Helen’s Story
It is difficult to pinpoint when my story began. I was born, I grew up, and now I am here. However, understanding a life is not as easy as picking up a brand-new book and starting from page one. I was crafted from all that came before me. My family; my dual English and Goan heritage; an instilled appreciation for the beauty of cherished heirlooms, and for stories passed down through the generations. All these things are stitched and glued into my soul like pages in a book. They guided me to a degree in Book Arts and Design from London College of Communication, and then to 10 year career in bookbinding and print finishing.
Midnight Awl represents a new chapter in my story. Its name comes from being a perpetual 'night owl'; of finding creative inspiration in the quietest hours and burning the midnight oil to see my ideas through to fruition. It is also named after the humble awl: the first tool I acquired whilst learning the craft of bookbinding, which to this day remains one of the most versatile and frequently used tools that I own.
The idea for Midnight Awl was born out of searching for beautiful and thoughtful gifts to let family and friends know how much I care. After being frustrated by the quality of the mass-produced options available to me in shops and online, I was driven to create my own. When my grandfather died, I used my skills as a bookbinder to collate my family's memories of him and bind them into an artistic book of remembrance. When my brother got married, I was inspired to create a keepsake wedding box for him and his wife to store memories of their special day. And on, it continued. I soon gained a reputation amongst family and friends for my creative and thoughtful gift ideas. I also came to realise that the perfect gift at the perfect time can be an act of therapy, for both the giver and the recipient, and I endeavoured to keep creating perfect gifts, not only for myself, but for anybody who needs one.