DIY: ' a Dash of Love' Recipe Box

This recipe box makes for a unique and heartfelt Mother's Day gift for the cook in your life. Fill it with handmade cardstock recipe cards for an added touch.

For this craft, you will need:

- An unfinished wood recipe box

- Yes® Glue, or any glue that will adhere and dry clear

- Acrylic paint, black in color

- Adhesive tabs

- Shrink paper

- Word stamps

- Black solvent ink

- Gold embossing powder

- Embossing heat tool

- Red cardstock

- Goldenrod cardstock

- Swirled heart stamp

- Watermark ink

- Red embossing powder

- Acrylic finishing spray

Start by painting the entire box with the black acrylic paint. Several coats may be needed. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before continuing.

Adhere the adhesive tabs to the top of the box in a checkerboard pattern. Sprinkle the tabs with the gold embossing powder, shaking off the excess. Using the heat tool, heat set the embossing powder. Allow the tabs to cool. (TIP: It is not necessary to do each tab separately, but make sure there is not gold powder on the top of the box and only on the tabs before heat setting.)

Using the swirled heart stamp and watermark ink, stamp directly onto the red cardstock. Immediately after, coat the ink with red embossing powder, shaking off excess. Heat set the ink with the heat tool. Cut out the heart. (TIP: It is important to apply the powder before the watermark ink dries and heat set or it will not transfer to the paper.)

Using the word stamps and black solvent ink, print the following words on the shrink paper:

Secret Ingredient: A Dash of Love

Shrink the paper according to manufacturer directions. Cut out a small rectangle of goldenrod cardstock, just large enough to adhere the shrunken words to. Attach to the center of the top of the box, and adhere the red heart to the left hand corner of the rectangle. Coat the entire project with a layer of acrylic finishing spray, and allow to dry.