I'm finally doing the thing (custom recipe illustrations!)

Hey friends,

So, I’ve been sitting on this idea for months now, and I finally just... did it.

I opened up custom recipe illustration commissions on my Etsy shop.

Here’s the deal: I’ve always been obsessed with recipes. Not just the cooking part (though yes, obviously), but the stories behind them. The way your mom’s lasagna recipe is written on a grease-stained index card in her unmistakable handwriting. How your grandma’s cookies taste like every holiday you’ve ever had. That one dish your friend makes that’s somehow become their entire personality (spicyyyy?).

These recipes deserve better than living in a drawer or saved in some random iPhone note that’ll get lost in a software update. (Speaking from experience here!)

The big inspiration behind this idea is that I illustrated my grandma’s asparagus soup recipe after she passed, because I missed the feeling of sharing this dish with family. Having this as a piece of art in my home is such a comfort! (Scroll down to see the behind-the-scenes-video!)

So I’m turning them into collage illustrations. Each one is handmade, layered, textured: all the things I love about working with paper and creating something you can actually feel even in digital form.

How it works: You send me your recipe (yes, even the chaotic ones with no measurements), I sketch something out, you tell me what you love or what needs tweaking, and then I finish it up into a gorgeous high-res PDF you can print and frame or add to your family cookbook.

It takes 3-4 weeks because collage work is genuinely time-intensive, but that’s also what makes each piece special. I’m offering limited slots because I’m finishing up on other projects as well, so be quick if you’re excited about this!

If you’ve been thinking about preserving a family recipe, giving something meaningful to someone who already has everything, or just want to see your signature dish turned into art—this is your sign.

Check it out!

And if you know someone who’d love this? Forward this along. I’d genuinely appreciate it. Another great way of gifting someone artwork like this is to split the cost among friends, chip in and get someone custom artwork for their new house or for a holiday present!

Alright, back to cutting tiny paper carrots or whatever I’m working on today.

Anna Lena

P.S. - Yes, I can work with recipes that just say “bake until it looks done.” I’m basically an art recipe whisperer at this point!