Paint Strip Bookmarks

Click on image for a closer look.

These quick and easy bookmarks cost 25 cents or less to make and are SO CUTE!!!!  These are the little gifties I made for each of my customers who placed an order in March.

Materials:

Stamp Set:
* Pleasant Poppies

Paper:
* Vellum card stock (about 1-1/2" x 2")

Ink:
* Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
*  Classic Stampin' Pads: various colors to match paint strips

Accessories and Tools:
* Clear Embossing Powder
* Heat Tool
* Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
* Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
* Scallop Tag Topper Punch
* Project Life Corner Punch
* Elegant Butterfly Punch
* Bitty Butterfly Punch
* Stampin' Sponge
* White Organza Ribbon (about 4")
* White Baker's Twine (about 6")
* Adhesive:  Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Miscellaneous Items:
* 9" x 2" paint sample strips (this particular size is available for free at Walmart)
* Retired Stampin' Up! punch for vellum butterfly bodies

Instructions:

1. Use Memento Ink to stamp poppies (I set two paint strips side-by-side and was able to stamp two at a time with this big background stamp).  Cover image with clear embossing powder and tap off excess; heat with heat tool.  (NOTE:  I didn't discover until the next day that the Memento Ink wasn't drying on the paint portion of the strips, and that's why I ended up using embossing powder -- basically to keep the ink from smearing.  But I liked the look so well I ended up doing the same thing for all of the bookmarks.  I haven't tested any other ink to see if it dries without embossing.)

2. Cut off top edge of paint strip making it 8" x 2" (don't throw away the excess piece -- you'll use it later in Step 4).  Trim top edge of the 8" x 2" strip with the Scallop Tag Topper punch; trim bottom corners with the Corner punch.

3. Thread Organza ribbon through hole in top of bookmark and fold ends up; wrap a piece of Baker's Twine around both thicknesses of Organza ribbon and pull tight, then tie in a bow.  (If you're not interested in tying bows, a simple knot will work just as well.)

4. Punch Bitty Butterfly out of the excess piece of paint strip from Step 2 above. Also cut a small piece to use as the body of the vellum butterfly.  Punch Elegant Butterfly from Vellum card stock; emboss butterfly with Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  Use 1/4 wedge of Stampin' Sponge to apply coordinating color of ink to edges of butterfly.

5. Use Liquid Glue to adhere butterflies to bookmark as shown; also use Liquid Glue to adhere center piece to vellum butterfly.  (Optional: use a Sharpie or other permanent marker to draw butterfly antennae on the bookmark.)

Fun, huh?!  And quick!  I made 20+ of these cute bookmarks in under an hour.

Cath  ;D