Mixing it UP!

Showing off my Black-eyed Pea Soup
my first time!

My son loves different soups. My Mom has made this soup before when I was a kid, but I'm pretty darn sure she didn't cut LEAKS and put them in it! They just sort of melted in the pot with the onions, carrots & celery. I had some old dried (from fresh) thyme as well. That added a lot of flavor. I combined two recipes I found on foodnetwork.com and from a southern living magazine. I didn't use a bay leaf (didn't have any!) and I didn't add kale or spinach. (that would be ugly and weird I think). Dean said, "Mom, the texture of this soup is like, like indescribable!" You can't get a better compliment than that~ and he's just about 15! I used my fabulous Le Creuset pot for this. The best kitchen gift I've ever received! (Notice I didn't say best gift ever.. I added kitchen! ha!) Also in this soup is country ham pieces. Well, I had never ever seen this item before I moved to North Carolina. I find it unrefrigerated in airtight plastic wrap. I used it first for my split pea soup, another of my boy's faves. Anyway, for all you Yankees out there, after you open the package, you peel apart this ball of ham..it's cured so its very very salty. I browned it first in the pot I was using for a little while till it looked sort of crispy, removed it and then cooked the leak, garlic and celery in that..yum! I then added the pre-soaked beans and carrots and a whole cardboard box of chicken stock. I then let it simmer for about 1.5 hrs. OMG..it was really delicious! It pays to tear out those magazine pages and then make it your own!

So, making it your own.. that's what my websites are all about.. Call it what you want, customizing, personalizing, that's what I do. It's what I love to do for you! Below is a Tea Party Invitation. Make it yours with the hostess' name in SooBoo Style Early American and let me know the colors you like as well. Add this text or any other you desire and it's done!

I also wanted to show you some older hand painted kid's lettering I have done. I think you'll like it. This lettering I can't find anymore. It was carried at Target pre-painted white.


I painted a stool to match.. and a little rocker as well, but the picture is horrible!

These letters are so cute. My customer had a quilt made in these exact colors and wanted to have the baby's name hanging with those colors as well. They turned out deliciously!

This was another commissioned stool. Very adorable for this little girl!


Unfortunately, I think this might be the last time I made these adorable goodie bags for my friend's daughter's class for Valentine's Day Gifts~ I have done many for her over the years, but her girls are growing fast. What was done for these:
Drew out the names in black outline.
Photoshopped the colors in them and added the polka dots or stripes
Added the To: on one side and on the back side, I added From: and her daughters name in the same fun design!
Filled the bags with candy
The bag topper folds over the candy bag like a tent and is stapled to hold the candy in the bag.
Fabulous..all for $1.50 per bag!
Can be done for any occasion..

Party Favors for:
Book Clubs-think the book name in SooBoo name art! and maybe a personalized SooBoo Bookmark!
Teacher Gifts- add a gift card and a thank you note!
Office Parties - add photocopied Dilbert comics and new pens!
Adult Birthday Parties- add chocolate covered strawberries and blindfolds~
Themed Parties- ie.sweet sixteen, add SooBoo's personalized keychains!
Holiday Parties- endless possibilities!
Philanthropic Events-use event colors and fill with custom m&m's and stories of how the money raised will help the cause.
Baby Showers - think adding rattles and pacifiers and pinky rings
Bridesmaid Gifts- add garters and pictures of the bridal showers
Small Store Grand Openings- add savings coupons.
Promotional Pieces- fill with coupons and candy!
Realtor Leave Behinds -fill with your business cards, local eatery bus cards, local businesses cards, an extra key.. be creative and humorous!

Thank your for reading and getting your ideas here~
To order any of the painted wood or custom party bag toppers and bags contact me at susie@sooboodesigns.com!
Susie