So along with me encouraging my two summer charges: Willow and Li, to read this summer, I have to admit that I too have renewed my love of the written word. So in honor of this renewal, I thought I would highlight another bookmark.
For most of my life, I have been a voracious reader. I was often reading two books at a time. I remember years ago as an elementary student in boarding school that I preferred reading books to listening to my teacher teach. I used to sign out a book first thing in the morning, then about mid-day ask permission from my teacher to get a new book. Then I would put the new book inside my school book and pretend to be following instruction and yet be reading my new book. Not one of my finest moments I admit!
Then a few years ago I started having issues with my vision and was having problems reading books so I stopped reading for a while. Then a couple years ago, I started reading e-books occasionally, which gradually grew to me back to reading regularly. And then a coupla months ago I got into audio books. I am loving that too. But I will have to admit that actual books will always be my first love. And that is why I am really excited to have gotten the girls into reading books this summer.
So I thought today that I would highlight another bookmark. This one features one of my favorite creatures: Unicorns. Check out the DIY below. Of note, here is the PDF template as well as the Cricut template.
Supplies: white origami paper (or printer paper paper works too), horn cut out in gold glitter paper, 2 outer ears cut in white glitter paper, 2 inner ears cut out of light pink glitter paper, black markers, pencil (optional), ruler (optional), adhesive (while I show glue tape above, I also ended up using tacky glue instead of the glue tape for stronger adhesion)
Place the origami paper in front of you as shown above.
Fold in half diagonally.
Create a sharp crease by pressing down on the just created fold line with your nail.
Next, bring the two corners on the fold line together and create a small crease right on the fold line. I find this step essential if a younger child is doing this activity. Basically, you will be creating a guide mark for the next step.
If the fold is hard to see, use a pencil to place a small mark.
Next bring the top layer corner down to the just marked point on the fold line. Create a sharp crease. When done, your image should look like the picture above.
Now bring the entire bottom right section and fold it up so that the right corner meets with the top corner. Create a sharp crease on the new fold line. Unfold.
Repeat the process on the other side
Unfold.
Next, refold the bottom right section but this time tucking the top part over the edge and instead of the right corner meeting the top corner, the right edge will meet the bottom inner corner. Create a sharp crease.
This is what it will look like.
Repeat the process on the other side.
Turn the bookmark 180 degrees.
Now you will start working on the Unicorn features.
Starting with the small pink inner ear, add glue to the back.
Attach the inner ear to the outer ear. Set aside to dry. Repeat with the other ear.
Now to draw in the eyes, I always find that it is easier to pencil in some guiding marks. The following are the measurements I used: the bottom lines are .5 inch from the fold line, the top line is 1/8 inch above the bottom line and the lines are spaced .5 inch from each other.
Pencil in the eyes. I made mine about 3/4 inch wide.
Once you are happy with the way the eyes look, trace over the pencil with your marker
Erase all the pencil marks.
Add some glue to the bottom back of the horn.
Center the horn on the bookmark and press down.
Adhere the ears to either side of the horn.
Now I decided to use these flowers because they lie relatively flat and are fun bright colors. I got these paper flowers from Michaels.
To add the flowers, add a dot of glue to the back of the flower and then place it over or in-between the horn and ears.
All done!
Unicorn bookmark hard at work.