Monday, November 15, 2010

Bookmarks--Edited

Edited to add...PTI = Papertrey Ink. The set used on these bookmarks is PTI's All Booked Up. Sorry that wasn't clear.

When I first sat down to make bookmarks, I pulled out a bunch of patterned paper, including PTI's polka dot pad and some girly Basic Grey. And I started punching and cutting and matching and trimming and hemming and hawwing.

Basically, I ruined a bunch of perfectly good paper.

I walked away from my desk in disgust...twice. I think it was Einstein who said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

When I returned to sanity, this is what I made:


Hello! That's more like it. These look like they belong on Simplicity. Why? These have white white space, super simple colors that pop, off-the-edge stamping, rule of thirds, simple ribbon treatment, understated finishing touch with scalloped scissors to round the corners, and NO PATTERNED PAPER!

Generally speaking, patterned paper is just not me. I wish it were. But it's just not. And when I abandoned it, good things happened. Well, I think they're good. This doesn't mean I should never work with patterned paper again, of course. It just means that as soon as I realize things aren't coming together with it, I should flex to what I do best, which is basically taking nothing and making it look good.

Well, that is the goal, anyway.

A variation on the above bookmarks came to me as I was looking at the gingham ribbon scraps in my scrap ribbon jar. All these little pieces looked great, and the ribbon, though wide, is quite thin and unbulky. Is unbulky a word? Whatever. The point is, these will be easy to tuck into Christmas cards.


I used the sentiment "Life is short...read fast." I love this sentiment and have a number of friends and family who completely agree with it.

The final set of bookmarks varied the treatment of the gingham ribbon and wackily covered some of the white space. The sentiment on these says, "This is where I fell asleep." That's perfect for my mother and one of my uncles!



How-To Tips: The ribbon treatments are very simple and use some SU punches I've neglected. The first set uses the two-hole punch, which gives pretty small holes, so I used thinner ribbon. Thread both ends from front to back through each hole, then thread the ends back to the front through opposite holes. Trim the ends as shown. The second set of bookmarks uses the slit punch and a very simple knot. All the corners were rounded with scalloped scissors. The third set is pretty self-explanatory. The punched circle is adhered with a glue dot and pretty flat. Bookmarks are a perfect project for getting rid of off-cuts of cardstock and ribbon scraps. The first two sets are 5.5" tall and 1.75" wide. The third set is 4" tall and 1.75" wide.

Design Discussion: As a bibliophile, I am very picky about bookmarks. Bulky, bumpy, lumpy bookmarks can damage books. I've seen some pictured in magazines and online that have gemstones or brads or bows on the part of the bookmark that goes inside the book.

"The horror! The horror!"

Okay, so I'm a bit melodramatic about it, quoting Kurtz and all, but seriously, real book lovers don't want lumps and bumps on their bookmarks.

Happy Monday, y'all.

28 comments:

  1. Nice bookmarks, Susan! Love the variety of ribbon treatments. I'll be using this set for the bookmarks I make for my colleagues every holiday season -- just gotta figure out how to holiday it up, if you know what I mean. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. These are perfect!
    I'm so with you on the lumpy bumpy bookmark thing, some look lovely with their flowers and buttons, but I would never use them in my books.
    I'll always remember a quote I found (can't remember who said it but the message stuck)...
    "Why would you spend $5 on a bookmark? Use the $5 bill as the bookmark and save the money"
    Enough said.

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  3. I love these, especially the sentiments!

    And I totally agree about lumpy bookmarks. The bookmarks I make are always flat for that very reason. :)

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  4. Hi Susan, love all these super book marks and need all the sentiments:0)
    I know what you mean about the DP although it has it's place, lately I've found myself working my cards around the colours of the paper and not the image, that really doesn't work so well.
    I would be mortified if a book mark of mine damaged a book and find it impossible to tear up old books to use the paper in my cards, I guess I'm sad:{
    Thank you for sharing:0) xx

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  5. Love the bookmarks --- they'll be perfect for my book club. I totally agree with you on the bulky bookmarks. My kids (now in their 30's) can still tell you that one way to send me ballistic when they were little was to "crack" open a library book to make it easier to read, or lay it open face-down on a table. Made me nuts! I loved Lorrinda's $5 bookmark comment!

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  6. Fabulous bookmarks, Susan - and these can actually be used! I too deplore bookmarks with tons of "stuff" on them. Some I have seen are thick enough to "mark" the book for life! My bookmarks generally get nothing more than one layer of paper and a stamped sentiment.

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  7. I love all of these bookmarks! I'm not a fan of the bulky ones either. LoL... These look so great! :)

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  8. They are wonderful Susan!

    Love the sentiments you have used and how you used the ribbons. My bookmarks are always of the thinner sort, I have to search for them in the book to find them :)

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  9. Love your bookmarks! I've always used something thin in my books so I don't damage them...but now? I read my Kindle all the time and haven't bought a "paper" book in a while. I know, I know....you love paper. I do too, but my library of 1500+ hardback books is overflowing and I just don't have the storage room...and I can't bring myself to get rid of any of the books! I didn't think I would like the Kindle, but I do! I just slide it in my purse, and I always have a book with me.

    Okay...I digress...I do love your bookmarks, and I might even make a few for some of my family for Christmas!

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  10. Hi-really like the bookmarks-what stamp set were you using?

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  11. Perfect bookmarks, Susan. Thin, so there is no unsightly bump when in place; simple, so they don't fight with the thoughts/imagery generated from words the author carefully chose; made of paper, so that notes can be jotted on them rather than the pages of the book; and colorful, so that they can work with the cover colors (Should I admit that I do that?).

    An aside: A little something that tickles my fancy is when I open a book and discover a forgotten bookmark inside. Since ticket stubs are usually the only items I 'misplace' inside a book, they bring back pleasant memories of a movie shared with my daughter, a mesmerizing ballet, an uplifting musical, etc., etc.

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  12. Super bookmarks! This is one of the PTI sets which, when I saw it first, I knew it had to be mine....it's a great set...and I love what you've done with the stamps!

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  13. Love, love, LOVE these, Susan!

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  14. I won't use a lumpy bookmark. I don't even like to crack the spine of a book I'm reading. i bought this set to make Christmas gifts for my library co-workers and haven't started yet. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  15. I'm with you on the NO lumpy bookmarks! I've been using a sticky note, but one of these would be much more classy. I need to make one that says, "So many books, so little time!"

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  16. BRILLIANT, the top ones are my favorite, but lordy, they're all just perfect! i have bookmark envy

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  17. Love these - especially the ones with the ribbon colour tying in with the ribbon in the stamped image. All that white space - a deep breath!

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  18. I too love these bookmarks! I covet that PTI set, and just wish PTI's shipping costs to Canada weren't _quite_ so expensive!

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  19. Perfect! I also struggle with how to make simple bookmarks. I have so much patterned paper and it's the first thing I reach for, but always give up in frustration. I think I'll go and make a few like these and see what else happens!

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  20. LOVE your bookmarks....they are beautiful! Great work!

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  21. Neat bookmarks. Like the 'this is where I fell asleep'!

    Oh, and send me your Basic Grey!! Grin

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  22. These are delightful... what bookmarks should look like!

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  23. I agree with you about bulky bookmarks! I've seen some heavily embellished ones and thought that whoever made them must not be book lovers.

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  24. You're Baaack! Awesome and incredible! I adore the first one. Simple lines and a simple image. Lovely!

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  25. I have to ask...where did you get the stamps. Looking at your label, I thought it was Papertrey...but I can't find them. Help!! I love the book stamp and the sentiments. :0)

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  26. I love the bookmarks but I too am wondering where you got the stamps....does PTI stand for Papertrey Ink?? If so, what's the name of the set, please! Jackie

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  27. These are awesome! I love to make the corner bookmarks but they can be a bit bulky. I like the stamped image. Simple and cute!

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  28. I love the book marks (and all the goodies you've shared as someone just showed me your blog). My book marks can't have ribbon sticking out the top or else my cat will pull them out of the book--every time.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!