Little Miss Crafty Pants: Altered Recipe Box

As many of you know, I LOVE to cook. It seems appropriate for me to find a cute craft that is both functional and creative. That is where I found my little true love, the altered recipe box!

My sister Traci has an amazing house full of new and trendy home goods. I drool every time I go over to her house. Last time I was there I noticed a cute recipe holder she had sitting on her counter. I asked her where she got it and she said "My sister in law MADE it". You see Traci married into a family of crafters! Tasha (Traci's sis-in-law) made her a cute red and brown altered wooden recipe box, I wish I had a picture... but I don't. I like to look at things and figure out how to do them myself. So this is the one I made.

I have seen both the wooden recipe box, and the tin recipe box. I have the tin. Basically you modge podge (or deco podge) your favorite scrapbooking paper to the box, making sure it's covered. Add any cute embellishments on and around your box. Tie Ribbon around the handle of your box.

Measurement Equivalents Click HERE

Next, go to the website above and edit the measurment equivalents in word, PSE (or what ever you use), print it off and make sure it fits in the lid of your box.

I then got dividers (they are usually alphabetized) A-Z (find them at Walmart in the office section). I wanted to personalize mine, so I glued scrapbooking paper over the divider. Next, make tabs for the dividers. I used such dividers as:

Appetizers
Beverages
Breads & Rolls
Cookies & candy
Desserts
Fruits & Fruit Salads
Main Dishes
Misc.
Salads
Side Dishes
Soups
Vegetables
Websites

I glued on all the tabs to the dividers. Lastly, I stapled ribbon to each divider. Have fun!

For the wooden recipe box directions click : http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Techniques/Altered_Art/947.php

This is the instruction on their website:

Instructions:

Note: It's possible that all the steps that follow may not be necessary depending on the finish of the box you choose and how it's put together.

Disassemble the lid from the base using the small screwdriver. Put the hardware in a safe place.

If the box has a slick finish, use the sandpaper to roughen the surfaces so that it will receive the paint and adhesives better.

Paint the box both inside and out with acrylic paints. I used Liquitex Basics tube acrylics.

Measure the flat surfaces that you want to cover with scrapbook papers. Subtract 1/8" to ¼" from the length and width so that the papers can be centered and a border of the painted area will show. Cut papers to size.

Adhere the patterned papers with adhesive making sure to center them on the different surfaces of the box that are to be covered. I used Memory Mount but there are several liquid glues that will work well and not cause your papers to wrinkle.

Add any stickers or other embellishments desired.

Apply a sealer to all surfaces. I used Liquitex Matte Gel Medium. Allow to dry well.

Reassemble the box.

I used coordinating papers and stickers to make index dividers and fille the box with blank 3" x 5" index cards so that it's ready to use. I made the tabbed index cards by cutting papers to measure 3" x 5". The tabs are made of cardstock and measure 1 ¼" x 1 ½". I folded them in half, stapled them to the top of the patterned paper cards, and attached a letter sticker.