How to Make a Family Recipe Scrapbook

Family recipes are more than just Grandmother's Delicious Pecan Pie or Aunt Susan's Lasagna. Family meals are important and family recipes are part of a heritage that links one generation to the next. Rather than just write the recipes on a white index card and stick them in a box, turn them into an heirloom by making a Family Recipe Scrapbook. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scrapbook album
• Self-adhesive photo corners
• Cardstock
• Scrapbook basics: scissors, ruler, archival-quality pens, adhesive, stamps, stickers or ribbons
• Family recipes
• Family photos

How to Make a Family Recipe Scrapbook

1. Write a story about the recipe on a 3 1/2 inch by 4 1/4 inch piece of cardstock. Adhere it to another piece of 3 3/4 inch by 4 1/2 inch cardstock. This creates the recipe pocket.

2. Adhere the bottom and sides of the recipe pocket to the page in the scrapbook page, leaving the top open. Write the recipe on a 3 inch by 4 inch piece of cardstock and insert it into the pocket.

3. Measure the picture of the cook who gave you the recipe and stick self-adhesive photo corners to fit the dimensions onto the scrapbook page. Put the picture into the photo corners. Using a pen, write the cook's name under the picture.

4. Write the name of the recipe and cook at the top of the page. Adhere small bits of ribbon or stickers to the upper edge of the recipe pocket. Finish decorating the page to your taste.

5. After all the recipe pages are done, decide how you want to separate the recipes. You can use the traditional cookbook method of sorting by food items, such as salads, soups, main dishes or desserts. Or sort them according to the family member, using creative titles, such as Grandma Jean's Gems or Aunt Kay's Creations. Make a title page for each section.

6. Put all the pages into the scrapbook. Create a Table of Contents of the recipes and put this page in the front of the book. Decorate the outside of the scrapbook album.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a special touch by having the recipe in the cook's own handwriting. Give them the recipe card and the archival-quality pen and ask them to write out the recipe.
• This is a wonderful gift to give to the new bride in the family. The combination of family history and recipes will help to make her feel like part of the family.