How to make a quick and easy Valentine's Day magnetic bookmark

This quick to make Valentine's Day magnetic bookmark is so easy that you may want to make a bunch and give them out in a Valentine card to your friends and loved ones.  You can easily sign them before you add the contact paper.  You could even give your sweetie a book of love poems and add the Valentine's Day magnetic bookmark with it.  Change the colors and scrapbook paper print to personalize!  

Materials:

Magnetic sheet, one side adhesive

Scrapbook paper in desired print

Tacky craft glue

Small amount of clear contact paper

Glitter fabric paint, red

Pencil, ruler, scissors

1.     Make a pattern of two small hearts, one a bit larger than the other. (To make a heart pattern fold a piece of paper in half and draw a half heart on the fold. Cut out. Open and you will have a symmetrical heart.)  Play around with different sizes and shapes of hearts.

2.     Using the heart pattern, cut out a large one and a small one from the magnetic sheet.  Cut out a small and large heart from the scrapbook paper as well.

3.     Remove the adhesive backing from the large magnetic sheet heart, line up the corresponding large scrapbook paper heart and attach.  Trim around any overlapping edges. Repeat with the smaller magnetic and scrapbook paper hearts.

4.     Cut a strip of scrapbook paper 6 inches by 2 inches.  Fold 2 inches down from one end. On the unprinted side of the scrapbook paper you can write your Valentine a message if you desire.

5.     Cut two pieces of clear contact paper 6 ½” x 2 ½.” Lay one piece of contact paper adhesive side up and remove the backing.  Place the scrapbook strip print side down on top and adhere.  Remove the backing from the other piece of contact paper and place over the strip already attached to the contact paper.  (Like a contact - paper sandwich)  Trim any edges that do not meet.  Refold where you folded it 2 inches down from the top.

Add your message here

6.     Spread some tacky glue on the larger of the two hearts and adhere to the front of the bookmark (short edge)

7.     Spread some tacky glue on the smaller heart and attach to the area of the back where it meets the front heart, thus magnetizing the two together. (This will keep it on the page)  Let dry completely.  When dry you may decorate the front with small dots of glitter fabric paint if desired.

Enjoy and hope you and yours have a Happy Valentine's Day!

How to gift a book with a personalized ribbon bookmark

At Christmas, some of my friends and family are avid readers.  While they do have tablets with EBooks on them, nothing beats the turning of real pages.  So as I purchase these books I make a simple but personalized ribbon bookmark for each book.  The supplies for the ribbon bookmark are easily available and inexpensive.  And best of all they adjust to the book.  Use buttons that your friend or family will love. 

It’s so easy you will want to make several for yourself as well!

Materials:

Elastic hair tie

Grosgrain ribbon to fit snuggly around the book

Unique button, or cabochon, embellishment

Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

Scissors

Lighter to seal ribbon

Instructions:

1.     Gather your supplies.  To begin, wrap the ribbon of your choice around the book.  Keep in mind that you will be folding the ribbon under as a seam.  Cut the piece of ribbon and run a lighter lightly across the ends to seal.

2.     Next, Add the hair tie and fold under.  Add some hot glue (or you can sew this if you desire) to attach.

3.     Now make sure the opposite end is folded to where each end meets and the seams face the same direction and hot glue or sew that ends as well. (See photo)

4.     Then, attach a button of the folded end with hot glue or sew it on.  Make sure your button or embellishment is tall enough for the elastic to attach.

5.     Add the bookmark to the book attaching the elastic around the button or embellishment to secure the place.

Download now - a fun, free coloring bookmark

I love my kindle but I also love regular books as well, and this coloring bookmark is perfect to keep my place in style. 

Download this fun coloring bookmark that features a cute little puppy sitting on a stack of books.  I colored mine using gel markers but you can use colored pencils or regular makers to color it in. 

Materials:

Printer and white card stock

Download bookmark pattern

Markers or colored pencils

Clear contact paper

Paper punch

Scissors

Optional tassel

Instructions:

1.     Download the free coloring bookmark pattern.  Print on cardstock in your home printer.

2.     Color the bookmarks as you desire using your favorite colors.

3.     After you finish coloring them (and coloring is a great stress reliever) Cut a piece of clear contact paper to cover and apply to the front making sure you flatten to remove any bubbles.  Turn over and apply another piece to the back.

4.     Now, cut the bookmarks out with scissors.  You can substitute decorative scissors for an extra decorative touch.

5.     Use a paper punch to cut a hole in the top center of the bookmark.  Attach an optional tassel if you desire.   

We hope you enjoy creating your one of kind coloring bookmark and stop by Make it easy crafts often for more free printables and quick and easy craft tutorials.  We’d love to hear your comments!

Recycled gift card bookmark - Mustache man...or is it a bald eagle?

Or am I a bald eagle?

I read a lot of books.  As a result whenever someone decides to give me a gift they usually opt for gift cards so I can choose my books.  I load them on my computer, iPad or kindle app and then they are done.  Throw them away? I just can't bring myself to add something to the trash that will remain there long after I am dust!  So what to do?  There are lots of things one can do with used gift cards.  Since they were originally for books I figured why not make a clip type bookmark. And that, dear readers, is how the Mustache man bookmark came to life...or is it a bald eagle?  You decide with this fun optical illusion style clip. You can make one too.

Click on the link to download and print the pattern, then follow the easy steps to create your own Mustache man!

Mustache man pattern

You will need:

·      Glue gun and glue sticks

·      Used gift card or junk mail card (The kind they send with “your name here”)

·      Mustache man pattern

·      Small pointed scissors

·      Tracing paper

·      Pencil

·      White pencil to mark on dark felt

·      Sharpie marker

·      Ruler

·      Stiffened felt in dark brown/black and pink

1.     Make sure you clean off all of the glue from the back of the gift card.  If you can’t remove it easily, spread a bit of peanut butter (Yes I said peanut butter) on the sticky part, wipe it off and wash it.  The glue magically disappears!!

2.      Download the mustache man patterns and print.  Trace the mustache pattern onto the brown or black felt and cut out.  Trace the head and nose patterns onto the pink felt and cut out. 

3.     Follow the guide to mark the cutting lines on light colored back of your gift card with a sharpie marker.  Use the pointed scissors to start an opening and carefully cut all around using the guidelines. 

4.     Use the glue gun and glue sticks to layer the head on top of the mustache piece.  Fold the nosepiece in half and glue the two sides to the headpiece. 

5.     Cut a 1” x ¼” strip and angle the ends.  Glue under the mustache. (Lips)

6.     Glue on two google eyes. 

7.     Attach the entire head and mustache to the top of your gift card clip with hot glue and let it set.  Use the clip to attach papers up to 10 pages of papers or as a fun bookmark!