Nancy Rink's Quilts Returned

I can't think of a better way to end this month than to report that the majority of Nancy's stolen quilts were returned by a mysterious man. Rather than paraphrase her words, I cut and pasted her joyful post from Facebook:

 

 

STOLEN QUILT UPDATE
Amazing news to report. A man in a van pulls up in front of my studio. He comes in and I ask "May I help you." "I have something that belong...s to you," he replies. The client I've been chatting with exchanges quizzical looks with me. "It's out in my van," the man says. The client and I walk out to the man's van. He pulls open the door and tugs on something. My Amish With a Twist quilt appears. "This is yours isn't it?" the man asks. "Yes," I reply, my heart suddenly pounding like crazy. He hands me the quilt, then proceeds to pull four trash bags from his van that are stuffed full of my quilts. My friend Rickie and my husband who also just happened to have popped into the studio a few minutes earlier heard all the excitement, (I am sure I was squealing with delight at this miraculous turn of events) and grabbed up the trash bags and started going through them. There were most of my stolen quilts, neatly folded with all of my signs still pinned to them. The man said he was returning them for a friend who saw me on the news. A brief conversation ensued and then he left. So I am still pinching myself. Although a few quilts are still missing, the majority of them were there and are now safe and sound back home. Of course I reported all of this to the police detective handling my case. Currently, I am not sure where my case stands with the BPD as I have not heard back from them. Will keep you updated on any further events. So so HAPPY!!


I am still shaking my head and wondering all sorts of things. What do you think?

Deer Valley Music Festival 2014

My last evening in Utah was spent at Deer Valley Resort, the summer home of the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera. On our way to Park City, where the resort is located, we passed Utah Olympic Village, home of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

We arrived early, knowing that we would be hiking a bit from one of the three parking lots at Deer Valley to the outdoor amphitheater. There are several resort hotels nestled in the valley.

I got especially excited when I saw the funicular track climbing a very steep mountain slope. The last funicular I rode on was decades ago at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. Mostly, I remember the yodeling and polka music that was playing as our car took us up the mountain. After all, most funiculars are built in Switzerland. Janice did not believe any of that stuff about Magic Mountain and the polka music.

 Back to Deer Valley. The funicular was installed at the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort in 2009 is the first and only one at a North American ski resort. It starts at the resort's Snow Building and climbs 230 vertical feet in 90 seconds. The two 15 passenger cars provide a panoramic view during the ride to the top of the mountain and the St. Regis Hotel.



 

It was a short hike to the grassy knoll in front of the amphitheater where we spread a quilt and set up low lawn chairs. That's where we ate our picnic dinner and hung out while we waited for the sun to set and the concert to begin.

 

Thank goodness some nice person took this picture of us three adventurers with Kathy's camera because I did not get one.

 

 

Thanks, Kathy, for this sweet picture of Janice and me!

 

 

Kathy also got a great snapshot of the amphitheater in daylight. You can see the funicular track in the background

 

 

Eventually the sun began to go down, and we pulled on our jackets.

 

 

Kathy found out where the concession stand was located and hiked all the way down the knoll and back for a Snicker's bar. She said she REALLY needed that chocolate.

It was not long until our star performers took the stage: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on the Utah Symphony. What a treat to listen to a full program of show tunes written by Rodgers & Hammerstein!  Dallyn Vail Bayles made a fantastic guest appearance as the tenor soloist.

 

 

 It was truly a memorable evening. Good music, a great venue, and the best of friends. 



Elaine's Quilt Block, Salt Lake City, UT

While we were in Salt Lake City, Janice insisted that we hit her favorite quilt shop. We were on our way to a concert, so didn't have a whole lot of time to spend at Elaine's Quilt Block, but it sure was nice. It's not fair for me to compare, but I would venture to say that Elaine has the best selection of reproduction fabrics in the area. One large room in her store was stuffed with them.

 

Of course, I headed to the other big room that was filled with bold batiks and modern prints.

 

This lively piece of batik found it's way into my shopping bag.

 

I was beginning to think that no one in Idaho or Utah carried Asian prints. Finally, finally, finally, I found some at Elaine's. She had eight to ten bolts of Robert Kaufman Oriental Traditions fabric and fat quarters of the same prints. I grabbed these three just before Janice's "bus" was ready to leave for the concert.

 

That shortage of Asian prints in the north country must have put me in a tailspin. Ever since I got home, I have been piecing tiny blocks with Asian fabrics like a fiend. I wanted to post pictures of my manic habit, but ran out of the straight pins I need to attach them to the design board. I have an unopened box of them somewhere, but....well, you know. I thought about stopping by Beverly's Fabrics on the way home to pick up some more but decided to be a normal person instead and go to the grocery store. Drat! That's boring. I really would rather quilt than eat.

 

I will post the snapshots of the Asian blocks later.

 

In the meantime, if you are in Salt Lake City...

 

 

Elaine's Quilt Block

6970 South 3000 East

Salt Lake City, UT   84121

801-947-9100

Salt Lake City: Inspirational Architecture

Of course, a trip to Utah wouldn't be complete without a visit to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. My friend Janice treated me to a guided tour that beautiful and historic site. Her friend Kathy was a welcome addition.

Our first stop was for lunch at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. That is the structure to the left in the photo below. Most of the buildings were so high and so close together that it was very difficult to get the entirety of each one in a single photo.

This is the view from the restaurant foyer.



A view through one pane of glass.

 

My lovely lunch companions, Kathy and Janice.

 

 

Inside the restaurant. It was Friday, so we all had the delicious fish and chips. Kathy insisted that we try their deep fried dill pickles, so we gave that a whirl. That was fun!

 

 

Another view.

 

 

The entire building was elegant. We took the elevator down to the ground floor to this lobby. There were even grand pianos outside of some of the elevator stops along the way, complete with pianists.

 

 

The gardens at Temple Square were perfectly planted with colorful flowers. Many large water features were between the buildings. Rather than being fountains that spray water into the air, most were expanses of level water that quietly spilled over their perimeters. That left the centers of the water like mirrors that reflected the towering buildings around them. Awesome!

 

 

 

 Janice explained to me that the metallic dome to the left of the Salt Lake Temple is the Tabernacle.

 

 

That is where the Mormon Tabernacle Choir practices and performs when they are not traveling.

 

Below is a snapshot I got inside the Tabernacle.

 

It was difficult to leave all that beauty. I could have stayed for hours longer snapping pictures.

 

Bernina Stylish Fabrics, Logan, UT

Our third stop was at the Bernina store in Logan, Utah. Yep, Janice and I were on a roll.

If you look closely at the window, you can see a reflection of me taking photos. Pay close attention to the lady entering the shop. She figures in the story.

The interior of the Bernina store was reminiscent of a traditional dry goods store--one huge room. I believe there was a classroom upstairs. There were lots of flannels, juvenile, dress, and reproduction prints. Like the two previous shops we had visited that day, there were no Asian prints to be found. Made me wonder.

While I wandered around the shop looking for some bright fabrics, I could not help but overhear the conversation that was going on in the center of the room where the new sewing machines were on display. Perhaps it is the schoolteacher in me, but I always have my ears turned on, even when my hands and eyes are busy. You just can't be too aware of what is going on in your classroom, you know.

The customer who had arrived just before us was asking a saleswoman about the different models of machines. I was so pleasantly surprised by the sales pitch that I would have bought a machine on the spot if I had been looking for one. She very gently explained the virtues of each model, but often added the comment, "Of course, if you are not interested in the extra functions that this machine can perform, there is no reason for you to spend the extra money when a basic model will do." A saleswoman after my own heart. I hate being pressured into buying something with gizmos that I don't want and are likely to break.

Meanwhile, I found their stash of batik in the back right corner of the store. I couldn't resist this beauty.

 

I also found some fabric with the biggest dots EVER! The dots on the background fabric are about four inches across. Oh, I'm going to be having some fun.

 

Well, you are probably wondering what happened to the nice lady who came into the shop just ahead of us. She bought a machine. As we were getting ready to leave, we saw her happily carrying it out of the store.

My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe

Twin sisters, Kris and Kim, are definitely in the running for the Friendliest Quilt Shop in the West. Besides their local following in and around Logan, Utah, it turned out that we are mutual friends of Jeremy and Greg of Thimble Towne, which is hundreds of miles away in Visalia, California. Talk about coincidences! I felt right at home.

Kris gave my friend Janice and I the warmest welcome and showed us around the shop. They have an awesome inventory of merchandise including Kim's new Christmas fabric collection.  Her aptly named Kimberbell Designs is produced by Maywood Studios.

Kris and I posed for a picture in my favorite section of the store. Check out those great Halloween quilts and the flying witch's striped legs!

 

Besides holiday fabrics, there was a good selection of batiks.

 

 

There were oodles of bright contemporary prints as well as traditional fabrics.

 

 

The juvenile prints were lively and cheerful.

 

 

Right next to those was a pleasant little gated area where youngsters can play while Mom shops. Great idea! (Can you tell that Kris and Kim were teachers before they opened their quilt shop?)

 

This is my little stash that I brought home. Lots of cool animal prints.

 

 

Kris also sent this carry bag with me, proclaiming me an official girlfriend!

 

 

After all that friendliness, it was a little difficult to leave.

 

 

Even the bicycle outside the front door looked friendly!

 

Until we meet again...

 

 

My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe

1115 North 200 East

Logan, UT. 

435-213-3229

 

www.MyGirlfriendsQuiltShoppe.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suppose Quilt Boutique, Preston, Idaho

Are you ready for an adventure? That's what my friend Janice asked me on the first morning I awoke at her house on my Utah vacation.

"Sure," I giggled, knowing that Janice would never lead me too far astray. "What's up?"

"We're going to Idaho."

I lifted one brow, which is characteristic of me. I question almost everything that comes my way. As it turned out, we were so far north in Utah that Suppose Quilt Boutique was less than an hour away. Sounded like a perfect kind of excursion to me.

A little after ten o'clock we rolled to a stop in front of 21 North State Street. Jo Thomas, who owns the shop with her mother, Kathy Thomas, was behind the front counter and ready to help us.

 

The shop was definitely a feast for the eyes. I never imagined that I would find so many bright, bold, and lively prints in a quaint and traditional little town. There must be a big demand for that sort of fabrics in Idaho and the neighboring states. My friend Janice said that the turnover of merchandise at Suppose Quilt Boutique is so rapid that it's difficult to find anything that isn't new and exciting.

 

Of course, a good selection of traditional fabrics are available as well. I especially liked their animal prints and came home with several of those. There were also lots of bright, cheerful juvenile prints as well as a variety of batiks. The only thing I didn't see were Asian prints, but I can't fault them for that.

 

Here is Janice posing for the camera. She always looks so happy in fabric stores.

 

 

These are the fat quarters that I could not leave without purchasing. Now that I look back, I wish I would have bought more, especially of the orange tomcats, the horses, and the bold zebra stripes. Wow, those are really something else!

 

 

Here is my final parting shot I took of Suppose Quilt Boutique. What a delightful place!

 

 

Contact info:

 

Suppose Quilt Boutique

21 North State Street

Preston, ID 83263

208.852.1449

 

www.supposecreatedelight.com

 

Monday - Saturday

10am - 6pm

 

 

Seven Wives Inn

My first night on the road was spent in St. George, Utah. My original intent was to find a Comfort Suite, but there was no such establishment to be found nestled among the red bluffs that surround the town. As I pondered alternatives, an advertisement kept popping up in the margins of my computer screen: Seven Wives Inn, Bed & Breakfast. Hmmmmmm...the reviews were good, it looked safe, and a full breakfast would be served. I decided to go native.

Seven Wives Inn turned out to be large enough for eleven wives. Located in St. George's historical district, three adjacent structures house the guests. The Main House, below, has seven guest rooms that are named after the wives: Sarah, Lucinda, Harriet, Mary Ann, Melissa, Julia, and Jane.

According to the inn's website, the main house was built in 1873 by Edwin G. Woolley. He hid polygamists in the attic via a secret door after polygamy was outlawed by the U. S. Government in 1882. One of the polygamists was Benjamin F. Johnson, an ancestor of the innkeepers, and husband to seven wives--hence the name, Seven Wives Inn.

 

Next door was the President's House. The five bedrooms, complete with door placards, are named after Amanda, Eliza, Caroline, Mary, and Rachel. I slept in Caroline's room, which was upstairs and to the left where the window curtains are pulled open.

 

 

The two-story house was built by George Whitehead in 1883 and was named the President's House because there he hosted several early presidents of the LDS church. His wife, Esther, was said to have been the best cook in town.

 

The Ada Cottage is a small freestanding bungalow that is tucked between the two larger buildings. It is the most expensive room to rent on the premises.

 

 

My chosen Caroline room was decorated and furnished as it might have looked one hundred twenty-five years ago.

 

 

The view out the front window was exquisite.

 

The side window looked out over the pool.

 

All seemed clean and fairly familiar since I live in a cottage that is older than myself. The bathroom was tastefully updated. There were a few rough edges such as the large uneven floor boards that hadn't reaped the benefits of a good sanding, refinishing, and caulking along the wide spaces between the boards, but that's probably more an issue of my own. One of the first jobs I had done when I bought my little cottage was to refinish the hardwood floor.

 

I couldn't find a reason to turn on the television. There was too much beauty to behold outside the windows in the quaint neighborhood. Some guests took leisurely walks.

 

The electronic keypad at the front door and the individual room keys made me feel secure. The extremely steep and narrow stairway had me a bit concerned. I left a good part of my luggage in my vehicle because I didn't want to tote it up and down the stairs. If I ever get the chance to return, I think I will try to get a downstairs room.

 

 

Across the hall from my room, the door to Rachel's room stood ajar. Since it was unoccupied, I couldn't resist a quick look inside. It was sweet with floral wallpaper and lace curtains.

 

 

 Back in my own room, I spent a quiet evening hand-stitching the binding on this quilt. Its bright modern colors looked a tad out of place in Caroline's classic room.

 

 

Upon checking in, I had been asked to fill out a slip which indicated when I preferred to have breakfast and my choice of several plates. When I arrived promptly at eight o'clock the next morning, the cook was all ready for me. She knew my name and quickly got me a platter of biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, and a fresh fruit cup. Coffee, tea, and juice were also available. I was fortunate enough to share a table with a retired math teacher who was in the area photographing some of the nearby state and national parks. What a treat to visit with someone who shared so many of my interests!

 

By nine o'clock, I was on the road, heading for the northeast corner of Utah.

Utah or Bust!

Last Tuesday morning at the crack of dawn, I was off for a last minute vacation in Utah. This was supposed to have happened in June, but an obnoxious root canal got in my way. My friend Janice, who has retired to that lovely state, waited patiently. As it turned out, I think the delay proved to be good in all sorts of ways. But I am getting ahead of myself....

My first stop was Kohnen's Country Bakery in Tehachapi. This place reminds me of a classic European establishment with all it's fancy pastries and handmade breads.

 

As I was leaving, I saw something that I had never noticed before: South Curry Street. A bittersweet reminder of a little cat named Curry whom I had left behind with his babysitter, Miss Lisa. I knew I was going to miss that little muffin.

 

With a cup off hot coffee and a blueberry cream cheese pastry in hand, I was off to Utah.

 

My whirlwind vacation was to be just as sweet.

 

 

More to follow...