Project Monday's #1

This is something new... I will be posting something every Monday! one of the many New Years resolutions that I have!

Today's project is a Recipe Box. Or more importantly a few of them!!

One of my many New year resolutions is to get more organized! Honesty I have the same one every year, but his year is my year!!

Every year around Christmas I start to do my baking, and I can never find that "one" recipe! Also I am constantly looking up the same recipes from my many cook books....

take a look at this photo, well don't look to closely, I should have cropped it or maybe cleaned up a bit first?

do you see my problem??

notice the top of the cook books, loose recipes on sheets of paper. and if I was brave I would let you see the inside of those binders! SCARY!

So I came up with a brilliant idea, I turned a stationary kit into a recipe box, (see top photo bottom left) BUT I really wanted some thing that would last, that I could have out in the kitchen and not worry about water and grease and dust... cuz I live in my house, lol... oh and I have 4 boys remember!!

So I was at the Cash King just before Christmas when I spotted these really ugly, but super cheap cardboard recipe boxes... and well you can cover anything with paper!

so I remembered that I had bought the cutest paper a few years ago, I don't recall the exact name, I didn't save the backing board that had the name. And because I am sure you are all just like me and buy paper because you might "need" it for something... and if you have a use for it, then you buy 2 just in case you need it later, yep that's me to a T!! ( oh I don't have the board with the name, because I used it for some other project..)

So back to the project... I measured the boxes and I was so happy to find out that one sheet of 12 x12 would cover the box and the lid!! For my boxes I cut 2 strips at 3 1/8th x 12 for the base of the box, and a piece that was 51/2 x 7 1/2 for the lid.

For this project I used Modge Podge, I am sure Crystal effects would have worked, but I wasn't sure I had enough for all 4 boxes!

I wrapped the strips on the base, making sure not to go to high so the boxes would still close well. almost 1/4 inch hung off the bottom. When the base was dry, I used my exacto knife to cut a slit so I could "wrap" the paper onto the bottom, I then modge podged it there too..

For the lid I scored the paper at 1 inch all around and cut 1 inch in on the 7 1/2 sides. I placed the lid in the center of the paper and carefully wrapped the lid. Once it was dry I used my exacto knife to trim away any excess so the box would close nicely. I then brushed on a thin coat of Mondge Podge. I got out my chip board and covered 2 letters in Chocolate chip craft ink and 2 in Creamy Caramel. I tried Vanilla craft, but it doesn't cover chip board well.

I made 4 boxes, I have "e" for everyday meals, "a" for appitizers, "d" for desserts, and "h" for Holiday recipes.

I hope you liked this weeks Project. I will be posting a different Project each Monday... Be sure to stop by and tell me what you think!!

Jennifer Jones