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Do you have trouble misplacing bookmarks?

Ever yearn for old-fashioned hardcover books with a ribbon or thread bookmark built right into the spine?

With this DIY you can add your own luxurious handmade bookmark to any hardcover book – even library books – without fearing the wrath of an angry librarian!

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Beach reading. It’s a simple concept, and to some readers it’s a genre all its own. But how can you successfully read at the beach? There are a lot of risks to contend with – water, sand, bookish seagulls. Our solution? Pack your beach bag with everything you’ll need to keep your books safe while you read by the sea!

Here’s your packing checklist:

Hey there, kids (and kids-masquerading-as-adults)! Have you ever pretended to be a spy? Don’t lie, of course you have. For one thing, spies have gadgets, and gadgets make you cool. I bet you didn’t know you could make your own secret agent devices at home, though!

In the Nick and Tesla series, “Science Bob” Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith combine creative inventions with thrilling adventure stories. The third book in the series, Nick and Tesla’s Secret Agent Gadget Battle, just released on May 6. And now you can try out your own snooping skills by making your own Fingerprint-Finder System! Read on to learn how, and to enter a giveaway to win the first three books!

(By the way, you can visit NickandTesla.com to learn more about the books, watch Science Bob in action, and submit your own gadget-making projects.)

via Etsy

Book covers are awesome. If you haven't wrapped a book since your elementary school days, I'm going to give you some reasons to do it again. 

Before that though, let's briefly talk about kinds of book covers. There are different types for different occasions and personalities, after all. You've got the clear plastic by the roll and plain ol' paper bags (nifty tutorial for that one here!), wrapping paper, bits of newspaper, maps, and all manner of foldable (or knittable!) things to decorate your book with.

And then of course, you've got the pre-made elastic book covers you can buy by the buttload if you aren't a DIY sort of person. The possibilities are endless. But there are, nonetheless, so many fun ways to cover your books. 

Now, hear me out on when's a good time to use book covers.

Reading a book is a wonderful feeling – but what happens when you have to stop? Do you throw in a piece of paper to mark your place: an envelope, a dollar bill, a tissue? Are you relying on the fold of a dust jacket? Do you dog-ear the page?*

Rest assured, there are better, more enjoyable, and far cuter ways to mark your place when you are inevitably forced to close your book. These are 10 DIY bookmarks you can whip up with some very basic craft supplies and a little creativity!

*We’re just kidding – we know no one here dog-ears pages!

The ‘Hot Cup of Tea’ Bookmark: Love to read with a cuppa tea? Save the bag tag from your favorite variety or make an entirely new one with this Quick Cup of Tea Bookmark DIY from Genuine Mudpie.

The ‘Cute as a Button’ Bookmark: Spare buttons tend to pile up, and what can you do with one button that doesn’t match the others? With this easy Button Bookmarks tutorial from I Heart Nap Time, you can transform those tiny treasures with a little glue, felt, and some paperclips!

The Luxurious Velvet and Jeweled Ribbon Bookmark: A perfect project for upcyclers and treasure hunters: turn old or damaged baubles into gorgeous heirloom DIY Ribbon Bookmarks! The folks at Intimate Weddings show you how to use a little ribbon and some pliers to create these beautiful pieces.

The ‘Monster at the Corner of This Book’ Bookmark: Ever want a reading companion to travel through a book with you? Make your own book-eating monster with these folded-paper Page Corner Bookmarks from Tally’s Treasury. You can make them for kids to enjoy, but be sure to keep some for yourself too!

The Tiny Crocheted Flower Bookmark: If you’re a crocheter with little scraps of yarn (and as a crocheter, I think that’s probably most of us) then these Crochet Flower Paper Clips  from Petals to Picots as an ideal way to use up scraps!

The Micro Pom Pom Bookmark: Knitters, crocheters and yarncrafters of all kinds tend to have yarn left overs – use them to make adorable Yarn Ball Bookmarks using this tutorial on DesignMom.

The ‘I Heard You Liked Reading, So I Put Some Reading in Your Reading’ Bookmark: Can’t get enough of the written word? Of course you can’t. These Paper Bead Bookmarks from The ReFab Diaries let you incorporate favorite passages and clippings into whatever you’re reading at the moment.

The Ruffled Ribbon and Elastic Bookmark: A perfect project for a journal or diary, Journal Wraps from the folks at Craft Snob make it easy to pick up where you left off. These bookmarks work particularly well for small, hard cover journals, and are a lovely way to use up pretty bits of ribbon.

The ‘Superheroes Love to Read Too’ Bookmark: Be ready for adventure with your favorite Avengers Bookmarks there in case of emergency! This project from Crafts by Amanda is great for kids and can be designed to look like any of your favorite heroes and heroines.

Do you use handmade bookmarks? What’s your favorite way to mark what page you’re on?