IKEA Store Model

On our way through Denver Colorado this summer, we stopped at the IKEA store to pick up some items for my daughter's new dorm room.

There was a large interactive model in the lobby showing all the energy saving and 'green' features of the building.

The model had several plaques along the side that lit up and corresponded to a portion of the model that also lit up.

The plaque topics included:

Solar photovoltaic electricity

Geothermal heating and cooling

Water conservation and management

Goods transport and flat packaging

Waste management

LED lighting and energy conservation

Here is a picture of yours truly on the left, my daughter Carolyn center and my wife on the right.  The exterior sign can be seen through the window.  We left with a shopping cart full of items for my daughter's new dorm room.

St George Temple Visitors Center Visit

While visiting Southern Utah this past week, we had the opportunity to visit the St. George Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  There was an interesting model in the visitor's center.  It showed the city of St George around the time of the construction of the temple.  The visitor's center has large windows that overlook the temple and temple grounds.

Here is a closer photo showing some of the detail of the model.

(The temple is the white building on the lower left side)

Here is one of the information plaques explaining that the temple was 

dedicated on April 6, 1877

I found the following photos online.  The temple grounds are beautifully manicured and very lush compared to the surrounding desert.  After looking at a couple of resources, I found that the temple architectural style is called Castellated Gothic Style.

The temple is significant because it was the first temple that was built after the Mormon pioneers were driven out of Missouri and made their home in the state of Utah and is the oldest operating temple in the church today.  It was completed before the Salt Lake City Temple which was dedicated in 1893.

Plastic Furniture my 200th Post!

I picked up a few more pieces of plastic furniture the other day and when I went to place it with my other pieces, I realized that my box of plastic has grown into quite a collection.  Most pieces are by Renwal and some are by Ideal.  

The bathroom pieces are all in great shape and were in a bag with a few other pieces at an estate sale a few weeks ago.

 I probably need to find some chairs for the living room set.  

Even though I don't smoke, I have always liked the ashtray.  

It is reminiscent of a different era.

 These are the music room pieces that I have.  The small radio has tubes molded into the back and the floor model has a pull-out drawer with a record player.

 The kitchen is kind of mix.  The sink belonged to my great grandmother.  The white refrigerator and stove are by Ideal and the pink washing machine is by Renwal.  I am not sure if the cabinet is part of a kitchen set, but it seems to fit. ( and has a working drawer)

I assume that the bedroom probably originally had two twin beds.  

The alarm clock is one of my favorites and has resided in several of my houses over the years.  I have a red one too.

Of all my pieces, I think that I like the lines on these the best.  I have had the buffet and cabinet for several years.  The Buffet has a working drawer in the middle.  

I picked up this Renwal #27 baby scooter at an estate sale

Probably time to find a house for this collection ?

Nauvoo Illinois Trip

We took a family road trip to Nauvoo Illinois.  They have a great history important to the Mormon faith and many great displays and exhibits of how people lived in the 1840's along the banks of the Mississippi river.  Each night we were entertained by live music, comedy and plays.  It was a trip that we will remember for quite a while.

This was a model of the "Mansion House"   it showed how the house used to stand with hotel rooms in a wing on the back.  The wing has since been removed and the house restored and decorated with period furniture and artifacts.

We took a walking tour of the city.  This was our tour group entering the "Mansion House"  This house was build for the First President of the Mormon Church, Joseph Smith and his family constructed in 1843. ( My wife in pink, son in grey and daughter taking up the back of the line.)

This is another picture of the model of house.  It was built 1"= 1'-0" scale.

There was a huge model of the city of Nauvoo as it appeared in the early 1840's in one of the visitors centers.  The Mississippi river winds around the city and the lighted area on the hill highlights the Temple.

The original temple was destroyed by angry mobs that drove the early Mormon settlers out of the area.  The new temple was reconstructed and dedicated in 2002.  The exterior is an exact replica of the original Greek Revival building, but the interior has been redesigned to accommodate modern uses.

We spent some time in the Family Living Center and learned how people lived in the middle 1800's.  Here is picture of my son taking part in a presentation that showed how rope was made.  Other displays showed how the early pioneers made items like wooden barrels, bread, pottery, fabric, rugs and candles.

There were many other great displays and restored buildings.  The Scovil Bakery was in this small building.    The shop originally sold breads and sweets and even did "marriage cakes".  We were served gingerbread cookies on the tour.

This was the large fireplace inside the shop ( note all the cookie cutters )

The bakery has a dry sink and an island for production

There was a summer kitchen around back because it was too hot to cook in the main building during the summer months.  The interior is shown below.

 Not far from the summer kitchen was the outhouse.

Other building of interest included the first hotel in the area, the Nauvoo House

The cabin below (right) was the first house of the president of the church, as you can see it was added onto a few years later (left)

 I liked this double seater 'his and hers' outhouse at one property.

We also viewed a presentation in a tin shop where they showed how everyday objects were made including these lanterns.  Each family had a different pattern punched into the lanterns so that they could tell them apart.

 

Here is a picture of me and the kids in front of the Heber C. Kimbal house which has been lovingly restored.  I also came across some of the restoration drawings.

 Notice the solid wood gutter detail above

 This was the Brigham Young home and its two additions.  

This complex of buildings below was the Jonathon Browning Home and Gun Shop.  He became famous for inventing and patenting the repeating rifle which lead to the invention of the machine gun among other things.  In addition to the home being restored it has a large display of firearms.

 Nauvoo also has this famous building known as the Red Brick Store.  The original building was torn town long ago, but this reconstruction was built to it's exact dimensions.

The upstairs area is served as a meeting room and community center and the downstairs contains a general store.  Notice the Mississippi River in the background.

We also visited the Webb Brothers Blacksmith Shop and watched a presentation on how wagon wheels, horse and ox shoes were made

The blacksmith pointed out that several of the artifacts hanging from the ceiling were found during excavations around the site.

Another famous spot was the Nauvoo Brick Yard.  We watched a presentation on how bricks were made.  It took around 40,000 bricks to make one house 3 wythe thick.

Each family was presented with an embossed brick to help remember what we had seen.

I learned so much about life in the 1800's.  It made me appreciate the modern conveniences that we tend to take for granted.