Our Story

Nest noun:    a place of rest, comfort, & retreat verb:    to arrange one’s surroundings to create a place to feel secure

Hi, I’m Nicole, founder of Artemisia’s Nest…handcrafted decor, accessories and bouquets for special days and every days. Since childhood, I have always had a strong need for my own nest; a space of my own to retreat to, decorate, and create in. I would gather the flowers my family grew, grasses from the roadside and save my allowance to buy vintage vases to arrange them in. Unbeknownst to me it was my calling to share my love of nature, vintage and decorating with others, helping them feather their special nests too. Artemisia’s Nest proudly works with amazing local Connecticut and US farms using their yarn, eggs, flowers, essential oils, and feathers. We partner with local manufacturers to repurpose pre consumer materials like rope, cardboard, and wood destined for the landfill. We utilize vintage or second hand vases, fabrics, books, craft supplies bought from small businesses, and choose sustainable, compostable materials to minimize our footprint on the land we love. Gathering twigs, mosses, shells and driftwood connects me with the natural environment my work represents. It sooths my soul and brings me a peace I love to share with you all.

Artemisia noun:  500+ species of plant used in many folk remedies whose name is derived from Artemis, the Greek goddess of wild animals, wilderness, and vegetation. (You can find sprigs of it tucked in our logo, wreaths, and bouquets!)

No matter where my family lived, my mother always planted Artemisia. For me, it symbolizes home. She also was a picker before it became trendy… scavenging unwanted vintage furniture, refinishing it and upholstering it for our home. My father had a special drawer in his workshop for me where he saved wood scraps, bottle caps, and wire for me to create sculptures with. We would feed and watch birds, and revel in the variety of wild creatures that would visit our woods. Yard sales were a commonplace outing for us. My parents taught me to breathe new life into discarded,overlooked objects. This became increasingly important to Artemisia’s Nest during the pandemic when supply chain issues were prevalent, and our passion to use sustainable materials grew even stronger. Why should grapevine wreaths travel 10,000 miles to get to our studio when we could gather the grapevines ourselves AND help clear local trees?! We use recycled paper, reuse shipping boxes, and utilize compostable materials. Artemisia’s Nest loves our planet, and we’re so glad you do too!