Upcyled Plastic Bookmarks

by pixel_bytes in Craft > Books & Journals

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Upcyled Plastic Bookmarks

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I originally got this idea from a bookmarker that my local library gave me when I signed up for a library card. The marker was super convenient and so I wanted to get more. I had some old Starbucks giftcards, tried out the design and came out decent. Thought I'd share this with others so that we don't just throw away plastic that we could be using for other stuff. I try to keep eco-friendly principles in my life and plastic is hard to repurpose since there's no economic incentive to recycle. Great craft for any bookworm out there! Enjoy reading!

Supplies

  • Scissors
  • Plastic sheets from packaging OR old gift cards
  • Template
  • Paint of choice
  • Utility knife/X-acto knife

Prepare a Flat Plastic Sheet

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If you're using the packaging of a box. Cut out all the bumps and curves so you get flat sheets of plastic. This will vary depending on packaging so play it by sight. In my example, I used a plastic box from a toy figure I bought and got 6 sheet If using gift cards don't worry about this step gift cards are nice and flat already.

Select Your Template

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Take a look at the template sheet provided and select which one you'd like. Cut along the solid lines to create a template.

Mark Template on Plastic

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Using your desired template trace the shape on plastic sheet or tape it directly onto the sheet.

Cut Outside Edge

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Using the scissors, cut alongside the outside edge to get the general shape of the card.

Cut Groove in the Middle

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Using the x-acto knife, carefully cut out the groove. If you have sandpaper or a fine file, you can smooth out any rough edges with it now.

Paint As You'd Like

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If you want to paint the bookmark, you can do so now. It's a blank canvas for you to design as you'd like. Thanks for helping keep plastic out the trash. Now, you won't ever lose your spot while reading. Have fun reading friend!