If you like food, and pink, and brown…

Then I share with you my last weekend's project: a brand spankin' new recipe binder:

And here's a shot from the side:

And here's the title page:

Now everyone together: oh for CUTE!

See, I collect recipes. Lots of them. Then I create a little template in Adobe InDesign, to retype them, and transfer them into my various recipe binders. My old binder is full to the brim, so I decided I needed to make a new one. And…well, that's what I did.

But here's where it gets fun if you like hot pink and brown. I'm going to give you the artwork to make your own tabs (same categories I have, mind you) as well as the list o' things you need to make this binder. Sound good? Okay then…

First, the tabs:

Download TabsToPunch.pdf

1. Print these out onto white cardstock, but preferably, matte coated photo paper. I used photo paper, because I liked the finished look better. It turned out crisper, and was easier to punch.

2. Trim apart the tab artwork, because then you punch them out using the McGill Tab Punch. You simply turn the punch upside down, line up the artwork, and punch!

3. Adhere the tabs to alternating 6 x 6 patterned papers. I used only the two patterns you see in the photos, the big floral and the smaller one. And, i simply staggered the tab placement.

Those are the basics. Now here are the other products I used:

1. A 6 x 6 album from American Crafts.

2. These Thickers in pink and white, also from American Crafts.

3. And some brand spankin' new patterned paper, the Metropolitan Collection, also from American Crafts and i can seem to find a link to save my life. So if anyone out there knows where to find it, post it here!

And finally, you just add recipes as you go. Just design a document that you can type in your recipes, and trim it down to 6 x 6. The nice thing is, if you need more space for your recipe, just make another page. And, if you want to add pics as you go, then by all means, do!

How fun is that?

Yes. Extremely.

To those who loathe hot pink and brown, my apologies. To those who do not loathe, enjoy!

Comments

[Elise Smith-Dewey]

1.

Hi Cathy,
I discovered your blog in the spring and have never commented until now although have been tempted many times--we live in Lakeville, my husband is a graphic artist/web designer and lives and breathes for all things Mac and of course has an iPhone--he bought me one and I made him take it back-a stay at home mom/chauffeur of 2 daughters really doesn't need one. Love the recipe book and the colors--pink and brown--my current fave--coming into its own with my all time fave of lime green--I have serious envy of your lime green Le Creuset pot---priced them at Williams Sonoma when I was back to school shopping and realized that is why Herbergers has those Rachel Ray orange pots everywhere--more their price point. Maybe Santa will bring me one. The whole point of this note is to ask you to send me your inDesign template for the recipes. Even though I don't know squat about design that is the only program I use and my 12 year old is a pro at it for making birthday cards for her friends with photos. I would love to pick your brain about digital scrapbooking sometime. I have all of this high end equipment, except an 18 inch printer, and no idea how to use it--signed up for the Big Picture Scrapbooking Digital class with Renee Pearson starting tomorrow so hopefully that will help. Sorry such a long response--have fun-I know its work---in Utah!! Hot day in Minnesota today--summer's almost gone----

[Jennifer]

2.

I love pink and brown together. It always makes me think of candy when I see it. So the colors you picked for a recipe album were perfect. :)

[Teresa Cotterman]

3.

How did you know that this week I was cleaning out all 1000+ recipes I have been collecting since I was maybe 14? I to collect recipes and needed a great way to store them. Tell me again how you type them. I know I'm sounding like a computer illiterate, but what is inDesign? I am still writing them out on cards. Oh, by the by, here in Ohio we get American Crafts at Hobby Lobby Stores.

[Tanya]

4.

Hey, this is totally AWESOME! What an awesome Christmas present this would make for others!!! Thanks for sharing!

[Jewels]

5.

i LOVE this!! Totally dig the pink and brown, too!

man... now I want to create. Where's my stash. ;oD

[notchincorporated]

6.

Thank you very much for sharing, Cathy.

[Sherry]

7.

WOW! You are awesome! I love that you are sharing these projects. I am so excited to do both that you have posted in the last week. Love love love it!! Sherry

[LeAnne]

8.

Well! I love this idea. And a poster above mentioned - Christmas - now that is an even better idea.
I do have a recipe binder - a 3 ring biinder with cardstock in it. As I get recipes, I cut them out and if I like them, they get taped into the binder. I put notes on the cardstock as to any changes I'd make and the date I cooked it first. I am too lazy to retype them. LOL.
But this idea.....in a larger size, so I can just tape them in....love it.
Thanks again for all the inspiration Cathy!!

[Kelley]

9.

OK. Question for making albums in general. Do you seal the cover with something? Mod Podge? Acrylic? I always wonder this, as I would be afraid my album would fall apart...

[kathleen]

10.

This is just too cute! I am so excited to get started. Doesn't it figure I just started Weight Watchers, so anything food related is right up my alley; ) If I can't eat it at least I can have fun making cute little recipe books. Maybe I'll have to use it for all WW recipes...hmmph!? Thanks for the inspiration!!!!

[Kim Hacking]

11.

Thank you for sharing. Love pink and brown. Love food. {Damn} This too is right up my alley.

[janis]

12.

wow! thanks for the pics and template! love how your book came out. Would looove your recipe template, even though I do not have indesign, maybe I need to get it! If a 12 year old can be a pro at it, hmmm, probably means I should be able to do it! Thanks again for sharing!
And congrats on losing the pounds! way to go! :-)

[Krys]

13.

Mmmm, good!!!

[cricket]

14.

This is fabulous!!! I've been a serious recipe collector for years and just have them all saved to a disk...this is going to be my next project!!! Thanks so much!!

Smiles,

[Katie]

15.

Wow - I am really loving these projects, Cathy. Thank you ever so much for sharing.
I can't wait to get started on this one!
PS - Would you mind sharing the font you used for the tabs? I'd love to use the same font when I type my recipies, because I am so anal!! LOL
thanks again!

[shimelle.~*]

16.

Cathy! Slow down! It's just...there is so much paper related stuff when one loads your blog right now! I don't know what to expect in the whole wide world anymore!!

but oh for CUTE!

[Krystyn]

17.

Cathy - YOU ROCK!! What an awesome Recipe Book - thanks SO much for sharing the Tabs and the punch and all your wonderful ideas. I love this - have to make one!! Thanks!!

[Cynthia Michener]

18.

oh my!!! love your recipe book!!! yes i do have that Metro papers from AC... Love them!!! thanks for the templates. ;o)

[Krystyn]

19.

By any chance, can you share your layout for the recipe text that you are using?

[Michelle]

20.

You rock, Cathy Z!!!! Thanks!

[jackie peters]

21.

Thank you for sharing this oh so creative project.

[Krista Pascoe]

22.

Hi Cathy. I use InDesign at work and would love a copy of your template (if you wouldn't mind sharing)... My husband is a recipe fanatic and I think this idea of putting the best recipes in an easy to access binder is a great idea. Cute too! Thanks in advance,
Krista

[Krista Pascoe]

23.

[Lyn Meeker]

24.

OH WOW ... OH WOW .. OH WOW!!!!

When I get back from Creative Escape .. I am so making one of these! (Or several .. for gifts for my family .. I have my grandmothers recipe box that I have been trying to figure out how to present them .. this is it!!!)

Thanks Cathy!

[cathy z.]

25.

Just woke up in Utah, to see that my post appeared! Yay! Love doing the delayed thing.

Anyhoo...if anyone is reading this: two answers:

1. I adhered the patterned paper using my Xyron 900 with permanent adhesive, then... sanded the edges all the way around. I figure, it should be fairly secure!

2. I will try to upload the InDesign template sometime this week, minus the fonts, of course, because you just have to put your own fonts. I'll put something generic in like Helvetica.

Sound good? Okay…gotta get on with my day in Utah. I'm actually going to go and use the hotel tread mill. Go mE!

[April]

26.

This is some seriously perfect timing. I was sitting with a stack of recipes scribbled on napkins, envelopes and receipts piled in a drawer and realized I really need to get them in a book. Next day...you post this! Wow. AND I even ordered in all the thickers to the store I work for last week, so I'll have the supplies I need.

I'm with Krista though- any chance we could twist your arm into sharing your template for indesign too? I would love it... ;)

[Merideth]

27.

ah, great idea, once again! love it! i'm almost finished with my encyclopedia album and have this one my list for christmas gifts! thank you!!!! (please forgive excessive punctuation. it's just that i feel excessively excited, lol!)

[Jaana]

28.

Ok, so this is brilliant and now I know what my mom is getting for Christmas!

Thanks!!!

[Kelly Jo]

29.

Thank you so much for sharing! =)

[LG]

30.

Oh for cute? - YES YES YES

I love it, and I"m not even a brown/pink kinda person.

So...I tried it. And while I love it, I'm having a small issue with the execution. Many of my recipies won't fit to your categories so I'm gonna have to try to make my own tabs. And they are unlikely to be as cool as yours :o(
Eg: meat/main dishes that aren't stew or chilli. Like roasts, grills, stir fries - Where do they go? what about Pasta/risotto type mains? I think I"ve cut out every roast or risotto I've ever seen from a magazine. Maybe I should stop that?

seriously though, thanks for the idea and sharing your pdf's, they are very very very cute. Mine will hopefully just be cute.

[Dorothy]

31.

Just want to let you know that even I enjoy reading all your obsession with Mr. Finn, (who doesn't have an obsession?) all this paper craft postings make me happy. You have such a good eye for color and design. Must. Copy. Cathy's Design.(I mean "borrow")

[Annie Adams]

32.

Wow = that is so nice of you to take the time to share that with us! You are very cool, love the project!! Glad you had fun at the concert.

[kelly]

33.

thanks for the fun project... i have been meaning to organize all the recipes i tear from magazines!!

[Ashley Schultz]

34.

You're so awesome to share this with us! I adore your style and can't wait to make this. Thanks so much!

[Rose]

35.

Cathy,
So glad the concert was a good time for all!
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome design for the recipe album!
You ROCK!

[Heidi]

36.

Cathy, I need to thank you for putting this huge grin on my face this morning. Thanks for sharing, your album looks great :)

[Jill]

37.

Thanks for sharing the joy!!

[christa]

38.

um perfect. thanks

[Sue]

39.

Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing!! You totally and completely rock!!!

[Maegan]

40.

Cathy you ROCK! Thanks for the templates!

[tami]

41.

thanks for another great little book,

here is my take on the last one you posted

http://www.tallyscrapper.com/scrapbook_gallery_view.php?layout_id=10652

[Leah]

42.

THANKS!!!!

[Aleida Franklin]

43.

Love it. Thanks for sharing.

[Laura S.]

44.

Really cool. thanks for all the tips on how to do it.

Laura

[Sharon]

45.

Cathy:

This is so cool. Thanks for sharing. I also now have great Christmas presents to get done!

[Sharon]

46.

Cathy:

This is so cool. Thanks for sharing. I also now have great Christmas presents to get done!

[Heather H.]

47.

Beautiful project! I think it would be a great gift for my mother-in-law! I'm not a cook!

[Melissa Hernandez]

48.

I love this!!! BIG Thanks!! Would you share your template from Indesign?! My mother has more than 2000+ and I promise to organize them electronically....Indesign happens to be one of the program I learned and ACTUALLY know how to use it! :)
Regards from Dominican Republic!

[Suzanne]

49.

LOVE THIS. I'm so making it!

[Lyndsay Neumann]

50.

This is so FAB! Thanks for sharing!

[Michele]

51.

You are awesome! Can't wait to make my own album!! Thanks for sharing!! :)

[suetreiber]

52.

so what is the fave recipe?
It's only fair you should include that too :)

[Shannon Lowe]

53.

Dang girl, you are ON FIRE! Love this! Thanks for being so kind as to share this lovely little tidbit with us!

[krisfred]

54.

YOU seriously rock!! Very very COOL!
AC paper here: http://amillionlittlethings.com/store06/product_info.php?cPath=119_800_830&products_id=21705
Hugs!

[Beth]

55.

Cathy!! Wow! Another tutorial! This is so exciting. Seriously (I'm not sure it sounded like I meant it) - this is neat. I love the binder and I love the tabs etc. etc. Thanks very much for posting.
Beth

[Sherryann]

56.

Cathy. Thank you thank you. I love the tutorials you have been sharing with us this summer.

[Heather Sinkler]

57.

Isn't it more like "Oh fer cute" Anyway, love it! I'm still worked up about the Encyclopedia project. You rock!!!

[Kayla aka The Legacy Lady]

58.

You rock, Cathy! This is an awesome idea. For us digital gals, I would love to see your template from InDesign...formatting recipes for print is always a challenge for me.

I love the tabs - they are so cute and you are so cool to share this with us! Thanks!

[Kelly]

59.

From a person who has no clue how to do stuff like that on the computer.....THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

[Laurel]

60.

Oh maaannnn!! Lovin' this Cathy! You are just too freakin' cool for words!

p.s. I need a new project like I need a hole in the head. But what the hey!?

[Karen]

61.

Thanks so much for sharing. This looks great and I love that McGill punch. It will probably take a while for me to get going, but it's now on THE LIST.

[Christine Villacarlos]

62.

I love collecting recipes, too! Thanks for sharing your CUTE binder :) you rock, Cathy!

[Heather Emans]

63.

LOVE IT!!!!

[Wendy from PA]

64.

Once again AWESOME!!!! LOVE the pink and brown together.

[Faye]

65.

Crikey Cathy you're on a sharing feast. Thanks. I can just see this as a present for someone and I even know who. Another one for the list. and BTW it's pretty weird seeing that Kia Ora in your heading. Good weird not bad weird if you know what I mean. Just so funny to see that on something other than a NZ blog.

[sharon k]

66.

What the hey.. I come here for some good humor for free... Now you have me spending money.. and I love it.. Thanks for the sharing and I will share back..

Here is a pic of Ben Folds opening for JM soo much fun

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iluvmypics/sets/72157601889871197/

Sharon

[Corey]

67.

Oh yes! for cute, for sure! i've been thinking about doing this and now I think I'm gonna hafta! Love it :)

[Ady Abreu]

68.

this is so freakin cute. I never thought you were into those colors but wow I love them. Great idea on the recipe book. I have all my favorite recipes folded over in my books. I really like this idea but I'm going to have to put it on things to do list. I have about 10 projects waiting for me from CKC and in 2months I'm going to CKU. I don't know why I just keep typing and typing. You must reading blah, blah, blah. Great album.. thanks..

[Sue (in Australia)]

69.

Too cute, Cathy. Can't wait to get stuck into it. Thanks!!!

[revlie]

70.

Cathy we all have to thank you on our bare knees for your creativity & talent. thank you so much for sharing this!
totally LOVE your work!

[anne - paris, fr]

71.

hi Cathy,

BIG thanks to you!!! will definitely love to do this one. again, thanks a lot!!

[mary]

72.

Cathy - thank you thank you for posting this - it's perfect...and I love the colors!

[Denise]

73.

Hi Cathy! Found your blog after reading your book. GREAT, GREAT, GREAT. Seriously you have the best site! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe book. I LOVE it!

[Pam]

74.

Love these AC modern albums and have a few but have wondered which product is best for adhering papers to the front and back covers? What do you use? Do you rough up the edges too? Thanks in advance!

[Ali]

75.

This is adorable Cathy :)

[amymerry]

76.

thank you! :)

[Malinda]

77.

Awesome! Thanks so much!

[Jennifer Kolakowski]

78.

LOVe This so much. Thank you!!

Jen K.

[Tannis]

79.

Cathy - thanks for sharing! This is an awesome project.

[ivyPINK]

80.

OMG!!! I love the colors. super cute. I need that punch in my life. heehee. :)

[ivyPINK]

81.

OMG!!! I love the colors. super cute. I need that punch in my life. heehee. :)

[jane o.]

82.

Hi Cathy,

This is my first post on your blog!

I have your books and LOVE LOVE LOVE your style. When I first started scrapbooking all the books and page ideas seemed to be meant for people with children (cute pages you know what I mean)...well I have none...not even a pet! What was I to do? Then I found you :)
I have scraplifted many a page from you.

When I came on the other day to read your latest update and saw the recipe book I was blown away! I so want to make this. I checked everywhere for the metropolitan collection paper and the only place I could see the best selection of it was at www.croppinparadise.com. So I pick out about 10 pieces of paper and then go to checkout.....the shipping is almost 6 bucks! *faint*
And then to really put me over the edge the 6x6 binder in brown is out of stock on scrapbook.com!

I have an AC Moore and a Michaels near me but have never seen this album or this paper. I hate to pay that shipping cost for PAPER...but I will if I have to.

I am going to book my therapy appointment now to help with my dissapointment ;)

[erin yamabe]

83.

love those colors!!! and the [mmm] that is so funny!

[wendy]

84.

oh, that is just so beautiful Cathy! Thanks so much for sharing it!!

You can find the paper at lifetimemoments.com

http://shop.lifetimemoments.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=acmetro

[Sara]

85.

Thanks for this! I'm going to make a recipe book as a gift for a dear friend. Love it!

Sara

[sandy]

86.

Hi Cathy - thank you for this information. I am making my 2 grown sons recipe books for Christmas, and this is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you so very much!

[Cynthia Harmel]

87.

Cathy,
I ALSO would like to know if I can beg you for the template. I was going to buy the software, but then realized it would take oodles of time to learn it and would probabaly be tooooo hard!!! HELP, can I get your templates?

Also, on the tabs, what about if I have tons more categories? Is there a way to send a "blank one"?

Lastly, I love pink and brown but am also obsessed!!!! (sp?) with lime green and blues (aqua,royal,teal). ANY way to change it up?

These are definitley ny Xmas gifts to ALL, so please HELP!!! LOVE THEM!!!!!!!
Cynthia:)

[Jessica]

88.

Cathy- Love your blog, and have been cleaning out some of the old bookmarks for projects I wanted to try. I wondered, did you ever get to post the recipe template or a blank tab template? I'd love to use them for a similar project. Thanks!

[Tamara]

89.

I love it and can't wait to make one! Ive got an old ugly binder with stained pages. I love the tabs at the top idea.

Thanks!

[Cynthia Harmel]

90.

Would love to have the recipe template. Can I convince you to send it to me? PLEASE!!!Love the book. Have made a few, but am now venturing into a larger format (8 1/2 by 11). However, I am finding that the plastic "enclosures made by Avery and the like, are too big for a regular binder. The edges stick out. Any thoughts or suggestions? I have tried buying larger binders (wider) but still no go. Thanks for any input!
Hanging out in Sunny California,
Cynthia

[Ruthie H]

91.

Thanks for sharing. I've just blogged my attempt at it.

[Jennifer]

92.

Cathy just found your web site and saw your recipe book you did in Sept. 2007. I loved it and am a collector of recipes also and not sure how to organize them till I saw your album. I would really love a copy of the template or at least look at it. Would you mind sharing.