So how do you make an amazing bookmark? I’ve put together a post with a generous list of cute handmade bookmarks with quotes and other ideas.
I’ve been a booklover for a long, long time. Think little girl and I’m a Nana of 6 now.
So DIY bookmarks have been a part of my world for…forever.
Well, this post sets my creative brain afire. Really.
Literary quotes. Bible verses. Watercolor art (that’s my specialty, right there).
And you know what’s even better?
Being able to comb the ‘net for some fantastic bookmark ideas from other incredibly talented DIY’ers.
Best. Job. Ever. Right here.
So many beautiful, unique bookmarks.
We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, so let’s get started.
How to Make a Beautiful and Easy Bookmark? Try Watercolor Bookmarks
I’m going to start with what I know. Watercolor handmade bookmarks. Start with white paper, add my personal touch (watercolor paint in some form), pop into a favorite book.
Yes. That’s good.
A lot of people love free printable bookmarks.
And why not?
A nice bookmark adds a special touch to an otherwise ordinary day. And there are many pretty bookmarks you can get for free.
But sometimes you want a bookmark with a little something extra.
Maybe for an add-on to a special gift. Or maybe you need the convenience of a pre-made bookmark. Or the ease of a pre-designed book mark for a last minute gift you can print (yes!) before you run out the door.
Makes total sense.
Many of my handmade bookmarks are not free. I sell them on Etsy and have loved working to use my creative ideas to design a great bookmark someone will love to use for themself or give as a very special personal gift. (Aren’t DIY gifts the best?!)
But I’m going to start out this post with a free printable bookmark sheet just for you.
So you can add your own special touches to these cute bookmarks, I’m giving you line art you can paint yourself.
So print these out on your favorite art paper to use with your favorite art medium.
For example, if you like using watercolors or watercolor pencils like me, then you’ll want to print these out on a sheet of watercolor paper.
(Want to practice your watercolor skills a bit more? Pop over to my owl tutorial page and see a completely different watercolor art technique you can adapt to any picture you like.)
You can also use markers, colored pencils, gel pens, you get the idea.
You’ll notice my lines are light and not harsh. That way you can add exactly the look you want: very little outline or add paint or ink around your artwork to make these bookmarks pop.
Totally up to you!
I added some great quotes as well. Really increases the value and pizazz of your bookmark.
(Bookmarks aren’t the only thing that is fun to print, color and use. If you can use some positivity in your days take a look at these Bible verses for every situation in pdf format, so they’re easy to print and use.)
Reading Log Bookmarks with Quotes
You don’t MAKE this bookmark yourself, but you do fill it out yourself.
Wow, are these fun or what? I’m giving you this bookmark for free and I hope you enjoy watching your reading goals grow and grow.
Simply check off, color in, or write the name of the book you’re reading in one of the tiny books on the bookshelves on these bookmarks.
These will make an amazing bookmark to give to that book lover in your life!
Is that you? Yes? Then grab these now.
Corner Bookmarks – DIY Bookmarks for Adults – and Kids
Yes, we should definitely decorate the corner of a page!
There are sooooo many cute bookmark ideas when it comes to corner bookmarks. It’s very hard to just pick one.
So I may pick two. Just sayin’.
This first idea is gorgeous.
Cross stitching a corner bookmark sounds like so much fun. Depending on your child’s age and ability, this might be an adult craft idea.
But not always. I understand that lots of young people would love to give this a try. And I was one of them at a much younger age. Yes!!
HannahHandmakes.com is a wonderful place to learn about cross-stitch and her cross-stitch bookmark post is a solid place to start.
She combines sewing and cross-stitching to make a lovely floral handmade corner bookmark.
She genuinely shows you how to make one-of-a-kind DIY bookmarks for adults.
I’m pretty sure that making one of these cute bookmarks would not be enough. This is the beginning of a brand new hobby-addiction.
Ok. We’ve checked out those beautiful bookmarks.
But now shift this way with me, ok?
If you’ve got kids, this is the diy corner bookmark for you. It’s a bookmark tutorial creating fun little animals corner bookmarks.
The genius here is that once you learn the technique, you can easily create the same corner bookmark out of your own scrapbook paper or a nice sturdy gift wrap.
I tried one for myself. What do you think?
The Next Step: Sewing a Cute Handmade Bookmark
We’re going to camp out on corner bookmarks a bit longer.
A DIY project should be fun as well as give you a completed project at the end.
For example, sewing corner bookmarks. This is the perfect way to use up leftover bits of fabric from other projects and make a beautiful and easy bookmark.
Christine’s Crafts has a helpful video to teach you the basics of using a sewing machine to create a beautiful and useful bookmark.
If you prefer a written tutorial, Quilterscandy.com has just what you need.
There are lots of other cute handmade bookmarks that can be sewn.
HeatherHandmade.com has a long tutorial on sewing several types of fabric bookmarks.
I must say, if you like to sew – or want to learn – Heather has an awesome site simply bursting with how to sew ideas.
Cute Handmade Bookmarks with Quotes – Inspiring Quotes!
The first thing you need for bookmarks with inspiring quotes…are the quotes!
I love to use public domain quotes for my bookmarks.
I use Canva.com to upload my artwork and add a quote. As you can see, I love to use different colors in my hand made bookmarks. I’ve also added a transparent, colored layer under the text so it’s easy to read.
Then I can download the customized bookmark as a jpg or pdf, ready to print.
Once I print I can laminate the bookmark, if I like. That’s optional, of course, but it certainly makes the bookmark more durable.
Adding inspirational quotes to cute handmade bookmarks is an easy way to upgrade those bookmarks instantly and is something you can do at home with your own artwork or clipart.
Safari Animal Bookmarks with Name + Fun Text
Sometimes it’s not literary quotes that steal the day on a bookmark, but it’s fun text combined with personalization.
There’s nothing quite like your name, right?
Using editable safari animals bookmarks with name at the top featuring watercolor jungle animals really encourages young readers and helps get them excited to be reading.
Colorful. Personalized. You don’t have to make the bookmark but you do add the name so this is a gift that is hard to beat.
Ribbon Bookmarks
How do you make an amazing bookmark?
Ribbon bookmarks do this so well.
Ribbon bookmarks come in all shapes and sizes
Doing your own simple ribbon bookmark is easy.
You can take the ribbon bookmark a step further and do multiple ribbons to keep track of multiple places in a book.
I LOVE this type of bookmark. In study books, the Bible, any book you want to keep track of multiple pages, this type of cute ribbon bookmark is extremely helpful.
You can also add charms and decorations to a ribbon bookmark, dressing it up beautifully.
Leather Bookmarks
There are a lot of gorgeous leather bookmarks available and if you’re good with leather tools you can add artwork and text to your diy leather bookmark.
But this leather bookmark really intrigued me.
Why? Because it’s so simple yet elegant. Useful yet understated.
A paperclip, a piece of leather, and a book that needs a bookmark.
Simplicity really is beautiful!
I’m loving this idea. You, too?
Cute Handmade Confetti Bookmarks
Confetti bookmarks are incredibly fun!
After watching this video, I do think this takes a bit of practice to perfect making these BUT it’s so worth it when you get the final project just the way you like it.
If I was making this, I would probably have enough of the resources needed to make several bookmarks the first time out for plenty of practice. It’s sooooo frustrating to only have enough supplies for one bookmark and then discover you need to create a couple of samples first.
So many different colors in these cute bookmarks. These would make sweet handmade gifts or favors for a child’s birthday party, right?
Hey! Are you getting enough fun bookmark ideas – really creative ideas – for your next bookmark project? Honestly, creative diy bookmarks are a perfect way to give a personal touch to just about any occasion where you want to give someone something to encourage them, lift their mood, or just say thanks.
Free Printable Bookmarks
No post on cute bookmarks would be complete without some free printable bookmarks!
Famous Writers Book Mark Quotes
Sometimes you want a good quote from a famous author to grace your diy bookmark.
Here are some author quotes to start with.
I’ll share one of my faves right here:
“You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don’t help.” ―Bill Watterson
That seems a fitting way to wrap up this post on cute handmade bookmarks with quotes, watercolor art, leather and so much more.
Go! Make a bookmark and share it with someone you love!
