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