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The journal · Inside the drawing

Hampshire: Where a Family Beginning Became a Mug Story

A short season of family life, a community request, and a collaboration with Hampshire Social.

In this story
  1. A request from the community
  2. A design that grows with its local shop
  3. Find the Hampshire Mug

Hampshire holds a small but meaningful chapter in our family’s story. Matt and I lived there for a couple of months while we were expecting our first baby girl, and it was to our home there that we brought her home.

A request from the community

After I created mugs for DeKalb, Sycamore, and Genoa, Hampshire residents asked whether I would draw their town too. I reached out to Hampshire Social, and the collaboration grew from there. Their feedback helped refine the design before we launched the mug for Christmas.

Ashley Ann working in pen on Hampshire storefront drawings beside sketches of the Hampshire water tower and other local buildings
The Hampshire artwork begins with drawings on paper.

A design that grows with its local shop

The phrase “Where town and country meet” connects the artwork to the Hampshire we enjoyed living in. Following Hampshire Social’s ownership change, I added a hot dog to the front as a nod to Double R Dogs, which Holly Simpson and her fellow owners also own. That small addition marks another chapter in the collaboration.

Find the Hampshire Mug

The mug is available in store through Hampshire Social. Visit the Hampshire Mug page for the artwork, photos, and shop information before planning your visit.

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