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Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 30 mins

Stretching the Imagination
I was surfing the net, looking for colored elastic, when I came across these bookmarks from Levenger. I just love them, I have never seen bookmarks like them, and I immediately wanted them. Alas! They cost $6.00 each!!

Well, I decided to take a shot making my own. I really felt like they were a simple enough concept.

These are two that I made. I think they are beautiful and, at a cost of about $.25 each, much more economical.

Posted by Creative Origins from Stuart, Florida, United States • Published 24th July 2008 • See Creative Origins's 23 projects »

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Key West Witch favorited Stretchy Bookmarks 08 Aug 00:17
Mythiko Ino favorited Stretchy Bookmarks 11 Jan 22:03
Sarah Y. favorited Stretchy Bookmarks 10 Jul 01:35
Inez F. favorited Stretchy Bookmarks 16 Feb 01:10
Carli V. added Stretchy Bookmarks to diy-book related 20 Jun 03:07
Carli V. favorited Stretchy Bookmarks 20 Jun 03:07
Ana favorited Stretchy Bookmarks 16 Jun 23:00
Sammy B. added Stretchy Bookmarks to Want to Do!! 27 Mar 23:43
Heather H. favorited Stretchy Bookmarks 02 Oct 22:59
Twiinii favorited Stretchy Bookmarks 08 Jul 20:20

Step 1
You can pretty much tell from the picture what I did. Just cut a slot in top of bookmark wide enough for width of elastic. Use marker to color outside edge of board. Decoupage paper to board, trim slot. When dry, slip elastic through the slot and glue ends together to form loop. Wait for adhesive to completely dry before attempting to use your bookmark.
Step 2
If you want your elastic to be a different color, just dye it. The only dye I had around was soap dye, I used it and it worked just fine.
Step 3
My bookmarks are shorter than the inspiration bookmarks, only because it worked out better, mathematically, for the size of matboard I was working with. I didn't see any reason, other than cosmetics, for the bookmark to be that long, anyway.
Step 4
Think of all the possibilities. Use Christmas cards to cover one, and give it with the book. How about paper with cats on it, in a book about them for your favorite cat lover. Or, maybe, patchwork paper with a book on quilting.

Just "stretch" your imagination.

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Comments

Shazziiee · Colchester, England, GB · 25 projects 28th August 2010

I love this! I made one because everytime i would put my bookmark in it would fall out in my bag!

Maladignia · Amersfoort, Utrecht, NL · 87 projects 12th March 2010

So simple, yet so effective. I might try this idea to make a small bookmark for my agenda. In the past I used strips of tights for it, but they stretch out too much.
'Unfortunately' I already have an artsy bookmark for my normal books; a diving mermaid with beads on her tail that hang over the back of the book.

Sokje · Almere, Flevoland, NL · 8 projects 14th January 2010

Funny, I always use such an elastic around my books en just a simple bookmark, but this is a great idea to put these together! Nice! ^^

DIS.AR.RAY · Las Vegas, Nevada, US · 32 projects 21st October 2008

Those are so usefull

I've made some and they are wonderful! Now I don't loose my bookmarks!

Creative Origins · Stuart, Florida, US · 24 projects 31st July 2008

Thanks for the tip, I never thought of that.
Since submitting this tutorial, I have been using regular fabric dye, it works OK, color is lighter than I wanted it, but it is even.

mars f. · Las Vegas, Nevada, US · 61 projects 31st July 2008

Thank you for this how to, I have never seen bookmarks like this before they are great. On a side not I have used watered down acrylic paint to die stuff before.