This project comes to you at the request of Twitterer @GCcapitalM.
I used to believe that a person could never have too many books, or too many bookmarks. Then I moved into an apartment slightly larger than some people’s closets (and much smaller than many people’s garages) and all these beliefs got turned on their naïeve little heads.
But what a person can always look for more of is really cool unique bookmarks. Placeholders special enough for the books that are special enough to remain in your culled-out-of-spacial-necessity collection.
Page corner bookmarks are cute, practical and deeply under-represented in the world.* They’re easy to make, easy to customize, and will set you apart from all those same-same flat rectangular bookmarks. Corner bookmarks are where it’s at.
If you like this tutorial, here are a couple others that might be up your alley. First, try making paper plants as lovely, lasting handmade gifts. You can even stash some goodies or small presents in their pots.
If you’re loving the toothy monster vibe, check out these simple monster heating bags, filled with rice or wheat and entirely microwavable, to keep toes or fingers or tummies warm during the chilly winter months. If you want a monster you can wear, try making a cozy bug-eyed fleece monster hat.
For the monster-loving adults in the room, try some googly-eyed paper monster wine charms.
*This is probably no longer true, given the astonishing number of you who’ve found your way to this post and made your own page corner bookmarks. Go you! I’m fairly certain that something this adorable and functional can’t be over represented in the world, though, so just keep right on making them.
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What you’ll need:
- pretty paper of cardstock weight OR a combination of plain cardstock and pretty, decorated lighter weight paper
- scissors
- ruler
- mechanical pencil
- glue stick
- [optional] other decorating tools, such as crayons, markers, stamps, stickers, ink pads, embossing powder, etc.
- page corner monster bookmark template number 3. under “Paper patterns and templates” (or you can make your own using the instructions below)
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Putting it all together:
Below, I’ll teach you how to make two similar-but-different types of corner bookmarks. The first is a square overlapped by a triangle , the second is a triangle overlapped by a smaller triangle.
If you are making your own template from scratch, follow all the steps below. If you’re using the PDF template linked to above, cut the pieces out and skip to step 5.
1) Ok, the very simplest thing to do is to cut a triangular piece off the corner of an envelope, and use that. Decorate it if you wish. If you want to get a bit more in depth, ignore the envelope method and move on to step 2.
2) On a piece of plain scrap paper, draw a square. Use your ruler so its sides are perfectly straight. Don’t make it too big – mine measured 2.5 inches x 2.5 inches, though you could go larger than that. Draw second square exactly the same size on the right side of the first square (so they share a side) and a third square exactly the same size on the top of the first square. You should end up with 3 squares that compose an L shape.
3) Using your ruler, draw a diagonal line across the uppermost square, from its top right corner to its bottom left corner. Scribble out the upper left half (now a triangle) of the square, as you won’t be using that part.
Next, draw a diagonal line across the bottom right square, from its top right corner to its bottom left corner. Scribble out the lower right half (now a triangle) of this square.
4) Cut out all parts of the entire shape that have not been scribbled out. This should be a square with two triangles attached to it, one on the top and one on the right. This is your template.
5) Trace your template onto your pretty piece of cardstock (or onto the plain piece of cardstock that you intend to decorate), and cut the shape out.
6) Using your ruler and the tip of your mechanical pencil with no lead showing, score a line (make an indent) along the edges of the square that connect to the two triangles.
- 6.5) [optional] Cut a square of pretty paper slightly smaller than the one you used for your template and glue it onto the square portion of your shape. I generally do this if the paper I’m using is quite plain.
7) Fold one triangle inwards, so it covers the upper half of the square.
8) Apply glue to the underside (the side still facing up) of the second triangle, and fold it over onto the first triangle.
- 8.5) [optional] As in step 6.5, if you’ve used plain cardstock and want to glue fancy paper on top of it, cut out a triangle of the fancy paper that’s slightly smaller than the folded-over triangles of the bookmark. Glue the smaller triangle on top of the larger, folded-over ones.
9) Add any decorations or illustrations you wish. Use by slipping over the corner of the page you wish to mark, like a pocket.
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Now, here’s how to make a triangular bookmark, where the back is a triangle and not a square.
1) Follow steps 2 and 3 from above.
2) Use your ruler to draw a diagonal line across the remaining, center square, from its bottom right to its top left. Then draw another line, parallel to the one you just created but about 1/2 inch lower down. Erase the first line.
3) Extend the shape’s bottom line and the two side lines so that they meet up. You should now have a shape that looks like a castle flag: a rectangle with a triangular indent at one end.
4) Cut the shape out.
5) Trace the template onto your nice paper. Be sure to make a little mark on either side where the corners of the two outer triangles meet the inner triangle , and extend this mark onto the inside of your shape.
Cut the shape out. If you want a fancy bottom edge, cut that line with fancy scrapbooking scissors.
6) Now follow steps 7 – 11 from above, scoring along the appropriate lines, folding the two outer triangles in on top of each other, gluing them down and adding any fancy paper or other embellishments.
(I actually turned mine over at this point and folded it the other way, so the colours were switched. See below.)
EDIT: Here’s another take on monstrous page corner bookmarks, from another artist who thought it up completely separate from me, long before I even thought of thinking about doing this project or writing this post. Great minds, eh?
2nd EDIT: Many people have seen this blog post over the past months, and many have commented very kindly on it, and many have used the tutorial to make their own page corner bookmarks. A number of the links following the comments below lead to wonderful images of other people’s creative takes on this project. I wanted to post one image in particular here, which I take from the Priestthorpe Primary School Blog. There, a whole classroom of kids made their own page corner bookmarks, and they look fabulous! I love all the different personalities displayed.
Thanks to all of you who’ve shared your own page corner bookmark results, and all of you who’ve said such kind things about the project. It’s heartwarming to think about all the books around the world that are having their page corners nibbled at this very instant.
3rd EDIT: Yet more thanks to all the folks who continue to make use of this tutorial and post your own wonderful versions. Here’s another idea: This crafter decided to use small round stick-on jewels for the pupils, which I think looks great. The downside of course is that they protrude a bit, so your book won’t close flat, but if they’re fairly small jewels it shouldn’t be too bad. Stickers, sequins or paper buttons could also make great pupil substitutes.
Featured on:
courtney
/ May 24, 2011I am going to make one as some as I come home from school tomorow and the way the person made it was brilliant.
Caro Dels
/ May 25, 2011Hello, it’s very nice ! I’ve made one quickly and I’ve put it on my blog, so you have a link !
nicki
/ May 26, 2011I was wondering how you make the teeth for your bookmarks. i have the hardest time trying to make them!
admin
/ May 27, 2011Nicki: once as the mayhem of moving house has subsided, I’ll do up a PDF with an actual template on it, and I’ll include my exact pattern for the teeth and eyes.
Elizabeth: no problem! Happy to see you enjoying the idea and sharing it around.
Erin Elizabeth
/ May 27, 2011Hi! I absolutely love this tutorial and made my own little print-cut-paste version here http://indirox.deviantart.com/art/Make-Cute-Monster-Bookmarks-210466128
I gave you credit for the original tutorial, however if you’d like me to take it down I’d completely understand
Lea
/ May 27, 2011I love this idea. Though I haven’t made yet I know I’ll do it easily. I’ll make some interesting designs which I will give away for my students when they have reached the required points in our classes. This is a very bright idea to make school and reading fun. By the way I have several bookmarks but this idea never came into my mind. THANK YOU for sharing!
Nicki
/ May 27, 2011Awesome!!! Thank you!
hahah hahah
/ May 28, 2011i think im more amused with your pencil than the bookmark.
that pencil looks epic.
Leigh
/ May 28, 2011I found your site from StumbleUpon. I love the bookmarks they are so cute! I have a craft draw packed with stuff I haven’t touched in years but this has inspired me to get the draw out and see what I can make. :) Great site, keep it up! *bookmarked*
Angelique
/ May 30, 2011This is brilliant, and most definately because I read all the time; but I’m very much tired of the usual bookmarks.
Thanks so much!
JtPruz
/ May 30, 2011Great tutorial. Definitely using some of mine. This is not spam just proud of my work, take a look if you want. photobucket.com/coolbookmarksbro
JtPruz
/ May 30, 2011By the way, what kind of camera are you using? My pictures like this always come out all blurry.
Dani Etinger
/ May 30, 2011Beautiful work. Congratulations! =)
Revista Inventa
/ May 30, 2011really cute! loved it.
Kara @ Nest Candy
/ May 30, 2011I love these bookmarks so much! I have them pinned on Pinterest, and I just featured the ones I made at my blog Nest Candy. I show the ones I made and I link back to this page for directions and your Etsy shop also. Thanks so much for the idea! http://nestcandy.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-corner-page-corner-bookmarks.html
Tess
/ June 1, 2011Great idea! thanks
Deomira
/ June 3, 2011Me encantan!! They are nice, it is great idea y very useful!!
Hannah
/ June 3, 2011Omg, I just made one of these, it was so simple and easy and they’re really cute! Thanks for this!
Kayla
/ June 4, 2011This is fantastic! I made one just now while listening to an audiobook. Great way to pass time in the summer :D
nicole
/ June 5, 2011I would like to share this post into my blog, it’s lovely!!! Any where I could email you?
Thanks, nicole.
admin
/ June 5, 2011Hi Nicole,
I’m more than happy for you to share this on your blog. For any questions etc., you can email me at [email protected].
Leah
/ June 7, 2011Great idea and perfect directions – love the little monster and I must try this myself – thank you – I happen to ‘stumple upon’ your site, it’s bookmarked so I can follow future posts!
Denis
/ June 7, 2011Thanks for a wonderful idea.By the way,I have done a vampire,it looks awesome.
AJJ
/ June 9, 2011Such an adorable idea! I made some of my own and they are so cute!! Perfect gift idea!!
Scorpria
/ June 13, 2011Awesome idea! And those are the most hep bookmarks i’ve seen! let me try making some :)
Kathy
/ June 14, 2011So cute and super easy for my daughter and I to make!! Thanks for sharing! My daughter is going to link to your tutorial!! Thanks!
Nicki
/ June 14, 2011I was wondering if you’ve been able to do a PDF of the eyes and teeth templates yet?? Thanks :)
Andrea
/ June 14, 2011You can also make them by simply folding a square piece of paper, like so:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4563591_origami-bookmark.html
aliby
/ June 15, 2011I’d like to show you my bookmark. Thank you for the idea, It’s lovely & awesome!!! :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliby/5835202071/in/photostream
thetoothledmollusk
/ June 16, 2011Will this work on my Kindle?
Mary
/ June 16, 2011This project is great. I can’t wait to make some of my own or to make at my library.
Terry
/ June 18, 2011I love your page corner bookmarks. I made some for my lesson this Sunday on opposition. I blogged about it too. You can check it out on my blog:
http://tappingflamingo.blogspot.com/2011/06/monster-bookmarks.html
Margaret
/ June 19, 2011Great idea. Just love it. Can I use this to raise funds in my school library?
Margaret
/ June 19, 2011I just love this idea. Can I use it to raise funds for my school library ?
mumsyjr
/ June 19, 2011Yay for stumbleupon! I’m off to make mass piles of these with my incredibly bored and whiny kid.
admin
/ June 21, 2011Nicki: Sorry for the wait, but I HAVE finally made a template for these! It’s filed here http://nheilke.com/blog/?page_id=3308 (link to it also available at the top of this post), second from the top.
Andrea: Sweet! In another more recent blog post (http://nheilke.com/blog/?p=3342) I discovered that I’d actually made those folded corner bookmarks back in junior high, but couldn’t remember how. Thanks for sharing that link!
thetoothledmollusk: Ahaha. Hmm, wait, that’s an interesting challenge… ;)
Margaret: I’d be delighted for you to use these for a school library fundraiser. If you do, I would really love to see/hear how it goes for you.
Thanks everyone for continuing to find and enjoy this project!
Dr.Tan
/ June 23, 2011I luv this idea, I’m making one for all my avid book readers!!! And several for myself.
Nicki
/ June 24, 2011Thanks so much!!! One more question, what material do you use for the teeth and eyes? It looks like foam from the pictures but I just wanted to make sure first. :)
admin
/ June 24, 2011Nicki: It’s actually just paper. And I just use a hole punch to make the pupils out of whatever tiny scraps of black paper I have around.
Theoretically you could make the eyes and teeth out of foam, but I think the eyes especially would protrude a bit too much and your book wouldn’t close nicely.
Adana Washington
/ June 26, 2011This is absolutely amazing. I’m going to make some for myself, as well as donate some to my local library. So cute!
GRACIELA
/ July 6, 2011ME ENCANTO, MUY ORIGINAL, DIVERTIDO PARA LOS LIBROS DE MIS HIJOS
GRACIELA
/ July 6, 2011GRACIAS POR COMPARTIR CON TODOS
http://WWW.CANELADORADA,COM
Taylor
/ July 6, 2011Such a great idea. So cute! I made one as a present to my friend, and she absolutley loved it.
anilegra
/ July 7, 2011guardo tu enlace para publicarlo más adelante en mi blog muy bonito
MyFavoriteBedding
/ July 7, 2011What a great project for kids this summer! They are very cute.
Marsha
/ July 8, 2011I did this and it was gr8. I also use Dum Dum wrappers for my pretty paper. i loved and recycled at same time
Nicola
/ July 9, 2011I stumbled across this and I immediately got all of the items required to make it.
I love my little monster bookmark, it’s adorable! :3 I’m going to make one for my baby cousin too, as he just got into reading books.
Thank you for sharing this lovely idea! :)
mrs.moricz
/ July 12, 2011Thanks for the great idea. It reminded me of the book of monsters from HP. Our whole classroom theme is HP, so I can’t wait for my students to make them the first days of school.
Tim Bleazard
/ July 12, 2011Thank you so much for this! My class really enjoyed making the bookmarks. I’m looking forward to trying more of your great ideas with them next year.
Ema
/ July 12, 2011These are absolutely fantastic!!!! am currently in the process of making about 5 of them. :D brilliant idea :) thanks :) xxx
Tanisha
/ July 12, 2011these are awesome! i have so much scrap paper from making invitations and this is a great way to utilize it. i have made about 100 so far. giving them to anyone and everyone. i keep a few in my purse. thank you for sharing. i plan to make some for my bestie’s third grade class. and to take some with me for my summer cruise. wonderful idea and excellently explained. thank you thank you thank you.
Shawnabcdefg
/ July 15, 2011These are so cute! I want to make them :-)