Nelly’s Story

It started with a card for my dad

In 2013, I was looking for a greeting card for my father. I couldn’t find anything I really liked, so I decided to draw one myself.

I drew a little portrait of him with his eyes closed and a heart-shaped mouth. Underneath, I wrote: “Gracias por todo, papá” (“Thanks for everything, Dad”).

He loved it so much that he framed it and hung it on the wall. I thought that was rather sweet.

After that, I started drawing cards for friends and family too. They liked them, and eventually a few people suggested I should try selling them. I hadn’t really thought about turning it into a business, but the idea stayed with me.

So I gave it a try.

How it grew

I started my label in Hamburg in 2013, initially with a small collection of around 20 postcard designs. I kept drawing, developed new ideas and gradually added more products.

The girls with their closed eyes and little heart-shaped lips became a recurring feature of my illustrations. They actually go back to that first drawing of my dad.

People sometimes ask me why so many of my characters have their eyes closed. I think I like the idea of taking a moment for yourself and enjoying something without being distracted by everything going on around you. There’s something peaceful about it, even if the rest of the world is usually anything but peaceful.

As for inspiration, it comes from all sorts of places: people, fashion, travelling and things I notice in everyday life. Sometimes it’s something completely ordinary that gives me an idea for a drawing.

And then there are the dogs.

I’ve always had a weakness for small dogs. When I moved to Hamburg, my Yorkshire Terrier Paco came with me. A few days later, Lola, another little Yorkie, joined us. They were part of my everyday life while I was getting the business started, so it was only natural that dogs found their way into my illustrations too.

Over the years, postcards and greeting cards were joined by notebooks, art prints, bags, textiles, accessories and other things I felt like designing. I also create original artwork and personalised illustrations.

Some of my designs have ended up in shops in countries I’ve never even visited. That still feels a little strange sometimes, considering how it all started with one card for my dad.

I still love paper

I’ve always liked paper. In fact, I loved visiting the stationery store, and the particular smell still makes me nostalgic. I like not just drawing on paper, but also the feel of it, the different textures and the way colours look when they’re printed.

I’m quite particular about that side of things. I work with selected manufacturers, many of them in Germany, and I care a lot about the quality of the materials.

Of course, these days most of us communicate through our phones. I’m no different. But I still think there’s something special about receiving a handwritten card.

Someone had to sit down, think about what to say, write it and send it. And sometimes people keep those cards for years. My dad certainly did.

I suppose that’s why, even though I now design plenty of things that have nothing to do with paper, cards are still very close to my heart.

From Mexico to Hamburg to Valencia

I’m originally from Mexico. Before settling in Hamburg, I spent some time in the United States, and later moved to Germany. Hamburg is where I started my business and developed most of the ideas that eventually became Nelly Castro.

In 2022, I moved to Valencia.

After so many years in northern Germany, living by the Mediterranean was quite a change. I love Hamburg, but I can’t say I miss the long, dark winters very much.

Valencia is a lively city, sometimes a little chaotic, with plenty going on. I like walking around, discovering little shops, looking at buildings and seeing what people are up to. There’s always something new to notice.

Lola came with me to Spain. She’d already been with me through so much in Hamburg, so of course she was part of this new chapter too. She even helped with setting up my shop here, although her contribution mainly involved keeping an eye on everyone.

Opening my own shop and studio in Ruzafa was something I’d wanted to do for a while. Until then, I’d mostly been selling online and through other retailers, so having my own space was a new experience.

I like being able to work on my illustrations and have my products around me, but it’s also nice to meet the people who enjoy them. Sometimes someone will tell me why a particular card reminds them of a friend or why they recognise themselves in one of my drawings. I always enjoy those conversations.

And I now have another little assistant at the shop. Lily, my tiny teacup poodle, comes to work with me every day. She’s very good at keeping me company, although I wouldn’t necessarily trust her with the paperwork.

I’ve also had the chance to become part of Valencia’s local creative scene. In 2025, I was invited to talk about my work on Spanish radio, which was a lovely surprise.

More than ten years later

When I think back to that first card for my dad, it’s funny how much has happened since.

I’ve drawn hundreds of illustrations, experimented with different products, worked with people in all sorts of places and moved from Hamburg to Valencia. Some things worked out exactly as I hoped, while others turned out quite differently.

I still spend a lot of time drawing and thinking about what I could do next. There are always more ideas than I have time for, and some of them probably won’t ever make it beyond my sketchbook. That’s fine too.

If you ever look closely at my illustrations, you may recognise a few familiar little faces. Paco, Lola and Lily have all appeared on my products over the years. Sometimes they’re quite obvious, sometimes a little harder to spot. I like having them around, even in my drawings.

I don’t really know where all of this will take me next. I have a few things in mind, of course, but I’ve learned that some of the best ideas turn up when you’re busy doing something else.

Before you go…

Well, that’s a little about me.

It’s slightly odd writing about yourself, especially when you know that most of the people reading it are probably people you’ve never met. But I thought it might be nice to tell you how everything started and what I’ve been doing since.

There’s quite a lot more to the story, naturally, but I think I’ve already gone on long enough.

I hope life is treating you well, wherever you happen to be reading this. And if you’re having one of those days when everything seems to be going wrong, I hope something happens that makes you laugh. Even if it’s just something silly.

Un abrazo,

Nelly