How to Make Bookmarks from Fresh Flowers

Homemade bookmarks can serve many purposes. They make excellent gifts for a variety of occasions, such as birthdays, ReadAcrossAmericaDay, MothersDay, Father's Day, and more. Homemade bookmarks can be very meaningful, as time, effort, and love will be put into making them. You can also make them for yourself or for family and friends. Most people will need a bookmark sometime. This is also an enjoyable craft for children and adults alike.

Materials Needed For Homemade Bookmarks

To make homemade bookmarks from fresh flowers, here's what you will need:

freshly picked flowers
either a laminator with sheets or clear contact paper
scissors
blank white paper (unlined)
pencil

If you are using a laminator, plug in the laminating machine and let it warm up before you begin with the project. This way it will be ready when you need it. Hot or cold machines can be used for this, but they sometimes seal more effectively in the hot machine.

Picking the Flowers for Homemade Bookmarks
When outside choosing which flowers to pick, consider the size of the flower. Keep in mind what size you will want the bookmarks to be. Choose flowers that are slightly smaller in diameter than the desired size. The reason for this is that sometimes the flowers stretch slightly when laminated or pressed. Choose a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Including leaves and seeds as well can enhance the beauty of the bookmark.

Making the Homemade Bookmarks With A Laminator
If you are going to use a laminator to make your homemade bookmarks, be sure you heat it up first, if applicable. Take out a laminating sheet and open it up and place it inside of the buffer sheet (generally a cardboard-like material that covers the laminating sheets). Lightly pencil in the lines where you will cut your bookmarks onto the white sheet of paper.

Next, with the laminating sheet still open, take that sheet of paper and place it in the laminating sheet. The paper should be the same size as the laminating sheet. Once the paper is neatly in place, arrange flowers inside the penciled-in grids. They can be overlapped or spread out. It does not matter.

Once you are finished arranging flowers in each grid, close the top laminating sheet over the bottom one. Also bring down the top half of the buffer sheet. Carefully run the sheet through your laminator, following the instructions that came with your machine. When the sheet is done and ready to be used, take it out of the buffer sheet and cut out the bookmarks, following the grid lines. Now your bookmarks are ready to use.

Making the Homemade Bookmarks Using Contact Paper
If you will be using clear contact paper to make your bookmarks, first cut out two sheets the size of your blank paper. Slowly peel the protective backing off one of the sheets, being careful not to let the edges curl up. Place the white paper over the sticky part once all the backing has been peeled away. Draw in lines, on the white paper, where you will cut for the bookmarks. Next, place the flowers in between the grids in whatever pattern you desire. Be sure to leave space around the lines, so that the contact paper will seal in a later step.

When you are finished, peel the protective backing away from the other sheet of contact paper. Place it atop the other very carefully, so as not to allow it to wrinkle up or change the position of the flowers. Take a rolling pin and run it across the entire sheet, using your weight to press down on it. Now cut along the lines to make the bookmarks. You may have to use the rolling pin and reseal some edges after this step.

Extra Suggestions for Homemade Bookmarks

To make the bookmarks even prettier, punch a hole in the center top of each and tie on either a small tassel or a ribbon.

Need a last-minute party activity or party favors? These will create both.

Bookmarks would be a good alternative when handing out trick or treat candy on Halloween.

Homemade bookmarks are a great alternative to unhealthy treats for class parties at school.

Whenever you send out birthday cards, thank you cards, Christmas cards, and more, enclose a bookmark inside the card.

To add more personalization to the bookmarks, a small photo can also be added with the flowers when creating the bookmarks.

Bookmarks make great items to add to a bake sale or other fundraising sale event.

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