Portland Loves Local is all about … well, you guessed it: Portland! Our beloved city is so full of gorgeous places and amazing talent, we thought it only fitting to gather all of this together and put it here on this blog, your best resource for all things fabulous in Portland. Created by Misha Ashton of Ashton Photography + Design with the help of Amy Olson of Amy Olson Jewelry, Portland Loves Local is a way to bring our love of Portland and all it has to offer to you, our readers. We intend to feature everything, including artist interviews, local etsy shops, boutiques, restaurants, parks, and fashion. We will also be sharing local event information as well as our spontaneous, of-the-moment happenings here in Portland. Well, now that you know a little something about this blog, I guess it would be time to introduce ourselves, the ladies behind this whole new adventure-

About Misha:

I have lived in a few places throughout the US over my 29 years of life. I was born in Florida and lived in New Orleans until I was 10. My family and I moved to the Great NW in 1990, after a few short years in Seattle, we moved to Camas, Washington [which is only a few miles north of Portland]. In high school I spent many a day in Portland, antique shopping with my mother at Ruby's on Hawthorne [which is now the Red Light] and drinking coffee till all hours of the nights with my friends at the Pied Cow.

I am a full time photographer and part time graphic designer. I have owned my own business and have been shooting professionally since I was 21. I mostly participate in art shows with my abstract film photography, but also photograph many weddings each summer. Besides my wide collection of cameras, my loves are bike riding, sandboarding, camping, traveling to foreign countries and really just everything outdoors.

I have lived in the SE Belmont/Hawthorne neighborhood for more than 6 years now. I love waking up to the smell of Stumptown roasting beans on the weekend, shopping at People's Food Co-op and walking in the rain to my favorite bar. Out of all of the cities I have lived in and visited throughout the world, Portland is the only place I could ever call home!

About Amy:
I am originally from Portland, but I grew up in Washington State. During my 20’s, I lived in beautiful Bellingham, WA. Though I loved it there, I always knew that I would someday be back in Portland. After meeting my husband and living in Boston for a few years, the timing became right and we moved to Portland to finally settle in and be “home”. My full-time job is designing and creating jewelry for my business, Amy Olson Jewelry. Born out of a necessity to create, my jewelry expresses my love for mixing the old with the new. My other loves include antiques, books, nature, lace, paper, gardening, and music. I love animals and hope to have a farm someday where I can create jewelry in my refurbished Airstream and raise alpacas and donkeys. Of course, I’ll take lots of dogs and bunnies too! I am also an eager bird watcher, I am fascinated by these beautiful little creatures. My husband and I live in Northwest Portland where we enjoy shopping at the co-op, sipping in the cafes, and walking in the woods.

The two of us [Amy + Misha] met at an art show put on by Handmade NW in fall of 2008 and became instant friends! We are very excited to share with you our love of Portland and all the beauty it has to offer.

For any inquiries or suggestions on upcoming events, please feel free to email us at portlandloveslocal@yahoo.com