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How to Preserve your Handwritten Family Recipe Cards

Today while looking a book I remembered a project I did for my Mom a couple of years ago…I thought someone might like the idea so I dug up the photos to share. I can’t believe I forgot about this, since it is one of my favorite projects I’ve ever done.
 

I come from a long line of fabulous cooks. My mom, her mom and her aunt (I’m sure it goes even further back than that.) After my Grandma passed away, my Mom got all of her hand written recipe cards. I was visiting a few years ago and noticed them all stuck in a box. I thought that they should be put somewhere safe. I knew that Mom still wanted to use the recipes.

They are wonderful recipes… for awesome “lost things” like Hot Milk cake or Batter Cake.. all those wonderful treats that our grandmothers used to make us, but have since gotten lost in all of our “new fangled” conveniences at the grocery store.
 
I put together a scrapbook/recipe book for my Mom. I used all CTMH supplies (you can order from me if you want anything)…. I started with a 12×12 album.
 
I was ecstatic to realize the recipe cards were 4×6 so I placed them in the divided sheet protectors (you can get 12 4×6 recipe cards in each sheet- or 6 if they are written on both sides). That way they are safe from spills. I also put a protective cover on the scrapbook.
 

For the cover I printed an old photo of my Mom and her 2 sisters on sticky linen. Then just stuck it to the front of the album.

 

To keep things simple, I used 1 paper line from CTMH… along with the recipe card kit that matched. (it came with tabs too- how cool!)

To make a connection to the past – I included a few of mine and my sisters favorite recipes, that I begrudgingly took the time to hand write- someday I’m sure it will be appreciated.

I organized it by, Soups, Desserts, Main dishes etc… I interspersed the “new” recipes with Grandma’s.


For a few recipes, I cut up the page protector to make a “flip” out sleeve– this was for the recipe cards that were written on both the front and back of the card.

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12 Comments

  1. Oh I love it!! I have been wanting to do something like this for years now!! Yours turned out so great!
    Thanks for sharing.

  2. What a great idea and perfect timing too! I’m getting into Christmas present mode and trying to come up with fun ideas and this is great!! THANK YOU!

  3. I really love this idea. I have always thought of scrapbooking and cooking as kinds of arts. Why not combine the two. Great idea!

  4. I love this idea. My most favorite memories of my grandmother revolve around her kitchen. Her cook book is going to be a treasured gem if I can get my hands on it!

  5. What a great treasure! I am inspired to do the same with my grandmothers recipes… that is if I can pry my brothers hands off of them!! ha You see he is the “cook” of the family!

  6. I love this post on preserving family recipes. I recently lost my mom about a year ago and she too was a fabulous cook and she was so passionate about fixing great meals for her family and friends. My dad, at 82 has been living in their house until last weekend when there was a terrible house fire.. no one hurt but house badly damaged. My sister and I were panicked until we got to house wanting to grab my mom’s handwritten recipes. Most were able to be saved. I really want to preserve them and love your album idea. My sister and I are going to share with Earth other the many recipes but wanted to see if you would tell me of the brand of album and page protectors you used that I could purchase, I love to scrapbook but don’t have a ton of time. Just wanted to see where I can get supplies.
    Thanks again for your post,.
    Jennifer

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