The Maker
Herbi is the creative force behind Willowood Workshop. With a needle-felting tool in one hand, a story in her heart, and a studio that overlooks a peaceful forest pond near Middle Earth, New Zealand. Every piece she makes carries a little bit of woodland magic.
Her work spans custom memorial pet portraits, whimsical Eldenomes, fantasy figurines, and one-of-a-kind curiosities. But more than the objects themselves, what Herbi creates is connection that connects the person, the piece, and the story that brought it to life.
Where It All Began
Creativity has never been a choice for Herbi, it's simply who she is. From the age of four, she was designing and sewing, guided by the gentle encouragement of two imaginative grandmothers who gifted her fabrics and patterns, and an artist mother who nurtured every spark of making.
Growing up surrounded by women who created, who mended, painted, sewed, and built things with their hands, taught Herbi that making is a language of its own. It's how you say "I see you," "I remember," and "this matters." Those lessons never left her, and today they form the quiet foundation of every piece that leaves the Willowood studio.
The Birth of Willowood
In 2023, a lifelong passion crystallised into something tangible. What had always been a private, personal creative practice found its calling: collectible art dolls and detailed pet portraits. The name "Willowood" came naturally, inspired by the willow trees and native bush that surround her woodland studio, a place that feels like it belongs in a storybook.
Needle-felting became Herbi's medium almost by instinct. Wool is alive: it responds to touch, it holds shape with patience, and it carries warmth in a way that synthetic materials cannot. Each piece is built fibre by fibre, layer by layer, until a creature emerges that feels as though it was always there, waiting to be found.
From Idea to Finished Piece
Every creation follows its own path, but the journey from idea to finished piece shares a familiar rhythm. Here's how a piece comes to life in the Willowood studio:
Inspiration & Concept
It starts with a conversation, a photograph, or a fleeting idea. Herbi sketches, brainstorms, and lets the character begin to form in her mind, its personality, its posture, its story.
Material Selection
Premium New Zealand Corriedale and Merino wools are chosen for their texture, colour, and suitability. Resin or glass eyes, wire for armatures, clay for sculpted details, each material is carefully considered.
Building the Form
A wire armature is shaped to create the underlying structure. Wool is then needle-felted layer by layer, building muscle, shape, and mass, a slow, meditative process that can take many hours.
Detail & Soul
Eyes are set, noses are sculpted, and tiny details, a whisker, a favourite collar, a quirky expression. These bring the piece to life. It's here that the creation gains its soul.
Finishing & Framing
The final piece is inspected, refined, and presented. Pet portraits are framed with care; collectable pieces are finished with protective detail. Each piece is then carefully packaged and sent to its forever home.
The Story Continues
The piece leaves the studio, but its story doesn't end. Herbi stays connected with collectors and commissioners, watching as each creation becomes part of someone else's world.
Life in the Studio
The Willowood workshop is tucked away near a forest pond, surrounded by native New Zealand bush, the kind of quiet place where you can hear the birds and the breeze and nothing else. Here, Herbi works in the soft rhythm of natural light, taking breaks to sit by the water, to think, and to let ideas settle.
Nature is the silent collaborator in every piece. The colours of the bush, the texture of tree bark, the way light filters through leaves, all of it finds its way into the work, subtly and without force.
The Slow Craft Philosophy
In a world of mass production and fast delivery, Willowood Workshop takes the opposite approach. Every piece is made to order, one at a time, with no shortcuts. This isn't inefficiency, it's intention.
Slow crafting means:
- Quality over quantity, each piece receives the time it deserves, no compromises
- Sustainability, using NZ-sourced wools and materials wherever possible, minimising waste
- Emotional depth, taking the time to understand the story behind every commission, so the result is more than an object, it's a memory made tangible
- Connection, staying in touch with clients throughout the process, sharing progress, and building a relationship that extends beyond a single transaction
What Inspires Herbi
Inspiration comes from everywhere. The landscapes of Aotearoa, the folklore and fairy tales that linger at the edges of imagination, the rich inner worlds of the people who reach out with a commission idea, and perhaps most of all, the animals. The beloved pets whose personalities, quirks, and spirits must be captured just right.
Each commission brings a new story into Herbi's life. A dog who loved walks in the rain. A cat with one ear that always flopped. A horse whose owner wanted to carry a memory in wool. These stories are what make the work more than craft, they make it meaningful.