Family Heirloom Recipe Placemates: Thanksgiving Table Setting
My very favorite family recipes anchor this Thanksgiving table setting. Not actually the food but the recipes…hand written or from a typed (from a real typewriter) notecard. Little slivers of my family on paper. Maybe you could drag out the old recipe box for your very own family heirloom recipe placemats.
Before I share my table, I want to make sure you know to stick around. At the end of this post are links to some GORGEOUS Thanksgiving tables you have to see!
It’s the digital age. You can find 50 ways to make Sweet Potatoes or Pumpkin Pie with a quick Google search. Recipes printed on paper or pinned to your recipe board on Pinterest. But this old girl here, I love the hand written, handed down recipes. Chicken scratch on paper. Lettering you can identify the owner of in a split second.
For this Thanksgiving table I decided to treat my little people to a taste of their heritage. Grand parent’s recipes blown up into placemats. I simply scanned the recipes, blew them up and had them printed on heavy card stock sized 12″ X 18″. They cost under $2/each.
I can’t remember a single Thanksgiving without my mom’s Sausage Stuffing. Comfort fills the air each holiday as the stained and tattered recipe card gets pulled out and put to work. And every year we swear we’re going to make this recipe more than just at Thanksgiving and Christmas. But we rarely do. I’m still not sure why. 
Then there is my Aunt Leila’s Pecan Pie, hand written by my Neena (grandmother). A British war bride accustom to letter writing. Her penmanship makes my heart happy. My Neena suffers from Alzheimer’s and these little bits of her make me miss the old her so much.
Mind the scratch paper the recipe was quickly transcribed on. Oilfield company note paper. Because we are an oilfield family. Even the paper pays homage to my upbringing. Oilfield has paid for houses and cars and college and weddings and just about everything my family has.
Next to the best Pecan Pie recipe ever lays my Granny’s Corn Pudding Recipe. I can see her shaky hand sharing cooking secrets right now. The fact that there are actual measurements in this recipe is sheer amazing. She’s a woman from the pinch of this and a scoop of that era of cooking. Granny could flat get around a kitchen. I love how she notes off to the side (you have some in the freezer) referring to the flour…not sure if it’s a reminder to my mom or herself. I miss her.
Comfort comes in casserole dishes and tasty smells during the holidays, but it’s important to remember our favorites fares are the ones passed down generation after generation. Sure the food is good, but the memories of the people taste better and linger longer. These family recipe placemats lay every holiday from my youth on display and let my kids get a peek of years past.
I’m aware that most people don’t love their own handwriting, it’s a common fact I’ve found through years of scrapbooking with other ladies. I also doubt that when my grandmothers wrote out these ingredient lists they though anyone would think about them in any manner other than face value…as a recipe. They didn’t know they’d be family heirlooms! 
The next time you are tempted to type and print instead of write and send think about these placemats and give your family a little piece of you instead. You never know, your great grandkids just might thank you for it as they sit and eat your legendary pie recipe around the table with their children. Wouldn’t that be sweet?
I hope you will take a minute to visit my friend and their gorgeous Thanksgiving table setting ideas. You are sure to be inspired! Before you leave I hope you’ll share this project idea with your friends on Facebook or Pinterest, I would certainly appreciate it!
The Tale of An Ugly House
What a beautiful idea! I love that!!
Thanks Tara!!!
This is just the cutest idea ever! I’ll have to steal this for next year. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thank you friend! It is easy and so special!
These are so charming, Kim! I absolutely love how the scribbled notes and stains really bring the recipes to life. Such a sweet gift that you can share with your family!
The stains and scribbles make them the best 🙂
Okay, seriously my friend…I was up at 4:00 this morning and couldn’t sleep reading through your post. I couldn’t wait to come back and leave you a comment. This is so beautiful and creative! I love this idea so much!
Thank you friend you are so sweet to me. Your table is gorgeous, as always!
Brilliant! I love this more than words can say! Now I’m off to see if I can find a few of my grandmother’s recipes – and hopefully they’re written in her handwriting!!!
Handwritten are the best, but my mom’s typed cards are wonderful too…anything from someone you love is special! Miss you friend!
I am so glad I found your blog. It has become my favorite! This is the most wonderful idea ever!
I can’t even. You are so sweet, totally just made my day. thank you
This is so awesome! Now I need to call the aunts to scour up some of my grandmother’s recipes… ♥ Thank you for such a unique idea!
Hope you find some good ones! It’s such an easy project and would be a great gift for family members!!
I love this so much.
Side note…my grandfather worked for what was once known as Magnolia Oil, you know it today as Mobile. He retired after 40 years.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Lisa
Oilfield people stick around for sure! I bet he has some great stories, thanks for sharing and I bet you have some recipe cards just like mine 😉
Love this sweet idea so much!
Thanks, my kids are enjoying it too, wish they new my grandmothers like I did!
I love these Kim! What a special idea for the holidays or any day.
This is the greatest idea,truly. I have recipes written by my mom and Christmas was her favorite she decorated every room. We could go in the bathroom and the lid was covered with a Santa who when you lifted the lid he had his hand covering his eyes, so cute and a great memory. Thanks for sharing.
I love this idea! I have done wax transfer with handwritten letters and I think that this idea could go along with that! There is also fabric printing that this might work into as well! Thank you so much for sharing this. Here is the link to my blog post on wax paper transfer. Maybe it would work on a cutting board or a thin wooden place mat or on a charger! http://www.3winksdesign.com/home/the-best-use-of-wax-paper-transfer-preserving-memories You have my mind racing with the possibilities!
Brilliant idea with gorgeous results! Thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!
I love these placemats! I’ll be making some as I live by my grandmother’s recipe box! What a wonderful way to celebrate food memories!
I LOVE this idea!!! Totally pinning this!!
🙂 Thank you, it has been a hit at our home. Hope you get a chance to make some for yourself!
I love this idea! What a great way to honor your family heritage by sharing favorite recipes. It probably makes for great conversation as you discuss the history and memories behind the recipe. Visiting from Craft Schooling Sunday party.
We have had some fun conversations and the kids rotate the mats to get the different recipes! Thanks for stopping by.
This is such a great idea!
Thanks, it is easy and so meaningful!
Completely enchanted by this idea! So brilliant. Love, love seeing handwriting. Something so personal and meaningful about it. p.s. love how your pop-up is a Bible verse 🙂 Visiting via SITSSharefest
Thanks Barb, so glad you like it and hope the verse helps with memorizing one scripture a month!
What a beautiful idea – I love it! Thanks for sharing with us at Throwback Thursday and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Mollie
Thanks so much for stopping by!
🙂 My pleasure! 🙂
What a great idea. Have you considered while you are working with the recipes to make a collection of them to share with your family, perhaps in a three ring binder with some notes or comments or memories about the person or the recipe? Once the first book was done copies could be made to share.
what a lovely idea and a great gift this would be, thank you!!!
The recipe placemats are such a darling idea and a way to show your heritage. So happy to discover your blog.
Thanks Peggy, I am so glad you are here too and we really love these placemats, perfect for anyone to add to the holiday lineup!
I love this idea and can’t wait to try. In years past, I have set grandparents and great grandparents heirlooms on each table. To me it makes me feel the air is filled with love and warmth.
Hi
Love the decor & can you share your recipes???
yes! I can and will! thanks for asking
I would love to have the sausage stuffing recipe. I have one but it needs changes
Did you just take pics and print the recipes out on regular paper? Did you seal them? Apply them to anything hard? I just LOOOOVE THIS! And hi, Kim!
HI Robyn, I scanned the recipes and printed them on large cardstock. I didn’t do anything else, but you could seal them or mount them if desired!!! Have fun – this is a fav of mine too!