Encourage Your Child to Read More with This Easy DIY Laminated Bookmark Craft

Thank you to Fellowes for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I bought my first laminator years ago and it had served me well for years. Recently, it broke and I had been in the market for a new one when I was offered the Fellowes Saturn2 95 Laminator. This laminator is of much better quality than my previous one and I have loved using it for many things, such as photos, important documents, cards, and much more. One of my favorite recent projects has been helping my kids create fun bookmarks they can use while reading.

Today's Project:  DIY Laminated Bookmarks for Kids

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

laminator (We used the Fellowes Saturn2 95)

laminating pouches

white or colored

colored markers

single hole puncher

scissors

yarn

Step 1.  Turn on the Fellowes laminator to preheat, which takes about 5 minutes. (I select the 3 mil setting per instructions on the laminating pouches I was planning to use.)

Step 2.  Print a free bookmark template. I used colored paper per my children's request, just for added flair. (You don’t have to use a template, but I did just so they’d know their constraints.)

Step 3.  Have your child decorate the bookmark with magic markers.  You could also use some fun stickers.  (My kids had a blast using their imaginations and designing their bookmarks. Avery, 11 years old, went with clever phrases and minimal decorations, while Quinn, 6 years old, went for a more artistic approach.)

Step 4.  Help your child cut out their bookmark.  Then punch a hole centered at the top approximately 1/2" from the edge. (Each of my kids then cut out their own bookmark and I punched a hole at the top for the tassel.)

Step 5.  Carefully placed each bookmark into the laminating pouch, making sure there is enough room on each side to cut them out later, and then closed the pouch.

Step 6.  Place the pouches into the laminator one at a time with the closed side going into the machine first and the open side going through last. The laminator has rollers which move the pouch through on their own, so there is no need to manipulate them once they have been properly placed.

Step 7.  When the entire pouch makes it through the machine, you may then remove it to let it cool before cutting. It is important to wait until it is completely cool and to not cut too close to your pictures. If you make these mistakes, the pouches will no longer be sealed.

Step 8.  After cutting, re-punched the hole for the tassel at the top and thread colored yarn into the holes.

The finished products are really nice and work perfectly as reusable bookmarks for their many reading adventures.

The Fellowes Saturn2 95 Laminator features HeatGuard Technology so it’s safe to use in homes because it is always cool to the touch and never could burn anyone nearby. This laminator is also unique because it offers both hot and cold lamination and it has a release lever to help prevent jams.  See how easy-to-use the Fellowes Saturn2 95 really is in this brief video demo.

The Fellowes Saturn2 95 Laminator is available at Staples.com for a suggested retail of $159.99. You can also find Fellowes products at WalMart and Amazon.com.  Visit Fellowes Idea Center, Fellowes on Facebook, and on Pinterest for more fun ways to utilize your Fellowes laminator.

My GBC Creative Laminator Makes Craft and Kids Projects Even More Fun

I recently shared an easy craft for a DIY menu board.  One of the last steps in the project is to laminate the cards on which you have written your dinner choices.  I wanted to show everyone how super-easy this is to do using my GBC Creative 9" Laminator with the GBC HeatSeal UltraClear Thermal Laminating Pouches.

I used custom printed Moo MiniCards for my meal cards, which have my own food photography printed on the backs of the cards.  It was difficult to show in the photo, but I was amazed at how clear the UltraClear pockets turned out after going through the laminating process.  I was extremely pleased that the quality of my photos was in no way reduced.  This is light-years better than our old "antique" of a laminator that used to leave bubbles amidst a sea of cloudiness.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Laminating my meal cards was as easy as placing them between the two layers of the laminating pouch, carefully covering them with the top layer, and inserting the pouch between the two layers of the cardboard sleeve that comes with the laminating pouches.  I placed the cards over an inch apart because our old laminator would leave a wide bubble of air around the item being laminated.  I soon learned that was not necessary with the GBC laminator.

After the the green light comes on indicating that the laminator has heated sufficiently, simply feed the filled sleeve into the front of the laminator.  The sleeve then self-feeds itself through the heated laminator and comes out the back.  Even though it may not be necessary, I always feed the sleeve through twice to get the best results.  Then the sleeve is placed on a flat surface to cool completely before I cut out the individual laminated cards.

Some other projects I would like to do with this laminator are . . . 

• Photo ID cards for pretend play for our children
• A memory card game made out of photos of our family members (pets included)
• Pretend play restaurant menus
• Dry erase chore charts
• Bookmarks out of our children's art

Visit MyBinding.com to view their full assortment of laminating supplies for use at home, at the office, or in an industrial setting.  You can receive Free Ground Shipping on orders over $75.  Also visit the MyBinding.com Blog and MyBinding.com on YouTube to find helpful product information, reviews, and product demos.

Thank you to MyBinding.com for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing additional product for our contest prize.  I was given complimentary Moo MiniCards because I'm a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.

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