Photo Credit: www.mmmcrafts.com

Every so often, I get the craft craving around a special holiday or season. I can remember a few Christmases ago, making snowflakes out of a felt-like material with my son and sending them in the mail to friends and family. Well this year, since Easter is right around the corner, I decided to indulge in some crafty thoughtful gift-giving. It all started when I saw a Walgreens photo card ad

First off, I ordered 20 customizable photo cards on Walgreens.com, using the code Fun2Create and got 20% off. (If this coupon has expired for you, go to RetailMeNot, type in Walgreens photo and you can search for a new code) Retail Me Not Coupon Codes: http://www.retailmenot.com/

Once I uploaded the photos I wanted to use on my Easter card on Walgreens, applied my coupon, and ordered the cards, I was done! But something felt like it was missing. I suddenly had 20 cards to send friends and family, but I didn’t have anything unique inside “just for them” and “made by us.” That’s when I began searching the internet for anything that would be small enough and flat enough to put in a mailable envelope.

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After a few searches, I found the bookmarks craft!!! The majority of my friends and family LOVE to read (who doesn’t?) so I figured I’d get started. Here’s the direct link to the craft, but I’m going to put some Materials and Steps below as well: http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/02/love-you-bookmark.html

Materials:

  • Bookmark template copied onto card stock (you can use any color but I chose white and printed them off at Fedex)
  • Gluesticks
  • Decorative scrapbook paper or thin fabric
  • Thin ribbon (you’ll need to thread this through the hole-punched bookmark, leaving about 5 inches for the user to mark their page)
  • X-Acto-Knife
  • Scissors (to clean up any edges)
  • PatienceIMG_20140408_211720

Steps

    1. Print the template directly from the craft website (or in my case, I downloaded the PDF file, emailed it to FedEx, and had them print 10 copies on card stock. The template has 2 bookmarks per page, so keep this in mind. At 2 per page, I got 20 out of the deal).
    2. Cut out the bookmark and the fabric square. (I accidentally didn’t follow the instructions and cut out everything, but it really doesn’t matter. You are gluing one side to the other, so if you do end up cutting all the edIMG_20140408_211636ges, instead ofleaving one end attached, it’s fine)
    3. Go to Hobby Lobby or your favorite craft store and get the above supplies if you don’t already have them. I picked out some super CUTE paper to use as the peek-through print on the bookmark. I also got some water colors in case my son wants to paint any prior to putting the peekaboo print inside!
    4. Cut out the pattern shown on one side of the bookmark with the X-Acto knife (the template shows a Heart shape, but I also chose to create my own patterns as well. My son wants to do an Egg shape and I did a Cross one!
    5. Next, with the scissors, you’ll cut out a piece of the fabric or scrapbook paper the same size that it shows you. Once that is cut, glue it to the other side of the bookmark, where it has the dotted edges.
    6. Glue each side together
    7. IMG_20140408_211520Using a hole-punch, punch through the top portion of the bookmark
    8. Get your ribbon! Pick a fun color and thread the ribbon through the hole. Be sure not to tie the ribbon too tight or it could tearthe paper. So in order to prevent this, threadit through once, and tie a loose knot, then tie another knot over the other one which is a little tighter.
    9. OPTIONAL: Laminate them! I am going to laminate my bookmarks so they will last a lot longer. If you are going to laminate yours, don’t do steps 7 and 8 until AFTERyou get them laminated and cut them all out. (You don’t want to laminate ribbon, now do you?)
    10. Hand them out! Give them to teachers, friends, family, and you can even mail them to your long distance buddies! Below is a photo of all the ones my son and I completed and laminated 😉 It’s a little time consuming but worth it!

HAPPY EASTER & HAPPY CRAFTING!

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