Christmas Keepsake Recipe Journal

 

Many of you have asked if you could pay for photos or instructions for this project, and while I don't sell tutorials, I DO provide inspiration for free! But you have to wait until I've got the project done myself : )

I'm not going to provide a laundry list of "ingredients" for each page, but I will give you a supplies list and then you can just go to town with this project. I am also not going to show every single page in my book--there's going to be enough photos clogging this post as is--but there will be enough to give you a good taste of how you can put together a book like this on your own.

A note about the journals: the Season of Style journals are actually quite occasion-specific. They were designed as holiday planners, and contain calendar pages, lists, and headings and dividers that are cute, but not what I was thinking when I planned this class. I had to get creative and cover up some of the parts. I printed out a new index for each person according to what recipe categories they wanted to include in their books. We also removed a few of the pages entirely, which actually is a good thing because it helps keep the album from being too gigantic, with the covers practically at right angles from all the stuff we scrapped inside!

Each person got a Season of Style This & That journal, a pack of Season of Style Journalling Tags, a package of Mini Glue Dots, and an embellishment bag containing an assortment of Old Olive Simply Styled embellishments, Cute Clips, Cherry Cobbler 1-inch stitched edge grosgrain ribbon, Candy Dots, Basic Rhinestones, Linen Thread, and some other random bits of ribbon.  This was a tandem-style event, where people signed up in groups of two, so each set of two people also split a Dazzlin' Details glitter bottle, a pack of Season of Style Designer Series Paper, and Season of Style washi tape.

For the actual class, I didn't have people bring recipes or photos, and we just concentrated on getting the journal altered and decorated. It took three hours exactly. Some participants copied my book exactly, and others improvised as we went along. It was so fun! While I am going to keep adding to my own book for the next couple of years, I did have a few pages completely filled out so they could catch the idea. I chose to incorporate some of the actual recipe cards from my box into my book, to preserve the handwriting of the heritage recipes. How special is it in this digital age to have handwritten recipe cards from all the precious women in your life? In the photo below, the Pumpkin Cake recipe is from my much-adored kindergarten teacher, Miss Creg. The Early-Espresso cardstock boxes running along the bottom of the page will hold photos of myself with her eventually.

I'm going to make up another of these and include a section for recipes from the Old Country, and have my mother-in-law help me fill it with the traditional Czech recipes passed down through the Zwolanek family since they came here in the 1860's. I definitely want that part of my children's heritage to be preserved! The This N That journals have envelopes and pockets included, so I can even tuck in some other special keepsakes, recipes torn from magazines, or bits of my children's artwork.

One last note: if you're planning to actually use this book in the kitchen, I suggest using Modge-Podge on the covers to protect it from greasy fingers. If you're baking with kids (or you're just naturally a messie, like me) I would put the whole book, opened to the page you want, into a gallon ziploc baggie to protect it from flying cookie dough spatters.

I loved this project and I hope you will, too! Now, if this link is not working for you, here's how to get the supplies to make your own: got to www.lyssa.stampinup.net and click on Shop Now in the upper right hand corner. Click on Holiday Collection, then Product Suites. Click on Season of Style to see the whole line of coordinating papers, washi tape, stamps, printed tags, albums and more!

Leave me a comment if you please... it keeps me encouraged to hear that I've been able to inspire you in any small way to preserve your family memories, celebrate special relationships, and foster new friendships through papercrafting. Who knew a hobby could be such a powerful thing? All part of a day's work for a Stampin' Up demonstrator...

Want to see the Season of Style holiday planner as it was intended to be used? Watch this cute video and see the journal in action!

Comments

[Rhonda Bean]

I LOVE it! Thanks for providing the wonderful inspiration...you rock!

[Lisa Martin]

This is so cute--thanks so much for sharing and plan to make them for my own kids!!

[Sue Bishop]

This is a great idea! I am so glad you shared your ideas in photos, because that way I get a lot of inspiration on ways I want to do up my This and That Season Of Style Journal.

Thanks for sharing!!!

Sue

[Kristine John]

I was bound & determined that I would use mine as an actual holiday planner. I even labeled my calendar pages. Needless to say, it hasn't happened, and after looking through it about 2 weeks ago, I had decided that I needed to find another purpose for it. Thank you for giving me an idea that is realistic & usable...and for sharing so much of what you create with all of us for FREE!

[Beth]

Great project. Thanks for showing so many photos.

[Debbie Cowsert]

I been wanting to make a book for my brothers in memory of are mother with her hand written recipes in it, but didn't know how to really do it.. I do now thanks for sharing.. :-)

Debbie Cowsert

[Tamra]

Thanks for the idea. I have some handwritten recipe cards that are just sitting in a binder that I don't use but I don't want those cards to be thrown away. The book is lovely as is all your work.

[Rebecca Clark]

Ive been staring at mine trying to figure out what to do with it! This is a fantastic idea! Totally going to copy it!

[Stacy]

I was so busy using my book to keep me organized, I never thought of using it actually smashbook. Great ideas and layouts, Lyssa!

[Ariel]

This is a great idea, Lyssa! I like how you used a "boxed" idea and made it work for you and your project.
Very clever indeed!

[Laurie LaRose]

This is a fabulous alternative for this book...I love how you covered up here and there for a totally different book! Fabulous!