Did you know that I started the Word Apothecary range in 2018 Which simultaneously feels like such a long time ago and yet only recently. My eldest child was struggling as an undergraduate and would have never countenanced a token of love from mum that was too sentimental, pretty or obvious. It helped that my eldest was into language and had really enjoyed Latin at school... and I figured being able to tell someone you love them in a dead language was probably a good way forward. I set to researching and designed some tattoos and then had them checked over by a friend of the family who had just graduated from Cambridge with a Classics degree (yeah! I know these kinda people 😎). She didn't approve the "Stercus Accidit" for "Shit Happens" but otherwise, it was all sound. So I had pins made and then it all snowballed a bit.
So, as my eldest was studying Japanese at university, the next language to cherry pick was an obvious choice... and so it continued, always lucky enough to know a native speaker (or scholar) to help with the range.
I put a lot of work into research, often have six or seven phrases to choose from, look at cultural symbolism, colours, history etc. Some designs come to me quickly, others will take months. I can have up to 30 different pin designs for one title on my desktop as thumbnail images that I'll check over every morning to eliminate ones that I don't think will work. And as a random aside, I have discovered through the last seven years of designing pins I can't draw a passable dragon (other than a Japanese one).
In order of their conception, we have these:
Latin; Japanese; French; Hindi; Polish; Irish; Old English; Welsh.
I see no reason to stop there. There are idioms out there in every language and culture that are just so brilliant and clever and witty or heartwarming, supportive and philosophical that I've not heard yet... and I want to hear them.
The Welsh pins, recently launched, were helped along by a lovely family who responded to my appeal on Facebook as although my mother's family were Welsh, they're no longer around to ask. So if you have ever seen one of our language based products and thought 'why don't they do some [insert your first language here] ones?' then get in touch!
We can't offer payment, but it shouldn't take much of your time and you'll obviously get some goodies and the resultant products as thanks!
So do feel free to reach out! I'd love to hear from you.
Sarah 🖤