Bookish DIY Gifts: A Bookmark Keeper
Posted by
Natasha Brandstatter
As readers, we all probably accumulate a sizeable collection of bookmarks, whether they're handmade and bought from Etsy, or random slips of paper like receipts and napkins. But what to do with them when they're not in use? We have a fun DIY project that would make a perfect gift for any bookmark collector in your life.
The problem with collecting bookmarks, as with any collection, is that you need to find a way to store and display them. Frank Divendal of Alkmaar, Holland, owns the largest collection of bookmarks in the world and keeps them in photo albums organized by country of origin. One of our favorite ways to display bookmarks is by using old books! Unlike putting them in drawers or albums, this method makes them readily available when you're searching for the perfect bookmark.
Creating this bookmark display is easy (and incidentally, you can use it not just to display bookmarks, but any type of ephemera–postcards or photos, for example). Just take an old book, preferably one with sewn pages and a cloth backing, and rip the cover right off (or if you’re a neatnik, cut it away with an Exacto knife). Then fold all the pages in half until you have a Rolodex-like file system. You're done!
Some tips: Use a short book. Ain't no one got time to fold 500 pages; and furthermore, 500 pages will create too much volume. The ideal length is around 200 pages, particularly if you have good, thick paper to work with.
If the book you use doesn't have enough pages to produce a tight fan effect, you can easily remedy this by doubling up the folds. This should produce enough volume to hold up your bookmarks without danger of them toppling.
What's your favorite way to display bookmarks? Let us know at @QuirkBooks!
Natasha Brandstatter
You can often find Natasha Brandstatter at home in Colorado with her three scotties, sipping on a cocktail and reading a book. When not writing for Book Riot, Bookspan, the Pueblo Pulp, History Colorado, or sundry other publications, she focuses on writing cozy mysteries, cooking, and designing websites. She will work for champagne.
