Sheldon and Vickie Chaplin make unique jewelry for technology-oriented people. One night, as Sheldon was taking apart a computer for recycling, he realized that the precious metals and unique patterns on old microchips and circuit boards could live a new life as designer jewelry. This upcycling gave them a new hobby to pass time in the evenings, and it turned out they … [Read more...]
Make Something You Love, Otherwise It’s Just Work
James Lindsey has always been a cook who enjoys food with an extra kick. While some cooks add wine or herbs for more flavor, more often than not today both chefs and consumers are gravitating to the increasing array of hot spices to achieve not only a “kick” but sometimes a kick in the ass, so hard you might find yourself laying on the ground chugging whole milk and eating … [Read more...]
Utah’s First Barrel-Aged and Sour Beer Brewery: Toasted Barrel Brewery
“In heaven there is no beer, that’s why we drink it here.” ~Traditional drinking song Something new is brewing in Salt Lake City’s Marmalade District. Just off the 600 North exit from I-15, Toasted Barrel Brewery is transforming a former brine shrimp processing plant and abandoned dance club into Utah’s first barrel-aged and sour beer brewery. Toasted Barrel will complete a … [Read more...]
Turning Passion into a Business: Interview with Jennifer Carleton from Mountain West Cider
Jennifer Carleton and her husband, Jeff, “have never been big beer drinkers and generally gravitate to wines and mixed drinks.” But after a visit to Ireland, they became “hooked on ciders.” They especially loved the hand-crafted ciders available at the pubs they visited. “The dry, gluten free, crisp refreshing taste was a perfect fit for my palate and system,” Jennifer says, … [Read more...]
Following Your Passion: from Mexico City to Utah
At Utah Stories we like to take a deeper look into the lives of our local makers and artists to learn why they chose the difficult path rather than the much easier corporate lifestyle. We had a pleasure to ask Adriana Serdán Vázquez the owner of Ceramica Artistica ASV a few questions. Adriana Serdán Vázquez describes herself as “a potter”, she continued, “I work with … [Read more...]
At Spinderella’s Creations They Spin Wool, Alpaca, Mohair, and Llama Fur
It has been said that necessity is the key to invention. Such was the case for Lynn Snell, the lady behind Spinderella’s Creations. Mother of four, all of which she has homeschooled, as well as caring for her youngest son, Deanie, who has a disability and continues to spend his days with mom in the shop, Snell learned how to weave. After discovering she was unable to find … [Read more...]
Utah’s Salsa Queen
Most people don’t wear a crown to work, but Maharba Zapata is not most people. Though she is approaching the two-year anniversary of her wildly successful company, Salsa Queen, she hasn’t lost any enthusiasm for her brand, and frequently travels to local stores in her Salsa Queen-wrapped truck. Sporting not only her crown but also a matching apron, she offers samples of her … [Read more...]
B&T Barrel—Ogden Couple Crafts Unique Chairs From Wine Barrels.
Born and raised in the wine country of Napa Valley, California, Brian Booth started his love for metal and wood creation early. By trade, his father and brother are machinists and cabinet builders. However, the majority of Brian’s career was spent as an accomplished welder for a large manufacture. But because of a plant closure late in his career, he found himself wondering, … [Read more...]
Ramblers Relics Showcasing the Wildly Beautiful
Sykarri is a Deep South woman turned Utah local who proudly pays homage to wild Utah through her jewelry business, Ramblers Relics. Made of stones, bones, wood, and other natural findings, her jewelry pieces are as wildly beautiful as the places that inspire them. We spoke with Sykarri about her creative process, her inspiration, and the message she wants to send through her … [Read more...]
Waterpocket Distillery—Long-Lost Spirits are the Guiding Force Behind Utah’s Newest Craft Distillery
Like many craft distillers, Julia and Alan Scott’s path to creating Waterpocket Distillery has been long and winding. Yet, like the landscapes in Capitol Reef National Park that the distillery is named for, the Scott's have trail-blazed into the often unknown nature of distilling in Utah, using long-forgotten recipes and spirits as a guide. “Our goal is to make spirits as … [Read more...]