... and "Mini Book" Bookmarks

Do you love to read as much as we do? I have had this project in the pipeline for a while now but have only just got round to giving it a go - once I started I became hooked and instead of making one, I made five!!!

I first got the idea from this post by Small World Land. Corinne had made them for a dolls house for her daughter and jewellery for her mother. I first thought of pendants for necklaces but I wasn't sure if people would wear them? But then I saw some other posts on bead and ribbon bookmarks and I was inspired!


The best bit about this project is that if you already have a craft stash of bits and bobs, it really doesn't cost much at all. My basic materials were:

• Images from Google (printed on normal office paper)
• Scraps of card
• Scrap office paper
• Scrap patterned / scrapbook paper
• PVA/water mix (home-made Mod Podge!)
• Hot glue gun
• Enamel varnish
• Bits or ribbon, cord etc.
• Beads
• Jump rings, head pins and ribbon clampy things (jewellery findings?)

I started by asking friends for their favourite books on Facebook (this came up with some brilliant responses by the way - my friends are very well read!!!). I picked a few at random and found images from Google. Literally I typed "To Kill A Mockingbird" (etc) book cover into Google Images.

I (well alright it was Sian!) sized them using Microsoft Publisher to 3cm x 2cm and printed them out. Some were the complete layout with the spine and back, but most were just the front cover so I "faked" back covers using the patterned paper, trying to make it match as best as possible.

Geek Love - Katherine Dunn

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

The BFG - Roald Dahl            Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

I experimented with different types of card for the actual covers and glued the front and back pieces on - ensuring I left a couple of millimetres for a spine.On Small Work Land, Corinne uses chipboard inside the covers but I decided to go for paper pages. I also wanted some of the books to have a used/ well read feel so I "dyed" the scrap office paper with some well brewed tea and left it to dry. I then chopped some stacks of pages from this to fit each book.

The hook coming out of the books is made from head pins used in beading just because I had loads of these. You could easily use small pieces of wire. I hot glued these into the spine of each book, and then used the PVA/water mix to glue the pages in. To help with the drying process I was able to borrow (and now have kept as my own) Matt's (Sian's husband) clamp. I haven't listed this above as obviously anything else could be used e.g. a pile of books, tins, your fingers etc!!

When dry, I sprayed them with several coats of enamel varnish. I went for a matt finish but they could be glossed also.

Whilst waiting for them to dry, I gathered my ribbons, cord and beads and experimented. I am not a jewellery maker and I was teaching myself how to attach them all together - I think I did an OK job but it definitely got better with practice!! I then assembled the books to their ribbons or cords.

And here they are:

Some of the lucky people who responded with their favourite books will be getting these as special presents. And I think I'm going to keep making more as they are really fun and can be personalised to anyone! 

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

18th April 2013: Update - this post was featured here at Family Home & Life

26th April 2013: Update - this post was featured here at Crafts a la mode

8th May 2013: Update - this post was featured here at Kid's Crafts Magazine