Paint chip bookmarks | How About Orange

January 14, 2009

Paint chip bookmarks

Looks like I'm on a bookmark kick. We had extra paint swatches lying around because, lo and behold, we painted our guest room orange over the Christmas break. (I'll show you after we get some stuff on the walls.) These paint chips were begging to be spared from the trash. Trim them to a size you like, paste two colors back-to-back with some rubber cement, attach a string or ribbon, and you're golden. They're especially sturdy because the paper stock they're printed on is very tough. Now I have no excuse for using a Kleenex or an extra book as a bookmark.

57 comments:

Grandma G said...

Well, I always tried to teach you not to waste things. I guess it worked. Very practical.

And just plain funny. :-)

Mum

melodicartistry said...

this reminds me of how my grandma would save the dividers in boxes of tetley tea bags and then give them to me in big stacks to draw on and make bookmarks... i like this idea!

Kim @ NewlyWoodwards said...

I love this! Thanks for sharing. So simple and cute!

Hannita said...

You know, I have lots of nice bookmarks around. Except that they're put away or something and so I still use kleenex. =)

Live a Colorful Life said...

I love paint chips. Never thought of turning them into a bookmark. That is now on my list. Oh, one time I mounted a bunch of them in a shadow-box type frame with little foam "risers" under some of them for a 3-D look. Kind of cool-looking modern art...and free, especially if you have a spare frame hanging around somewhere.

Anonymous said...

Oh that is so funny. I saved my paint chips (because I like them and wanted to keep the colors we didn't choose as well as the ones we did) My husband looked at me like I was nuts but I knew there was a use for them!

cjm said...

Wait, did you repaint that awesome brown room? I love me some orange, but say it ain't so...

Anonymous said...

These would also make great luggage tags -- you know, something hanging off the handle to help differentiate one black suitcase with wheels from the next as they spin through baggage claim.

Thanks for the inspiration.

Unknown said...

What a cool idea! Paint swatches lend themselves to so many crafty applications... I need an excuse to get some myself.

Cindra said...

It's so good to know other people use Kleenex to bookmark. What a great idea. I must go to Lowes!

Jessica Jones said...

Yep, bye bye purplish brown. Hello orange.

Anonymous said...

To cute! I love the simple things in life. :)

Jo

Anonymous said...

Oh how cute! I love the photo with them all piled up-so colorful! I'll be linking.

amy said...

What a nifty idea! And I do hope you'll be posting a pic of your new orange room - I'd love to see how it turned out.

jeannieo said...

Perhaps instead of a kleenex, you could use part of the kleenex BOX to make a bookmark...maybe with a coordinating paint swatch on the other side?

Grandma G said...

Gee, and now paint store owners all over the world will get all excited because they'll think everybody's choosing colors and planning to buy their paint, when all people want is their free CHIPS! And it'll be all your fault, Jess. I hope nobody tells on you!!

;-)

Anonymous said...

Love these! Thanks for sharing the idea.

Anonymous said...

Cute!

Tina in Boston said...

I have been saving paint chips to make some sort of wall art. I didn't think of this, though! thanks for the idea. I love the luggage tag idea mentioned in an earlier post, too.

Liv said...

cute! that's actually a really smart idea. I'll have to try it out...

Anonymous said...

I love that idea! Laminating them would be an idea too.

Casey said...

What a fabulous idea! Thanks for sharing.

Busy Vee said...

Holy crap that's an awesome idea! i'm going to give them as valentine's day gift and they are so cute that no one will realize that they are FREE!!! I'm so thankful that you shared!

Sunshine said...

Clever! Thank you.

Anonymous said...

So cute and reusing something so it doesn't get trashed...How very environmental of you!

Unknown said...

I used to do something like this growing up! Except I used wallpaper samples...you know when wallpaper was all the rage :P

Jessica Jones said...

Hey, wallpaper is making a come back! Get ready!

Content in a Cottage said...

Fabulous idea!

♥Rosemary

TranquilityKnots said...

That's a great idea. I actually have lots of them in my house. I used the bigger ones for scrapbooking or carkmaking. They are very colorful, you can write or stamp on it and stick it to you pages or cards with double sided tape. They look great!

Anonymous said...

Great idea! Love checking out your Blog Daily.

Randi~Dukes and Duchesses said...

I love paint swatches and the bookmarks are great. I've used paint swatches to make birthday cards as well ... they're perfect for anything.

Kelly said...

i'm so glad i'm not the only one that uses kleenex for a bookmark...

June said...

I like this idea! I've got some of my own to do something with!

Anonymous said...

True confession: When I was in elementary school, before I knew I would become a graphic designer, I would walk around the corner to the hardware store and browse the paint chip collection. Then take my favorites home. After I become a designer I couldn't believe that my ole paint chips became a PMS book...happy day! I can't wait to make these!

Anonymous said...

p.s. If you are an illustrator--which I'm not--you can even draw (doodle?) on your paint chip bookmarks:

http://deefarnsworth.blogspot.com/2006/11/drawings.html

very inspirational!

Anonymous said...

That is so cool! I have been using paint strips in scrapbooking pages, chopped them up to make affordable algebra tiles for hubby's students in an innercity math class, but darn this is just fun!

Rebecca said...

SO cute!

Anonymous said...

Sigh. You had me at 'rounded corners'.

These are ingeniously simple, or maybe simply ingenious. Either way, such a cool, clever idea. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

With all of the paint chips that I have, this is a great idea! What a way to re-purpose. This is also a nice gift for that someone who needs a little encouragement to paint!

Anonymous said...

We painted our guest room orange last year -- we even used one of the colors you have displayed! We did the whole room in Orange Burst, which we renamed Expletive Orange, and put stripes on one wall with a redder orange -- Maybe Vienna Sunset or something like that? Sounds gawd awful but looks wonderful!

Laura Kirste Campbell said...

Clever and colorful! The perfect personal touch would be adding a cute stamp design (in orange ink of course)!

I just released my newest stamp designs! Please come visit, and stop by my blog where I'm sharing one Valentine each day until Valentine's Day!I may even have an orange one!

Have a citrus colored day!

dee said...

That's an adorable idea. Love it. You could even make a mobile out of them, as well! I'm excited to see photos of the finished room.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant. I'm loving it.

Teresa @ good-grace said...

THESE are so CUTE!

Kay said...

Clever. I was going to jump on you for being one of those people who help themselves to paint chips for craft projects, without thinking that
SOMEONE pays for them (later customers probably in the form of higher prices). But you're not one;instead you made good use of something otherwise wasted.
good for you.

Mary said...

You're so funny but I really like your idea for these paint chip papers. Could also stamp words on them glue embellishments on them.. think of all the possibilities. This is so me I luv it.

Anonymous said...

which paint color did you choose?

Jessica Jones said...

Poppy Glow. I'll do a blog post about it soon!

paint color guy said...

I love those color combination you have.. Very nice idea.

Krissi said...

FAB-U-LOUS idea!

Kateri said...

Love your bookmarks. I hope you don't mind but I did a post of your book mark ideas on my blog
http://www.bearbahoochie.co.uk/2011/01/04/bookmark-inspirations/

dm designs said...

:) Hello! I just featured your lovely bookmarks in my latest blog post :)
http://danimariedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-to-do-with-paint-chips.html

Jenna, SAS Interiors said...

I know this post was written awhile back, but I'm so glad to have found it. How creative!!! I always have a slew of paint chips laying around and never want to throw them away. I just featured this project and another from your blog. Check it out ~ http://www.sasinteriors.net/2011/04/paint-chips/

~Jenna, SAS Interiors

liannallama said...

clever and cute! thanks for the idea!

pink and green mama MaryLea said...

Love it and I usually have a square of toilet paper folded in half or one of those pull out magazine post cards as my book mark -- this is much prettier and right up my alley!! Thanks for sharing, planning to make some today! : )

Boni Lady said...

Just read this... lots of great ideas running through my brain now! Thanks for sharing- I linked your post in my blog for today:
www.bonibunch.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Beautiful ideass... :)