(Guest Blogger: Hans Rueffert - www.hanscooks.com)
Each time I visit Out of the Blue, I get the same anxious feeling I used to get when I'd ride my bicycle up to the Jasper Drug Store to look for new comic books. I'd peddle there almost everyday, and somehow there'd always be a new issue on the racks waiting for me, fueling my excitement to return again and again. I don't get up to Blue Ridge as often as I'd like, but when I do, I find that Sarah's loaded the store with more impossibly beautiful pieces, most of which are not only fun to look at, but functional as well. She has an amazing collection of Table Art pieces by Michael Michaud that are just stunning. You have to hold these pieces in your hand to truly appreciate the level of detail and realism in each design.
I'm a sucker for anything fig-related, and the detail on this fig and fig leaf are just incredible. Michaud is a jeweler by trade and you can instantly recognize that level of craftsmanship in each piece. The little fig is extremely heavy for its size and look like it just fell from the tree.
I've never really used napkin rings, but these bay leaf rings make me want to start! These would make a perfect gift for someone who's impossible to shop for. There are a dozens of designs in the shop right now, and each one is amazing in its own right.
The Out of the Blue website is growing to include a shopping feature. It won't be as fun as walking into the shop, but it'll be perfect for those times when you need a unique gift but just can't make it up to Blue Ridge.
There are new treasures popping up the shop every day, and I can't wait to get up there to find out what Sarah's discovered.
Until the next...be well,
Hans
