But it wasn't until her own children were born that she discovered her niche'. Desiring to make her daughter a special plush animal on her third birthday, Heidi taught herself to sew and then combined her artistic skills with her love and knowledge of animal conformation. The results have delighted her family, friends and toy manufacturers for the past 14 years.

Heidi went on to design "Toto" for The Franklin Mint's porcelain Dorothy doll and she is the original inventor of the line of small, magnet-filled toys called"Magneatoes" which have been manufactured and sold successfully world wide by the Mary Meyer Toy Co. for several years .

Heidi says: "I enjoy creating sweeter-than-life, soft, cuddly, tangible creations that bring comfort and smiles to my customers... to somehow make magic seem possible during such sad or tense times as we are experiencing tends to bring hope and joy as the old fairy tales do... I guess my artworks give me those comforts while I am designing them so it's really as much a therapy for me as for the client!"

The Heidi & Co. studio is nestled in the tall pines of the southern California mountains where she and her family, (including 2 dogs of course!) live happily ever after!