Chasing Animals, Pikachu and Bart

I've had a wonderfully busy few weeks with lots of lovely orders for customised cards and albums coming in. Amongst all the e-mails I received a request from my good friend in India who wanted a customised card for her 6 year old's birthday. "I'm so happy I order your cards" she told me, "it's now one of our birthday traditions. We can't have a birthday without your card. The boys expect it and look forward to it".

Last year her son was busy being 'Mr Maker'. This year he enjoys playing the piano and has been working on a book of his own called 'Chase Animals'. It was a sweet and simple card to illustrate. I gave the book a plain blue cover but look forward to seeing the final thing it when it is published!

It was the birthday boy's big day yesterday. His Mum told me that the family started early in the morning with their traditional morning party with 'my' card on the table, and that her son loved it! Apparently he couldn't believe that I knew about the piano and his book.

This 11 year old is into Pokemon - thus the little yellow Pikachu character - and has recently taken up American football. He is also a keen piano player. How to tie all those things together? Well, I decided to show the young man playing the piano keyboard, whilst Pikachu is busy playing American football! His Mum also told me that he really needs a haircut, so I went for that long haired, floppy fringe look. It made his Mum laugh anyway!

The final card for now shows Bart Simpson, the main character in the animated television series The Simpsons (below). Bart is the eldest child and only son of Homer and Marge Simpson and apparently his name is an anagram of the word brat. Nice. 'Max', according to his Auntie, loves Bart, so I crafted a paper version of him leaning against a big blue number eight. I hope he had a happy birthday and liked his card. If he didn't, well, as Bart says, "Eat my shorts"!