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How to Make Clear Corner Butterfly Bookmarks with Cricut
Supplies You’ll Need
To start, gather all the necessary supplies. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cricut Machine (Explore 3 or Maker)
- Deep-point blade
- Clear sticker paper
- Printer
- Laminator
- Thermal laminating pouches
- StrongGrip cutting mat
- Scissors
- Glue (I use hot glue)
- Butterfly images (available in Cricut Design Space or uploaded images from sites like Creative Fabrica)
- Computer or mobile device with Cricut Design Space
Step 1: Selecting and Preparing Your Butterfly Design
The first step in creating your clear corner butterfly bookmarks is to choose the perfect butterfly design. Open Cricut Design Space on your computer or mobile device. If you don’t have a specific butterfly design in mind, search for “butterfly” in the Cricut Image Library or on sites like Creative Fabrica. You’ll find a variety of options, from simple silhouettes to more intricate, detailed designs.
Uploading and Editing Your Design: If you have your own butterfly design that you’d like to use, you can easily upload it into Cricut Design Space. To do this, click on the “Upload” button, choose your file, and add it to your canvas. Once your design is in the workspace, you can resize it and make any necessary adjustments.
Resizing the Butterflies: Next, resize the butterflies to your desired size. Remember, these bookmarks should fit on the corner of a book page without being too bulky. A size of about 3 to 4 inches wide typically works well, but you can adjust this based on your preferences.
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Creating an Offset: Create an offset by clicking the offset button. I use .065 for mine. Change the color to white. Grab the image and offset, attach and flatten.
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Mirroring and Duplicating the Design: Once you’ve selected or uploaded your butterfly design, the next step is to duplicate it. This is important because you’ll need two mirrored images to create the front and back of your bookmark. Select the butterfly design and use the “Duplicate” function in Cricut Design Space to create a copy. Then, mirror the duplicated image by selecting “Flip” and choosing “Flip Horizontal.” Position the mirrored image so that the wings of the two butterflies slightly overlap. This overlap will ensure that the front and back of the bookmark align perfectly when glued together.
Step 2: Print Your Butterfly Designs
With your butterfly designs ready in Cricut Design Space, it’s time to move on to the printing stage. You’ll use the Print then Cut feature to print the butterfly images on clear sticker paper and then cut them out with your Cricut machine.
Printing the Butterflies: Click on the “Make It” button in Cricut Design Space and select the “Print then Cut” option. Follow the on-screen prompts to print your butterfly designs onto clear sticker paper. Make sure your printer settings are adjusted for high-quality printing on premium glossy photo paper.
Drying the Printed Designs: After printing, it’s important to let the clear sticker paper dry completely before handling it. This step is crucial to prevent any smudging or smearing of the ink, which could ruin your design. Depending on your printer and ink, drying could take a few minutes.
Step 3: Laminating the Butterfly Stickers
I created a video showing the rest of the process, check it out below:
Once your butterfly designs are printed and fully dry, the next step is to laminate them. Laminating your designs not only gives them a professional, polished finish but also makes the bookmarks more durable, so they’ll last longer.
Preparing the Lamination: Start by placing your printed sticker sheet between two thermal laminating pouches. Be sure to smooth out any air bubbles or wrinkles, as these could affect the final product. If you notice any dust or debris on the stickers, gently wipe it off before proceeding with lamination.
Laminating Process: Turn on your laminator and allow it to preheat to the appropriate setting for the thickness of your laminating pouches. Once the laminator is hot and ready, carefully feed the pouches through the machine. It’s important to guide them in straight to avoid any misalignment or wrinkling. After the sheet has passed through the laminator, let it cool completely before handling it further. Trim the excess laminate.
Step 4: Cutting Out the Butterflies with Cricut
Now that your laminated butterfly stickers are ready, it’s time to cut them out using your Cricut machine. This step will give your bookmarks their final shape.
Setting Up the Cricut: Place the laminated sheet onto your StrongGrip cutting mat, making sure it’s securely adhered. Load the mat into your Cricut machine. For this step, you’ll need to use a deep-point blade, as the laminated material is thicker than regular paper.
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Cutting the Butterflies: In Cricut Design Space, select the appropriate material setting for laminated sheets. If you’re not sure which setting to use, start with a material like “Heavy Cardstock” and adjust the pressure as needed. I created a custom setting that works best for the materials I use and named it Laminate Bookmark with the pressure of 350, 3x cut and using the Deep Point Blade. Once you’ve selected your settings, click “Go” to start cutting. Your Cricut machine will precisely cut out the butterfly shapes, leaving you with beautifully shaped bookmarks.
Final Touches: After the cutting process is complete, carefully remove the butterflies from the mat. Be careful not to curl them when removing them from the mat.
Step 5: Assembling the Butterfly Bookmarks
With your butterfly cutouts in hand, it’s time to assemble the bookmarks. This is where the project really comes together.
Aligning the Butterflies: Take the two mirrored butterfly cutouts and align them so that the edges match up perfectly. It’s important to take your time with this step to ensure that the bookmark looks neat and professional.
Gluing the Pieces Together: Apply a thin line of glue to the in between the wings as show in the video. Make sure the edges align perfectly, and gently press the pieces together to ensure the glue adheres well. Hold the butterflies in place for a few seconds to allow the glue to set.
Allowing the Glue to Dry: Let the glue dry completely before using your bookmarks. This step is crucial for ensuring that the two sides of the bookmark stay securely attached.
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Step 6: Using and Enjoying Your Butterfly Bookmarks
Your clear corner butterfly bookmarks are now complete! These bookmarks are not only functional but also add a decorative touch to your reading experience. Simply slide one onto the corner of a page in your book, and let the butterfly’s wings peek out, marking your spot in style.
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Creative Variations and Gift Ideas: These butterfly bookmarks make wonderful gifts, especially for book lovers. Consider creating a set of bookmarks with different butterfly designs or even experimenting with other shapes, like flowers or hearts. You can package them in a small decorative envelope or tie them with a ribbon for an extra special touch.
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Care and Maintenance: To keep your bookmarks looking their best, handle them with care and avoid exposing them to excessive moisture. The laminated surface is durable, but like all handmade items, they’ll last longer with gentle use.
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I hope you found this tutorial helpful. Now, gather your supplies, fire up your Cricut, and start creating your own set of clear corner butterfly bookmarks.
Need more bookmark ideas? Check these favorites out..
How to Create Clear Corner Bat Bookmarks with Cricut
How to Create Clear Ghost Bookmarks with Cricut
How to Make Clear Bookmarks
Happy crafting!
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PIN FOR LATER!
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Michelle Stewart
Owner at Michelle's Party Plan-It
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