Tutorial: Multi-Colored Silhouette Bookmarks

    

If you participated in the Books 'n' Bloggers swap I co-hosted with Beth, chances are you received one of my Reader Girl cards and bookmarks.  I had so much fun making these (with the help of my dear friend Kristina) and loved the feedback I received from those who received them and loved them.

I decided to post a tutorial so you can make them yourself if you'd like.  They'd make fun Christmas gifts for the booklovers you know, or you can use the same tutorial on cards to actually make Christmas cards. (Or really cards for any occasion)

Supplies I used:

• Pre-cut bookmarks (while you could make your own, I doubt I could get it that straight.)
• Spray Ink (I was actually looking for Dylusions Spray Ink but found Ditto instead)
• Book pages  (I bought these already torn out from a thrift store.)
• Stamps (I found these girl silhouettes, but any stamp would work as long as it fits!)
• ModPodge
• A bowl to put the ModPodge in.
• Black stamp ink
• A paintbrush (To use with the ModPodge)
• Paper Towls (for blotting and cleaning up)
• Something to lay over your table (I used an old paper bag I tore open)
• Sealant 

Set Up:

Lay something out on your table in order to prevent it from being damaged.  I used a thick paper bag that I opened up, but anything that wont bleed through will be good enough.  This can get pretty messy with the spray ink, so I'd also recommend wearing clothes you don't mind getting it on.

Step 1: Apply the ModPodge with your brush to one side of the book mark, and then apply that side onto your book page.  Most book pages can fit two bookmarks side by side if you line it up correctly.  Make sure that your words are straight when applying, or it may not look as good.

Step 2: Cut around the book mark so the page lines up evenly with the bookmark.

Step 3: Apply ModPodge using your brush again to the other side of the bookmark and place it against a book page.  Make sure the lines line up and that they are going the same way as the other side, or it may not look as neat.

Step 4: Cut around the bookmark so both sides now line up properly.

Step 5: Use your brush or a paper towel to apply ModPodge to all of the edges so it seals them together more, also touch up any areas you may have missed.  Let dry completely before moving on to step 6.

Step 6: Spray the bookmarks with your spray ink.  I just laid them down on the paper and randomly spritzed here and there with multiple colors at once, but you could also do one color and let it dry and then apply another.  Be creative with your color combinations.  The rainbow ones were my favorites.

After you've sprayed them you can blot them a bit, but you're going to want to let them dry as much as possible with the ink on them.  It may take a day or two to fully dry.

Step 7: Once they're dry you can use some kind of sealant to make sure they don't bleed onto books.  Hairspray stayed too sticky, but the ModPodge works if you coat it again with it and let it dry fully.

Other Embellishments:

I also used a corner rounder/shaper to trim the corners up so they were pretty, and then I used a hole punch to punch a hole in them and put some thread through.  It made for a much more lovely finished product!