Happy Holidays from Sola Design!

The holiday season is officially amongst us. It is a special time of year for most, and in our household, it is no different. I wanted to share with you some traditional and non-traditional ways to be festive this time of year.

Of course, it all starts with a tree! I love an awesomely decorated Christmas tree in non-traditional colors. I absolutely adore metallics, so this tree is by far one of my favorites…. Gold and Silver! Yessss! Nicely done!

But, if you definitely want to pack a punch, this Christmas tree by Martha Stewart is just for you! Especially if the house is totally feminine.

I love glam! And I love to incorporate it during the holidays. This beautiful tree by Modern Glam sums up my dream holiday aesthetic. Layers of goodness with serene colors. Just gorg!

And you cannot forget about the fireplace mantel! This one by Melbean Interiors showcases blue, one of my favorite colors also. Lovely, isn’t it?

Anywhere you can add festive decorations….just do it, like this beautiful design by Tammy Damore. Simple yet elegant.

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Now after all the decorating, you must not forget that fabulous dinner table setting that creates the appropriate mood for this time of year. I love a gorgeous table setting with all the yummy food that comes along with it. The food IS everything to me. I will share a couple of great recipes with you this season that have been passed down to me over the decades and I have added my own touches to it. My absolute favorite recipe is my incredibly delicious and scrumptious SEVEN CHEESE Mac and Cheese that I will share this time. This is my GO TO but it is so rich in taste and in price, that I only make a couple times per year.

Renae’s Mac-N-Cheese

 Ingredients:

Pasta (Use what you like- I love shells, bowties, rotini, and penne)

Cheese (Use what you like- I use a variety of at least 7 cheeses)

Gruyere

Havarti

Smoked Gouda

Asiago

Mozzarella

Vermont Sharp Cheddar

Colby Jack and/or Monterey Jack

1 Jar Cottage Cheese

1 Jar Sour Cream

1 or 2 Cans Evaporated Milk

1 Can Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup

2 Large Eggs

Real Salted Butter

Seasoned Salt

Black or White Pepper

Fresh Garlic

Olive Oil

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Boil water with a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Add Pasta of your choice and cook as directed on the box. 

Drain Pasta in Colander and add butter to melt.

In a blender: Add the following:

Cottage Cheese

Evaporated Milk

Sour Cream

Cream of Cheese Soup

2 Eggs

White or Black Pepper

Garlic

Blend until smooth 

In a Casserole Dish do the following, rotating back and forth:

Add a portion of cooked pasta

Add the variety of cheeses (I prefer to grate my cheeses and gently mix them together in a large bowl)

Last topping is of mixed cheeses

Pour all the blended ingredients on top at the end.  Bake for 45 minutes to 55 minutes uncovered, checking for moisture.  YUM YUM YUM!

And this is the ABSOLUTE TRUTH! hahaha

And there is nothing MORE special than the entire family in MATCHING PJ’s. I cannot WAIT! This is one of my beautiful friends and her family, The Wortheys, doing just that. Go check out their blog also, they have great recipes and excellent entertaining secrets to share with you and your family.

I’ve been personally going through my own battles this holiday season, as my daddy finally got his wings last month. The holiday season won’t be the same anymore, but I am grateful and thankful for the precious memories I have of him during my lifespan.

Rest in Heaven Daddy. I love you!

From my family to yours…enjoy this season to love and be loved. To give and to celebrate. We thank you here at Sola Design for a great year and cannot wait for what 2020 holds for us!

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Until Next Time,

xo Renae

Live…Love…Design!

(All photographs are courtesy of my Pinterest and Family Album)

Do you know what today is?!?

It’s my 21st Anniversary of meeting my soulmate face to face...also the day he proposed and the day we were to be married! Such a special day to me and my husband. Almost just as important as the day I married him 19 years ago! Yes, we celebrate TWO anniversaries but this particular one has more meaning and more memories. Happy Anniversary to the most enduring, romantic, loving, strong, faith-filled man I know! 

Until Next Time, 

Live...Love...Design! 

xo Renae  

A Remembrance to my Chloe + Ferdie….

This St. Patrick’s Day I want to pay tribute to my grandmother, Clara Ann “Chloe” Butler and my grandfather, Algernon “Ferdie” Butler. Today marks the day that 11 years ago, she quietly left this earth. Very bittersweet day because one of course, she was reunited with her true love, my Grandpa, who died in December 1993, & two she LOVED St. Patrick’s Day as it is very prevalent in our British West Indian culture! 

She was a strong woman and my grandfather adored her so much so that he always told me how once he left his native island, Dominica, to go to Montserrat, he wanted to make the darkest woman his beloved wife. That makes me giggle and of course it restrengthens my love for my own husband. I miss them dearly & today I just wanted to tribute them on one of their favorite holidays! Rest in Paradise Grandma & Grandpa!! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  

Until next time, 

Live... Love....Design! 

xo Renae  

(Photograph courtesy of my mom)