Give the Gift of Bookmarks
When Stuart and I were first married we lived in the very sleepy town of Emporia, Kansas. Which is ironic, because we didn't do a lot of sleeping in Emporia.
I remember the first night in our first house. It was a sunshine yellow 1926 Dutch Colonial, walking distance to the farmer's market and the bookstore. It seemed so quaint, and I dozed off dreaming of all the memories we'd make in that house. Until I was startled awake a short time later by the loud sound of trains in the not-so-far distance. I panicked. I called Stuart, who was spending a late night just like all good reporters do, at the Emporia Gazette newsroom. "Honey! Our house! It is too close to the trains! We will never sleep again!" (This is what my English professors would call foreshadowing.) It took a few nights, but I learned to sleep through the trains, and soon didn't even notice them at all.
It was only about a year-and-a-half later that the real reason for my sleeplessness appeared: my sweet firstborn, Natalie. Together we spent countless hours in the rocking chair in her nursery, listening to the trains and reading books. I've heard the saying that children are made readers on the laps of their parents. And maybe that's what happened all of those many months in Emporia spent rocking & reading -- just me & Natalie.
Natalie's 6 now, and reading is still her favorite thing to do. So, this week's project is bookmarks with quotes from some of our favorite books. I've been sneaking around working on these the past few days because they're a surprise for Nat. I also plan to give them as gifts. There are 4 bookmarks, and all of them are available to print here:
Charlotte's Web Bookmark (PDF) Winnie-the-Pooh Bookmark (PDF)
These two do not require embellishments. Just print it onto cardstock paper and cut it out along the dotted lines. If you have a corner-rounder you can trim the corners as I have done here.
On this one, I've left room for "pixie dust." I used a scalloped circle punch on silver glitter paper. You could use silver sequins, glitter glue, etc. Use your imagination!
Emily Dickinson Bookmark (PDF)
Here, I've left room for embellishments. I used red and blue flower punches. You can decorate however you would like!
I hope your winter months are filled with lots and lots of great books!
Written by Lauren Goldman