Back in the Studio

After a week in these Colorado mountains we're back in the studio. We're relaxed and feel creatively inspired by the peace of the environment we've left behind. Thanks to our clients that were patient with shipping while we shut down for a week! Back to the drawing board...

Joy

What do you think of when you hear the word "joy?" Some people think of a favorite food or having a day off of work. Others think of the book The Joy of Cooking. The dictionary declares that it is: The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; pleasurable feelings or emotions caused by success, good fortune, and the like, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exhilaration of spirits; delight. BMW (the car company) commissioned an artist to relate joy to their products...see the video titled "Expression of Joy" here. Joy is also of course a fruit of the spirit. God wants us to have joy and happiness in our lives. Sometimes we find joy in the most turbulent times, and sometimes joy just finds us. Other times we just need to open our hearts to being joyful. At Carrot Top Studio we often feel joy while listening to music. We enJOY a wide genre...everything from Bach to David Crowder to Miles Davis. In honor of joy and music we are introducing a new music ministry stole with Psalm 150:3 in mind..."Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet..." You can find this limited edition stole in our online store!

Prayer Flags

A prayer flag is a colorful panel or rectangular cloth often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside or for other purposes. Traditionally they are woodblock-printed with texts and images and are connected to Buddhism. Prayer flags intrigue me because I see the similarity with worship banners and ministry stoles--all involve a religous message, color, symbols, and recognizing the invovlement of the visual and tactile in worship.

In my neck of the woods many churches are gearing up for a week of vacation Bible school. When my children were younger I often found myself in the art room at our vacation Bible school. If I were planning the art projects this year I think I might be apt to translate the Buddhist concept of prayer flags into mini worship banners. My home church is in the center of our community on a road heavily traveled each day. Wouldn't it be exciting to see these mini banners stretched along the roadside? I visualize the sculptural like display being added to each day....almost performance art! They would serve as a personal connection to each child as they soak in the love of God during the week and would maybe intrigue the passers by of our building to wonder what was happening inside--and maybe a seeker would even come inside to find out!

Icon of the Trinity

Russian icon of the Old Testament Trinity by Andrey Rublev, between 1408-25

We're pondering upcoming Trinity Sunday. Wondering how artists have represented the mystery of the Trinity we did a little research and found Rublev's icon of the Old Testament Trinity. This icon is based on a passage in the book of Genesis concerning the visitation of three angels to Abraham. The three angels can be interpreted as a sign of the Trinity. We love this notion that the sovereignty of God arrives in hospitatlity.

Carrot Top Studio's 4th Anniversary!

It's been such a fun four years at Carrot Top Studio we felt the need to celebrate! We are so grateful for our many clients that traverse the globe and celebrate what they believe in many different faith communities. You are great encouragers, are full of wonderful ideas, and are fun to collaborate with on designing ministry stoles and worship banners.

This year's celebration stole is being offered at $40.00 + 4.44 S&H. There are only FOUR available so don't delay your order! Buy it here.

The celebration continues with FOUR additional stoles hidden throughout the website with their price reduced to $40.00 + 4.44 S&H. These are only availabe at this price until June FOURTH. Search for them throughout our stole selection here.

And if you follow our blog or our Twitter posts you know that our staff has a sweet tooth.  So we'd like to share our favorite Carrot Cake recipe (what else would we make for this celebration?) from the King Arthur Whole Grain Baking Book. Enjoy the recipe!

• 4 large eggs
  
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 t. vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed, light brown sugar
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 T. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 2 1/2 c. finely grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup shredded or flaked coconut, sweetened or not
• 1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9" round cake pans.

Beat eggs with mixer and add the oil while the mixer is running. Add the vanilla, then sprinkle in the sugars. You will have a thick, foamy, lemon-colored mixture. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Add these dry ingredients to the eggs and oil in your mixing bowl, mixing to make a smooth batter. Add the carrot and nuts, then the coconut and pineapple. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake the cakes for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack, then dust with confectioner's sugar or frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe follows).

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 6 T. unslated butter, at room temperature
• 1-8oz. pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 t. vanilla
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 2-4 T. milk

Combine butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating well alternately with the milk until frosting is of a spreadable consistency.