D O double G

Due to a sort-of popular demand, I've brought a select few of the infamous Czech Dogs back into the world.  I asked and you told me which of the chaps you wanted to see again and thus my etsy shop now contains sixteen of the most wanted dogs on the block.  A couple of them (doggy number 25, red and number 9, black with pink cheeks) sold out even before making it into my etsy shop last time so act quickly if you want one of these scoundrels barking his way to your living room.

There will be sweat. (and dogs. and unicorns.)

So I've decided to take part in Juneathon, a whole month of doing exercise each day and bragging about it each day via social media.  If you've a tendency to get outraged at people bragging about mileage, sweat, etc please close your ears for approximately 30 days.  I'm sorry in advance.  I'm hoping, however, that my constant onslaught of exciting running anecdotes might possibly encourage a few of you to get involved.  You know you want to.

Anyways in an effort to keep things not entirely sweaty, I'll ensure to show you a few drawings of cats and dogs and probably a good amount of unicorns as well.  See?

(Some special badges I was asked to create a little while back, for a special lady.)

You want more? This is from my Prague sketchbook.  Recognise this chap?

So onto lesser dog-related topics, I started my June 1st with a trip to Salford Quays for a swim with my pal.  We got down there about 9am and it was pretty windy although the sun was determined to push its way through the clouds.  We've been twice before already this year and both times they only had the smaller course marked out, which is just 400m.  It was a nice surprise to see they'd marked out the 750m course and although I felt a little intimidated and just did one 400m lap to start, once I got settled I decided to go for the longer lap the second time round, and was glad I did!

I've had a love/hate relationship with swimming all my life, it's usually hate until I'm in the water for quite some time and then I remember why I like it.  My friend who I go swimming with is as much into swimming as I am into running and is training for a 5k swim next weekend - whereas I really take pleasure in the fact I'm not training for anything - and just enjoy it.  There's something about the rhythm and the space and the quiet and being away from any physical things - most specifically with open water more so than in a busy, loud pool - it's calming and really wonderful.

Anyways after 1150m I got out, dried off and changed into my running kit and finished off with a lovely 5k run around the Quays and Media City while my pal swam a bit more.  The sun kept squeezing through the clouds and there was a general waft of bacon from the USwim food tent.  A great start to the weekend and a month of activities, do you agree?

What up Dog

 Drawing dogs, packing up pillows, and eating crazy health foods. That's what I do mostly, round here.

Les chiens dans Paris

Last week I packed up a bunch of my Czech Dogs and they travelled to Paris.  They'll be for sale at Alphabeta concept store.  I've told them to sniff out the area for when I go in April!

Kitties, dogs, and scribbles

Custom pocket-kitty!

Custom "I'm yours, you're mine" Rachel & Garret

Czech Dogs hangin

Issue 105 of Whitelines magazine WIP - final illustration can be seen in the December issue 2012.

Czech Dogs are here.

Meet the newest pack of scoundrels that have been yapping at my heels since September.  They're a trouble-making bunch of misfits, guaranteed to dribble and bark, steal your snacks and stink out your car.

Czech Dogs are here.

There's a group of 31 of them and they're here, invading my studio and living room and looking for homes, bones and lots of attention.

 Each of these hoodlums can be identified by an ID number printed on their fabric label.  Each numbered Czech Dog, 1-31, is unique in size, colour and stinkiness.  Each Czech Dog also comes with a special DOG TAG certificate for you to fill out, and most importantly with a space for you to choose a name once you adopt your czech dog.

 Czech Dogs are handmade by ME, Nicola Rowlands.  The front fabric is a high quality heavyweight twill, and every pillow is stuffed with poly stuffing and backed with a royal blue cotton fabric.

Once you adopt a Czech Dog, get ready to welcome this stinky scoundrel into your home.  I think you'll probably need to adopt a few, so they can be up-to-no-good together.  They like to lurk around in packs.