About a month ago I was reading back through some of my late father's notebooks - the perfect pastime for soggy Winter days. He used to enjoy constructing limericks often with a Christmas theme and his 'naughty schoolboy' humour, so being inspired to create these "muddled proverbs" I like to think that he'd have found them amusing. They might appear random but they are quite the opposite. I have tried to create a new proverb by splicing two halves together, vaguely keeping some sort of relevant meaning.

The colours are most likely a reflection of the gloomy days of January and February - it also occurred to me that some of these colours feature in our own home.
I am considering illustrating them as well, but for now I wanted to leave them minimal, and while this might not be a totally original idea, I would like to say that I didn't look around internet until I'd finished as I didn't want to absorb any external influences unintentionally.  

I am pale skinned - I always have been. No big deal in rainy England but since moving to central Italy my colour has been the butt of many a joke! So finally, following a recent day at the beach - and the umpteenth comment about hiding under a rock - I was inspired to create this collection. Someone actually likened me to a Vampire but a new breed that can go in the sun without setting on fire!

The designs are photos I’ve taken in various old buildings around Rome and beyond such as medieval churches, castles and ancient external walls. Old crumbling images that caught my eye. I thought the fading ship frieze made a suitable reference to Dracula's journey from Transylvania to Whitby, North England. 

My logo is also an integral part of the designs.
At the moment there are four variations.

A subject close to my heart lately so it was almost a reflex to design something on this theme, but rather than the prevalent associated "doom & gloom" I wanted to stay lighthearted and whimsical. I also wanted to create a soft, delicate image to soothe and calm. Here are the two very similar designs that I have come up with so far...

The font is my own, except for the '&'s which I love because they look like figures in sitting position, simultaneously communicating a "keep away" vibe and an "I need comforting" vibe....which kind of sums it up for me!

Before I met and became friends with one particular American here in Rome I never thought anything much about dogs one way or the other - I mean I'm an animal lover, for sure, but more of a cat person - however, when she introduced me to her darling little pug I was won over. I like to think that the pug liked me too.

Sadly pug dog 'D' suffered ill health for a while and is no longer with us. I'd been trying to think of a way to cheer my friend up after her huge loss....so I came up with these designs. I'd taken a snap shot of the pug several months back and amazingly one came out really well. The colours are .... well, they're more 'tones' than 'colours', but quite striking.

​Anyway, I've applied the image to several items (pictured here below).   
My friend hasn't seen them yet so I hope she likes them and will be able to choose whichever item she likes best. I can't bring her 'best friend' back but I can help keep the memory alive.

If you are a 'pug' person and would like to see these products please visit my Society6 shop.