The hands, heart, and occasional "sawdust goblin" behind Willow & Ash Designs. I specialize in handcrafted scroll saw art, laser-cut personalized gifts, and custom wood decor, all made from locally sourced hardwoods.
What started as a creative escape has turned into this amazing journey where I get to blend my experiences, travels, and love for nature into every piece I make.
Hi, I’m Ash
The Full Story
My journey into woodworking started in 2015, inspired by the craftsmanship of deeply rooted in my family tree.
Watching my grandfathers and uncles work with their hands sparked something in me, but at the time, it was just an interest. In 2016, I started tackling DIY projects at home, slowly learning the tools and techniques. But it wasn’t until I became a mom that woodworking took on an even deeper meaning, it became a way to stay connected to myself.
Motherhood is all-consuming, and it’s easy to lose yourself in the constant demands of parenting. Woodworking has allowed me to remain my own person, giving me an outlet to create, problem-solve, and express myself beyond my role as a mom. It brings me peace, a sense of purpose, and a way to slow down amidst the chaos of everyday life.
And as a military spouse, life has been anything but stationary. We’ve moved a lot, and with each new place came new inspiration and challenges. From the rugged beauty of Alberta’s mountains to the calm, endless lakes of Ontario, every landscape has influenced my work. My collections often reflect the places I've called home, blending natural elements, nostalgia, and personal experiences into designs that tell a story.
Woodworking isn’t just what I do, it’s how I navigate life.
Every piece I make carries a little bit of that journey. Whether it’s a custom design for someone’s home, a piece inspired by the landscapes I’ve lived in, or a new project born from a burst of creativity, my work is a reflection of my experiences, my challenges, and the deep joy I find in the craft.
TLDR:
Life is hard.
Wood is harder.
Both can be shaped into something beautiful.
My Approach
I don't usually start with a piece of wood and wonder what I can sell it as. I start with an idea.
A landscape, an animal, a memory, a place, a feeling. Something that makes me want to figure out how I could translate it into wood. I'm drawn to the things that make wood unique, too. Grain, colour, texture and all the little quirks that make every piece different. I don't want to make wood look like something else. I want to work with what it's already doing.
The goal isn't simply to make something beautiful. It's to make something that feels like it belongs to the person, place or story behind it.
Always Learning
Woodworking has been a long process of figuring things out, trying new techniques, making spectacular mistakes and occasionally surprising myself with what I can make.
Stories Worth Keeping
The pieces I’m most drawn to have something behind them: a place, a memory, a person or a feeling that deserves to stick around.