Hi, I'm Ash, maker and creator of Willow Star Crafts. My story began over the Christmas holidays when my lovely wife, who works in care and unfortunately, does not have the option of taking holidays during this time, knew I would be at home twiddling my thumbs. She decided to buy yours truly a crafting kit to keep busy. That kit was for willow weaving. So, on one chilly day (and not wanting to watch A Christmas Carol for the 50th time), I decided now would be a good time to give it a go and also pass some time until she came home. What can I say? I became instantly hooked! After trying many different hobbies in my life, this was the one I connected with the most. I found I could channel my old art skills again, but this time using a totally different medium. After several days, my first creation, Derek the Deer, was born. My wife was amazed by the result and the fact that I had enjoyed it so much. This left me wanting to learn more about the traditional art of willow weaving. So, I bought bundles of willow, read books, watched a few tutorial videos, and practiced whenever I got the chance: morning, noon, and night, while still working my day job at a primary school. The children love it when I bring in my latest animal sculptures. Seeing their little faces light up makes me smile. Willow weaving is a good form of meditation too. I love the escapism and can easily spend hours, and sometimes days, creating pieces for everyone to enjoy.

The nursery children loved the woodland animals.