Have you made yourself a recipe box scrapbook yet?
I shared this idea a few years back when I made one for our Adriatic cruise.
That cruise went to some of the most beautiful ports I’ve seen; Venice, Ravenna, Kotor, Split and Valletta. If you’re considering a European cruise, I highly recommend looking for one that visits those ports of call.
But, I digress. This isn’t supposed to be a travel post. This is a post about a makeover for this recipe box.
I found it the last time I went thrifting with my friend Sue. It’s a nice, big one which would make it perfect for photos.
After sanding the box down, I painted it with one coat of Dixie Belle’s Sea Glass. Once that first coat was dry, I blended more Sea Glass with some of DB’s Juniper around the edges (FYI, I believe Juniper is no longer available, it was a seasonal color back in 2021).
I’m still practicing my blending skills, I do like the way a little blending adds some depth to a piece.
Once painted I added some I.O.D. transfers from the Brocante and Label Ephemera sets.
The floral and the butterfly are from Brocante, the wording is of course from Label Ephemera.
I didn’t paint the inside of the box, but I did line it with some scrapbook paper.
Unfortunately, the previous owner of this box had defaced most of the alphabet index cards.
I have only A thru J in their original state.
The tabs for the rest of the alphabet have been obscured with white out.
Still, someone creative could work with those cards. Especially if they happen to have any of the October Afternoon word stickers. They all have index tabs on them, like the “Family History” one below.
You can still find some of the word stickers on Etsy, but October Afternoon has been out of business for several years.
I decided to go ahead and paint over the white with some of Dixie Belle’s Mint Julep to make it a little less obvious.
I used my cute little Savoy camera to stage these photos.
This is one of the few items I’ve ever purchased at a legit antique shop. It was $30, but I fell in love with the colors, which happen to work beautifully with the colors in the October Afternoon supplies I’ve used on my index cards.
You might be thinking that I plan to save this one for myself, but actually I am going to sell it (without the photos). If I do eventually decide to make one for my old family photos, I’ll likely theme the outside to something more ‘family like’. But it was fun to break out the scrapbook supplies and show you what you could do with this box.
So tell me, have I encouraged you to create your own recipe box scrapbook yet?
q is for quandie 
I might be one of the few people who still loves scrapbooking, and I love this idea!
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Keep you eyes peeled at garage sales or thrift shops for an old recipe box that you can turn into a scrapbook!
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Yes you have!! We just went to San Diego and I’m on the lookout for a recipe box. I love this idea, especially since I can display it on a shelf as decor.
Thank you for the idea!
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I also like that they look pretty on a shelf, hope you find a good recipe box to use!
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You absolutely have inspired me!!! I am just diving into the junk journaling rabbit hole so repurposing an old recipe box with family photos or ephemera must be added to my list of projects. You can be sure my eyes will be searching for one of these boxes at the Vintage Fair I am attending on Friday. Once again thanks for the inspiration and ideas!
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One of these would be perfect for junk journaling! Hope you find a good one 🙂
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The box is lovely! I really like the idea of a themed box for photos and other memorabilia. The possibilities are endless, a vacation, a child’s school years, family gatherings, a garden box instead of a journal. It could even be a recipe box filled with family recipes as a gift.
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Absolutely! I plan to create one using my mom’s favorite recipes … although she isn’t willing to part with them just yet 😉
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Yes, you have definitely inspired me 😉 I have the exact recipe box and now know what to do with it. I would love to see your more “family” one too. Have a great week😊
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That’s awesome, have fun with that project Julie!
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I’m headed on a Mediterranean cruise this summer…..so I’ll be on the lookout supplies to create my travel box. Such a clever idea. Thanks again Linda!
Smiles, alice
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Lucky you! I bet you’re really looking forward to that trip 🙂
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I now can’t wait to find a box and start to jump right in. Thank You for the sharing your ideas All are much appreciated.
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You always inspire me. I love everything you do. Valerie
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Such a fun idea!
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