How did I end up here…?
That’s a question I often ask myself.
I have always had a love for crafting, art and design for as long as I can remember.
My career in retail, which spanned almost 16 years, was spent with two companies - House of Fraser and Paperchase. From the designer homewares to the patterned papers and stationery, it was over this time that my passion for design and creativity really developed.
I moved out of retail to my beloved Cheltenham Festivals role in 2013 - I managed the customer service team and ticketing operation for 4 major festivals. A love for events was born.
In 2016 my twin sons arrived and everything became about them. I started to use Instagram to showcase what we got up to - and that was often something creative, whether it was how I styled our IKEA play kitchen or what we’d made from a cardboard box (rocket ships, playhouses, marble-runs…you name it.)
What I really enjoyed though was sharing our DIY interiors and seasonal decorations. We’ve always gone all-out at Christmas and birthdays, and I noticed that when I shared these ideas online, I got a really enthusiastic response.
Throw in two encounters with cancer in 2018 and 2021 (with a little pandemic slotted in between) and I felt empowered and determined to spend my time working on things that I truly love.
‘Helen Nightingale Creates’ is me bringing together my two loves - making pretty things and hosting. I just love getting people together to share an experience and leave feeling good (and with something lovely that they have proudly made).
I hope I get to welcome you to one of my workshops (if you’ve not already been!) or at least inspire you to have a go at home.
Thanks for reading.
Helen x