I LOVE wooden rolling pins! I am always drawn to them and I find them in thrift and antique stores often!
They are so nostalgic to me......bringing up memories of rolling out pie dough and sugar cookies with both my mother and my grandmother. In today's fast paced world of food delivery, drive throughs and curbside pick up....I feel like cooking at home and family time in the kitchen is lost!
I was determined to find a way to do more than just "collect" them.....I wanted to honor them!
This DIY rolling pin recipe holder is what I came up with.....and your response to it on Facebook and Instagram just about broke the internet!
NOTE: I realize this is a Christmas version but you could make a non-themed one for all year....and even custom make one for friends/family members special occasions.
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Supplies Used
Wooden Rolling Pin (mine was thrifted)
Metal Easel (with a high back for a stand)
Holiday Holly Decoupage Paper (or any paper you choose)
Saran Wrap
Drill
Screws
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How to Create a DIY Rolling Pin Recipe Holder
So as promised, I'm writing my detailed process for you here on how to create your own DIY rolling pin recipe holder.
But first...the before
I started with a raw rolling pin and inexpensive wooden pizza board.
I, of course, gave the rolling pin a good wash down with White Lightning and rinsed well.
I painted them both white. I chose my favorite white by Dixie Belle called Fluff to paint a single coat and allowed to dry.
PRO TIP: It's always a good idea to paint any area that you plan to decoupage with a light color first....it helps the decoupage colors to stay bold and true.
Personalize with Decoupage Paper
I then used Dixie Belle's Satin Clear Coat as my decoupage medium.
PRO TIP: Satin Clear Coat is SO much easier to use than Mod Podge....which I'd used for years! If I'd only known!
I liberally laid down a single coat and then gently laid my chosen decoupage paper over the wet clear coat on the board.
It grips easily and is also easy to lift and reposition if you need to.
I use a wadded up ball of saran wrap to smooth out my paper and press out any wrinkles.
This works like magic.....I hope you'll try it!
I repeated this same process with the checkered paper on the rolling pin.
If you have any paper hanging over the edges of your boards or pin....just use a piece of sand paper and lightly rub the edge and the paper will easily fall away with a perfect edge!
Once you have your papers just like you want them, give a final coat of clear coat over the top surface.
Adding Mold Embellishments
I find it helpful to have a few molds on hand to add as embellishments.
So I chose a broken piece of WoodUBend molding to glue in place there as a cameo style adornment and it worked beautifully!
You simply warm up the WoodUBend pre-made molds with heat until its pliable.....and stick it in place using wood glue....I prefer Tite-Bond Quick-n-Thick.
I then chose a mold that I had made ahead of time to place on the front of the rolling pin.
This mold was made with a molding compound called Form Flex. It dries and remains flexible so it's really easy to use on projects that have curves and corners.
I used Tite Bond and tiny dots of hot glue on this as well.
I do need to say that I pre-painted the rolling pin mold before I glued it in place.
While I prefer the versatility of Form Flex, flexible molds can also be made out of hot glue. Visit my blog How to Make Molds with Hot Glue for more details.
Bringing to all Together with Painting and Gold Wax
I painted the cameo mold center with Honky Tonk Red....and highlighted it with a bit of Fluff in the center.
I dusted the raised edges of the molds with Gold Gilding Wax for a little pop of fancy!
I even gave a light dusting of gold to the outer edges of the board and pin.
Assembling the DIY Rolling Pin Recipe Holder
Now its time to marry the two wood pieces.
Matt used a drill and screws....and screwed in from the back of the board into the rolling pin while I held it in place. He used three screws across the back and it was surprisingly sturdy!
I stood the recipe holder into a metal easel that I had here at home.
PRO TIP: When you choose an easel, just make sure you choose one that has a high back to support the weight of the tall pizza board and handle.
The Finished Look: DIY Rolling Pin Recipe Board
And that is it!!! This project is done!
Every recipe book that we tried fit perfectly!
I am beyond thrilled with how this turned out and I hope many of you will be inspired to make your own custom edition!
More Inspiration: Kitchen Decor Ideas
I pulled a few blogs from past projects that came to mind when working on this piece! I hope you can use them to draw inspiration for your upcoming project. Here are the additional designs for your inspiration:
DIY Vintage Mushroom Breadboard - remember the mushroom pattern from the1970s?
Retro Kitchenaide Mixer - bright and fun...with strawberries!
DIY Lazy Susan - beautiful design with multiple stains
Painted Knife Block - intriguing faux cement look
Enchanting Bread Boards - a variety of bread board for kitchen decor
Looking for even more inspiration? The blogs below give a wide variety of additional DIY projects that you can easily complete yourself at home!
Click on any photo below for more up-close photos and all the design details
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