DIY: Mother's Day Book Mark Craft

As promised I am sharing a quick, inexpensive, no-fail Mother's Day gift for your students to make and take. 

I like anything that speaks to the special nature of reading.   I also love having the children make gifts that their parents can actually use.  So why not have the children make their mothers beautiful book marks?

Materials Needed:

• Clear vinyl (This can be purchased at any fabric store.  You can purchase enough vinyl for an entire class for only $2.00 - $3.00.) 
• 2-4 small bottles of acrylic paints (These can be purchased at any craft store for about $1.00 a bottle)
• Paint brushes
• Gift wrapping paper scraps, spring napkins, decorative stickers, magazine pictures, etc.
• Glitter 
• Sewing machine
• 1 small roll of colored ribbon 

Step 1:
Layout your clear vinyl and cut it into 2" x 6.5" strips.  Each child will need two strips.

Step 2:
Put a variety of paints on a paper plate.  Instruct the children to paint on one of their vinyl strips,  blending the colors.  I like to provide other items so the children can use a variety of  "painting" techniques.  I give them q-tips, forks, foam stamps, etc. so they can add texture and design to their vinyl paintings.  

Please note, I have newspaper on the table when the children are painting their vinyl strips. 

Step 3:
When the paint is still a little wet, lay on any decorative spring stickers, or images cut from wrapping paper or magazines.  Sprinkle on a little bit of glitter.  Now let these works of art dry completely. 

 

Step 4: 
Once the painted vinyl is dry, cover the painted and decorated book mark with the clear piece of vinyl (remember, you cut two per child).  Now using a zig zag stitch sew the two pieces together.  If you don't have a sewing machine or don't sew,  you can always ask for a parent volunteer.  Each book mark takes less than a minute to sew,  hence you are only asking for about 45 minutes of help.

Step 5:

Have the children punch a hole in the center top of their book marks.  Loop the colored ribbon through the hole.

Finished Product:

Enjoy making these great little Mother's Day gifts with your students!  They will be the perfect gift to add to my Mother's Day Card/Craft. 

Love,
Granny (Cindy)