on computer paper. That rectangle must be designed first!

Step 8: Create Your Design

Think of an attractive desing for your bookmark. You may want to draw a rough sketch first. Memorable words, illustrations, or pictures mignt work well in your design. Remember, this is your creation; it should reflect you, not Barnes & Noble.

Step 9:

Grab your design utensils--markers, pens, etc.--and put your design on the uncut rectangle. Feel free to adjust your design if you want. Note: You may want to start with pencil so that you can erase if necessary. I definitely recommend pencil for marking a picture space on your bookmark.

Step 10:

Glue any printed pictures onto your design, if desired. Now you're ready to assemble your bookmark.

Step 11: Bind Your Bookmark

Gather all three rectangles you cut earlier, including the tracer.

Step 12:

Cut out your designed rectangle. Now you have four of them.

Step 13:

Apply a generous amount of glue to the tracer and paste the designed rectangle on top. You're down to three rectangles.

Step 14:

Now glue the cardboard rectangle to the back of the other glued rectagles. You now have have two rectangles. Note: The cardboard requires a large amount of glue to stick securely.

Step 15:

Lastly, glue the construction paper rectangle to the back of the cardboard. Your rectangles are merged into one bookmark!

Step 16: Finishing Touches

Use the scissors to trim any uneven edges.

Step 17:

Punch a hole through the center-top with a hole puncher to add a ribbon, if desired. Tie the ribbon through the hole.

Congratulations! You've created a bookmark that you can truly call your own. Now you can make more. Original bookmarks make splendid gifts!