Cats, Cocktails & Cowboy Boots

As Julie's 60th birthday approached, a group of her friends got in touch and asked me to design a birthday card to mark the occasion. A whole range of ideas was suggested for the design, but the list was eventually whittled down to a few of her - in Julie's own words - "crazy hobbies"!
I was told that Julie adores her two cats - one black and one tabby. She's also into weightlifting (free weights, no less!) and is apparently a master bartender. More recently, she has taken up line dancing via YouTube videos - and says she absolutely loves it. I was also asked to incorporate a 60 somewhere in the design.

I decided to depict bespectacled Julie with her beloved kitties in her arms. In front of her sits the barbell she trains with. Behind her, I added tiny cocktails, complete with umbrellas and coloured straws, along with a large flat-screen TV playing her favourite YouTube line dancing video. I also included a big pink 60 to highlight her milestone birthday.

It seems that Julie was thrilled with the card. Her friends sent me the photo, shown near the top of this post, on the evening of her birthday celebration, and then Julie herself followed up with this lovely message:
"Hi Lisa, the card you made for my 60th birthday is fantastic! Thank you so much! My kids were amazed by it because they said it perfectly represents me and my latest crazy hobbies. I'm going to frame it."

* This post has been shared on Saturday's Critters, Happiness is Homemade, Mosaic Monday, Handmade Monday, Busy Monday, Talking About It Tuesdays, Tuesday Turn About, Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, Farmhouse Friday and Crazy Little Lovebirds.

Emily (not) in Paris

Emily was going to be celebrating her 21st birthday in August and so her mum asked me to make her a special card. She likes Pilates, iced matcha and cats, and is planning to going travelling at some point in the future, mum told me. She also sent me a picture of the family's longhaired cat, Rosie, so I was able to match her beautiful brown and black fur.

I illustrated Emily practicing Pilates on her birthday card, capturing her in the Teaser - a classic move that targets the deep core, tests balance, and requires impressive control. Seated beside her is Rosie, observing the action with interest. Behind Emily, I included an airplane to represent her travel plans, a tall glass of iced matcha, and a red heart. The number 21 marks her milestone birthday.

Even though Emily isn't in Paris, as my title might suggest, Sophie actually is! For her 28th birthday, her aunt asked me to create a Paris-themed card, since Sophie is currently living there. She also requested that I include the number 28 somewhere on the design. I created a small card featuring the Eiffel Tower, the French flag, a glass of red wine, a crispy baguette, and a croissant - elements that, to me, capture the essence of all things French.

* This post has been shared on Happiness is Homemade, Craft Schooling Sunday, Mosaic Monday, Busy Monday and Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop.

Daniel and Carly

I have been writing about sirens and missiles and war with Iran but, for now, a ceasefire has come into effect, so I will go back to sharing my art.

Daniel, just like his four brothers, receives one of my cards on his birthday every year. His mum tells me they have become an essential part of her family's birthday celebrations. Last year I showed him playing the piano on his card, and before that I have shown him playing the ukulele and dressed as a scientist, with a white coat and test tubes in his pockets. 

This year, for his 19th birthday, mum asked me to make Daniel a card that showed that he is now in mechina (pre-army programme) and that he is making preparations for his upcoming time in the IDF (Israel Defence Forces). She sent me the logo of the mechina programme and also a photo of his trainers. She thought they might illustrate his physical preparations for the army. 

I showed Daniel in the centre of the card, and added the logo and his trainers in background. A red heart with the name of his girlfriend, Yuval, who he met in the mechina, is to his right. Behind him a big number 19 marks his age.

Back in 2022 a lady in the US reached out to me with a request for a Bat Mitzvah card for a friend’s daughter. She thought it would be extra special for the card to come from Israel. I created a card for the Bat Mitzvah girl who was going to have an ocean/sea life themed party.

A few months ago the lady contacted me once again, this time with a request for a card for Carly, the original Bat Mitzvah girl's younger sister. Carly loves softball, her black cat Luna and the ocean, my customer told me. She also loves the Tampa Bay Lightning, an American professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. Her Bat Mitzvah was going to have an all purple theme.

Playing softball is a real love of Carly's, so I showed her gripping a softball bat. Apparently Carly made sure her Bat Mitzvah party was where everyone could see the sunset over the water, so a beautiful purple coloured sunset can be seen behind her. Luna the black cat is next to her, and I also included the the Tampa Bay Lightning logo, a stylized lightning bolt. The team was named the Lightning in reference to the Tampa Bay area apparently being the lightning capital of North America. The logo is the origin of one nickname for the team, the "Bolts".

My customer was once again very happy with the card.

"Carly’s card came yesterday. Thank you so much! It looks awesome! I love it and so will she! Thank you again!"

* This post has been shared on Happiness is Homemade and Tuesday Turn About.

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.