Make a DIY recipe card holder with Mod Podge and wood pieces! This easy craft is perfect for displaying your favorite recipes in style.
In a world full of digital recipes, there’s still something special about cooking from a handwritten recipe card. Whether it’s Grandma’s famous cookies or a family favorite casserole, displaying those treasured cards deserves something a little more charming than leaning them against a bowl of flour.
This DIY recipe card holder is one of those projects that’s both cute and practical. Unlike many wooden stands that require a scroll saw, hinges, screws, nails, wood glue, and complicated angles, this version is incredibly beginner friendly.
With a few inexpensive wood pieces, scrapbook paper, Mod Podge, and a clip, you’ll have a personalized holder in an afternoon.
I especially love that you can customize the design to match your kitchen decor. Use floral paper for a cottage-style kitchen, vintage prints for a farmhouse look, or bright patterns for a pop of color. You can even paint or stain the wood before decorating to create a completely different look.
Another thing that makes this project unique is its size. Traditional stands are often designed to hold a cookbook or even a tablet, which can take up valuable counter space.
This compact holder is made specifically for paper cards, keeping your favorite recipes visible without creating extra kitchen mess.
If you’ve ever looked at woodworking plans that involve measuring complicated angles, installing hinges, filling nail holes with wood filler, and assembling pieces with wood glue and screws, you’ll appreciate how simple this project is.
Our step-by-step tutorial skips the power tools and focuses on creating something beautiful with basic craft supplies.
Can I stain the wood instead of painting it?
Absolutely. A light stain gives the holder a farmhouse or rustic feel, while darker stain colors create a more traditional finish.
Can this hold a tablet?
This holder is designed for paper, but you can try propping up a tablet on the base and see if it works. You can also buy a larger base and attach the stem piece further back so that it can hold both.
Whether you’re making one for yourself or creating a thoughtful handmade gift, this recipe card holder is a fun craft you’ll actually use. Grab your Mod Podge and let’s get started!
Get the printable how to below:
Recipe Card Holder
Equipment
- Saw and miter box
Materials
- 1 Wooden base round plaque
- 1 piece 1" x 2" wood
- 1 Clear clip or clothespin
- Scrapbook paper
- Mod Podge
- Craft paint
- Sandpaper
- Printable cards
Instructions
- Cut the 1” x 2” wood piece to size – make it at least 2.5” tall on the shorter side. Use a miter box to cut one side into an angle at 45 degrees. This will be the stem piece of the holder.
- Once cut, sand both the wood piece and round plaque to remove roughness. Wipe away sanding dust.
- Paint your wood pieces with acrylic paint. Use a color that complements or contrasts with your scrapbook paper. Give the wood a few coats and let dry.
- Trace the wood round onto the back of your scrapbook paper.
- Cut it out with a pair of scissors. Do the same for the stem piece, cutting one piece for each side.
- Apply a layer of Mod Podge onto the wood base, and then carefully adhere your scrapbook paper, making sure it is centered. Use a flat card or brayer to ensure it is fully attached and to smooth out the bubbles. Do the same for the stem piece.
- Once dry, apply a layer or two of Mod Podge onto the base and the stem piece to seal and protect the scrapbook paper. Let it fully dry.
- Once the pieces are dry, use hot glue to attach the stem piece to the wood round, making sure it is centered.
- Add a clip of your choice to the card holder – I used an acrylic clip with a sticky backing. You can also use a wood or metal clip, depending on the colors and theme of your project.
- Optional. Print and cut the cards if desired. These are sized at 4” x 6”.
Notes
I hope you enjoyed this wood craft – let me know in the comments. I’d also love for you to visit some of my other favorite home decor projects:
Clothespin Magnets • Clothespin Wreath • Decoupage Wood Tray • Decorate a Memory Box • Decorative Wine Bottles • Decoupage Napkins on Canvas • DIY Cork Boards • DIY Floor Cloth • DIY Tile Coasters • Doorbell Box Cover • Fabric Covered Books • Ice Cream Stick Wall Hanging • Paper Mache Bowls • Plate Display • Scrap Wood Candle Holders • Wood Welcome Sign
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
I love it because about 50 years ago (can’t believe it is that long ago) I made something like this for my mom at a girls’ club I was a part of. It had a long down and a smaller base with the clothes pin perched on the top at an angle. When Mom died I got it back and use it all the time. I think I will make these for my girls using my own recipes and handwriting. Thanks for the great idea.
Very cool, and I see how adaptable it is for holding many things like notes, bills, a photo, and more. This is right up my crafty alley!
Love the project, and the story. Not sure who the “first person” is, thus whose mother makes donuts, but I’m VERY impressed. Anywho, I love the collage of Mom’s handwriting; really sweet. This would be useful in other rooms to hold all sorts of notes. I’m at a point in my life where, if it isn’t written down, it’s forgotten.
How much do I love this? So much, that I found wood pieces to make my own. The spray paint is drying as I write this…Thanks!
Very cute idea Amy! I just did a lamp shade I would love for you to see when you get a moment. It was a bear to do, and I wonder if you could give me a tip or trick for next time. I basically cut all my strips and I actually dipped them in my mod podge bowl and then placed them on my shade….it was time consuming in that I kept having to paint over them and still they are not all flat. I did add some mod podge to the shade as well. In the end, it looks cool…check it out.
http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/2011/07/burlap-projects-cont.html