A Bible is always a Good Distraction

I have a million things I could talk about today, and I'll try to get to a couple of them before the week is out.  I've learned so much.  I guess I feel like if I tell you about the events in my life (my learning experiences) that sometimes I can help someone else avoid the horrible actual experience.  I know it's called wisdom, but don't we always want a shortcut?  I DO, and can you spare me some experience? Teach me!

I'm going to skip the petty stuff for tonight, and just teach you something! : )  It's always more fun anyway.  Yesterday, Mary Claire went with her friend to Bible study, so we got her Bible out, and made her some ribbon bookmarks.  There is probably a formal name for these, but I don't know it.  I made them a few years ago for all the women in my Faith Group at church, and I've been using my last one since then, but it was high time for my sweet daughter to have some ribbon markers in her Bible! : )

Here is the front-I am showing you so you'll know why I chose green and purple ribbon!  It is a Faith Girlz Bible that is a study Bible with tons of awesome learning things inside-catered to young girls and the things they deal with: stress, competition, beauty, women of God, friends, prayer life, etc.  It is awesome (and that's an understatement!).  Her name is under the word Bible, but it's imprinted clear, so it's hard to see.  I wanted it to match the title, and it couldn't go in the bottom right!  (I like details.)

So, here we go.  I'm going to show you how to make it with pink ribbons, since I didn't think to take pictures as I made Mary Claire's, and she immediately wanted to make one for Natalie Grace!  First I cut five ribbons (or as many as you want) to about 19 inches (or Bible height + 3").  I used gingham, polka dot, and stitched edges for this one:

Next, I seal the edges with fire.  Yes, really.  Just use a lighter (I use my "flame thrower" long-lighter-thingie), and run it under the ribbon till you see it seal/melt slightly the ends (this keeps it from fraying.  You can also use Fray-Check (liquid), but it's kind-of an oil, and I don't like it so well.)
Then, I use a 3x5 card (or any cardstock), and fold it into thirds.  Open it, and staple the ribbons into the inside fold (two staples per ribbon, and layer the ribbons, the next staples will hold in the ribbons before them).

Now, fold those other two sides over all your ugly staples.  Staple three or four staples down the side to close it up.  It should be a long folded paper with ribbons hanging out one end.  Finally, stand up your Bible, and have someone hold the pages together.  Open the covers up until the top gaps, and you can stick the cardstock down in between the cover and the binding:

N

Now, pick where you want your ribbons to go, and you can change them all you want.  We picked Ruth, Psalms, Proverbs, Matthew, 1st Corinthians.  (Totally irrelevant, just extra info!)  Now, you have sweet little ribbon bookmarks that match your Bible and bring you joy! : )

 

Ps: I'm back to Little Rock tomorrow, ultrasound and lab work.  Say a prayer that the surgery was productive, and for safe travel! : )