Sunday, 5 April 2026

Stomp Like Shrek, Sing Like Maria

Our Passover Seder itself was uninterrupted, though other parts of the country were not as fortunate. The day began with a barrage of missiles that disrupted our preparations, and there were more sirens again in the early evening. Still, we were lucky to be able to sit down and share a special evening with good friends. Since then, of course, the sirens have continued.
Tragically, a young man from my boys' school was killed in Lebanon. Even more heartbreaking, his sister - whom my eldest son knows - also lost her boyfriend on 7th October.
Life can be unbearably cruel.
It feels strange to move from all of this into something as simple as sharing another of my handmade cards, yet somehow life keeps making room for both.
A new customer got in touch to say that her daughter, Carmi, would be turning 25 in February. She asked if I could create one of my cards for her. According to her mum, Carmi loves running, Shrek, and The Sound of Music. She sent me a photo of her daughter for reference, adding that if I could somehow include the word !מ-טו-רף - which means something like "crazy" or "wild" in a playful sense - that would be great.
I carefully created a paper version of Carmi, showing her running, her hair blowing in the wind. Next to her is the original soundtrack album cover of The Sound of Music, surrounded by little music notes - apparently she loves singing the songs from the musical. Below that, I added a little green Shrek, the large, lovable ogre from the animated movie of the same name. His bright green colour and big ears make him instantly recognisable! Finally, a big number 25 highlights Carmi's age.
The greeting on the card reads: “Happy Birthday, Carmi, from your
!מ-טו-רף family xoxo”
- apparently she is always using the Hebrew word !מ-טו-רף

18 comments:

Veronica Lee said...

I’m so sorry for the losses your community has faced.
It’s heartbreaking, yet your card for Carmi shows such joy and creativity.
I love how you captured her passions with Shrek, The Sound of Music, and running--it’s such a thoughtful and fun design.

Melynda@Scratch Made Food! said...

Life does make room for both sorrow and a bit of shimmer. Which is fortunate as we could not survive on either one, solo for very long. I am so happy your Passover was celebrated not only with friends, but in relative peace. Take care.

VeggieMummy said...

Oh that poor girl, losing both her boyfriend and her brother; life can be so unfair. I'm so glad that you were able to share your Passover meal with friends; in difficult times, it's more important than ever to look for the glimmers. I love the new card - especially the papercut Shrek! :O) xx

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Life is filled with happy moments and those sad times too.
Your birthday card is wonderful, I am sure Carmi will love her card! Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.

Linda's Relaxing Lair said...

It's always sad and difficult to lose a loved one. As Eileen mentioned, life is filled with happy moments and those sad times as well.
Your birthday card is lovely! Anyone receiving this card (in my view) will be deeply touched. Thank you so much for sharing your creative talent! Happy Passover.

hels said...

Carmi looks young, fit and happy. This is important during the teens and 20s for everyone, but even more important in time of war and loss.

Happy birthday to Carmi and a safe Passover to you and yours.

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

It is good that you have your wonderful cards to distract you and give you a creative outlet during these most difficult times. I love the movement of Carmi running on this card. She appears so happy, alive, and peaceful. My sister in law in Bat Yam said they were alone for their Seder as her kids and grandkids didn't travel to her with all the sirens and bombing. Praying for more peaceful times in Israel.Happy Passover and Am Israel Chai...

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It must be somewhat surreal to live as you need to right now, and making a card perhaps contributes welcome familiarity to the awful circumstances. Stay safe. The war is not over yet.

jabblog said...

What a lucky girl Carmi is to receive one of your special cards.
I'm glad you managed to share time with friends, but it is heartbreaking to hear of the deaths of young people. It is always the innocent who suffer the most.

Kim Carberry said...

I am glad you got to have a nice evening with friends despite the sirens. That is so sad about the young man being killed.
What a fun card!

Joanne said...

That is such a fabulous card! I am glad you got to have a nice evening with friends despite the sirens.

EricaSta said...

Reading this brings tears to my eyes... yes, cruelty creeps into our daily lives in so many ways. And I fully understand how small gestures, rituals, or – as in this case – your beautifully crafted cards can create some distance. The older we get – I’m talking about my husband and me, but also about friends – the more burdensome we find this discord. Incidentally, nastiness affects our everyday lives here too: be it rude behaviour on the roads, or someone pushing in with their elbows while shopping. How often do I want to shout: be kind! Who would listen to me?

Thank you for sharing at MosaicMonday ❤️

Shiju Sugunan said...

So sad to read this. We keep thinking about the situation there. I really like this card, I’m a Shrek fan too.

Carol On The Lake said...

Living in a country at war is a nightmare. I said another prayer for you. I'm glad you were able to have a Seder. I miss that. My brother-in-law has been dead over 7 years ago. I miss him so much.

R's Rue said...

You are in my prayers. Your card is so cute.
rsrue.blogspot.com

DeniseinVA said...

Carmy will love to see this beautiful card. You are also in my prayers.

handmade by amalia said...

This is such an adorable card, Lisa! I love your Shrek and Maria was my hero growing up. We had one interruption during the Seder but other than that it was a simply magical evening, such a wonderful break from the craziness. Stay safe!
Amalia
xo

Sara - Villa Emilia said...

Such a lovely card, Lisa. It spreads good cheer, like your handiwork always.
I hope the awful things end soon. Routines and concentrating in good and beautiful things help, I believe. Stay safe!