Original recipe cards passed down from older relatives are invaluable, but like any physical object, they don't always survive the passing of years intact. If your family recipe box resembles the photo on the left—a mishmash of old cards, splattered and stained, the handwriting faded after many long years of storage and use—then you might want to try this preservation trick from Martha Stewart.

This is not only a great way to preserve family recipes for your own use, but it's a way to share the original recipe—and the original handwriting and notes—with other family members without losing the unique elements. Here's what Martha advises:

Keep treasured dishes in the family by scanning and printing original recipes and handing them out at the next reunion. Scan and size recipes and photos with photo-editing software, then print onto card stock. Cut to size, and place in tins. Wrap tins with a wide band of paper printed with a colorful pattern (scanned vintage kitchen linens work well) and a portrait of the cook.

The portrait of a cook printed on the recipe is my favorite part! What a wonderful way to cherish both the recipe and the memory of the cook who first made it. And once you've scanned and printed those recipes, how about a few lovely recipe boxes to put them in?

• 1 Heirloom Recipe Card Box, $135 from Rifle Paper Co.
• 2 Recipe Box with Illustrated Dividers, $119 from Charles Fradin Home
• 3 Green Pennant Recipe Box, $26 from Homemade Perfect
• 4 Custom Wood Recipe Box, $35 from SusyJack*
• 5 J Chen Recipe Tin, $18 from Vintage Eclectic City

How do you preserve old family recipes? Have you ever tried this tip?

Related: Family History: How To Document Recipes That Aren't Written Down

(Top image: Life Every Day, Martha Stewart; Recipe box images as linked)