Seventy, Sixty

A family friend contacted me some time ago to see if I could make a special card for his mum's upcoming 70th birthday. Mum likes doing paper puzzles, surfing the web for cruises, watching television and being taken out, he told me. She loves chocolate and cake and, like me, is a Hull City A.F.C. supporter. I suggested adding one of my paper portraits to the card and a big number 70 to mark her special birthday.

I have shown mum with a bar of chocolate in one hand and a big slice of cake in the other. On the left of her card I have added a computer with a picture of a cruise ship on the screen, Hull City's current logo, featuring a tiger's head in an amber shield, and a television with Bargain Hunt showing on it. Her son told me that mum likes to watch Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Neighbours and Bargain Hunt! To the right, below the number 70, is a little table piled with treats since she enjoys being taken out, and below that, a small Sudoku and crossword puzzle.

"I got the card this morning. It's great. Thank you." my customer wrote to me, then followed up to tell me that his mum really liked the card.

A book club friend asked me to make a card for her husband's 60th birthday, below. His interests include music, especially the Beatles and playing the guitar. He is originally from Australia, enjoys public speaking and is a guide at Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. She also suggested I add the logo of the company where he works, oh and added that he is a big fan of potatoes and cholent, a traditional "Jewish" stew. It is usually simmered overnight for 12 hours or more, and eaten for lunch on Shabbat (the Sabbath).

I included all these things on his birthday card. You can see the cholent and potatoes to the top left. Below them is a megaphone to represent his love of public speaking. The Yad Vashem logo (Yad Vashem literally means "a monument and a name"), a map of Australia, and a black and white photo of the Beatles follow. From the top right I have added his company logo, a classical guitar and some music notes. A big red number 60 marks his age.
"I never told you how much Michael appreciated the card." my friend later told me.

* This post has been shared on Little Things Thursday, Creatively Crafty Link Party, All Seasons and Creative Mondays.