Friday, May 25, 2012

Bookmarks: What's in YOUR Book?


bookmark |ˈboŏkˌmärk| 
   noun 
   a strip of leather, cardboard, or other material, used to mark one's place in a book.*

*definition from the Oxford American Dictionaries widget. 

I have never used a strip of leather or cardboard to mark my place in a book, but I have, however, used a very wide assortment of "other material."

I've been reading Cold Magic by Kate Elliot over the last few days for this month's book club and I've been using the receipt I found inside as a bookmark. Probably a very commonly used bookmark. This particular receipt is rather special because it's not MY receipt. I received this copy of Cold Magic as a hand-me-down from nath [Thanks, nath! :))], so it's actually HER receipt I found inside the book... so I think of her every time I mark my page. The cherry on top? The receipt is in French! Ooo la la *love*

I started thinking about the random little things I use as bookmarks. I very, very rarely use an actual bookmark. If I do, it's usually an author's bookmark that was given to me by the author at a signing or in a mailing. I do use a pretty beaded ribbon "book thong" now and then to mark my page, but usually I'm using some totally random bits of paper--usually whatever is nearby on my bedroom nightstand, family room coffee table, desk, etc. when I need to mark my page. More recent items I've used are receipts, gum wrapper, cough drop wrapper, business card, clothing tag, a dollar bill, a torn scrap of paper, etc. I've even used the little paper you pull off the adhesive part of a panty liner. Weird! O_0 Good thing I do most of my reading at home.. that would be a little embarrassing!

What kinds of things have you used as bookmarks?


If you do all your reading on an e-reader these days, do you miss traditional bookmarks?

19 comments:

  1. I have a stack of actual bookmarks I use. Hubby tends to use the strip of paper that comes with our holds as a bookmark. I've used receipts in the past.

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    1. You use bookmarks! I'm so impressed. ;)

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  2. Just the other day, while I was cleaning out my horribly messy room, a nice crisp $5 bill fell out. >_<

    I've used cardboard, tissue, receipts, clothe tags, post-its, small torn pieces of paper, sometimes bookmarks, cards, candy/gum wrappers.

    Still don't have an e-reader. XP

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  3. Well, I use all type of bookmarks - whatever is handy for the most part, but I do have some lovely hand.made bookmarks that fellow blogger Steph (of Stepping Out of the Page) gave to me, anad they are adorable. :D

    Otherwise, I dog ear pages :D

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  4. I'm a collector of bookmarks. I have a stack of them from authors that I use. Plus I have a glass full of bookmarks I've picked up from Barnes & Noble.

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  5. I mainly used a hotel key card as my bookmark when I don't use the ones from authors.

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  6. Like Linda's Hubby, I often use the slip of paper that comes in books from the Hold shelf.

    At the moment I am using the index card for a book on mathematics that was withdrawn from my library's catalogue about 20 years ago. I have no idea how the card was still in the building as everything was computerized quite a while ago, but it is nice that it survived somehow. :)

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  7. I have a collection of paper bookmarks that came with books. If they aren't handy when I start a book I usually just use a small piece of paper, but I have used business cards and playing cards before.

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  8. Oh my. How much time do you have? I have a handful of author bookmarks I've managed to pick up over time. I also have a collection of quilt-related bookmarks from quilt shows or quilt artists. I also have a few souvenir bookmarks from various tourist stops such as Multnomah Falls and the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Then there are the fabric ones I've made. Want one?

    As for my Kindle, one of the best things is the way it remembers where you left off and when I'm connected to WiFi I can switch over to my smartphone and it picks right up from that point. Too cool.

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  9. I have never used a strip of leather or cardboard to mark my place in a book, but I have, however, used a very wide assortment of "other materials".

    On the other hand, I always used bits of cardboard. The library often have cardboard bookmarks so I have quite a few of those. And I used to have some leather ones. And...I have a lovely one of beads strung on tapestry silk sent to me by a lovely person *beams*

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  10. I like using blank paper, usually scrap that I've cut from something I've printed or the bottom part of bills where it's blank. I need it blank to take notes when reading otherwise any thin piece of paper would do. Often I'll reuse it for the next book if the notes are only on one side. So in a way I use recycled bookmarks. :)

    The nice thing about taking notes on my nook and kindle is that I don't have to hunt for a pen. :)

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  11. Hello Christine!
    Well, I have a small bag full of bookmarks, from books, from bookstores, from advertising...
    Then I have two with pictures of angels that a teacher once offered me - because I always loved reading.. - I have two gorgeous ones, a birthday gift, in velvet, awesome, but I don't use them because I don't want to ruin them. I have many, but usually only use 4.
    One of them is a little bigger than a paperback so it fits the bigger books better, it's also a gift, it has an image of a bridge in Prague.
    Then I have one from book depository, an old one, with just bookdepository.com written in it, but it's in a creamy color and I like it.
    Then there's one with monkeys, I usually use it to books I don't really want to read but I have to - like suspicious books from book clubs lol.
    Finally I have my favorite, it came with one book once, it's from penguin, on one side it says "Go on, just one more page". I love it. Not that I need incentives ah ah
    But I also used ATM card receipts, post its, a piece of cut paper from something else...many things. But those 4 bookmarks are my favorites. The more I like a book the more willing I am to use a bookmark I prefer.
    Kiss!

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  12. I used to use whatever was handy. I'm one of those e-reader only ones, and I do miss bookmarks. I still have my collection and I usually made some of my own (laminate kids pics, quotes, etc).

    Lili LOVES the one you gave her (and it is her go to), we have it put away mostly, as she's reading mostly on her e-reader now.

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  13. Ohhh lol! This is great... I have many beautiful bookmarks -- some are gifts from family and friends and others are from author/book related.

    My favorite bookmarks are: one I received from author Gavin Atlas with a picture of the book cover used for his book The Boy Can't Help It. I placed that bookmark inside a plastic sheath and use it solely when I read LGBT print books. The other bookmark I use often is one I received as a gift from KMont from Lurv a la Mode -- the bookmark is her website's banner -- and I use for all of my Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and UF reads.

    BUT, I do the same thing you do... I use whatever is handy at the time. Receipts, tags, menus, napkins, whatever! I tend to leave my other bookmarks inside the books I've already read, so I lose them in my shelves and then can't find them when I need them... sometimes I go through my books and clean them all out, use them for a bit, and lose them again! It's a vicious circle. :D

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  14. My library prints out paper receipts for our "check out" and I use those. I've also used a post it note, a couple of promo bookmarks, a shepherds hook bookmark, a gum wrapper (it was Son's and nearby and handy). I've used bills, I've used a strip of paper I tore from another piece of paper. But, I must admit, when I can't lay my hands on something right then? I am a bad person and fold the corner. Just a tiny fold, but a fold nonetheless.

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  15. I use all sorts of random things as well for bookmarks (although I can't say that I've thought to use a pantyliner paper. LOL!) And you're reading Cold Magic??? I can't wait to hear what you think of it! I read it last year and really enjoyed it :)

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  16. Sorry for taking FOREVER to reply to your lovely comments, everyone. What a week! I don't know how all of you keep up with everything so well. I feel like I'm always so behind in EVERYTHING. Except maybe the laundry.. oh no, wait! That too.. I just remembered there are two loads of clean laundry dumped on my bed that need folding and putting away before I can climb into bed. Sheesh.

    I loved reading all of your comments to my bookmark inquiry. How fun to hear what you use to mark your pages in a book.

    I also forgot to mention in my post that I have a couple of homemade bookmarks made by Jace which I love. I actually don't use them because I want to keep them in mint condition.. but I have them tucked into books that are in the glass case of my secretary desk so that I can see them and think of Jace when I do. :)

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  17. little_alys... Awesome finding that $5 bill bookmark! My library recently started lending out color nooks ... maybe yours does, too?

    Alex.. You dog ear pages?! GASP! just kidding.. they're your books, so why not? It bugs me when people do it to library books, though because it distracts me when I'm reading.

    Anna.. Ah, the author promo you must have! I like the idea of a glass to hold your bookmarks. I should do that too and keep it on my bookshelf. It probably looks nice, too.

    Dru... I guess you mostly e-read now so you don't need bookmarks.

    Sue CCCP... Oh cool! I love finding things like that. You should keep that card--it's such a rare find these days and would make a great keepsake over the years. Good conversation piece. :)

    Sarah... I like the idea of playing cards. What a great way to recycle and incomplete deck, right? I'm going to claim the queen of hearts first. :)

    Phyl... I've been to Multnomah Falls too!!! I forgot I have some bookmarks from places to where I've traveled. I should really gather them all together and store them in one spot--like in a fancy glass jar or bowl like Anna does. I would LOVE a fabric bookmark! I will send you a beaded book thong in exchange! xo

    I love that Kindle feature, too! It works in the app as well. iBooks does the same thing between my iphone and ipad. Love it.

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  18. orannia... Wow! Cardboard AND leather. You've got the bookmark thing nailed! lol ;) Aww.. I'm glad you like the beaded bookmark. xo

    Leslie ... A note taker! I guess that's what good book reviewers do. I'm lucky if I remember to make note of the page number for a memorable scene or quote.

    S. ... WOW! What an extensive collection of bookmarks--so impressive! I love how you have different reasons for using different bookmarks. You've got it down to a science. "Go on, just one more page." Love it!

    Mariana... Laminated kid pics! Those are special.
    I'm glad Lili enjoys the one I made her. :)

    Hilcia... What fun to read all about your bookmarks! I like finding a bookmark in a book I've read some time ago and then reusing it for awhile afterwards, too. It's like revisiting time spent with a friend and then making new memories again.

    Brandy.. I wish my library printed those check out receipts, too! All of the other libraries in my area do that.. but not mine! It sure would help me remember the due dates and which books I had out at the time... AND it would be a handy bookmark!

    samantha.1020 ... Yeah.. the pantyliner paper is pretty unique, I bet. It was on my nightstand, what can I say? ; )

    I finsihed Cold Magic and really enjoyed it. I need to pick up Cold Fire from the bookstore--none of my local libraries have it. None!

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