As Unique
 Home   Personalized Baby Gift Baskets   Baby Gift Newborn   Gifts Expectant Mothers   Crafts   Creativity   Links 

Bookmarks As Unique You Crafts Hobbies


BookmarksAsUniqueBookmarks As Unique You Crafts Hobbies

 


Racks and racks of bookmarks ranging from funny to inspirational are available in most bookstores. But for a truly unique bookmark, make your own from a treasured digital photo.


This idea came from my wife, who wanted to give something meaningful to the ladies in her group she met with regularly. She and her friends love reading books, so the bookmark idea sprung in her mind. After a few minutes of searching our digital photo database, we found the perfect image from a rare Valentine's Day snowfall in Dallas.


Tools you will need


If you have a digital camera then you are half way there to having all the tools you need to create your very own bookmarks. The other half is a digital photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0.


More specifically, here are the tools you need, some of them optional:

  • Digital photo from which to create the bookmark. This image could be from a digital camera or scanned in from a traditional photo.
  • Digital photo editing software. This is required to trim (crop) a narrow strip from your original photo to make the narrow bookmark.
  • If you have a photo printer capable of printing on 4" x 6" photo paper, then you can print the bookmarks at home. Use the thickest photo paper you can find for a sturdy bookmark.
  • If you do not have a photo printer, you can prepare the bookmark image using the same steps and have it developed at a photo lab.
  • Paper cutter. The final photo will contain two bookmarks, so you need a way to cut it in half. We found that an inexpensive plastic paper cutter made for scrapbook enthusiasts works well for this task.

  • Selecting the image


    This step is completely up to your own taste. Select a photo and perform any necessary editing to your satisfaction. My wife selected the photo below and requested that I add a Bible verse for inspiration.


    See photos here.


    In the original picture she was walking our dog, which I removed with the "stamp" feature in PhotoShop Elements. I also converted the photo to black and white. Your photo may be fine as is, so don't feel like you have to do any modifications.


    Preparing the image


    Now for the trickiest part of the procedure. Don't be intimidated-it only seems tricky the first time.


    The goal is to select a narrow portion of the original image so that two will fit on a single 4" x 6" print, including borders. Ours looked like this:


    See photos here.


    I will give you the general steps and you can apply them to your specific photo editing software.


    OK, so there is a little bit of math involved. If that completely turns you off, you may still achieve good results eyeballing your project, but the numbers below will give you an exact fit.

  • Create a new blank image (or canvas) in the proportions of a 4" x 6" vertical print.


    For example, if you intend to print at 300 ppi (pixels per inch), then the dimensions of the new image needs to be 1200 x 1800 pixels. I arrived at these number by multiplying 4" by 300 and 6" by 300.


  • Divide the total number of pixels in the width of the image by two.


    Using my numbers above, that would give us 600 pixels.


  • Determine the number of pixels you need for the border.


    Be sure to leave a generous border to mask slight imperfections in your final cut. We used 30 pixels all around.


  • Double the border pixels because you will have borders on the left and the right side.


    This gives us a total of 60 pixels for the borders for one of the bookmarks.


  • Now subtract the border from the half width to get the width of the actual bookmark image.


    In my case that leaves 600 - 60 = 540 pixels.


  • Then subtract the border from the total height of the image.


    The same math for the height gives us 1800 - 60 = 1740 pixels.


  • Now select a section of your original image in the proportions calculated above.


    My bookmark proportions are 540 pixels wide by 1740 pixels tall.


  • Copy and paste the selection into your new image to take up the left side, leaving space for the border.

  • Paste another copy of the same image on the right side, again leaving space for borders.

  • The result is a single 4" x 6" vertical image containing two bookmarks. For larger bookmarks, you can print on 5" x 7" photo paper and re-calculate the dimensions using the technique above.


    Print the image


    Now that the image has been prepared, you can do one of two things. If you have your own digital photo printer, just print, wait for the ink to dry, and cut.


    If you do not have a printer, save the image in JPEG format and take or upload to a photo lab. When you get your order back, cut it in half and you are done.


    ABOUT THE AUTHOR


    Charles Kerekes is an amateur photographer and maintains the Flying Sam Digital Photo Guide (http://FlyingSamPhoto.com) web site to help others find fun and unique digital photo finishing products and services.



    County proposal puts Roeder Home crafts sale's future in doubt
    Bellingham Herald, WA - Nov 22, 2008
    Balancing the Whatcom County government's budget may end up costing the local arts community one of its signature events for the past 36 years. ...


    For goodness’ sake
    MidWeek, IL - 15 hours ago
    Other fun activities for the children include games and crafts inside the middle school, including take home crafts like make-it-yourself gift bags and ...


    Be wary of scams to work at home
    South Bend Tribune (subscription), IN - 12 hours ago
    You pay for a useless guide to work-at-home jobs — a mixture of computer-related work and the same old envelope-stuffing and home crafts scams. ...


    Sandy Post

    Making memories with scrapbooks
    Sandy Post, OR - 21 hours ago
    ... Sandland advises on creating unique greeting cards and gift card holders as well as altering photo frames and making memory boards and other home crafts ...


    A Stitch in Time / Project brings new life to Cabbage Patch Kids
    StandardNet, Utah - Nov 12, 2008
    DeeAnn Dickson, who oversees the homecrafts department at DI, said she found out about Hansen's work in 2001 and began giving the dolls to her so Hansen ...


    Staying the distance
    ARNnet, Australia - Nov 16, 2008
    ... videos, microwaves and toasters to retailers that have since disappeared from the landscape including Waltons, Homecrafts and Norman Ross. ...


    • Oregon City briefs
    Hillsboro Argus - OregonLive.com, OR - Nov 26, 2008
    Each Friday, the center will host "Take Home Fridays," during which visitors can "play like the pioneers," creating and taking home crafts such as candles, ...


    Official canvass set for Tuesday
    Bucyrus Telegraph Forum,  United States - Nov 17, 2008
    This session will include books and a take-home crafts. Registration is not needed. For information, call Andee Wildenthaler at 419-468-3203. ...


    Holiday Calendar
    Muncie Star Press, IN - Nov 23, 2008
    Make and take home crafts. Information: 649-8128. Christmas Treats, 10 am-3 pm, Cardinal Greenway Depot, 700 E. Wysor St., Muncie. ...


    VALLEY VIEWS: Let's talk turkey over coffee at Mickey D's
    The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com, OH - Nov 19, 2008
    AMISH HOME CRAFTS: Visit an actual Amish farm and shop for fun and practical gifts made by local artisans 9 am 4 pm Nov. 28 and 29. ...

    home-crafts - Google News

    Related Articles
    A Playtime Project: The Memory Quilt
    A friend recently suggested a use for my daughter's first wardrobe, which I've dutifully saved in the back of the closet, and lugged on two long distance relocations. Turns out she's done the same thing with her daughter's first clothes, and we've decided to make memory quilts. This playtime project preserves my little girl's everyday playclothes for no other reason than that they are hers.
    Airbrushing Does Not Have to be All Disappointment, Heartache, and Bloody Hard Work!
    A smart, but irritating man once told me that Airbrushing did not have to be all blood, sweat and tears. If only I had someone guiding me back in those hard, frustrating and sick in the stomach days of airbrushing, I wouldn't have wasted all that time and money!
    The Top Five Morgan Silver Dollars
    Why waste everyone's time Let's skip the appetizers and get to the meaty stuff right now: The Morgan silver dollars poised to increase the most in value in the years ahead are the 1895, 1892-CC, 1894, 1878-CC, and the 1883-CC. Pretty bold prediction, eh At this point, the reader now has three options: (1) Stop reading and act upon this information, (2) Stop reading and get on with life, or (3) Continue on, evaluate the analytical approach to identify the "Top Five" Morgan dollars, and then implement a variation of (1) or (2) above. If you've gotten this far, we encourage you to continue on with option (3).
    Scrapbooking on a Budget
    Memories are priceless, but the cost of preserving them can be high. Here are nine tips for making the most of your scrapbooking budget.
    I Didnt Know These Are Slowly Destroying My Scrapbooks!
    Once you spend your precious time and energy creating a scrapbook, make sure it lasts! There are a few simple things you can easily do to ensure that your scrapbooks look just as good as the day you finished them, for years to come.
    The Unusual Characteristics Of Reverse Painting
    By stepping backwards in time one can discover an important part of art history associated with reverse painting on glass.It was an era that heralded the use of this art form 'en masse' during which people in communities could directly express in their own original way what they lived, perceived and felt in their own daily lives. Even to this day many artists who work on glass have been inspired through their links with furniture-making, glass production, the building trade, the teaching profession, or with farming and agriculture.
    Getting Started With Radio Control Cars
    Take note that you need to decide whether you want a radio control nitro or gas car or perhaps one that has an electric engine. You could purchase either one which is ready to run (rtr) or a kit. Now, knowing how much you would want to spend start going shopping for a vehicle that fits your specifications. Like me passion is what drew me to this exciting hobby and there's a lot you are going to learn before you can "get behind the wheel".
    Butterfly Candle Holders
    Butterfly candle holders are easy to make and a great gift idea. The materials are very inexpensive, and you can use your imagination for a variety of designs. To get started, you will need:
    50 Ways to Use Your Ribbon for Scrapbooking, Home Decor, Crafting and Fashion
    Scrapbooking:
    Idle Hands Beget The Devils Work
    As a southern girl, sewing was a rite of passage. You never questioned if you should learn, it was a matter of when. Though I possess the skill, it was rarely put to use. One day, while shopping for a quilt, I went back to my roots.
    Collectible Action Figures - Is About Fun Memories And More Money
    Superhero action figures first stormed the doors of department stores and toy stores nearly 35 years ago. Constructed of various kinds of plastic and clothed in uniforms, costumes and capes G.I. Joe, Superman, Spiderman, the Lone Ranger and others marched, flew and rode off store shelves and into our lives. After short stops under the Christmas tree or at birthday parties, these action figures found their way into toy boxes and playrooms around the world.
    Jar Lid and Jar Candle Decoration
    Supplies Needed:
    Stress-Free Scrapbook Journaling Ideas
    Do you find it intimidating when you come to journal your scrapbook pages
    Russian Nesting Dolls - The Beginning
    According legend, first nested doll prototype appeared in Russia in the late 19th century (believed to be year 1890), it was figurine of bold headed old man, Buddhist sage by the name of Fukuruma, on the island of Honshu, Japan.
    Scary Halloween Crafts
    Looking for some great Halloween crafts for your Halloween party, haunted house, or just for trick-or-treaters
    Sharing Journals
    Creating a journal or diary that combines scrapbooking and journaling, is a journal that you can share. Writing about experiences and feelings, and including photos, ticket stubs, magazine or newspaper clippings, fortune cookie fortunes, drawings, and more, enhances and further explains those experiences and feelings, becoming a treasured keepsake for you and for your family and friends to share for years to come.
    An Introduction to Lanyards
    Lanyards are pieces of rope, wire, or cloth specifically designed to attach to objects. They are typically used to secure small items such as a work badge, key, identification card, eyeglasses, whistle, cell phone, bottle opener, knife, or compass. A lanyard can be worn around the neck, arm, waist or wrist. When worn around the wrist, a lanyard is often referred to as a "wristlet."
    The Theme and Title of Your New Scrapbook
    The theme of your scrapbook can be simple or complex. Your theme could be a special event such as a birthday, a baby shower, a wedding, Christmas, or Halloween. Themes can also be personalized to the scrapbook recipient's special interests. Special interests themes include favorite colors, sports, favorite television programs, music, the outdoors, or cultural influences.
    Make Origami
    Origami is a wonderful and elegant art. It has been developed and embraced over the past 2,000 years by young and old alike. Who would have ever thought that you could fold paper in such a way to make creations like:
    Scrapbooking Yourself as an Individual, Homemaker, Worker, and More
    From age 25 onwards, our grand adventure has just unfolded as we embrace adulthood.



    Common misspellings for words used in this page include acheive achive adn agian agin agina ahev ahve alsot amatuer amke amking anbd anohter apon aroud arround arund aslo asociated assoicated availaible availble availiable availible avalable avaliable avilable baceause bakc baout bcak beacuse becasue beccause becomeing becomming becouse becuase bedore befoer beleived belived caluclate caluclated caluculate caluculated calulate calulated capible centruy charistics communites completelyl controll coudl coverted desgined deside dessigned developped dicover didnt diea dimenions dimentions disover doens driectly durig durring duting eiter ened ethose excact exemple exicting exmaple eyar eyars eyasr fidn fiel firends fomr foudn freind frome furuther futher gerat gogin goign gonig graet grat gropu haev halp hieght hstory hten htere htey hting htis hvae hvaing hvea hwihc hwile idaeidae impliment importamt includ includng incuding infomation informtion inlcuding inot iwll iwth jstu jsut knive knwo konw kwno lefted leran liek lieved littel liuke loev lveo lvoe magasine mkae mkaing mkea moreso mroe munbers neccesary neccessary necesary nessecary nestin nkow nkwo nmae nowe nto oftenly oging omre onot onyl orginal origional otehr owrk owudl pary peopel percepted percieved perhasp perheaps perhpas perphas posess prepair procedger proceedure proffesion propotions recquired refered reffered reguarly regularily requred shoudl shoudln slowy smae smoe soem sofware somene sould sourthern specfic specif spoace stpo strat substract tahn taht tast tath teh tehy telelevision televsion tghe thast theese ther theri thgat thge thier thign thigns thigsn thn thna thne thnig thnigs threee throught thru thsi thsoe thta thyat tiem tihs timne tiome tje tjhe tkae traditionnal truely twpo tyhat tyhe typicaly uise unsed useing variey varity vehicule vell veyr vreity vrey vriety vyer vyre waht wardobe wass watn weas wehn whant whcih whic whihc whith whlch whn whta whther wich wief wih wiht wille wirting witht witn wiull wnat wnated wokr wonderfull woudl wrok ws wtih yearm yeasr yera yeras yersa youself ytou yuo.