Masterpiece Bookmarks

If you are like me, you want to keep every piece of artwork that your child has ever created. But that would take a warehouse to keep it all. So, I found a great way to preserve at least part of the great masterpieces my child makes.

Bookmarks! Not willing to part with everything, you can cut up pieces of the artwork in the shape of bookmarks and preserve it with contact paper or get it laminated.

Here's what you'll need:
- clear, self-adhesive contact paper
- old artwork
- scissors
- ruler
- pencil

Here's what you'll do:
- Measure and mark the back of the artwork into bookmark sizes (a good size is 1.5 by 5 inches long.)
- Cut out the bookmarks.
- Cut out 2 rectangles of the contact paper thaqt are 1/4 to 1/2 inch longer and wider than your bookmarks.
- Remove the backing from one of the pieces of contact paper and center the bookmark on the sticky side.
- Remove the backing from the other piece of contact paper and very carefully line up with the bottom piece of the contact paper and lay over the artwork. This makes a clear sandwich of the artwork and protects and strengthens it.
- Use a pencil or ruler to rub out any air bubbles.
- If the sides are uneven, simply trim them a little.

Voilá! Not only do you have a useful bookmark but it holds memories of you child's artwork for a long, long time.