Some real
cut ups!
Aunt Annie's Crafts
Cardstock Animal Bookmarks
What you will make:
In this project, make animal shaped bookmarks from cardstock. Just print, color, cut and bend to make these cute bookmarks for yourself or to give as gifts. This is a good project for kids to practice coloring and cutting. It is also a quick craft for adults to make as gifts for the kids and grandkids!
Related crafts: Up-cycle drawings and other art to make Artwork Bookmarks or turn leftover craft paper into Punched Bookmarks.
Here's what you need:
- White or colored cardstock
- Markers or colored pencils
- Optional: Empty ball point pen
- Paper scissors
- Small ruler
This project is rated VERY EASY to do.
How to Make Cardstock Bookmarks
Read all of the steps before starting.
- Step 1: Choose a Pattern and Print It
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Choose the bookmarks you want to make. Download and print the pattern onto white cardstock. For a full set of animal bookmarks, print the Fish and Armadillo and the Bug and Lizard patterns. Some of the animal bookmarks are easier to cut. They are grouped together on the Easier to Cut pattern. For the most creativity, select the Blank Bookmark patterns and draw your own designs on the bookmarks.
Tip: The black & white patterns can be printed on colored cardstock or white cardstock.
Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.
All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.
- Step 2: Color (optional)
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If you printed a black & white pattern on white cardstock, color the bookmarks with colored markers or colored pencils. Don't use crayons, as they might rub off onto the book pages.
- Step 3: Cut
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Cut out the bookmarks on the black outlines. Turn the cardstock into your scissors as you cut to make smooth edges.
Your can stop here for a flat bookmark. Go on to the next step to make a bookmark that folds over the book's pages.
Tip: Adults may need to help smaller children with cutting small details. Print the Easier to Cut pattern for bookmarks with fewer sharp corners and small curves.
- Step 4: Score and Bend Top (optional)
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For a bookmark that folds over the top of the book's pages, the bookmark needs to be bent back about 1" from the top.
- Lay a ruler across the tail of the animal, about 1" from the end.
- Use the back edge of a pair of scissors or an empty ball point pen to score the bookmark.
- Hold the ruler with one hand and run the scissors or empty ball point pen down the edge of the ruler.
- Bend the bookmark back on the scored line.
The bookmarks are now finished. When placing in a book, put the folded top edge behind a few pages.
Before you start:
- Make a place to work.
- Read all of the directions.
- Gather everything you need to do the project.
- Think about the project. Imagine how it will look and what you will do with it.
Are you ready?
Okay, get started!!!
Tip: The Animal Scales digital papers come in Blue, Green and Pink and add a nice touch when printed on the backs of the Cardstock Animal Bookmarks. You can also use the digital papers for any animal craft requiring scales—fish, lizards, snakes, armadillos.
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Tip: Stop after Step 3 to make flat
animal bookmarks.
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Tip: Go on to Step 4 to make bookmarks
where the tail bends back over the book's pages.
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Tip: For the most creativity print the Blank
Bookmarks pattern. The colored blank bookmarks can be decorated
with black felt-tip markers, thick and thin. Use colored markers or
pencils to decorate the blank black & white bookmarks.
Thanks to...
Thanks to Janet LaFara for creating the original Cardstock Bookmarks project and patterns for Aunt Annie's Craft Page in 1997.