A bookmark is a great way to preserve a piece of ephemera in a way that you get to see often, whether it’s a love note, a movie ticket, or in my case, a comic strip.

Every lunch hour, I read the comics in the daily newspaper.  Most days, they inspire a few smiles, but once in a while, a comic will tickle me so much that I have to clip it out to share with a friend.  Usually they just end up getting crumpled in my purse, never to be seen again.  One of my favourite movies is The Big Lebowski (as seen in my Budget-Friendly “Framed” Poster Prints tutorial), and Mutts recently ran a comic that combines the overdone “Keep Calm and Carry On” motif with The Dude.  I’m totally fine with this use of “Keep Calm.”

Keep Calm and Let's Make a Bookmark! Craftcore Laminated BookmarkTutorial using ephemera like comic strips

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Supplies
How to Make a Laminated Comic Strip Bookmark- no laminator tool required!

  • Cardstock in a colour or print of your choice
  • Comic, or some other small snippet of paper you’d like to preserve
  • Duck Peel & Stick Laminate Roll
  • Double-sided tape
  • Paper trimmer or scissors

I picked up a roll of Duck Peel & Stick laminate on clearance a few months ago. It’s awesome and the roll seemingly lasts forever.  This clear laminate makes this project a snap! Please note that you cannot undo the lamination process.  If it’s something very special, consider laminating a high quality photocopy instead of the original.

The instructions are a little loosey-goosey because you can make the book mark as large or as small as you would like!

  1. Trim your comic (or whatever you’re preserving) down to your desired size.
  2.   Using double-sided tape, secure your comic on top of a piece of card stock.
    How to Make a Laminated Comic Strip Bookmark- no laminator tool required!
  3. Trim down the cardstock, leaving approximately 1/4″ around each side, or however large of a border you’d like.
    How to Make a Laminated Comic Strip Bookmark- no laminator tool required!
  4. Cut out two pieces of laminate from the roll, cutting it slightly larger than the size of your card stock. Until you peel off the paper backing, it might be difficult to make it lay flat.
    How to Make a Laminated Comic Strip Bookmark- no laminator tool required!
  5. Place your bookmark face up on a flat, hard surface.  Peel one of the laminate pieces from the paper backing. Carefully place it on top of the bookmark, making sure that there is laminate overhanging all sides.  Starting from the centre and moving outward in all directions, press down to secure in place.
    How to Make a Laminated Comic Strip Bookmark- no laminator tool required!
  6. Flip it over and repeat!  Peel back the remaining laminate piece and place it carefully on top, sticky-side down.  As you place it, again work from the centre to ensure you don’t leave any bubbles. TIP: If you do have any slight bubbles, you may be able to use a credit card to help slide out the bubble.
  7. Now you simply trim the laminate, leaving a slight overhang to encase the paper inside.

How to Make a Laminated Comic Strip Bookmark- no laminator tool required!

“The Dude abides.” – The Big Lebowski

How to Make a Laminated Comic Strip Bookmark- no laminator tool required!

These bookmarks are quick to put together and can be easily customized for a thoughtful gift.

P.S. If you want to see more Lebowski and Mutts mashups, check out this 2008 article that features a few.  It’s an oldie but a goodie!

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