January 5, 2016

The recipe project..

For Christmas, I gave my girls a recipe box filled with blank recipe cards.  The wood recipe boxes are from One Canoe Two.  
 I purchased sets of recipe cards from Rifle Paper Company.  Great quality here and I love the designs.
 I purchased recipe box dividers and more recipe cards from One Canoe Two. More whimsical designs and great quality. I was lucky enough to purchase the recipe boxes and all of the recipe cards at 50% off during the Cyber Monday sale after Thanksgiving.
 My goal is to actually keep the recipe boxes with me until my girls move out and start cooking on their own.  I'm making an ongoing list of recipes that I want to hand write on the recipe cards and add to the recipe boxes.  I'm starting first with family favorites.  Some recipes may end up actually photocopied or printed and added to a three ring notebook. I'm using my Get To Work Book to keep track of everything.
 Then one by one I'm hand writing out some recipes X 2.  Then I place a recipe into each box.
 One of my girls is a good cook and could actually survive on her on by cooking her own meals.  One of my girls would love for Mom to cook for her forever and would probably live on take out food.  Both are always willing to give me a hand in the kitchen though and along with their dad, we sometimes bake or cook up something special together.  They're both excellent dish washers, their dad, not so much.
My hopes is to keep the hand written recipe card a "thing".  It's so easy just to grab a recipe off of Pinterest and never print it out.  I want our tried and true family recipes to be kept alive and passed down for generations.  On each hand written card, I always write who the original recipe came from or where I first tried it.  I also add serving tips and tricks to the backs of the recipe cards.  Some day the girls will have a treasured gift.  They may not think much of it now or have much of a use for it, but I know one day they'll love this gift even more.

Note:  If you have a source for printed recipe cards (not printables), I'd love to hear from you. Please leave your comments at the end of this post.

21 comments:

richardbreaks said...

That's a wonderful idea and gift. You might also cook as many as possible with the girls, so they both know how to make it, and to have the memory of making the dish with you as they go back to it.

Jamie said...

What a wonderful idea! I'm doing something similar for my daughter (but she's only 3!). I sent each of her great grandmothers and grandmothers recipe cards to write their best recipes on and I've complied them all in our family safe. They'll stay there until wedding/college grad, etc. That way she'll have those hand writen memories from her grandmothers even if they aren't with us anymore.

Lori Craig said...

Beautiful project, Mish!

Chris said...

when my grandmother died, her recipe box was the one thing i HAD to have. and i got it and i guard it with my life. your girls will too.

Unknown said...

I'm working on a similar project for my three kids. Our oldest is getting married in June so the push is on to finish up so I can give it as a bridal shower gift. Mine will be a mixture of handwritten, copied and typed recipes. I have original cards written by my mom and my grandmothers and I'm okay with copying those so my kids have the cards in the original handwriting. My recipes will be a mix of typed and hand-written cards. I really struggled with this at the beginning but as I looked through my recipe box, I realized mine are a mixture so I decided that as long as at least some of mine were hand-written, I was okay with that solution. I hope your girls will treasure their gifts always. I know how precious the one my mom made is to me. I lost her 12 years ago but her precious gift lives on. Happy New Year!

Pam said...

On my treasure hunts at our Flea Market, I always check the recipe boxes for recipes. Sadly, many vendors tell me they were thrown away. I love this idea and was surprised when my 9 year old granddaughter asked me for a copy of a recipe during her visit over Christmas. I think I'll follow your lead and make a collection for her this year.

Mindy said...

What an awesome gift! They will love this.

noricoleman.typepad.com said...

I have the same mission with my 3 girls. I just got the Mambi recipe planner to start keeping my recipes in! Now I will be on the hunt for some nice boxes and cards. I had a cute one a while back but gave it to Goodwill not thinking it through. Oh well, now I have a plan! thanks for sharing yours!

Katie Skiff said...

What a fun idea. I know my aunt just started this for her grand daughters. But I think I will.do this for my boys too. Who knows if or when they will find a cooking woman. lol.

Denise E said...

Love this idea! I have 2 boys, so I'm thinking of doing something similar as a wedding gift someday for their wives! Thanks for sharing! :)

selina.mcginn said...

What a great idea. Thanks for sharing your story.

robinann17 said...

Oh, my goodness! I love your idea and you are so wise to work on it through the years. I loved reading the comments, especially the ones about asking grandmothers to write out their favorite recipes also. I agree that sons ought to have recipe boxes too. My grown son enjoys cooking and baking, I think, even more than his wife. You are such an awesome mom to your children, blending your passion for creativity and artistic ways with your parenting skills. I do so enjoy reading your blog postings. Thanks so much for sharing!

bluebird said...

What a great idea and gift! Your kids will love this so much as they get older! Handwritten notes/recipes are a treasure!

Unknown said...

Such a wonderful gift for your girls.....

Jo Williams Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator said...

What a great idea and beautiful keepsake this is going to be for those girls! You are leaving them with such a treasured keepsake.... it will probably end up being one of the MOST valuable and touching keepsakes as they are grown woman with their own families. I think you taking the time to fill up their boxes with some of their favorite family recipes, is such a great way to show love .... and they will look back some day and be so very appreciative of it! Great to share this with us all Michelle!
Happy New Year!
Hugs,
Jo
xox

Jen said...

This is a great idea and will be a cherished gift in the years to come! I especially like the idea of cooking the dishes with them so they will have that memory, too.

I asked for recipes at my bridal shower and still have my favorite ones. Back in that day, they were mostly 3x5 cards, and those have now gotten harder to find.

katwell321 said...

I love this project! I made a family recipe album for my daughter as a shower gift & included photos along with the recipes. She treasures it especially since some family members are no longer with us. Just having it written in their own handwriting makes it truly special. Now I am making one for my future daughter-in-law. I love the boxes & cards you found - thank you for sharing!

AOK said...

What a wonderful post Michelle. Thank you for the inspiration and idea. My son is getting ready to leave home in a couple of months. I will get cracking on creating something similar for him. Your daughters will love and treasure your gifts. Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy 2016.

Unknown said...

I love this idea. When my mom passed away the thing I treasure most to this day is her hand writing on recipe cards. It is priceless to me.
I must say I love the complete eye candy of all these pretty recipe cards. I need to put a few of these cards on my wish list.
Loving your blog posts. I check in everyday to see what you are into.
Diana F.

Nessa's Crafty Place said...

What a lovely idea,and a fabulous way to make sure those much loved family recipies continue,you made beautiful gifts :)
Nessa xxx

katrynka said...

Such a great resource, and keepsake combined!!

I'm hoping you will do more posts about how you are using your Get to work book! I had never heard of it until you mentioned it in this post. I have not used a physical planner in MANY years, and I have never done resolutions, but I did decide to do goals this year. When I went to look it up out of curiousity, it seemed like the perfect book for that, so I'm going to give it a try. I'm eagerly awaiting its arrival!!

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