Lori attended Point Loma Nazarene University, situated on the lovely coastline of Point Loma, California and received a B.A. degree in Visual Art, with an emphasis on Graphic Design. Her education covered a wide variety of subjects including advertising, bronze sculpture, abstract textile design, and copper enameling. After graduating, Lori married her college sweetheart and worked as a graphic designer for a printing business and a newspaper before launching her own successful freelance design business in 1991.
In 1998, Lori discovered the “hobby” of scrapbooking, which quickly evolved into an overwhelming “obsession!” She had always enjoyed photography and loved how the combination of the two crafts could help her preserve her precious memories of her family, which had now grown to include two beautiful daughters. In 1999, she won the first Hall of Fame contest sponsored by Creating Keepsakes magazine and soon began to have her work published in their regular issues and special Idea Books, as well other publications. By the following year, Lori had become so involved in scrapbooking, she decided to pursue it as a profession and renamed her business Ashlyn Design. In addition to JewelCraft, she designs for other companies such as Provo Craft and has been a regular contributor to Better Homes & Gardens Scrapbooks Etc. magazine since 2000.
Lori also enjoys teaching at her local scrapbook store, demonstrating at shows, and serves as a spokesperson for Henkel Consumer Adhesives. She has recently expanded her business into the published crafts market and is a Hobby Industry Association (HIA) Designer member. She enjoys consulting with clients on a variety of areas, including marketing, advertising, product development, and sample commissions. Lori currently lives in the Kansas City, Kansas area and can be reached at ashlyndesign@sbcglobal.net.
As a child, Lori could always be found drawing, painting, crafting, reading or singing—sometimes even attempting all of them at once! As she grew up, she continued her love of anything involving the Creative Arts, and still has a collection of tiny original paper-pieced creations, hand painted watercolor cards, whimsical stories, and embroidered pillow cases she made “just for fun!”