The simple joy of a bookmark
And a video tour of my growing collection
Hello, I’m Molly, a full time creative based in the Scottish Highlands. Subscribers can enjoy weekly posts around the themes of slow living, thriving in a creative career, books & nature. Members get access to ALL my work, including video tea times, slow letters and seasonal book reviews.
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As a child, I loved to collect things.
I didn’t consider my bedroom complete until every surface was covered in an eclectic mix of items. Magnets became a bit of an obsession of mine. I’d seek them out in any gift shop we entered and loved to collect them as mementos whenever we went on a family holiday.
I proudly displayed my magnets on a large purple board, that I’d prop against the window in my bedroom. The rest of the windowsill was scattered with gemstones, various nick knacks I’d pick up from our local charity shops (usually depicting an animal) and an ever changing collection of nature finds, that I’d replace every few weeks when they became too dusty (which was often as I never dusted).
Although the thought of having so much stuff in my space is abhorrent to me now (especially as I still hate dusting), there was a sense of fun in collecting these items that I felt was lacking in my adult life.
Happily, I’ve found an outlet for this inner collector. Bookmarks.
My bookmark collection begun quite naturally as I only read physical books, often more than one at a time, so needed something to mark my place.
Admittedly, my collection has now grown beyond what is strictly ‘necessary’ (even I don’t read 10+ books at once!), but I find that this is an area of my life that I’m happy to relax the rules. And I’ll tell you why…
Why I love bookmarks
They avoid damaging books. I will admit that, in a past life, I have been known to dog-ear the odd page, but no more! Books are precious and utilising a proper mark feels like I’m giving a title the respect it deserves. Plus, many of my books come from my local library, a service I’m deeply reliant on, and would never want to mar my reputation by being an unconscientious borrower!
They are small. Bookmarks are very easy to store, which is especially important as I live in a tiny home. I currently store my collection in the basket beside my bed, which houses the books I’m in the process of reading, although I am tempted to treat myself to a dedicated bookmark holder, as there are some lovely ones on Etsy….
They serve as mementos. Like the magnets from my childhood, I pick up many of my bookmarks when I visit a new place. This makes them extra special as they trigger fond memories. The fact that this gives me the opportunity to support a small business is a bonus.
They are the perfect gift. Living in such a small space and being quite a particular person when it comes to my possessions means that, admittedly, I’m a bit of a nightmare to shop for. However, I will always gratefully receive a new bookmark, and I like to gift bookmarks to friends and family, alongside second-hand books I think they will enjoy. (I recently had a go of making my own bookmarks to gift, which I showed in this vlog).
They beautify my space. I don’t have any nick knacks in my home, so I instead choose aesthetically pleasing functional items to add a bit of character to our space. In the kitchen, this is primarily my beloved handmade mugs, the living space hosts our bookshelves (where I display my most beautiful books) and my bookmark collection brightens up the bedroom. A much more affordable art collection.
They offer the perfect companion to my books. Whenever I start a new read, I love to select an appropriate bookmark to accompany it. Having a range of styles means that I generally have something that will fit the theme of the book, and this small ritual adds an extra thrill to my reading.
I make all my Monday posts free to read, but you can now support my work by buying my a coffee, or perhaps a new bookmark! As a full time creative, your support makes all the difference 💚
My bookmark collection
Now I’ve whetted your appetite, I’m sure you’re dying to see my collection, so I’ve made a wee video for you…
Until next week,
Molly xx
More bookish content from me
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So lovely! Thanks for sharing, Molly! I use postcards as bookmarks, and they tell stories of places I've been, of people who gave them to me and of time because some I've kept for over 20 years. I agree, picking the perfect bookmark to accompany the next book I'm going to read, is a beloved ritual. 😊
We live in interesting times, by the way. When I recently titled a blog post "What My Bookmarks Tell About My Life", someone's first association were bookmarks on the internet. You can't blame them, can you? So good to see that there still are other people out there who use and love actual bookmarks in actual books. 🥰 Happy reading everyone! 📚
I love a good bookmark and I'm very jealous of your collection! My dog recently chewed up one of my favourite bookmarks (a gift from my husband) so I think this is my sign to treat myself to a new one...