Our friend Lorrie & Relay for Life

Our friend Lorrie Lawrence recently lost her courageous five year battle with cancer. In the words of her friend Gail Abernethy, "Lorrie was our cheerleader, and our safety net. She blanketed us in love and warmth. A beautiful testimony of God's grace and love, she was beautiful, generous, witty, unselfish and determined." Everyone at Mount Holly Elementary School, where she was a teacher's assistant, loved her and have continued to raise money in her honor for the Relay for Life event happening tonight.

Please join us in honoring our friend, by contributing to her relay team. Lorrie's joy for life will continue to encourage us all as we find hope in each new day.

Sample Sale Extravaganza!

Last Saturday, we held a sample sale for charity in the studio parking lot - and it was a huge success! I want to emphasis the word HUGE - check out these pictures! Our parking lot was full and we had many visitors. Thank you to everyone who came by to shop and visit - it was wonderful to make new friends as well as see many familiar faces.

My husband Al, ran shuttles of visitors - here is my mother getting the first tractor ride of the day!

Our new friends who came all the way from Tennessee!

Trip to NYC for the Tabletop Show

I just returned from a wonderful Tabletop show in New York last week. It was a busy few days of meetings and I had a wonderful time reconnecting with old and new clients as we discussed exciting new projects and reviewed samples of beautiful new fabrics and tabletop items hitting markets in the coming year. I also managed to sneak in a few fun times with friends while in the city – dinner with friends, a museum visit, and even a K. D. Lang concert Saturday night!

Birthday Cookies

Last Friday was my birthday and so many people made the day and the weekend very special for me. My daughter Erin sent me a funny E-Card, I received beautiful topiaries from my Winget Art studio friends, and I was so excited when this HUGE cookie bouquet arrived from my dear childhood friend Meredith. Aren’t these cookies adorable? I love the little frogs and they were tasty, too! Thank you to everyone that made my birthday such a happy one!

Winget Art Softball

I was so excited when I received an email from my friend Susan Young about the Winget Art softball team! It turns out her daughter Catherine is on the team this year. As a huge sports enthusiast myself, it is such a joy to see the next generation of women getting into the game! Team sports teach so many wonderful life lessons to children – sportsmanship, teamwork, and self-confidence to name a few. Thanks for sharing your photos, Susan, and GO TEAM!!

The loss of a dear friend

Our Steele Creek community suffered a great loss this past weekend. Our friend and church music director, Cindy Furr, and her precious daughter Mackie were killed in a terrible car crash Saturday evening. It is so hard to make sense of such a tragic event and it has been a daily, even hourly, struggle to face this reality. In this time of mourning and uncertainty, I have been blessed to experience the amazing warmth of God’s comforting arms and through these moments, know that God is with us. Although tough, I trust that God is in control and will console us in this most incomprehensible hardship.

When I think of Cindy, I feel the warmth of her smiling face and positive outlook. As we remember Cindy, I know that her life and passion will live on through all of us that were touched by her loving presence. Please join me in praying for our community and for Cindy’s husband Steve as he has suffered the loss of his wife and daughter so suddenly.

Charlotte Observer Article

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I; for you are my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me abide in your tent forever, find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
Psalm 61: 1-4

Prayers for Angie

A dear friend of the art studio is having surgery today. Her name is Angie and she is a wonderful woman with an extraordinary passion for life. Angie inspires all of us with her positive outlook and refreshing view of the world around her. She has currently been in the hospital for two weeks following her first surgery and when her doctor asked her how she was doing, despite the pain, she smiled and said that she was surrounded by loved ones and relaxing, so she felt like she was on vacation! Angie always has everyone smiling when she visits us at the studio. We all wish her a speedy recovery and hope to see her smile around the studio again soon!

The Angel Trumpet

For my birthday this year, my dear friend Annie gave me a plant. Although I trust Annie in all gardening endeavors, as she has a special touch with every flower and animal she encounters, I must say it did not look like much at first. It was even kind of scraggly. My husband Al called it a “poke salad” which is the term his father gave to an unsightly plant that grew on the farm when he was growing up. However, as we faithfully tended this plant (with much help from Annie herself) it has all of a sudden blossomed and is gorgeous, full of pink flowers. It is called an Angel Trumpet, and if you ever find one, I urge you not to judge it, as we did, at first glance! What a very special birthday gift this plant has become – Thank you, Annie!

Early Mornings at the Gym

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning I wake up at the crack of dawn and head to the gym for a workout. It is so hard to get out of bed some mornings but it helps that I have a group of fun (and strong!) girlfriends to work out with, including my painting friend, Jeannie, from the studio. We work hard and have a great time, too! There are so many wonderful health benefits that we all know come from working out – lower blood pressure, decreased risk of disease and prevention of muscle loss. But, what really gets me to the gym are the feel-good benefits of increased energy throughout the day, stress release and the comradery of my friends at the gym. It really is a blessing, even if that’s not always the easiest to remember that early in the morning! I would encourage everyone to get a group of friends together to walk with or head to the gym with a few times a week. It really is fun once you make time for it and all of your loved ones will be glad to know you care about being around for them for years to come!

A California Visit

Last week I took a trip to California to meet with a company called Teacher Created Resources. They are located outside of Los Angeles in Westminster, CA. What a beautiful part of the country! Teacher Created is an educational publishing company that has created many products including banners, bookmarks, bulletin board art, expandable pocket files, notepads and stickers with our school themed designs. As the new school year is now getting started, it was a perfect time to meet and brainstorm about new classroom products and new design ideas. Click here to visit our online store, featuring many of our Teacher Created products.While in California, we also took time to visit our ar

tist friend Lowell Herraro and his wife Janet. Lowell is an amazing artist and they have a beautiful home that connects to his studio. His paintings are large with gorgeous rich colors, often depicting scenes of the vineyards and olive grove (Lowell and Janet produce their own olive oil!) that surround their home. We had a wonderful visit with them and enjoyed the chance to tour his home and studio.
Lastly, we visited a few vineyards around Napa Valley before returning home. I am definitely inspired to paint for our Lang Wine Country calendar, now! The rolling hills and inviting roads of the vineyards are absolutely gorgeous. It was a great trip all around; I hope to visit California again soon!

Jim Shore’s New Furniture Line!

One of my friends and fellow artists, Jim Shore, recently had his grand opening for his new furniture and home décor line called At Home with Jim Shore. I had the privilege of attending his opening in Atlanta this summer for a sneak peak. The furniture is lovely with unique designs, clearly inspired by his quilt-like aesthetic. Even the cake at the party was shaped as a trunk with one of his distinctive Jim Shore designs! It was a wonderful opening, and I wish him much success as he enters the exciting world of furniture design!

Peaches!

All summer long we have enjoyed the most delicious peaches! Every couple of days, Mary Beth brings in a new basket full from the orchard she passes on her way to the studio. It has truly been a treat. Fresh peaches are one of the sweetest parts of the summer! We’ve enjoyed sharing them with our friends and families as well. It was great to take a sack of peaches to my aunt and uncle in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. After the wedding weekend, Jeannie sent her relatives home with some peaches, too. It’s always fun to share a “bite” of the North Carolina summer with everyone! Beckie has even made her superb peach cobbler for the studio to enjoy a couple of times. Here is her recipe:
Beckie’s Peach Cobbler:
1 deep baking dish (21/2 to 3 qt.)
31/2 c. sliced peaches, sweetened to taste
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Cup sifted flour
1 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg
6 Tbsp. melted butter

Place peaches in deep dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Sift dry ingredients together. Add beaten egg. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over peaches. Pour melted butter on top. Bake at 375 for 35 to 45 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and cinnamon. Enjoy!

Ana and Craig’s Wedding

Jeannie’s daughter Ana got married last week! Jeannie is one of my dearest friends and has painted with me at the studio for many years. I could not be happier for Ana and her new husband Craig. They were married on a very special day, 8/8/08, in a beautiful outdoor ceremony on Lake Montonia. Ana’s father built a wooden bridge overlooking the lake for them to stand on as they took their vows. The music was provided by acoustic guitarist Scoot Pittman. Jeannie painted this beautiful image of the bridge for her daughter. It was an intimate family ceremony on a beautiful summer day –with a surprise of fireworks across the lake after they were first announced as husband and wife. Best wishes in your new life together, Ana and Craig!

Eric’s European Adventure

Beckie’s youngest son, Eric, just returned from Europe! He spent two weeks studying interior design at a university in Milan and then spent another 2 weeks traveling through the rest of Italy and Europe. Italy is such a beautiful country, with such a rich culture centered around fine arts and architecture – I couldn’t think of a more perfect place to study design! During his trip, Eric toured Rome, Florence and Venice. He also traveled to Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris. Today he came to the studio to share his photos with us. They were all so wonderful – I wish I was going back to Europe soon! One video he shared with us was from his trip to Venice. He went to the island of Murano and visited a glass blowing studio. The video he shot was of a man creating a small glass horse – it is such an intricate and beautiful process. I’m so glad that Eric had a wonderful experience. He is such a talented and creative designer, I know he learned a lot on this trip and will be able to use his many experiences to create designs for a lifetime!

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!

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!

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!

A Christmas Cake

Today at the studio we had a visit from our friend Po who owns one of my favorite restaurants in our neighborhood, Lui Lui's. It is always a wonderful treat when the studio orders lunch from there, as we often do, and Po has become a dear friend over the past several years. She is always sharing wonderful things with us beyond her Chinese cuisine, like the lovely orchid she brought the studio this fall. Today she brought a delicious cake for the holidays. It was absolutely gorgeous, so I wanted to share a picture with you all. The butter cream icing wasn't so bad either! We all enjoyed it tremendously- what a special treat!   ~Susan

Erin Hills

On our trip to Wisconsin to visit Lang Corporation, Jeannie and I were also fortunate to make a special trip to visit our old friend Bob Lang at his new golf course, Erin Hills. Bob was the previous owner of Lang. He was the first to believe in my art and publish it in the Lang calendars. I am delighted that our friendship has remained strong throughout the years, even though he has now moved onto another venture in his life. And wow, what a venture! I was so excited to finally visit Erin Hills, the golf course he has been working on for so many years. The landscape there is truly breathtaking. Bob's artistic eye is evident in the attention to detail found throughout the course and it's clubhouse. Walking the course was inspiring for my own artistic vision. Visit his website to see for yourself, the photos there are only an introduction to the true beauty of Erin Hills!

http://www.erinhills.com

Susan