You know all those beautiful Birthday Cards, Christmas Cards, and Note Cards you receive throughout the year?
Don’t throw them away ~ turn them into Homemade Bookmarks!
My sweet Aunt Patty shared this tip with me a few years back, and I must say… we’ve got some pretty cute bookmarks holding places in our books right now!
Now, go gather up some cards you’ve recently received…
Then grab some scissors, a 3-hole punch and ribbons.
Cut out long thin sections of the card, while keeping the picture in tact.
Punch a hole at the top, and loop a ribbon through.
Trim the edges of the ribbon at a slight angle.
Round the corners of the bookmark if desired, using scissors or corner rounder.
There you have it… quick, easy, and adorable bookmarks!Keep some for yourself and give some as thrifty gifts!
This is a fun & simple craft for the kids, too!
See Also:
More Fun Craft Projects!
More Fun Craft Projects!
Wow! Great idea! and simple even us non-crafters can do it :0)
What a great idea!
Carol
This is a great idea! I'll have to make some soon.
You could even make bookmarks like this using friends' photo cards and give them the bookmarks with a book you've already read… Talk about being resourceful!
Very fun & Frugal!
What a great idea! I am definitely going to try this. Thanks.
Great idea!
I love this idea!! What a great way to use the wonderful cards we get all year and keep the memories of love and friendship close at hand or to give as gifts.
I think that I will do this. You could also laminate them if you have access to a machine.
Elaine H
Very cute!
what a great idea
Great idea! That would sure beat the post it note that I normally use.
Neat idea! Think I'll try this next time I'm looking for a nice gift tag, too.
This is a really great idea! Awesome way to re-use!
Wow! I’ve always kept cards, not knowing what to do with them, but not wanting to let them go b/c they’re so pretty!!
Thanks!
Any ideas for glass baby food jars?
Who would ever of thought????? That was fun to read all the replies. YOU ARE THE BESTEST FRUGAL GAL…KEEP GOING GIRL. Love you and yours, aunty Patty
Thought this was an awesome idea, so I shared it on my FaceBook Profile
This is wonderful! I have an Autisitic daughter that keeps and collects all the cards that are given her. She has a shoebox full! She also loves to read, loves crafts and bookmarks! She will enjoy making these for family and friends…thank you!
That’s a great ideal. Keep up the good work
Here’s another frugal ideal that I’ve been doing for years. To use up the Christmas cards that you receive from other people cut the front off and use as a post card. My husband use to say I was cheap but as the years rolled on he has changed his mind (to a point).
Thanks, Barbara
Love it!! Thank you!
OMG!! This is awesome at my house i had plenty of them, but sadly i threw it all away. But nevermind i’ll have some more, thanks!
Have you tried making placemats and laminating them for special days…this would be a fun thing to do with the children and include their picture as well…who wouldn’t want to have a treasure like them from those special children or grandchildren?
@Sonya
Babyfood jars make great craft storage for smaller items like beads, buttons, paper clips, ribbon scraps, etc.
I’m using some as homemade spice jars. They fit just right into one of the old coca~cola wooden crates that the glass bottles used to come in.
And as for these bookmarks, I am definitely going to use last year’s christmas cards as bookmark presents this year. This is a great idea!
Thanks for sharing Heidi. Love to all the family.
This is so awesome! I’m totally going to make some for friends and family for Christmas! I even texted my boyfriend right away to see if any of his coworkers have any old cards lying around that I could use
Wow, this is such a great idea! I have a corner rounder in my scrapbooking kit, which will make the project even easier! =)
Love this idea for my second grade students. They love reading and we are always using sticky notes for bookmarks. I’m getting busy right now with all my cards that I have saved for just this reason. Thanks so much for sharing. I am loving your website already and this is my first visit.
I have also cut up Christmas cards to use when embellishing my scrapbook pages.
What a great idea!! I’d been planning to use mine as gift tags, or glue onto gift bags, but I LOVE the bookmark idea!!
I really like your frugal raft things, always classy and would make a great gift, or add on, no something cheap and yuk looking.
What a great idea. We are a family of readers all eight of us and the kids never have any bookmarks. They might actually use them if they have a hand in making them.
I have found that some of my cards have writting on the back of where the picture is. To cover it up I cut a piece of card stock and glue it to the back. The recipient has no idea that I covered up the writting.
Brilliant! I’ve always wondered what to do with those super-cute cards!
RE: bookmarks
You can also use them for gift name tags on your next years Xmas gifts. Also, cut edges with a pinking sheer. That adds a little bit of life to them.
THANK YOU!
I’m so glad so many are enjoying this simple and productive craft. While I was putting away my Christmas goodies I was reminded of the cute boxes I put under my snowman tree. A few years ago I bought them at a Christmas Fair. They were all made from Christmas cards with one exception. A cute little stamped snowman box. They are just folded and glued together. Perhaps you have directions for making one. Just thought I would share the idea. Love you. Aunty Patty
WOW! As a huge reader and someone that loves to gives books as gifts… this is great!
I have been making these (have about 2,500 made) and will be sending them to our deployed Troops this Christmas. I can’t wait to get to send them!
What a great idea, Shelly!!
This is very cool idea. Now i don’t have to buy bookmarks and i no we can make its a simple thing but with this idea, it becomes more easier!!!
Loved all these ideas! I belong to a book club and wanted to make each of the members a bookmark for our get together next week. Now I have a fun way to make them! You could also embellish these with small pieces of lace, rhinestones, etc
Great idea, Pam!
~ Heidi
I also use these for tags for next years presents! I am a homeschool mom and plan on using a day of art class to have my kids do this.
This year I printed and laminated bookmarks. This would be so much for fun! I have a rounder….somewhere….now I must find it in my craft mess.