Recipe Box

I was inspired by an example of a modified recipe box in the Cricut Cirlce Monthly Magazine.  See... it all started with a volunteering effort I decided to sign up for in my local church's women's ministry program.  They were creating a church cookbook.  As I was trying to think of a neat raffle item, and the idea of using the Cricut cartridge From My Kitchen was too fun a proposition to turn down.  Now, I must say at this point that the last sentance was Andie channeling Brandy (not really, but isn't this funny).  Truth is that Brandy took an off hand comment from Andie about wouldn't it be a neat raffle item... and ran with it.  Ladies (and the few gentlemen out there), this is why friends are just so precious. 

So, we met on a random Friday night and commensed with the Cricutting, inking, and general distressing of paper using Mod Podge among other things.

This is where I feel compelled to give a disclaimer.  Being working women (and by full time we often mean 50 - 60 hour weeks), we haven't the time to provide step by step instructions for each and every requirement.  Our scrapping style doesn't include directly copying projects and we wouldn't want anyone to attempt to provide an exact replica of our projects.  Our goal is to inspire and point you in the right direction.  Andie continues to encourage Brandy to post about some of her favorite blogs that instruct (Tim Holtz anyone?, anyone?).  Having said that, if you post a comment asking specific questions, and time permitting, we will try to answer questions in as much detail as possible.

The recipe box used was a cardboard recipe box with a very outdated cream background littered with red hearts.  Not something that would go in most modern kitchens.  The outside was painted with an acrylic cream paint and a sponge brush.  Nothing fancy or neat.  the edges of the box were inked with a dark brown ink pad held at a 45 degree angle to the edge.  The background mat papers were cut 1/4 in. smaller than the side dimensions, inked in the same manner, and then Mod Podged to the face of each side.  The two papers used were purchased at J's (Joann's craft store), though the actual brand escapes me now.  Then it's off to decorating the sides.

2 in. flower center with 1 in. flowers

1- 1/2 in. flowers

 The side panels are simple flowers cut out of the Cindy Lou cart.  The flowers are layered in 2 in., 1- 1/2 in. and 1 in. cuts.  The edges are bent outward just using your fingers.  Jewels, brads and gems are used to decorate the centers and ink is applied randomly to the edges of the flowers.  Each flower has three layers and the big flower on the left has three 1 in. layers in the center. 

The back panel has a 1-1/2 flower with the rolling pin from the From My Kitchen cart as a center.  The flourish is from Cindy Lou.

The top utilizes the whisk, spatula, and spaghetti server in 3- 1/2 in. cuts from the From My Kitchen cart.  Another 2 in. flower, 1-1/2 in. flower and 1 in. flower make a center piece around some red suede ribbon I had on hand.

 The front panel consists of the "recipes" cut found in From My Kitchen.  Another flourish and 1 in. flower and the front is done.

Finally, some dividers to organize the inside cut directly out of the From My Kitchen cart.  The cut size wasn't exactly proportionate, so I trimmed the edges using my paper trimmer.  The stitching was made with a black marker.  The labels were 1/2 in. cuts of words in the From My Kitchen cart.  Everything is inked on the edges

Everything doesn't have to be difficult.  Brandy and Andie working together for 3 hours on a random Friday and another hour of clean up decorating later and voilá- a raffle prize that hopefully will inspire many purchases for the church cookbook fundraiser.  That was fun!

Andie