Monday, May 11, 2009

Weekly Geeks 2009-17 - Bookmarks

This week, the Geeks want to know about bookmarks: Do you use bookmarks or just grab whatever is handy to mark your page? Do you collect lots of different bookmarks or do you have a favorite one that you use exclusively? If you're not someone who uses bookmarks on a regular basis, have you ever used anything odd to mark your place?

Fun question! I am definitely a grab-what's-handy kind of gal. Most often, you'll find a receipt from Borders, the grocery store, Target, or wherever I had lunch being used as a bookmark; occasionally I will grab a business card off of a stack only for the purpose of marking my book. Not only that, I rarely bother to retrieve the bookmark when I finish the book.

I *like* to use regular bookmarks but if I don't have one within eyeshot at the moment I need to put down a book, it's just not happening. One problem I have with stiffer bookmarks is that when I cram a book into my commuter bag, the bookmark will sometimes get knocked out. I prefer the bookmark to be shorter than the book overall so I can just have a little bit showing above the top.

Since I've started going to book signings more frequently, I find myself with promotional bookmarks pretty regularly. I have a small confession. I keep this one below tucked into my planner at work. No, it's not marking any pages. But damn, it's pretty. And people, I go to a LOT of boring meetings. A. LOT.
You know what I'm saying??

Another bookmark I have that's too pretty to use is a beaded book thong made by Katie MacAllister. The beads are just gorgeous; I managed to get a halfway decent shot of the heart-shaped one:

The oddest thing I've ever used as a bookmark? Well, um, probably a pantiliner. What can I say, it was handy.

Speaking of bookmarks, I did finally get around to printing some of the ones I talked about in a previous post. I just printed them on regular photo paper and manually cut them apart. The cutting worked out fine, but I'm not happy with the weight on them -- too flimsy. I haven't decided if I want to go so far as to laminate them or have them printed on card stock or something-- I don't actually have the faintest idea of how to go about that, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to spend that kind of money. But I might go low-tech and just adhesive-mount them on a cardstock backing and add a pretty ribbon.

15 comments:

Erotic Horizon said...

I so get you with the pantiliner- if it's handy use ..

I love your heart shaped bookmark string - I have one and keep adding little charm to mine -

It's no longer a book mark - too heavy..

E.H>

Chris said...

Hee hee about the pantiliner.

I tend to use the small bookmarks from my beloved Uncle Hugo's. I have some "pretty" bookmarks that came with books I won and I can't really bear to use them (too pretty and often too long for mass market pbs).

A cheap idea instead of laminating (if you have a steady hand) - try putting clear packing tape on both sides. Should make it a bit more sturdy, plus spill resistant.

Mandi said...

I use whatever....right now I have a marker box shoved in my book..which really is big and bulky but it was closest when I finished reading. It doesn't really matter what I use though because my children will find it and pull it out before I sit down again tonight to read:)

I just got the Kindle however - best thing ever! You turn it on and it immediately goes to the page you were on! I don't know what to do with myself:)

wcvamp said...

O.k., so maybe i am a geek then, but i have alot of book marks, they go from LOTR with the ring attached (2), dragons,Pirates of the Caribbean,twilight and i think i even confiscated a few of my kids...and i freak out if i can't find a bookmark while reading, i'm just weird like that.

Rikki said...

I'd laminate them. Probably they'd be a bit flimsy still with cardstock. Doesn't cardstock also look worn pretty quickly when it's tossed around?

Nicola O. said...

Yes, cardstock would get beat-up. But I don't love the plasticky effect of lamination. Plus I don't really look at these as heirloom items that need to be around for 100 years, you know? A little wear and tear won't be the end of the world.

I ♥ Book Gossip said...

I dont use my pretty bookmarks anymore. I save them instead and now I have a small collection. I use post-its and library bookmarks instead. The library bookmarks aren't as sexy.

Joanna Chambers said...

I am a naughty turner-downer-of-corners.

Maree said...

I use what's handy as well ... never a pantiliner though _ that's too funny :)

Adele said...

Nope, can't say i've ever used a pantliner, I like it though.

Phyl said...

I'm sure I've used a pantiliner in days gone by, at least once. If I do have to use something paper, though, it's always a post-it note, because paper/cardboard bookmarks so easily fall out.

In fact, it was the "falling out" that induced me, years ago, to start using paper clips instead. I know the idea horrifies some, but these are the only bookmarks I've ever used that do not fall out. So I use them in everything.

claire said...

LOL about the pantiliner! I always use promotional bookmarks because they're free and very flat. I would always use that gorgeous guy one, too, if I had one. :D

JenB said...

I have at least a hundred of the free bookmarks I get from Half Price Books, but I never remember to put them in my books. I always end up using stuff like receipts or pages from my little grocery list notebook. I also often catch myself tearing off box tops for bookmarks.

My husband uses kleenexes and toilet paper as bookmarks (clean, of course). It drives me absolutely insane.

Nicola O. said...

Toilet paper, eh? Hmmm. Well, I guess I don't have much room to mock that, heh.

Jill Sorenson said...

Most of the time I don't use anything. Is that weird? I just open up the book and find my place.

Visitors

  © Blogger template Coozie by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP