Celtic Harvest Reaper

It’s the busiest time of the year, HARVEST! The days are slowly getting shorter. The smell in the air starts to change. It’s becoming cooler at night. Summer is winding down. The Oak King is aging, and the Holly King is becoming stronger. The Holly king is waiting patiently for his strength to return so that he may challenge the Oak King on Samhain (Halloween), and DEFEAT him, thereby ushering in winter.

So you must stay busy. Harvest your crops and store them in preparation for the winter ahead. There’s still time. Hard work during the Harvest will be rewarded.

New Mjölnir Design!

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The Norse/Germanic god of thunder, Thor was one of the most popular deities in the Medieval world. His popularity continues to the present day. In fact, you may even say that Thor is seeing a resurgence of popularity, and not just because of the Marvel movies that portray him as a sort of awkward frat boy from outer space. TV shows such as the Vikings, Game of Thrones, The Last Kingdom, etc. have stirred an interest in Thor and the other gods of old.

Celtic Cross - Hammer!

SHOP FOR APPAREL WITH THIS DESIGN HERE!

   I've always thought Celtic crosses looked cool. The image of stone crosses with the intricate medieval ornamentation dotting the rolling hills of Britain and Ireland is almost eerie. It makes me think of a time when the "magic" of the old pagan ways was just meeting the new Roman Christianity. They are like a window into the past; remnants of an older, mysterious world. Not to mention the artwork on the crosses is incredible.

   I have also been captivated by the art work of the Vikings and Medieval Germanic peoples. Their interaction with the Celts over previous centuries led to similar styles in ornamentation (for example, when you see Celtic artwork that incorporates animal motifs, this is actually Germanic/Norse in origin rather than Celtic, but the Celts adopted the style and used it extensively in their own works. These motifs are now often identified as Celtic as much as they are Norse/Germanic).

   I have also been particularly captivated by the Mjolnir symbol worn since the Vikings were haunting the high seas. I love it's simplicity and the strength and protection that it represents.

   So, I am always looking for ways to emulate the Celtic and Norse styles into my own designs. The new design below is no different. It combines the Celtic symbol of the Celtic cross with the Nordic symbol of Mjolnir to create a powerful image that pays homage to the past while keeping the spirit of the symbolism alive in the present day.

The Men's tee is pictured below, but, as always, we have styles for the girls and zip hoodies available HERE!

Celtic Cross/Hammer Combo Tee

"Angel of Death" Celtic Harp

The Celtic harp is a triangular harp traditional to Brittany, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In Ireland and Scotland it was a wire-strung instrument requiring great skill and long practice to play, and was associated with the Gaelic ruling class. In the Republic of Ireland, it appears on the coins and coat of arms. You'll even find it on the pints of Guinness that you have been guzzling down!

The Irish Brigades of the American Civil War identified themselves with a green flag emblazoned with a harp. This version incorporates an angel into the construction of the instrument with the phrase "Erin Go Bragh" ("Ireland Forever") beneath the celestial looking harp.

I wanted to recreate this image, but with a Celtic Hammer Club twist (as always). I could have drawn my own beautiful, heavenly, cosmic, stellar, cherub and turned her into the front piece of the magnificent harp. But, no. I decided to create a bad ass looking skull and bones, jagged wings, and some additional Celtic swirls and knots to create the Celtic Hammer Club "Angel of Death" Celtic harp!

Men's, women's, tanks, hoodies, etc. all available HERE!!!!

Check out all of the "Angel of Death" Celtic Harp styles in the online store!

"Patrick was a Saint, I AIN'T!"

Just in time for Saint Patrick's Day!

I created this evil looking leprechaun dude for some unique designs to celebrate the most fabulous of all the holidays, SAINT PATRICK'S DAY! Take a look and share with friends and family. I actually think these shirts would be pretty cool to wear year round, but obviously you will be ESPECIALLY awesome wearing it during the St. Patrick's Day season. Check it OUT!

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SHOP THIS DESIGN!

"Luck of the Irish!"

"Luck of the Irish" apparel now available in the CHC store!

Feeling lucky? This original, one of a kind design features one of the most iconic slogans of the Irish people, but why are Irish people considered to be “lucky”? When Irish immigrants came to America, they faced so much adversity and hardship that the term “luck of the Irish” became popular as a sort of sarcastic joke to describe the poor Irish immigrants’ decidedly bad luck.

Since then, the slogan has taken on new meaning, and the four leaf shamrock is considered a particularly lucky symbol for the Irish and Irish culture.

This design can be a fun way to express your Irish pride any time of the year, but it would also make a particularly great gift for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations!

SHOP ALL OF CELTIC HAMMER CLUB ST. PATRICK'S DAY APPAREL HERE!

Hammer of Thor (Mjölnir) Graphic Tee Design. NEW!

New "Hammer of Thor (Mjölnir)" Series

Out with the old and in with the new! We were running a "Hammer of Thor" tee for a while, but I felt the need to totally revamp the design. I'm really happy with the end result. Check it out below:

SHOP THE FULL LINE OF APPAREL HERE!

For those of you who don't already know, Mjölnir is the name of the weapon used by the Norse god of thunder, Thor. The symbol at the center of this design is based on Mjölnir amulets worn around the necks of Vikings during the Middle Ages. It is meant to symbolize strength and protection.

Take some time to look at the details in and around the hammer. Anyone interested in Viking history, or in Celtic art would appreciate it.

Check out all of the Celtic Hammer Club apparel featuring this design in the shop! It would make a perfect gift for all of you mead drinking heathens out there!

Karin Kaos Wolters making the women's Mjölnir tank look bad ass!

Hammer of Thor Men's Tee

Hammer of Thor Women's Scoop

Don't forget to check out all of the other cool accessories available with the Mjölnir design on it. Maybe a coffee mug for those ungodly hours between drinking sessions, or maybe a poster or framed print for your Viking themed man-cave!

"CHC Logo Distressed" NEW DESIGN!

Buy Men's and Women's apparel in the CHC Store!

Back again with a new design!

The Celtic Hammer Club (CHC) logo has a lot of history and meaning behind it. 

Mjolnir Amulaet as worn by Vikings of the Middle Ages

One, the hammer shape at its center is styled after Mjolnir, the name of the war hammer wielded by Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Mjolnir amulets were worn by Vikings of the Middle Ages, and thousands have been recovered by archaeologists in the British Isles.. It represents strength. 

The Book of Kells Showing extensive Celtic artwork

Second, the insular style knot work and spirals that decorate the hammer were popular in both Celtic and Germanic cultures, but has become synonymous with Celtic culture. Basically, it serves as a visual cue to the Celtic themes and artwork on CHC apparel. 

A drawing of a tattooed or painted Celtic warrior
The blue Cirlce around the CHC logo represents this 
element of Celtic history/culture

Finally, the blue circle that surrounds the hammer that looks like a paint smear. It ties the whole thing together into a neat circular logo, but I chose to use the color blue after the blue war paint that some Celtic tribes wore when going into battle. Again, its just another little representation of Celtic history and culture.

This particular version of the CHC logo is "distressed". It gives it a vintage look, and makes it look almost like a shield that's been through a war. Even if you don't have ancestors from Northern Europe, it's still a pretty cool image to rock on a shirt, and definitely unique. Check out both men's and women's apparel in the shop.

CHC Logo "Distressed"

NEW! Celtic Cross Graphic Tee Design

The next installment into the "graphic tee series" is this new "Celtic Cross" design. 

The Celtic Hammer Club Celtic Cross design combines the traditional image of the High Cross with some additional ornamentation to create a very cool, modern-looking, and stylish design that is perfect for apparel. As always, this is original artwork, and is only available at celtichammerclub.com

Now Available in the Celtic Hammer Club Store

The Celtic Cross or High Cross is one of the most recognized symbols of Celtic Culture. In Ireland, it is a popular legend that the Celtic Christian cross was introduced by Saint Patrick or possibly Saint Declan during his time converting the pagan Irish, though there are no examples from this early period. It has often been claimed that Patrick combined the symbol of Christianity with the sun cross, to give pagan followers an idea of the importance of the cross by linking it with the idea of the life-giving properties of the sun.

"Brothers" Graphic Tee Design

Now available in the shop!

"Brothers" Graphic Tee

I'm really excited to release this design. This marks the beginning of a new line that I am in the process of developing. I've had the idea for a while to create some shirts that could fit in with the graphic tees that are so popular now-a-days. I love rocking shirts with Celtic/Norse inspired artwork on it, but most of the apparel I've seen have big, bright screen printed designs. That's all fine and good, but maybe I want something more subtle. Something a little more classy. That's what inspired this design. It's fashionable. It could appeal to anyone. It's modern, but still has a traditional Celtic flair to it.

The "Brothers" theme is meant to reflect the important and especially strong bond between brothers. The writing on the shirt is meant to describe the meaning of the "Brothers" Celtic design that accompanies it.

Brothers.
Intertwined as they are in life;
Each watches the others back;
True and loyal companions;
They are

Brothers.

 I've been working hard on other designs. More to come!

-CHC-

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