From Handwritten Recipe to Heirloom: How a Recipe Board Is Made (And the Stories Behind Them)

It doesn’t matter the age, almost everyone who steps up to my booth notices the recipe boards.

And almost every time, they point to one and quietly whisper to the person next to them about the recipe they would love to see on a board of their own.

How Handwritten Recipe Boards are Made

The process of making a recipe board is much simpler than most people expect, but it always begins with something meaningful. 

A recipe that matters.

It might be neatly written on a recipe card, scribbled on a piece of paper, or worn and faded from years of being pulled out of a drawer. 

However it looks, the story behind it is what makes it special.

The best part is that you don’t need the original recipe in hand. 

A photo is what I need to create this keepsake.

First, you order your recipe board directly through my website.

During checkout, you’ll choose your board size and leave any notes you’d like me to know.

After that, you email me a photo of the recipe.

It can be a handwritten card, a note, or even a recipe that’s been folded and used for years.

A clear photo is all I need to get started.

Once I receive it, I carefully remove the background so only the handwriting remains.

From there, I bring it into my software and size it to fit the board you’ve chosen.

Then I send it to my laser and engrave it onto the board. The wood grain plays a part in how it turns out, which is why no two ever look the same.

When it’s finished, it’s no longer just a recipe.

It’s something meant to be displayed, shared, and passed down.

The Different Ways People Make Handwritten Recipe Boards Their Own

Over the years, I’ve had so many people tell me how they’d use a handwritten recipe board.

I’ve gathered a few of the most common ideas here; maybe one of them will spark an idea for you, too!

The Grandma Recipe

That one recipe everyone knows. The dish that shows up at every holiday and feels like part of the family.

Turning a grandma’s recipe into a handwritten recipe board is a way to keep that memory close.

It’s not about the food (or not only 😏), but about remembering the love that came with it.

The Recipe Worth Fighting For

You know the one.

The sugar cookies everyone argues over at Christmas.

The deviled eggs no one else can make quite right.

If that recipe went into a family gift exchange, people would probably fight over it, and honestly, that’s what makes it fun. 

Those recipes are part of what makes a family a family.

Sharing the Love of Your Own Recipes

One customer of ours told her four kids to each pick their favorite thing she makes.

She wrote down each recipe and sent them to me.

Now each of her kids has a board with something they love from their mom, and that’s one of those stories that sticks with me.

A Favorite Recipe from a Cookbook

Not every meaningful recipe is handwritten, and that’s okay.

If your favorite recipe comes from a cookbook or a printed page, we can choose a handwriting-style font and turn it into a board you’ll still love and display in your home.

Little Details That Make It Even More Meaningful

Some people choose to keep their handwritten recipe board just as the recipe was written. 

Others add a little extra that makes it even more meaningful.

A common detail people add is a short note at the bottom, something like “Love, Mom” or “Love, Grandma”, written in their own handwriting.

To do this, most people find a birthday card or letter they’ve saved, and we simply add that handwriting to the bottom of the board.

Others choose to include a full name. Sometimes they’ll have the person write their name, or they’ll find something that already has both a first and last name on it.

Seeing the name alongside the recipe adds a really special touch.

Those little details add to the story of each recipe board, and they’re often the parts people point out first when they show their board to someone else.

A Recipe Worth Keeping

Every recipe board begins with a recipe, but what it really holds is a memory.

Whether it’s a grandma’s handwriting, a favorite meal your kids always ask for, or a recipe everyone fights over at the holidays, these boards become more than something you use in the kitchen.

They become something you stop and look at.

Something you talk about.

If you’ve ever thought, “I know exactly which recipe I’d choose,” then you already understand why these boards mean so much.

And if you’re not quite sure yet, that’s okay too. Sometimes the right recipe comes to mind when you least expect it. ❤️

If you’d like to learn more about ordering a recipe board, you can find all the details here.

If you enjoy stories like these and want to see more behind-the-scenes pieces, you can join my email list here.