Merry Christmas

The BEST Tortilla Soup Recipe!

I was so happily pleased to see that my old next door neighbor from Texas posted this gorgeous picture (love the groovy bowl, Deatra!) with the following:  

Deatra Austin Smith‎Eileen Howley Teagle

18 hrs · 

 

Still a frequent meal for the Smith House 16 years later, Eileen's Tortilla Soup.

We love this recipe and it's especially good for a large group during the holidays when you are sick of eating heavy and rich foods...set up a soup bar along with cheesy toast and a salad and you're done!  Many requests for the recipe were posted, so here you go, gang!  Don't let the steps scare you off...it's not hard and soooo worth the effort!  Bon Appetite and thanks for the memories, Deatra Smith!

Winter Floral Arrangements

I was asked to do the florals for a corporate Christmas party this week and we went with a winter blues theme rather than the traditional red and green.  Silver, sapphire and turquoise blues with white roses.

The roses and fresh eucalyptus smelled fantastic!  I love the white and silvery sage colors.

I love changing up the same old green and red during the holidays...try hot pink and lime green, tangerine and aqua, silver and pearl and sapphire and turquoise!  Of course, there is always silver and gold!

So Many Little Houses!

I've been busy painting houses and haven't even stepped on a ladder.  I've had god luck painting more of my little house ornaments and note cards in my Etsy Shop. 

 I especially love to dress them up with seasonal decorations and landscaping that may not actually exist at the home...not yet, at least!  The above were used for note cards, invitations, new home cards and Christmas cards.

These are note cards...

and these are house ornaments...this one is the house my friend grew up in in New Orleans...

and this was commissioned for a customer for her sister's new house.

and for another new house...

and a family's treasured house at the shore.