Create a beautiful, personalized bookmark using pressed flowers and laminating sheets. This beginner-friendly craft takes about 30 minutes of active work (plus 1-2 weeks for flower pressing), and makes a lovely gift or keepsake for book lovers.
Collect fresh flowers with flat faces or small petals that will press well. Good choices include pansies, daisies, violets, ferns, or small wildflowers. Pick them on a dry day when they're fully open but not wilted. Gently brush off any dirt or insects.
Open your heavy book to the middle. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the page. Arrange your flowers flat on the paper, making sure petals don't overlap. Space them at least an inch apart. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper.
Close the book carefully and stack 2-3 more heavy books on top. Place in a dry spot away from humidity. Leave undisturbed for 1-2 weeks until flowers are completely flat and dry. Check after one week by carefully lifting the top parchment paper.
While flowers are pressing (or after they're ready), cut your cardstock into a bookmark shape. A standard size is 2 inches wide by 6 inches tall. Use your ruler and pencil to mark measurements, then cut with scissors for a clean edge.
Once flowers are fully pressed and dried, gently remove them from the book using tweezers. Arrange them on your cardstock bookmark in a pleasing design. Try different layouts before committing. Remember to leave space at the top if you want to add a ribbon later.
Using a small paintbrush, apply a tiny amount of craft glue to the back of each flower. Carefully place it on the cardstock using tweezers. Press gently with your finger to secure. Work slowly and use very little glue to avoid it showing through delicate petals.
Set your bookmark aside on a flat surface and let the glue dry for at least 30 minutes. Don't touch or move it during this time. The flowers should be firmly attached before laminating.
Peel apart your self-adhesive laminating pouch or cut two pieces of clear contact paper slightly larger than your bookmark (about 2.5 x 6.5 inches). If using contact paper, peel back just a corner of the backing on one sheet.
Place your bookmark face-up on the sticky side of one laminating sheet, centered. Slowly peel away the remaining backing while smoothing the sheet down over the bookmark. Then apply the second sheet to the back. Smooth from center outward to remove air bubbles.
Use scissors to trim around your bookmark, leaving about 1/8 inch of sealed laminate border around all edges. This prevents the lamination from peeling apart. Round the corners slightly for a professional finish.
If you want to add a ribbon, use a hole punch to make a hole about 1/4 inch from the top center of your bookmark. Make sure you punch through both laminate layers for a clean hole.
Cut a 6-8 inch length of ribbon. Thread it through the hole and tie a knot or bow at the top. Trim the ribbon ends at an angle to prevent fraying. Your pressed flower bookmark is now complete and ready to use or gift!