My boyfriend (often referred to as Mr. NES) came up with a brilliant idea for my N’East Illustrated series – illustrating old New England sayings! Yup, he’s a smart guy, that’s why I keep him around. After sharing the idea with friends and family I had a list of 50 or so sayings to illustrate and the list keeps growing. Today, the series launches with “holy mackerel” and “digging for gold” will be up later today. I’ll be posting illustrated sayings every week so you can look forward to “wicked”, “you can’t get there from here”, “huck a louey”, “ayuh”, “fish or cut bait”, etc.
Illustrator’s note: Please keep in mind that the sayings may not all be specific or unique to New England. But a good majority of them are and this is a blog about New England style and culture and it is part of a N’East Illustrated series. So please fire away with any suggestions you might have!
You should start a N’east Illustrated Tumblr
hmmm, might be a good idea – at least it would be a good place to store them all!
Good god, I will need notecards of these.
That’s the plan! etsy shop is on the way!
Bubblah
Jimmies (chocolate sprinkles…NOT multicolored!)
Packie run/packie store
So don’t I (the Massachusetts positive negative, instead of “So do I”)
These are amazing suggestions! And funnily, I didn’t have any of them on my list yet so thank you so much!
Great illustration. I’m looking forward to seeing the others, and to your Etsy shop. This would make a great framed print.
Thank you Brett!
I agree– would love these are silkscreened prints! Especially the Holy Mackerel for my kitchen!
Don’t forget “Shit the bed” as in “My car shit the bed”. Other NE gems to consider are “Chowda head”, “bulkies” (and bulkheads, as I’d never heard either before moving out here), “digger” (as in a fall), “pissah” (havin a wicked pissah day).
Those are just some that pop out at me now. Good luck
These are great…having just come back from visiting my family in Maine, I’ve got to add my favorite: “stove”, as in “All stove up” (beat up, wrecked).
“Nice day, don’t it?” Love the Jeezum Crow illustration. Great idea, put me on the list for a set of cards!