Bookmarks for the Summer

First off, from all of us here at Itsy Bitsy, here's wishing you a very Happy Easter! Hope the festival  brings you  much joy and celebration. I wanted to share a project I made for the young readers in our life. Schools are wrapping up and the kids are free for the summer. As we parents frantically search for ways to keep them occupied, I started thinking what better occupation is there than reading? And what better way to get them interested in reading than with some crafty bookmarks:

Using some fabulous supplies from Itsy Bitsy I made it my mission to create a set of bookmarks that a child would cherish! One that would make him or her eager to return to the book of the moment. And since it's summer time, I thought I'd make it a 'shade' seasonal.

For these Summery Bookmarks I stared with some Citrus themed pattern paper and created the little umbrella toppers you see above. I glued it onto the bookmark which was covered with a coordinating paper. I added some adorable Summer themed 3D stickers and finished off the set with a matching bow. Isn't it adorable!

Above are some close-ups of the embellishments. Check out that palm tree, sunglasses, surf board and of course those beach tongs. So fun! Makes we want to go swimming right this minute!

For my next creation I thought I would do something girly and what do girls love more than a princess! I got these adorable Princess themed 3D stickers from Itsy Bitsy and they provided the inspiration for the project. I started out with a piece of pink pearl cardstock and layered over it a sheet of white, embossed with a spotty folder from Itsy Bitsy. I placed the super sweet stickers at the base and then I created this magnificent princess gown as a topper. Isn't it a dream!

Here's a better look at the gown and the stickers. The base of the gown is a dress box made out of pink pearl card stock and I have provided the details on how to obtain the template for it at the end of this mail. Then for the heavily layered skirt I used three strips of 1.5" satin ribbon and glued it in pinched layers all over the skirt of the box. I first saw this idea of using satin ribbon for a skirt Bipasha's blog so a big shout of thanks to her! I made the belt out of a strip of lace from Itsy Bitsy and finished the bodice with some pearls. I must admit I'm seriously placed with the end result!

And if you're wondering how practical these would be when actually inserted in a book, here's a visual for you. The toppers pop out boldly and prominently. I personally think these bookmarks aren't just holding the page but also beckoning you to read on. Do you agree? 

If you want to try out making the dress box yourself, here's a template I found online that you can use.  Alternatively you can use the Sizzix Dress Box Die, available at the Itsy Bitsy store. For the umbrella, you can consider using this template. 

Supplies Used: Please click on the image to purchase the item from our Online Store