After I shared my perfect handmade gift for young girls project (my handmade journal with flower bookmark post seen here), I received several requests for more information and/or a tutorial on the bookmark itself. So here are some directions as well as closeups of the bookmark to help clarify.
- Follow the original tutorial to create the fabric flower, ensuring that your centers line up creating a space through which to place your brad. Remember recycled old clothing works great for this project ... a bit of old denim, maternity clothing, a child's favorite dress with a stain. You can personalize this project while making it 'green'!
- Cut two flowers using the smallest flower on the Island Floral Bigz Die - one out of milk carton (yes my magic material rears its head again!) and another out of felt. This flower is perfect as it has a small hole in the center through which you will thread your brad!
- Push a decorative brad brad through the middle of the milk carton flower and on through the fabric folded flower. You can use a little hot glue between the layers for added stability.
- On the backside of the flower, hot glue a pony tail holder to the prongs of the brad and proceed to put the prongs through the small brown felt flower from step two. Again you can add extra hot glue just before adding the flower for extra strength.
- Open the brad and firmly press down.Measure out your ribbon so that when assembled your bookmark will fit around your chosen book or project. When your recipient wants to use the bookmark with a larger book, the pony tail holder will give the necessary stretch.
- Fold one end of your ribbon around one end of your pony tail holder and glue closed (again I used hot glue). The glue should not touch the pony tail holder itself.
- Repeat with the other end of your ribbon being careful not to twist the ribbon.
Your bookmark is now complete and ready to use. I've found this is a great gift for both the little girls and the teens in your life - and even adult women are happy to be the recipient.
The Big Shot is a power tool in the world of handmade gifts. Do you have Christmas money to spend? Contact me and I'll help you make those dollars stretch further and earn you extra product when you purchase your Big Shot!
Happy Crafting,
Noel
Fabulous idea!
Posted by: Sharon Field | 02/07/2012 at 05:38 AM