Hetty

Hetty celebrated her 18th birthday in October. Her mum sent me a photo of her and asked if I could use it. She particularly wanted Hetty to appear just as she was in the picture, drinking from a cup. She also requested that I include a saxophone, a pair of AirPods, and a poetry book around Hetty's portrait.

I carefully recreated the photo of Hetty, adding the saxophone, AirPods, and poetry book just as her mum requested. I was especially pleased with how the saxophone turned out.

I hope Hetty loved the final piece.

* This post has been shared on Happiness is Homemade, Sundays on Silverado, Mosaic Monday and Busy Monday.

17 and 18

The new customer who saw and loved the birthday cards that I made for Ilana came back to me once again, this time for a card for a daughter whose birthday was in January. I previously made a birthday card for another daughter back in December. Like her younger sister, this young lady also plays netball. She does gel nails as a hobby for clients, and mum told me that she loves to sleep!

I showed the birthday girl wearing the khaki green shirt that her netball team plays in. I showed her younger sister wearing the same shirt. She has a netball in her hands. Behind her is a dream bubble showing her fast asleep in bed! I added some little bottles of nail varnish and a nail file, to represent her work as a nail technician. If you look carefully, you will see that she also has beautiful pink gel nails! Finally, I added a number 17 to mark her age.

I had another request, this time for an 18th birthday card. This young lady belongs to Shevet Modi'in, a Jerusalem based Scout troop. Mum sent me a photo of her daughter's khaki Scout shirt, which is absolutely covered in badges! The khaki shirt is the same across the world for the Scouts' movement. Shevet Modi'in wear a blue aniva, or neckerchief. Much like the khaki shirt, the use of the anivot is the same throughout the movement. It connects each troop to the entire Scout movement.

Mum told me that her daughter always carries a particular water bottle. Along with the badge emblazoned shirt, I also carefully copied the green water bottle. Finally, this young lady drives her dad's green Mazda 2, which the family call 'Froggie' 🐸. I added the car to her card, along with a big pink number 18.

* This post has been shared on Tuesday Turn About, Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop and Thursday Favorite Things.

Twins 18th Birthday

I have made birthday cards for twins Amitai and Gavriel many times over the years, the last time being in 2021, when they turned 15. In October they turned 18 and once again their mum asked me to make each young man a special card to mark their big day.

Amitai enjoys spending time in the gym, where he builds up his strength and muscle with dumbbells and barbells. He plays FIFA on his Xbox, and goes to כושר קרבי, or combat fitness, a pre-army physical fitness class. He is also a big Spurs supporter.

Amitai's mum told me that he has a mullet haircut, a style that first became popular in the 80s and has once again come back into fashion!
His birthday card shows him working out, the latest FIFA game, the cockerel and ball emblem of Spurs, and the fitness class logo. A big number 18 marks his age.

Amitai's brother, Gavriel enjoys playing computer games. He loves the family's cat, Molly, and is also a regular at כושר קרבי, or combat fitness, where mum said they mostly seem to run around and crawl though sand!

My card shows bearded Gavriel holding Molly the cat. The computer game Polygon can be seen on his laptop. Once again I added the fitness class logo, and a big number 18 to mark Gavriel's age.

Mum was delighted with the cards and sent me these fabulous photos on the day of their birthday. They were captioned with the simple message "Perfect".

* This post has ben shared on Little Things Thursday and Thursday Favorite Things.

Daniel, Ro'i and Missiles in the Sky

On Saturday night Iran shot roughly 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and suicide drones from its territory into Israel. This marked the first-ever direct attack on Israel by the Islamic Republic, triggering air raid sirens throughout the country. We had a sleepless night listening to the fighter jets overhead and wondering what was going to happen to us. It's been a rather anxious few days. But I want to continue sharing my art here, in an attempt to normalize my life. I hope you enjoy two of my latest cards.

The last birthday card I made for Daniel showed him playing the piano. His mum said that he still plays all the time, so it should be the main theme of this year's card too. It was up to me to come up with something different!

Daniel's mum sent me a photo of him at the piano. She said that the beige sweatshirt he is wearing is his current favourite (last time it was blue!). She also asked me to add his soccer (football) boots, some car keys (to show that he drives) and a big 18.

I showed Daniel sitting at the piano, making music. Some car keys, with a little white car on the keyring, are next to him, and his black soccer boots, with the pattern on them accurately copied, are in the foreground. A big orange number 18 marks his age.

Mum wrote to tell me that "[The card] was a wonderful success. He loved it and really thinks it looks like him!".

Daniel's older brother, Ro'i, turned 23. Mum wanted me to show him with his grey rucksack and sent me a photo of him on his travels. Now back in Israel, he has gone back to rehearsing monologues for theatre class, she told me, so asked me to add a notebook or paper with the word 'monologue' on it. Finally, Ro'i's girlfriend is called Maya, so I added a red heart with her name in it.
A big blue number 23 marks Roi's age.

* This post has been shared on The Good. The Random. The Fun.