Photos of the Farm

Yesterday I walked around our house and took some photos. There are so many beautiful flowers in bloom - I wanted to share some of the images with you all! I love seeing the black-eyed susans grow in bunches each summer and I was lucky enough to catch some lovely yellow butterflies in my pictures as well. And how could I resist snapping some shots of our beautiful horses, Gusto and Fia to share? The summer heat is easy to grumble about this year in North Carolina but it is hard to complain when you stop and take time to notice all of the beauty around us! All of the flowers and creatures around our farm inspire me daily… you may even see one of these images in a painting soon!

Mary Beth's Pickle Recipe

Last week one of the artists in my studio, Mary Beth, brought in a jar of her signature pickle relish. Her pickles have the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. They are so delicious, the studio ate the entire jar in one sitting! Lucky for you, Mary Beth is allowing me to share her recipe... Please try this at home; your family will love it!

Mary Beth’s Day Pickles

Ingredients:1 cup of vinegar
2 cups of sugar
1 Tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of celery seed
6 cups of cucumbers sliced
1 cup of green peppers sliced
1 cup of onions sliced

Directions:
Mix the first 4 ingredients and pour over the last 3 ingredients. Stir well, then let sit for 1 hour. Pack in jars and keep in the refrigerator.

Middle School Visit to the Farm

On Tuesday evening, the middle school group from our church made a trip out to our farm. We spent the evening playing games, grilling hot dogs, and visiting with the pigs, rabbit, and horses. My husband Al took everyone for a hayride but I think the middle schoolers had the most fun riding with my sons, Mac and Sam, around the farm on the gator. It is always nice to have a group of young people out to enjoy the land and animals with us. We all had a wonderful time!

Alexa's Cake

The other night my youngest son Sam’s friend, Alexa, came over for dinner. She brought the most beautiful spice cake with her. It was so lovely with the white icing and walnut décor; I had to take some pictures to share! I almost hated for Alexa cut into it, but glad she did – it tasted as wonderful as it looked!

Fresh Tomato Pie

One of my designers at the studio, Audrey, made a tomato pie for everyone to have for lunch today. It was wonderful as she used homegrown tomatoes, onions, and basil from her father's garden. It was so delicious I wanted to share the recipe with you all.

Fresh Tomato Pie
Ingredients:
1 pie crust
5 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions:
First, brown the pie crust according to directions on the package. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then, mix tomatoes, onion, basil, salt, and pepper together and place in pie crust. Mix mayonnaise and cheddar cheese together and spread over the top of the pie. Then sprinkle parmesan on top. Bake pie at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

For more recipes from the Winget Studio, please visit our new recipe page on our website!

Thomas's Birthday

Yesterday one of my designers, Susan, had to run home to be with her young son Thomas. Unfortunately he was suffering from appendicitis and was rushed to the hospital for surgery. We all knew that Thomas would be okay and have a quick recovery, as he did. But, we felt terrible that of all days to have emergency surgery, it was the day before his 8th birthday! Birthday plans were postponed for Thomas but we wanted him to have something fun waiting for him when he returned home. So, we sent him a bouquet of birthday cookies. Susan brought in these adorable pictures of Thomas enjoying his cookies so I had to share them with you all!

Our Family's New Addition!

We have a new arrival on our farm! Bravo was born in the early morning hours last Sunday and she is beautiful! This Hanoverian filly's full name is "With Bravado" and she is already living up to her name and showing signs of becoming a strong and wonderful horse. Please click here to watch a video of some of Bravo's first steps.

Atlanta Gift Show 2008

I just returned from the summer gift show in Atlanta, Georgia. I attend this show every year and am always excited to have a sneak peak at all of the latest designs from hundreds of artists around the world. It is also exciting to see some of the studio's designs on products for the first time that are being displayed in different showrooms. Some of the new programs included Winter Wonders, a melamine collection by Keller Charles, Let It Snow, a collection of cookie and hot cocoa mixes by Brownlow Gifts, Birds and Butterflies, a home decor collection by Crazy Mountain and Morning Song, a collection of woven items by Manual Woodworkers and Weavers. Also, I had the opportunity to do a signing at the Manual showroom this year and met so many wonderful people! The shows are always fun as we meet with many of our friends in the industry and enjoy their company as we plan art direction for the future. There are many new designs from the studio coming out soon!

Mary Beth Celebrates a New Family Tradition

Whenever we have a new line of products at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, we always try to make a studio trip to see everything and enjoy a nice lunch together, too! There are so many cute items in the Old Country Store we hardly ever return to the studio empty handed! One of my dear friends and studio painters, Mary Beth, purchased the Celebrate cake tray when it came out a couple of months ago and has now started a new family tradition. Everyone in her family passes around the cake tray for special gatherings and celebrations. It has already been used for a few birthdays and her niece has even used it for a bridal shower! I love family traditions and think it is wonderful to have a unique serving dish that will take on special meaning of its own as it becomes a part of so many fun family memories.

The World Race: Journey of His Embrace

A few months ago, my daughter Erin felt a call from the Lord to participate in an international and spiritual pilgrimage called The World Race. In this race, small groups of young adults travel to eleven countries in eleven months sharing Christ’s love through missions ministry, community building, and personal growth as they find their place in God’s will for the world. It is a beautiful opportunity and I am so proud of Erin for following her heart and taking this leap. She amazes me with her strong faith and compassion for those around her everyday. I know it will be an incredible journey of cross-cultural discovery and intense spiritual trials and accomplishments. She is set to depart this October. Erin received her tentative route and will begin in the Philippines and travel through 10 other countries including China, Ethiopia, India, Mexico and Nicaragua. A Bible verse that speaks to this organization’s mission is found in Matthew 25:40 when Jesus states, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brother’s of mine, you did for me.” After learning more about the race myself, I realize that the race participants of past and future trips truly live these words as they travel to help others and spread God’s love to all of those they encounter along the way. I know Erin’s trip will have trying times as well as many joyous moments so please remember her and the other race participants in your prayers! I will certainly be giving updates on Erin’s journey over the next year on my blog, but please visit Erin’s race website and blog to learn more about the World Race!

Happy 4th of July!

I hope you all enjoy a fabulous Fourth of July tomorrow! It is wonderful to have a day devoted to celebrating our freedoms as Americans and the beauty of our country. I know July 4th is always a highlight of my family’s summer! This year we are having a large family gathering at our church for a barbeque and time of fellowship. We have so many blessings as Americans and it is always important to remember these as we celebrate together. Last week at our church, my friend Emily gave a wonderful children’s sermon. I would like to share it with you all now as we prepare for our country’s birthday. Emily talked about the significance of the colors of our flag. Red stands for the courage of the many men and women that have fought for our country. White stands for the purity and integrity of always trying our best to do what is right. Lastly, blue stands for justice, as everyone in our country should be treated fairly and with respect. The American flag holds a special place in my heart and I have had the pleasure to paint the beautiful red, white and blue several times for my Old Glory calendar, along with many other patriotic themes. I hope you all will take time to remember the flag’s significance in your own lives as you celebrate with family and friends tomorrow. Have a terrific Fourth!

Fruit of the Spirit

I am excited to let you all know that our new Fruit of the Spirit program is now available at all Cracker Barrel locations. This program is composed of cheerful apple and bird art and is based around a wonderful Bible verse found in Galatians 5:22 in which the Apostle Paul lists nine fruits of the spirit to live by. This is such a beautiful verse and although I have read it many times before, it speaks to me differently every time. For this reason, designing and painting the art for this program was such a delight. The Cracker Barrel collection consists of a wide variety of products from dinnerware and mugs to pillows and dolls. One of my favorite more unique items is the salt and pepper set that is designed as two bird sitting in a nest. We had so much fun as a studio developing this program an

d we hope you all enjoy it as well!