60, 70, 80

A customer told me that her husband really likes my papercut cards (mine too!) so she was keen for me to make one for his recent 60th birthday. I based it on this design, cutting out the greeting by hand from white stock. I then lined it with a blue paper inlay.

Another customer's mum was soon to be celebrating her 70th birthday. I was asked to show mum, along with her four grandchildren and George the whippet, on the front of her birthday card. George has made an appearance on one of my cards previously, so I already knew that he had to be grey blue in colour. "Thank you very much for the gorgeous card" my customer messaged me. I hope George liked it too!

Finally, the birthday card below was made for a dad's upcoming 80th birthday. My customer wanted the card to say "Happy Birthday Oupa" (Oupa is an affectionate form of address for a grandfather or elderly man) and asked me to include an "80" on it. Her dad is a doctor, so she suggested that I show him wearing surgical scrubs. I gave him a stethoscope too. His interests include long-distance running (he apparently has many marathons under his belt), playing bridge and learning Yiddish, at one time the international language of Ashkenazi Jews (the Jews of Central and Eastern Europe and their descendants). Dad is also a great lover of history books and newspapers, and is an avid spectator of sports, especially South African cricket and rugby.

There was a lot to fit on one card but I managed to include everything. The badges are those of his favourite sports teams, and the tiny words are a random selection of Yiddish words.
My customer was delighted with the card and wrote to me when she received it and then again when Dad saw it:

"Hi Lisa,
Just collected the card at the post office. It is amazing!!! I had to stop two people on my way to the car to show them! I absolutely love it. It captures him so well. Thank you!"
"Hi Lisa,
I wanted to update you that the birthday card you made for my dad was loved by him and everyone else who has seen it. I arrived in South Africa today, on his birthday, and he was very impressed by all the intricate details.
It really is a beautiful personalised tribute, now displayed prominently on my parents coffee table.
Thanks again."
I love a happy customer.