The Grand Hand Gallery

If you’re in St. Paul, don’t miss this wonderful gallery of handcrafts located just West of downtown St. Paul on Grand Avenue, in historic Crocus Hill.

Wet your appetite with a visual feast of handcrafts from Minnesota painters, jewelers, glass artists, woodworkers, and potters.

Because I love metals, I had to include this close up of sterling silver goblets, by Tim Lloyd.

Now that you’re here, Grand Avenue has many additional delights, so start your way west and take in the shops, coffee and food all along this delightful avenue.  Just a block north is Summit Ave. which offers an architectural boulevard of showcase Victorian mansions.  A favorite place to run, walk and cycle you’ll pass the Governors Mansion, James J. Hill house and home of F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Other colorful characters of history include 1930′s gangster John Dillinger.

{images: Laurie Ashbach}

Behind the Elbow Lake Lodge Wedding Photoshoot

The Lodge needed some new photographs for the show booth, to highlight our destination wedding business, so I called in Bethany Hway of b*spoke blog, and Emily Steffen of Emily Steffen Photography.  It was inspiring to watch this dynamic team put on a rocking wedding shoot at beautiful Elbow Lake Lodge in Northern Minnesota.  Enjoy!

Also check out their blogs about the shoot.  Click Elbow Lake Lodge::Sneak Peek for Emily’s blog, and for Bethany’s blog click A Lodge Wedding, Part 1 and A Lodge Wedding, Part 2.

Still smiling after a long day.

Bethany Hway:: Stylist

Emily Steffen:: Photography

Laurie Ashbach:: Jewelry

{images: Laurie Ashbach}

Elbow Lake Lodge, Cook, MN

BYW Mood Board

Today I am sharing one of our homework assignments from an blogging e-course I am taking from Holly of decor8, and Leslie from A Creative Mint.  What a fun challenge, and just the kick in the pants I needed to try a few new things. Click on the badge below for more information about the class if you’re interested.  I am happily absorbing all the information these two have provided and learning a lot about myself, and what I want to do with my blog.

Week one’s extra credit assignment was to create a mood board that defines my style and explores things I want to cover in my blog.  So that said….here is my first mood board!

As you can see, this photo shows a bit about what I love to do, and how doing it makes me feel.  There are tools I use as a jeweler, sketches for pieces, and unset stones which will become jewelry some day.

The gardening box is a piece I picked up in Paris and represents my love of travel.

The gorgeous yarns are a weakness for me, probably because I work with metal so much and in my down time I need textures and color to balance the heat and hammers.

There are two art pieces in the photo; the triangular ink piece and some crystalline paper on the bottom left.  Both are pieces made during an Aqua Media class taken last August and taught by Lana Grow, AWS.

There are two headlines from magazines which I could not resist.  One says, ‘Reasons to Feel Good’ and the other, ‘Well Loved & Well Worn’.  To me, that says it all.  In this crazy world we must be able to find beauty and inspiration, and to ‘love until we are worn out’ has to be one of my life goals.  (Kind of like the velveteen rabbit)  I also hope my jewelry creations are well loved and well worn and that they fill a heart-space within those who wear them.

My hake paintbrush stands next to my photo from long, long ago.  That little kid was born an artist but did not embrace what came easily and naturally until later in life.  Hopefully there will a productive 20 years or so ahead : )

The black cross is a drusy stone, cut by a German stone cutter. Dan & I found him on our trip to the southwest for the Tucson Gem Show.  I cannot wait to set all the crosses and hearts he has so beautifully cut.

Lastly, are the jewelry pieces.  There are two initials from my new ‘Initials Collection’, The God’s Touch Dove on the Bible, and the Holy Spirit Living Stone hanging on the sterling chain in the middle.  One of my new bracelets is shown on the ball of light purple yarn, and a pearl cross on the darker purple ball.  All are fabricated or cast in sterling silver.

Here are some close ups:

Now, just so you don’t think this was an easy assignment, I’m letting you in on the process.  Below are photos leading up to the final shot.  No laughing!

See you soon!

{images: Laurie Ashbach}