Bookmarks from used styrofoam containers: DIY

I detest styrofoam containers, otherwise also known as the handy thermocol boxes that have become a craze for packing cooked food.

Much as they look inevitable, I long for those days of the steel and brass boxes. I long for days when packing a dosa into banana leaves and using a twine to tie the dish up with a newspaper to wrap it was the most normal thing to do.

Today we are left with tonnes of the menacing material flooding global garbage. In my own home, I have grown tired of having to trash styrofoam food containers. Needless to say, they come in handy in a million ways. I would not recommend you go looking for those boxes, but if you do have pieces that land on your hands, use a wet tissue to wipe them clean and get started.

I made full use of the lid of one such container, and made bookmarks.

Here goes the procedure:

You will need,

-- a pair of scissors

-- wet tissue or a slightly damp clean cloth

-- decorative stickers to embellish

-- thick threads of matching colours

-- a hole-punch

-- paper-trimmer

Start by cutting the sheet to size, by doing away with the curves.

I did not want to stick to the standard measurements of bookmarks that are accepted internationally.

I made use of all the length it provided.

The next step is to use the paper trimmer and trim it to size. If you do not have a paper trimmer,
use a ruler and craft knife, or a ruler-pencil-scissors combo.

I then cut the sheet into three pieces. The sheet's width was enough for three bookmarks. You can choose the number by making a judgement call on how many pieces a sheet of this size can yield.

Out came my stash of stickers.

I had tacky glue handy. Unlike the normal craft glue, tacky glue is less messy when it comes to sticking paper and styrofoam. In this case, it was about stickers that were made with glossy paper, plastic sheet, and the likes.

Hot glue is also said to help. In case you are wondering why glue them at all when they come with glue attached anyways, there is no telling how such ready-glue surface will stick on the synthetic surface of thermocol.

Choose your stickers with a theme in mind, or arrange them in a way that pleases your eye.

You can use these bookmarks. I was not satisfied yet. 

So I used the easily available paper punch.

And threads of matching and contrasting colours...red and silver in this case.

After punching a hole, it was all about knotting the twine-size thick threads into the bookmarks.

If you have a corner rounder, nothing like it. I tried to round off the corners of two bookmarks. Am longing for a corner rounder someday soon. Let the pieces dry before use.

Use this upcycled set of bookmarks for yourself, to gift to friends, or as party favours. They are non-fussy, easy to make, perfect for kids though you must supervise them with the use of scissors and knife...

Enjoy your book and mark that `fell asleep here' page with some elan.

That's my latest book in the picture...am hoping to finish reading it soon.

Pictures Courtesy: Radhika M B

For permissions to use pictures and content, write to: radicreative@gmail.com