A very easy craft project that I did to put scrap watercolor paper to good use.

 Materials

1. Scrap pieces of watercolor paper

  • Of course, the point of this is to recycle, and so I don’t buy new watercolor paper or board for this but instead use whatever I have leftover. When I cut down my large watercolor sheets, I usually end up with pieces that are 2-4″ wide and 24-32″ long. So all I have to do is cut them up further to the bookmark size (and shape) I want.

 

2. Decorative beads

  • I bought my beads a long time ago from Expressions, left over from invitations that I designed and decorated for my brother’s wedding. Last time I checked, Expressions at Ever Gotesco Mall in Commonwealth still sells beads, but you can find what you need at National Bookstore or at other loval craft stores as well.

 

3. String, ribbon or yarn

  • Just random pieces of string or ribbon will do. Mine were acquired from packaging on stuff I’d bought or from gifts I’d received last Christmas. So remember not to throw decorative packaging away next to you get any presents.

 

4. Single-hole punch

 

5. Watercolor paint and brushes


Total Cost:

  • 0.00PHP (awesome!)

Steps:

1. Trim your scrap pieces of paper down to the size you want and to make them as neat as you want. I left some of my bookmarks with a rough edge just to give them that rustic look.

2. You can punch a hole in now, right in the top middle portion but not too close to the edge, OR you can do that after you’ve painted on your design.

3. Draw and paint! I basically just doodled without planning anything. There was only that one piece that I discarded because it was completely uninspired. But the rest of my random paintings turned out pretty well.

4. Like I said, you can punch a hole in your bookmark before or after you paint. Once the painting is done and the hole is punched, insert your decorative string through the hole, add your decorative beads and tie the string off with the knot at the length you want. Make sure the string is long enough so that it will function well as a bookmark.


Finished! 🙂