Stephen Quiller during the 2011 Painting Workshop at 4UR.

Bristol Yarnworks Studio is a favorite with the knitters and weavers among us. Many of the natural fibers and yarns sold there are handspun and hand-dyed at the studio, and their quality is  unsurpassed. When we don’t feel like clacking the needles or threading the loom ourselves, we treat ourselves to a Teri D. Inman original masterpiece.

It’s always fun to spend a snowy afternoon at the Creede Beadery with our own Damon and Kiera Gibbons. Beading may not be described by many as “thrilling”, but it can be; sometimes we don’t know what we’ll create until the creation is complete. How wonderfully mysterious.

Anyone who participated in the Painting Workshop with Stephen Quiller last summer will know the Quiller Gallery. The gallery is open by appointment only at this time of year, but Stephen’s work can be viewed any time at his website. We’re already looking forward to the 2012 Painting Workshop with Stephen Quiller next June.

We always like to stop by The Holy Moses before Christmas. Hand crafted wooden toys and hand-thrown pottery are just two of the attractions. It’s a great spot to find unique gifts.

Guests of our Colorado Family Guest Ranch don’t always take the time to head into Creede to browse the shops of Main Street. We understand; folks come here to immerse themselves in the splendor of the mountains. Yet guests who do find their way into Creede always enjoy the time they spend there, whether they browse the shops and galleries mentioned above, or take in a show at the Creede Repertory Theatre.

Hidden wonders in Creede, Colorado.

Creede has been awarded the Governor’s Arts Award for its efforts to improve the community and grow economically through the arts. Creede could have dried up and died with the mine, but it didn’t. Instead, members of the community looked around and saw beautiful land and a great deal of potential.

The Creede Repertory Theatre was established in 1966 to help draw people to the area during the summer; today it creates award-winning production and draws 20,000 theatre-goers to town each year. Artists and authors with international followings live here, along with a talented bunch of artists whose fame is more regional.

Kiera Gibbons, wife of Head Wrangler Damon Gibbons, owns and operates the Creede Beadery. Many guests of our Family Dude Ranch have taken home a piece of wearable art (made by their own hands) thanks to Kiera and the Creede Beadery. In addition, there are ceramics at Abbey Lane gallery and a fabulous collection of jewelry, antiques and rare natural wonders at Rare Things.

We’re lucky we can head over to Creede to shop for Christmas. Many of you will have to wait until next season, when you return to our guest ranch. See you then!

Some history about the shop (as described on the Creede Beadery website):

One of Kiera's designs, the Rosaline

Creede Beadery was originally Lovering’s Bead Loft, which opened above J. Thompson’s Gallery in 2001. It was owned by Jan & John Thompson, and has a great following of bead lovers who come every summer to create great new designs. Jan and John felt the bead business was growing too big for their loft, and Jan wanted to focus more on her passion for pastel drawing, using the loft to teach classes and expand into her own personal studio. On April 23, 2008, the Thompsons sold their beads to Damon & Kiera Gibbons, who in turn have moved the Location up the street to Pappy’s Place; a great historic building offering a wonderful studio space for patrons to use, and continue to create their fine pieces.

She also sells pre-made pieces, and you can even reserve the beadery for a party! Can you imagine how fun that would be? All the new friends you child has made the Colorado Dude Ranch getting together at the end of the week for a fun craft event? I know it can be hard to pull yourself away from the ranch, but historic Creede is worth a visit, as is the fabulous beadery here in town.