Marking books

Suggested by Tammy:What items have you ever used as a bookmark? What is the most unusual item you’ve ever used or seen used?

I have never in my life purchased a bookmark, although I enjoy using the bookmarks provided by bookstores. In fact they take on a certain character for me from having been associated with a particular kind of reading experience and then I end up having a sort-of magical thinking in when I am going to use that bookmark next, as though it might confer upon the next book the former reading experience. I guess I take the word kind of literally, as though whatever is used truly 'marks' that book rather than merely holding my place. But I have also used theatre and opera ticket stubs, boarding passes, plane and train tickets, old metro cards, Amsterdam tram tickets, London Tube tickets, dry cleaning bills, restaurant bills, receipts (for the book itself and for other things), envelopes both with and without their contents, shopping lists, coupons, utility bills, postcards, business cards, ribbon, wedding invitations, benefit invitations, recipes, newspaper clippings, old phone messages - I was quite surprised in re-reading a book a few years ago to see my father's handwriting (he's been dead for many years) on a phone message he took for me 25 years ago! My grandfather, who had a terrific library, tended to use old postcards and birthday cards from friends and relatives and enjoyed finding them when re opening old books, which brings me to the second part of the question - the most unusual bookmark I have ever seen used. That would have been one my grandfather used. When I inherited portions of his library and decided to read one of his books, I was surprised to discover my own mother's birth announcement had been his bookmark!