DIY Recipe Book

Y'all I'm excited to have Kalyn taking over the Sowell life today. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I need to make a recipe book, but I didn't know where to start. Well, Kalyn said she would be happy to tell me how she did hers, and would even like to share it with y'all. So... without further ado... here's Kalyn.

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Hello everyone! I am Kalyn and I blog over at Love.Laughter.Happily Ever After. I journal all my OCD and ADHD rambling thoughts of faith, amateur photography, completing my degree, the joys of having a Pinterest obsession on a Dollar Tree budget, and a little here and there about being a new wife. 

I am so thankful for this opportunity to take over The Sowell Life and guest post today for Joy! I am so thankful to have met Joy in this big ‘ole blog world through the Alabama blogging network. Not only do we both live in Alabama, we also live within 30 minutes of each other! Joy and I became real life friends during February after this blate (blogger date) and I have such a hopeful heart for all that will be shared in the future. Joy has such an amazing southern heart! I am especially thankful that she has allowed me to share a few secrets via my newest family recipe book with you all today.  

When you get married your entire life changes in many wonderful ways. Your family grows with the addition of in-laws, the holidays become busier, you travel a little more a little bit farther over the weekends, your schedule is always jam packed, and there is always a slight chance of adopting new recipes. You may even gain a few pounds, as well. For us, we may or may not have gained a lot of pounds in the last nine months of wedded bliss. 

Since every family has favorite recipes and traditions that go along with the recipes, it is always nice to gather those around the holidays. I have tried many different ones within the last few months and some I will continue to use. Others are going to be stashed away forever! Gathering your family recipes into a homemade book makes a wonderful gift for family members. Or, if you are like me and try to organize everything, this little tutorial on making your own recipe book will jump start your family keepsake to preserve the yummy traditions of your family. Hopefully, these recipes will be ones that are passed down for years to come. 

Things You Will Need: 

• Medium Size Photo Album with sleeves on each side (Sleeves should be 4x5)
• Family Recipes
• Photographs of Family and Cooked Dishes
• Recipe Cards, Size 4x5

Instructions: 

• Tell your family that you are creating a recipe book. Have them gather old recipes, pictures, and write the story of where they received the recipe on the backs. If you are creating a general recipe book, you can gather the same information for a wedding recipe/kitchen shower, church potluck, or Pinterest board.
• Write out the recipes on the 4x5 cards. 
• Should you create a family recipe book, design the title on the front cover of the book. Since my husband and I are newlyweds, I made our recipe book very general for everyday use. I left the cover plain and included a wedding photo since it was our first collection of recipes to use as newlyweds. 
• Place the recipe on the right side of the photo page at the top. 
• On the adjacent side of the photo page include the photo, story of where the recipe originated, or original handwritten recipe. Also, should you not have either of these ideas to include you can put of photo or small story of you and your loved ones enjoying this prepared dish for the first time. 
• Continue this throughout the photo album until each page is completed.

This photo album turned recipe book is a great reminder of where you came from and all those traditions associated with each dish.Additionally, putting together your own recipe book can help yo to organize that mixed up cabinet or drawer. Or, you can even think about giving this as a gift at the next dinner party or holiday family gathering. Finally, once you gather, organize, and start this book know that there are many other options out there for binding, color coding, decorating, and personalizing. I recently have started working on a recipe binder that I can carry with me that includes pockets for a grocery list and coupons. I hope to share that post with you in the future. 

As you can tell, I actually made a recipe binder with wedding photos. My LSU friends hosted a kitchen and recipe shower which called for gifts that included recipes and a kitchen gadget. It really turned out well to use those gifts with shower and wedding photos when preparing the information for this binder. 

My mother gave me the Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball Recipe, which is a fan favorite in our home. Tony's parents have given us many recipes. From Apply Dumplings to Corn Flake Candy and Jingle Bell Pizza, we certainly are stocked with the majority of dessert recipes. However, I have copied many of my Pinterest Kitchen Recipes Board to cards. If you would like to view additional dinner recipes that I have previously posted on, click here. 

According to my Maid of Honor and dear friend, Laura, these recipe cards can be found at Target or Hallmark for $8. She is the one who got me recipe hooked :) #muchothanks

Also, I recently have started working on a recipe binder that I can carry with me that includes pockets for a grocery list and coupons. I received it as a gift from the most influential person in my life. I hope to share that post with you in the future. 

Thank you so much for reading today, friends! I hope you all have a wonderful day! I would love to have you visit my little corner of blogsphere and say hi! I enjoy meeting new bloggers, establishing relationships, and finding awesome blogs to read. Love, Laughter, Happily Ever After can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and Bloglovin'

As always, until next time- Happy Blogging!  

Thank you Kalyn for sharing your DIY Recipe Book! I'm so blessed to have met you, and actually "know" you! Now, who's ready to work on their Recipe Book?!