Cookbook Scrapbook

A reader recently emailed me about the cookbook scrapbook in this post.

She wanted to make a family heirloom of her own, so I decided that I would give some tips on how to make one of your own, citing examples from the one my mother-in-law gave to me.

All recipes have been blocked out. Some are family recipes, and I can't give those out!

Asian Dishes

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This is a recipe for Oriental Braised Chicken and Vegetables.

This one features:

-Chinese (or Japanese?) lettering for the background.

-A bowl and chopsticks for an accent

(When I say "accents," these are things that you can either print from Photoshop, find clipart online, or you can buy the little do-dads from scrapbooking/hobby stores.)

The recipe is printed out, layed on another black piece of paper to create a border, pasted onto the cardstock, with the accent on the top.

Other ways to get the look:

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-rice paper for the background.

-Chinese lettering for accents.

-fade a picture of The Great Wall of China and put your recipe right on top of the picture.

-Chinese dragon clipart accent.

Mexican Recipes

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The next recipe is for Chicken Enchilada Dip.

This one features:

-2 pieces of cardstock. 1 is bright, colored Mexican-themed. The other is a yellow to match.

-Clipart accents of a sobrero, maracas, and afghan.

The background is creating my pasting the skinnier, brighter cardstock on top (all the way to the left) of the yellow cardstock. The recipe is hand-written on a notecard and pasted on the background. Then the accent is layered on top.

This next recipe is for Taco Dip.

This one features:

-Brightly colored cardstock.

-Sticker accents of a sombrero, maracas, pepper, and a Spanish phrase

The recipe is, again, hand-written. The notecard is then placed on yellow cardstock to make a frame, then pasted to the background cardstock. The accents are scattered around the page.

Breakfast Recipes

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This is a recipe for Oven Denver Omelets.

This one features:

-a distressed-looking background cardstock.

-Chicken accents

-a cute card to print the recipe on.

The recipe is printed on the adorable blank card. That is pasted on the background cardstock, and the sticker chicken accents are scattered across the page (chickens....well....because they make the eggs for the recipe, hehe)

Other ways to get the look:

-omelet clipart

-clipart of eggs

-any country themed background cardstock

-oven accent

This next recipe is for Blueberry Brunch Cake.

This one features:

-Blue background cardstock.

-colorful ribbons of paper

-heart accents

-coffee accents

-blueberry accent

This one is one of my favorites of the book. She used that adorable blank card again. The recipe is printed out. Notice that she included who's kitchen this recipe came out of! The border of the recipe card is mimicked on the background. She made ribbons (cutting different widths!) out of the colored paper. She layed them on top of each other (obviously with the widest on the bottom and the skinniest on top). Then (I believe...) she used a paper puncher or a Cricut to make all the hearts, pasting them around the colored ribbon. Then she scattered the accents across the page.

Thanksgiving Recipe

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This is a recipe for Bread Stuffing.

This one features:

-Fall-themed cardstock

-turkey accent (this is an actual scrapbook do-dad, not clipart)

The recipe is printed out in the same color that would be used for the frame. The recipe is then pasted onto the frame, then on to the cardstock. The turkey is then pressed below the recipe.

Fairly simple, right?

Other ways to get the look:

-live turkey accents

-any fall colored cardstock (brown, orange, yellow, etc.)

Christmas Recipes

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This is a recipe for Sugar Cookies. This does NOT have to be Chrismas themed, as sugar cookies aren't only a Christmas thing. Use your imagination and do it however you please!

This one features:

-gingham cardstock with a ribbon accent already printed on it.

-a pre-made recipe card

-red cardstock for the frame

This one's pretty self-explanitory.

This is a recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls. Again, this doesn't have to be Christmas-themed. It's just that most people make these fun treats during Christmas.

This one features:

-a pre-made recipe card

-Christmas accents made from a Cricut. (the layering technique on it)

-both red and green cardstock for the frame.

-Winter-themed background cardstock

Paste the pre-made recipe card onto the smaller red cardstock, then paste that on the larger green cardstock to make the frame. Paste all of this on your background cardstock, then add your Cricut accents.

Other Fun Ideas to Use in Your Scrapbook:

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-Make the recipe, take a picture of it, print it out, then paste that in your scrapbook like the commercially printed cookbooks do. That way people know what it's supposed to look like.

-Paste in a picture of the person who originally created the recipe.

Hope this helps everyone to create their own family heirloom!