Simple Beaded Bookmark

When it comes to my friend Jess, there are three things you need to know.
1. She LOVES to read.
2. She loves beads and making jewelry.
3. She loves the color blue.
Her main Christmas gift is actually a gift certificate to the local paint-your-own pottery place so she can go finish the mosiacs she’s been working on, but with those favorite things in mind, I whipped up a quick beaded bookmark to go with it.
 
I actually stole this idea from the library. {shameless, I know!}  They had a fun little Secret Santa workshop for kiddos last weekend where they got to make seven different crafts they could give as gifts this Christmas.  One of which was a beaded bookmark using this same technique.  Little Crafter made one for his daddy…he used letter beads to spell “DADDY” at the top, then used blue beads and some really cool beads shaped like footballs and basketballs to decorate it.  I loved how it turned out {and I know you would too, but he had it wrapped and in hubby’s stocking before I could so much as turn my camera on!} Anyway, I did a little more grown-up version for Jess; here’s how!
MATERIALS:
– wire {I used 26 gauge, but anything your beads fit on will do}
– wire cutters
– assorted beads in your preferred colors and styles
– coordinating ribbon
– scissors
The first step is to create the beaded circle.  I just cut the wire, strung the beads, twisted the wire ends, and tucked them in the last bead. {It’ll get covered by the ribbon}. 
My circle is about 1 3/4″ in diameter.
Then, just cut a piece of ribbon twice as long as you want the streamers to be.  Fold in half, stick the folded part through the circle, and pull the ends through the loop to form a knot.  You can make the streamers as long as you like; mine are about 8″.
The library used really thin ribbon, but I like the look of this 5/8″ better.  Plus, I think it’s less likely to slide out of the book, which is always a helpful trait in a bookmark!
Can you guess what book I used for the staging?  Yep, it’s a mutual favorite of Jess’ and mine;
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
This project cost me literally nothing.  I had wire and beads on hand from all my jewelry making endeavors, and I have a basket full of ribbon from other projects I’ve done {I believe this was from a Halloween costume a few years ago when I was a cheerleader and put blue and yellow ribbon in my hair…}
Anyway, I whipped it up in less than five minutes, and it was free!  Shhhhhhh!
Here’s a pic of the one Little Crafter made for me.  I turned him loose in the bead box and this is what he came up with all by himself!! He was a little upset that we didn’t have a “Y” bead because he wanted it to say “Mommy,” but after much convincing, he finally settled on just “MOM.”  I put this one in to mark the Christmas story.
What about you; what book would you put it in?

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11 Comments

  1. Just wanted to let you know, I used (and gave credit) your O Holy Night printable today in my photo montage. Thanks so much!!! The shout out is mentioned at the end of the post.

    Love this bookmark – I’d be holding my place in my current read, Simple Adundance.

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