A DIY from me - What the??

Hey kids!  So today we don't have a PEEK.  That will come later this week.

But for your Monday pleasure I have a DIY for you.

I know....what the crap?

I'm not a super crafty girl.  For reals.  I mean I like to do junk on the computer mostly.  But I do the occasional hands on project.  I'm really not one to do something that could fall under the "DIY" category in blog land.  {And I'm not going to even talk to you about how for the longest time I was all like "what the blazes is DIY??"}

But I do like to make homemade Christmas gifts when possible.

And that's where this DIY came from.


For the life of me I couldn't find a recipe box that I liked.  And I've been wanting one!  Then I saw on one of my favorite artist's blog Vol. 25 some free printable recipe cards.  And that gave me an idea.

So I made a recipe box for each of the gals here on the compound (that word really sounds all freaky weird whenever I write that....compound!) so that we could have a big recipe exchange of our favorites that we've eaten over our two years here. 

(Okay so I have one more to make AND my own but she doesn't read this blog and I just need a break from them for a bit)

So here we go.........

VV does a DIY!!!

WHOOP WHOOP!

Okay so I got the plain wooden 'do-it-yourself' recipe boxes from Micheal's.  They were $8.99 each.  (I think)

I decided to paint them black because black goes with everything and I feel like every room needs little punches of black.


I used just the cheap old toll paint....though BFF...FYI- the spray paint you love would work just fab!


While they were drying.......well actually on a completely different day....I cut out some card stock to make the tabs for organizing the recipes alphabetically.

I got the card stock from Walmart but I suggest getting a heavier kind from Staples or any other business depot.  But when you shop for everything you think you could possibly need for a few months in a week....you tend to cut back on stops and therefore...thicker card stock.

I started out with an exacto knife and a cutting board.  But Hot Husband is suuuuuper smart and reminded me that work has cutting boards and so I borrowed one of them.  And then I sang "Praise to the Man" because wow that went WAY faster.
 

I cut them 4 x6 and after a couple of tries figured out that I could do three per sheet and about 4 sheets at a time.  But that'd be less with thicker card stock.


For the sake of my sanity I didn't want to hand cut (obviously) tabs on the cards them self.  You know what I mean right?  Like the ones that would actually come in a pre-bought box.  I hope you know what I mean....because I ain't going into any more detail.  I ate a healthy meal for supper and of course I'm still starving.  So back up off me.

So instead I opted to use fun scraps of scrapbook paper and make it fun and colorful on the inside since I did the black on the outside.  I cut strips and then I made smaller ones.  I didn't really pick a measurement.  Ummm yeah just do that.  Like do two inches or something.  Measure them out.  It was a pain to line them up so they were the same size. 


Oh and I took a photo of the cut tabs....to insert here....but it whited out like nutso.

Leave me alone. 

I'm really hungry.

NEXT - I was going to use the recipe cards from Vol.25 but they unfortunately were too small for my box which needed a much larger card for them to fit nicely.

So I opted to design my own.  Viola!  They are printable and uber cute if I do say so myself!

The thing I like most about these cards is the bottom part.  It asks you if there is more info on the back side and you can check "Yep" or "Not this time" so that you know if you need to keep going.  I mean it's not rocket science or a big hassle to just LOOK on the other side.  But I color my hair blonde and my brain doesn't know the difference.

And I'm hungry.

Okay that really wasn't the next step.....

This is...

I attached the tabs to the card stock using adhesive tabs.


I didn't want to show you the box because Hot Husband fell asleep on the bed one day and in my nightstand drawer is where my little stickies are kept and Cute Kid tore the box apart and then proceeded to stick them to Hot Husbands bald head.  (true story) But this is it anyway...


Don't worry....I grounded them both.


So here's what they look like when I've stuck them on and spaced them out so you could see them all nice and cute like.  And I went fun crazy with the paper....because I could...cause I was making the DIY rules.


Next for the letters, to make them a bit cleaner, I used rub on transfers.....from the Dollarama!  Oh yes...THAT is a MUST stop whenever I go out to the real world land.


Then I rubbed the ol' letters on.   Now because I was making 8 of these (yes 8) I only made 8 tabs and just did like "a-c" etc...


Like this...and then I took a marker pen and put a little dash into 'er!


I liked using different fonts.  I like life to be a bit funky and spicy and I am trying to not play by the rules all the bloody time!


Now comes the BEST part!  Personalize!  I took some of my other rub on transfers that are big funky chunky letters and put each girls name on the front of the boxes.


Here's what Cindy's turned out like.  {Cindy lives next door....well everyone lives next door...never mind}


Then I felt like the tops of them needed a little spunk.  No two boxes are exactly the same. 


Then on the back I put where we live in abbreviated form, the year and that I made it.  So they'd always remember what a dork I am.  {Don't ask what the letters stand for....it's top secret and I'll tell you why someday but don't ask or  I'll have to delete ya!  Just sayin'}


Then TA - DA!!!!


I'm really please with how they turned out!  I really love them and I think they are so fun. 

I should add that they really need some sort of sealer on them but well....I don't have any of that here so I'll have to pick some up next time I head out of dodge.

I think this would be a fun girls night project to do together.  It could be make the boxes one night and then exchange the recipes another night.  It'd also be a good RS activity. 

Oh and guess what???

Because I got all kinds of loves for you......I'm gonna give you my recipe cards for free to print.

They are printable and fab.  I've made them in two sizes for you.   3x5 and 4x6 for your sizing pleasure.

But please just don't....ummm sell 'em or like take claim on 'em or anything like that.  That's not you know.....cool.  If you want to share this link on your blog go ahead....just make sure it's linked to me!

CLICK HERE FOR 3X5

CLICK HERE FOR 4X6

Enjoy!

OH and if you do this project take photos and fire me off an email....or blog about it and let me know so I can take a gander at them!!

Peace out!

{follow my blog....I'm begging for friends}