For ages I have been using my Homestead Notebook to keep track of the management of my home. However, I noticed a problem with my recipes in the book, and taking them out to use in the kitchen. The problem is mainly cooking with kids around.

I have seen that excited kids can mean splashes and sploshes and, well, messy recipe sheets. Printing and reprinting can always work, of course, but I'm finding it a bit tiresome to do this. I can not afford laminating every page I have, and I was noticing also that page protector sheets can also be a bit costly for my budget. I have tons and tons of recipes. It just isn't frugal to buy sheet protectors for all of these recipes!

Another problem I was having was the size of the sheets. They are a typical sheet of printer paper, and that is rather large for keeping in the kitchen as a recipe page. It is especially hard to do so when you have nearly zero counter space to work with while baking or cooking.

So, I've decided to give my recipes a make-over. I will keep master copies on the computer, backup copies in my Homestead Notebook, and transfer recipes to index cards to use in the kitchen.

In Wal-Mart I was able to find index cards, dividers, and color coded stickers for my recipes to help distinguish favorite recipes, new recipes, and so on. But, they didn't have any index card boxes anywhere in the store! They had new fandangled index card portfolios...

Portfolios???

I'm not exactly sure what to think of those. They're miniature notebooks with two ring binder capability for index cards. They are also very open on the sides and I looked them over closely for inspection. I just don't see a portfolio working well for what I need, which is just a simple holder, not a nifty new gadget.

I just don't think my "old school" brain can handle a new fandangled portfolio for index cards.

My husband said we could get to a office store to find a box for me. I'm pleased as punch that we're going to do this. I can't wait to have a recipe box once again! And I'm going to have my daughter help decorate the box and cards to make them pretty!