3 little Miracles: Monster Page Corner Bookmarks

Today Jon and I used our "Mommy and Me ONLY" time (I will explain this more later) to do a little craft to go along with the special book I had checked out from the library for just my time with Jon. So I had seen this craft a few times before and wanted to make a Mouse Corner to go with, Stuart Little by E.B. White. However, when I pulled up a website called I Could Make That which had the basic directions I wanted to follow to convert into our mice, Jon right away said he wanted to make a monster. So since it is his time . . . . . . . . . . it is his choice and we ended up making Monster Corners.

Here are the basic directions and supplies that you will need to get started:

Cardstock in an assortment of colors that you desire, along with pretty papers you might choose to use.
Scissors
Straight Cutter (Optional) I like to use one because it provides a cleaner cut and saves my expensive paper from waste because smaller pieces can be used for other projects due to the nice straight cut.
Ruler
Pencil
Glue
Bone Folder OR other hard device to help press edges of cardstock when folding.
Small Circle Punch (Optional)
Scalloped circle Punch (Optional)Pin Punch (Optional)
Brads used for Scrapbooking/Cardmaking (Optional)
Get creative and add what you like, such as ribbon, stickers, yarn, goggle eyes, etc. Just remember that this is for a book, so you don't want something that will make the bookmark to thick for the book to close well. BUT gather your supplies before you start working with your little one because you never know what they will do with the Scallop Punch while your out of the room, HA!

1. So lets begin, first thing you want to do is choose your base cardstock color and cut that into a 6 x 6 square. After cutting it into a square use your ruler to divide it in four (I did this with sharpie so you could see it). Then after dividing the cube in four, you will take two opposite 3x3 squares and divide them diagonally, the resulting shape should be like a rocket (at least that is what Jon thought it looked like). Cut away the areas marked with squiggly lines (do not throw them away, they could be used as parts for yours or someone else's Monster Corner).

2. Now cut a 3x3 square of decorative paper you want to use or other solid card stock to fit over the 3x3 area of the "rocket". I recommend that you NOT glue this down yet even though the site I visited suggested that you do. I find it easier to trim the 3x3 decorative piece for a custom fit to the folded item, so hold onto this square for One Second ;-)

3. Now using your bone folder, fold one of the triangles inward so it covers the upper half of the square. Apply glue to the bottom of the remain triangle and fold down over the other triangle you just pressed into place. Now that your Monster's body is glued together you can glue in the special square, just slide it into the mouth and press down.

4. NOW you have the body of your monster DONE, lets get creative!!! I started with using my Scalloped Circle Punch to make the eyes and I made a small mark with my pencil to mark where I should hold my punch so I could chop off the bottom of my circle.

5. Then using my plain circle punch I did the same thing. Repeat this again with a set of white only chop them a slight bit smaller then the previous color set.

6. Now you will hold the color of the eye with the white of the eye together and line them up along the straight edge and one corner, then trim off the excess. Once complete arrange the three layers of the eye and glue them together.

7. Once your eye is assembled use your pin punch to put a hole where you want the pupil of the eye to be. Just for placement put the eye over the body and using your pencil to mark where you want it to go and then use your pin punch to punch a hole in the body of your Monster Corner, do this with both eyes. Use small black scrapbooking brads to go through eye and body along with glue to attach to the body of your Monster. (I am sorry I don't have a picture of this step because the parts I am showing above are for David Jr.s Monster Corner he is making tomorrow, However I do have pictures of Mine and Jon's finished Monsters down below).

8. Finally if your would like to add mouth features, use white cardstock to pencil out jagged teeth and cut them out leaving plenty of space for gluing to inside of the Monster. To figure out where to trim, line the "dentures" up where you want them on the front of the Monster's face, then flip the project over and trim, then glue to the inside of the mouth. If you would like a tongue, decide its shape and length cut it out and attach with glue.

I know this sounds like a lot of steps and work, but in reality it is really a very simple project and I was able to do it today in less then an hour with my 4 year old son Jon, and if you know him then you know he doesn't sit still for much, HA. You will have a lot of fun getting creative with your kids, and the whole point is to encourage them to read and begin to save their spot in a way that not only is cute but shows them how to treat a library book or book from school . . . . . . . . . . no more turned down corners please.