Gypsy Jenn Workshops: Mixed Media Bookmark Tutorial

Hi all. I wanted to share a easy bookmark tutorial with all of you. I love bookmarks they are so much fun to make and use. They make great gifts also.

Here is what you need

paper
acrylic paint
glue or Mod podge
embellishments(I used washi tape and scraps from my painted background papers)
pen, marker or stamps for the words
thread
laminate sheets or clear packaging tape
paint brush or credit card
sponge
stencils
ruler
scissors or cutter
hole punch

Start by covering your work space with newspaper or something that the paint can get on so you don't ruin your table.

Squeeze paint onto your paper(use like colors so you don't make mud. ie warm colors together, dark colors together). Use a paintbrush or credit card to spread the paint around randomly to cover the paper.Here I used a sponge.

Let the paint dry and use your sponge to paint over your stencils randomly to make a colorful background.

let the paint dry then glue or mod podge scraps of paper randomly on the paper. I used my paper scraps from my painted backgrounds.

It should look something like this with scraps of paper but the background still showing in places.

Let it dry and then turn it over. I have made my book marks 2 inches by 6 inches long. If you are using clear packaging tape you will need to make them less than two inches across to make sure the tape covers the paper completly unless you have wider packaging tape. I would say for regular wide tape to make your bookmarks 1 and 1/2 inches wide. Measure your paper with your ruler and then cut out your bookmarks

Here is where the fun embellishing part starts. I added washi tape first. You can cut out hearts like I did or paper and stamp or write words. Again I used scraps of my background papers

I then painted the back of my bookmarks with acrylic paint and a sponge. and let it dry.

Once the paint and glue are dry then it's time to add the laminate plastic or tape. Make sure their are no air bubbles and add laminate to both sides of the paper .It's ok if the laminate goes over the sides you cut it off later.

Cut your bookmarks so that a very thin strip of laminate overhangs off the sides. Punch a hole in the top of the bookmark and add your thread. You can also add a tassle.