Keeping your place

This week at our school is the Scholastic Book Fair and what goes better with new books than a personalized bookmark? This fun clear bookmark is a craft better suited to the older student (3rd grade and up) or younger if well supervised and assisted by a parent.

For this project you will need…

• a patterned paper scrap
• a solid coordinated paper scrap
• a die cutting machine or letter stencil and scissors
• small punches of differing shapes or confetti
• iron on vinyl or clear contact paper
• crop-a-dile and an eyelet
• string in a coordinating color

Using the die cutting machine or your letter stencils create your child’s name in the patterned paper. I chose to back my letters just to make them stand out a little more, but you do not have to. Next punch out lots of little shapes or you can use confetti to add some interest to the bookmark.

Cut a piece of vinyl 8 inches wide by 8 inches long. With the backing still in place, fold the vinyl in half and crease. Peel back the backing only up to the crease that you made. Place the letters in order on the sticky part of the vinyl. Because the vinyl is clear, it does not matter if you choose to work with the letters upside down and backwards or if the letters are right side up at this point. Once the letters are in order, scatter your confetti around the name. Peel the rest of the backing off the vinyl and carefully fold back over the letters to seal the letters inside. Using your fingers, make sure to smooth out any little winkles or air pockets.

Your iron should be on a medium high setting and ready to use at this point. Place a dish towel down on a hard surface and lay your bookmark on top of it. Fold the dish towel over the bookmark so that you have the bookmark covered top and bottom by the towel. Iron over the area of the bookmark using a lot of pressure. This should only take 20 seconds total. Lift up the top of the dish towel. You will probably have to peel the bookmark from the towel. Please do not leave the vinyl to cool on the towel or your bookmark could become part of the towel. =)

Let the bookmark cool. It should only take a minute at most. Trim your bookmark to a size that pleases you making sure your edges are straight.

Using the crop-a-dile create an eyelet hole at the top of the bookmark and fill with an eyelet. Cut your stings and pull through the hole and tie to create the tassel.

Pick up a fabulous book and start reading. When you need a break, you have your newly created bookmark to hold your place.

Enjoy! Happy craftin’

Tara

 

 

Tags: bookmark, Iron-On Vinyl, Kids crafts