Harry Potter Bookmarks

Love reading? Love Harry Potter? Need a new bookmark while you're rereading Harry Potter? Hate when the artwork on your handmade bookmarks gets smudged? This may be the DIY for you!

I really like making bookmarks. It's fun to personalize them and could be a great stress reliever. Not to mention it Avada Kedavra's spare time... Okay, maybe not my best joke. Anyhow, let's get started!

Step One: Collect materials.

What I used for this activity:

• Color Pencils and Markers: You could practically get these anywhere for a cheap price if you happen to not have any. You are free to chose any other coloring item, if you so choose.
• Blank Note-Cards: These are also pretty obtainable. Construction paper is also a decent option for a sturdy bookmark.
• Scissors: Pretty common and easy to get.
• Scotch Tape: Can you guess what I used it for?
• Pen & Pencil: These are used for basic tracing in this activity.

Step Two: Basic Outline

First you will want to cut your note card into two, hotdog style. You could then get two bookmarks for one note-card. Then you want to make your basic outline. As shown above, I did a snitch at the top. On the Snitch I wrote, "I open at the close"—just a little nod to when Harry discovers he had the Resurrection Stone all along during the final story. I also took a passage from when Harry is first introduced to the snitch. However, this is optional. If you want to write a passage, it will take a steady hand. Of course you could write something shorter than I did.

Step Three: Tracing

Next, you will need to take a pen and trace over the outline. I would suggest something bold, to make the images/writing stand out. This takes as much of a steady hand as the outline could.

Step Four: Color

Then comes the part where you color in the bookmark. You will probably want to make sure your coloring tool doesn't mark-out the designs/writing.

Step Five: Tape and trim.

Remember that scotch tape? Well now is the time to use it. Cover each side with the tape. It kind of makes the bookmark more sturdy and will protect both the bookmark from damage to the art work and the book from getting smears from the bookmark. Not to mention it kind of give it a plastic-like fill.

Finally, you will use your scissors again to trim around the bookmark to give it its final shape.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this activity as much as I did. I created a second bookmark referencing my Hogwarts house with a little passage from the sorting song. I find it fun to make custom bookmarks to place in the books I'm reading. I have also made similar bookmarks as holiday gifts to my family. It adds something extra to the gift. This is a great activity for any reader to do or is great as a gift to a reader, especially unique bookmarks to match their unique personality. You could really show a person how well you know them.

If you would like more DIYs, then please leave a tip. The money will go to materials for future DIYs (I have plenty in mind) and probably my trips to the laundromat (to be honest, I'm a broke college student and it's nice to have clean clothes). Of course, if you are unable to leave a tip or would like to anyway, you can help out by sharing this DIY with people who may like this activity on your social media. If you want to keep up with future DIYs or potentially other articles (I'm thinking of expanding beyond DIY's) then you could follow me on Twitter, @marelgado99. Thank you and have a nice day!