Tuesday, October 6, 2015

We are open!
Barbed Wire Browns
317 N. Ronald Reagan Blvd
Longwood Florida
Thank You to everyone who has supported and visited us at our new storefront in Historic Longwood.  We had a great opening weekend and have set some regular hours.
Wednesday 9-5
Thursday 10:30-5
Friday and Saturday 9-5
We are currently closed Sunday-Tuesday

Sunday, September 27, 2015




It's almost time!



We have had a productive and exciting month getting everything ready to launch our community space in Historic Longwood.  Our location is so nice, and we just learned a florist will be our newest neighbor!  So we now have a destination for you to enjoy with Barbed Wire Browns Community Art Gallery and Makers Space, Zanzibar Coffee House, the Wild Hare Farm market, Nu Naturals body products shop,  a Barber shop, Pete's Eats deli, an antique shop and now a florist.  The Craft Shack and some other lovely shops are just a short walk from us also!  We are at the sun rail stop In Longwood so you can relax and ride right to our back door! Or we have great parking next to our building! 

So you can grab a friend, jump on Sunrail or hop in your car, chat on the ride, grab a coffee, shop and be inspired in our gallery, perhaps take a class, gather some flowers, some organic locally grown produce, pick up some essential oils or get your nails done, choose from several options for a tasty lunch, check out the awesome mural that's a work in progress at the corner of Church street and Ronald Reagan Blvd., stroll the historic district, take a tour of one of the original buildings, discover some other shops scattered on your stroll, learn some history, and this is just a few of the possibilities!
Caroline working on the Mural in Historic Longwood
Stop in and say hi soon! 


We have a Facebook page that we would love you to visit and like to help us spread the word.  It lists our times and our class schedule.  At this time we are closed Sunday-Tuesday.
  9-3 on Wednesday
And Thursday
9-5 Friday and Saturday



Wednesday, September 9, 2015


New Barbed Wire Browns Article in
Molly Green Magazine!
Holly Giles has written an article for Molly Green Magazine on our family life and business, that really captures the heart of Barbed Wire Browns....she is a gifted speaker and writer and I think you will enjoy a visit to her site so click on her name to take a little visit to the Giles Frontier today!


Saturday, September 5, 2015

Opening soon!

Barbed Wire Browns is opening a community creative Art space and shop at 317 N. Ronald Reagan Blvd.  In historic Longwood.  We are next door to Zanzibar Coffee (opening October 1) and a few doors down from the Wild Hare Kitchen and Garden Emporium.  We are Tentatively setting October 3 as our grand opening!  Follow us on Instagram or check back here for more details.   


What can you do at Barbed Wire Browns!

  • Visit!
  • Bring in coffee from next door!
  • Bring in Kombucha from the Wild Hare (share with me!)
  • See what our project of the day is and do it!
  • Look at all the great Art books in our library!
  • Meet a friend here!
  • Find a great local, handmade gift!
  • Support local art!
  • Be inspired!
  • Sign up for a class!
  • Be creative!
  • Shop responsibly! Tell a better story!
  • Get advice on your own DIY projects!
  • Recycle items on our wish list (old aprons, bubble wrap, interesting glass jars like maple syrup, jelly, types that come in gift baskets etc....)
We are telling a redemptive story through our art work- Our artwork and our store are all focused on recycled and repurposed materials, basically Redeeming junk is our focus. We salvage wood, metals, wire, old jewelry, basically anything that can be given another chance instead of the trash pile. Plus we have lots of people joining in now and gathering things for us to rework and breath new life into.    Come see what that looks like when we open!

Saturday, August 8, 2015

5 things I learned the hard way about Central Florida Gardening

URBAN HOMESTEADING 

Sprouting been sprouts, fresh picked veggies and eggs

When I moved to central florida 11 years ago I started a garden.  I had already gardened successfully in Colorado for a number of years and I just "knew" florida would be even better.  Well after basically everything went wrong the first year I gave a new location in the yard a try!  That flopped too!  Then I started to notice not many people had gardens...hhhhmmm.  So I gave up!  

The problem is that I was born to garden.  It's just part of who I am and  I was kinda at a loss.  
My Daughter with the mornings harvest

But then I visited a neighbor and they had started a garden that was doing great!  And I was determined to give it another go.  I started reading and visiting more successful gardens, asking the right questions and getting some answers and now 11 years later I can say, it is a lot more difficult here but it is getting easier every year.  So here are some things you probably already know but I had to Learn the hard way.


  • Central florida has 4 growing seasons.  You can plant something every month!  But if you want to garden in the summer like the rest of the country pretty much, you will be very limited because of the heat and humidity.
  • Compost, manure, organic soil additives are essential.  Sandy soil dries out quick and does not hold nutrients so you must amend.  I use mushroom compost by the truck full literally!
  • Raised beds and container gardens are really smart because your soil additives stay put instead of running off with each rainfall.
  • Mulch!  This is vital for me.  Mulch keeps out the weeds and keeps in the moisture.  The earthworms seem to love being under it too!  And earthworms are free workers, you want them!
  • Add caption
  • When you want accurate information go to the Florida Extension Office website.  When to plant, how to plant, what to plant, how to compost, so much information!
Plan to learn as you go.  The spot you choose to garden will have it's own quirks and you will need to see what works for you! Now go plant something!

Friday, August 7, 2015

What is Malabar Spinach?


Gardening in Central Florida is not always an easy endeavor.  So when you find ways to make it work you get pretty excited about it.  That's why I want to bring up Malabar Spinach.  This vine is grown in India and other tropical places.  It thrives in Hot, Humid, and above 90 degree conditions.  Well that's Central Florida in the summer for sure! This summer I have been experimenting a lot with it and here's what I have learned.  

  • Not a true spinach but a terrific replacement for summer when most greens especially salad and spinach won't stand a chance.

  • It germinates great from seed even when I just toss them in the ground in mid July and water somewhat regularly.  

  • The leaves are thick and juicy and have a very mild flavor with hints of citrus and pepper.

  • Malabar Spinach well vertically so you cangrow it up a trellis, or grow it in a container with something to climb on or keep it trimmed like a bush.

  • It is a good source of vitamin A, C, calcium and iron.

  • You can toss it in a salad, soup, stir fry, frittata, or cook it like spinach. 

  • All this being said it is not an amazing flavor you will rave about, what it is, is a summer source of home grown healthiness, we have a saying you "feed your body not just your mouth,"at our home.  We like our foods to taste great but we also like to eat nutrient dense homegrown foods to take care of our bodies.  So add this to your hot summer gardening possibilities. (Okra, eggplant, sweet potatoes, hot peppers, and Malabar Spinach are all thriving right now in our Hot Humid Florida garden)




easy to grow in a pot, great for kids because its so easy!

Monday, February 9, 2015

Barbedwire Browns is at Adjectives Market in Winter Park Village!


Our jewelry designs include beads and vintage pieces collected  over many years so that each piece is one of a kind and has a story to tell!



You can see our work at
Adjectives market
460 N. Orlando Ave.  #124
Winter Park, Florida 32789
321.203.2526




Monday, January 12, 2015

How to write an artist statement by example

photo taken by Claire Brown

 About the Artist:

Christine Carter Brown

Even as a small child I was extremely interested in learning how to make, create, and explore new things.  I made soap, taught myself to crochet and play instruments, made art from found objects, macramé, learned Indian beadwork on a loom, baked bread and so much more.  I just loved using my hands to create.  I went on to earn a BS in Studio Art from Towson University, with a concentration in metalworking.  I really have maintained that awe of creating ever since.  I have worked in almost every medium possible including, watercolors, oil and acrylic painting, textiles, quilting,  glass, sculpture, casting, and metals, welding, clay, wood, printmaking paper, and jewelry  I am also passionate about inspiring others and have taught art from the preschool level through college.  I have taught numerous workshops as well as afterschool programs, I believe that everyone is creative because they are made in the image of our creative God.  I love that the first thing God tells us about himself is that “In the Beginning He Created”  and we are his masterpiece! (Gen 1:1 and Ephesians 2:10)

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