Make a Bookmark Card

Posted 2013-04-16 by Vanessa M ⇒ follow

If you're giving someone a book for their birthday, for Mother's Day or Father's Day, or even for Christmas, then the Bookmark Card is the perfect accompaniment. It's also very easy to customise to your own abilities and the tastes of the recipient.

The Bookmark Card

Time: 30 minutes

Materials

Cardboard or paper

Scissors

Ruler (Optional)

Pencil (Optional)

Ribbon or String (Optional)

Needle (Optional)

Stapler (Optional)

Hole Punch (Optional)

Glue (Optional)

Stickers or other forms of decoration

Not all of these are necessary, but here are the items I used to make my card

Method

Cut out a piece of cardboard. There are no specific dimensions needed - I just folded the A4 piece I had in half and cut along that line. However, keep in mind that the idea is just to create a tall, thin card, not much bigger than a bookmark. Make sure you have cardboard leftover for the bookmark too.

Fold both ends of the cardboard inwards, so that the piece is now in thirds.

I did measure this bit to make it easier to get my thirds

Stick the left third down, creating a pouch to hold the bookmark. You can use a few different methods here, like stapling (the staples can be hidden behind decoration later). You can also use a hole punch and ribbon. I like to sew mine closed, hiding the knots at each end of the string between the two pieces of cardboard.

Cut out the bookmark. It will need to be only slightly smaller than the space you have left as a pouch. I just use trial and error here, because the size often depends on the thickness of your cardboard. I recommend cutting it a little too big for the space you have left and then trimming it down till it fits snigly and won't fall out. You might like to use a different, thicker source of cardboard for this bit too, as you want the bookmark to last. A coloured piece would be even better.

Cut out a semi-circle shape at the top of the card so the bookmark can be taken out easily (this is where a colourful piece looks good). I use nail scissors here because it’s easier to maneuver them around the small space and get the right curve.

Decorate your card however you want. I glued on some of my leftover bookmark cardboard and kept sewing up on side to balance out the decorative features on the front.

Decorate the bookmark, remembering that it still needs to fit inside its pouch. You also want to make sure nothing is visible through the hole at the top (it just looks neater this way). Although I chose not to, one option you might consider is attaching a ribbon to the top of your bookmark or braiding some string. Doing so makes the bookmark easier to get out and emphasises that the card includes a bookmark in the first place (you don't want the recipient overlooking all your effort).