Making my own Recipe Archive
I’ve been scribbling down notes now for months on the recipes I try, create and use along the way. Somehow I’m finding myself coming back to my blog online to find things when I want to make them again and can’t remember exactly what I did first time around, which is not really very practical when you are elbow deep in food in the kitchen. So I decided it was high time that I started an archive of sorts that I can return to for those tried and true recipes.
What I’ve used to make this book:
- 1 folder
- plastic sheet protectors
- plain paper
- decoupage glue
- glue stick
- old magazines
- scalple & cutting mat
- 2 x packets of 5 plain dividers
I decided to be smart (I hope), and I’ve put everything in plastic pockets so that I can take them out easily from the folder and the won’t get damaged when I’m cooking. This means taking up less bench space, protecting the bit of paper, and the rest of my recipes. I think I’m still likely to have a notepad nearby to scribble down ingredients and ideas, but if they are worthy of the blog, then they will make their way into this new folder of goodness.
To make it pretty, I went through all the old magazines that I have hanging about, and cut and paste pictures onto the outside of the folder, and also onto the dividers so that I have a degree of organisation when I start looking for things. I think this bit might turn into a work in progress, but I’m pretty happy with the outcome so far.
I used decoupage glue in an attempt to seal the outside of the folder. I should firstly say that I don’t profess to being an expert at this craft. I’ve tried the technique a few times with very mixed results. Like my previous attempts, I did find it a bit challenging on the magazine paper, it buckled and bubbled a bit where I didn’t glue it down enough or used too much glue. I did try using a glue stick which worked wonders on the first layer and on the paper dividers. But, when it then came to lacquering the folder I still had the same issue, so it is imperative that you completely cover the piece of paper you are sticking down with the glue so there is no air bubbles. This is much easier with smaller pieces of paper as I discovered. I did find that when I used photo’s that I had printed on photo paper that it eliminated the issue.
All in all though I’m quite happy with the results and can’t wait to add to the insides 
Happy Cooking, and Happy creating
Leah
Looks like a great idea, you are very creative! I only have an electronic version of it
Thank you Irena. It’s been a few years in the making really as I was like you and only had it online and very rough notes for a long time. I think getting recipes from family combined with bad weather for a few days where I was stuck at home finally gave me the inspiration to do something about it.
I have to do that too…going into my posts to help me remember the ingredients and methods, especially with recipes that I haven’t used for awhile! I am beginning to wonder if my blog is a recipes holder more for me!
It is an excellent idea to use the ring binder to allow inserts and protecting recipes with those plastic pockets! I going to use this idea to protect my most favorite cake recipe from my aunt which is written in pencil, and it’s now fading! So don’t write recipe in pencil! 
So in the same boat, hence finally doing something about it. I was dreading the day I trashed my smartphone or the iPad because I was using it in the kitchen to check my own blog recipes. Figured it was finally time to go old school and have a paper copy.
sometimes, old school is the better way.
for sure
I’m currently working my way through every recipe of a Donna Hay cookbook. I’ve been making pencil notes beside each one, but I’ve started thinking about working my way through every cookbook consecutively to determine which ones to keep. Then I wonder if I will just keep my favourites in some sort of folder like this. Great project and no doubt very satisfying!
wow, that sounds like a massive, but quite satisfying project that you are undertaking. Keeping your favourites in one place does help when you don’t want to spend time browsing through your cook books. Good luck!