May and Jack

May graduated from university earlier this year and celebrated her 21st birthday the very next day. Her auntie asked me to make a special card to mark both occasions. May studied economics, loves the theatre, loves to sunbathe and her favourite food is stir fry, she told me. She also requested the number 21 somewhere on the card.

I have shown May wearing her graduate cap, or mortarboard, and tucking into a plate of her favourite stir fry. A stage with red curtains, along with drama masks, represents her interest in theatre. Below that an economics book, the subject she studied at university, and the badge of the university she attended, mark her academic achievements. Finally I added a big yellow sun because her auntie says that May likes sunbathing!

Jack was turning 20. His auntie asked me to create a card based on his interest in music, specifically drum and bass. This was a tough one for me since I'm not even sure what drum and bass is, so I cut out a big number 20 for the centre of the card and added stars and colourful music notes. I also included the logo of the company he works for, Keakie. Keakie is a platform that uses a bespoke AI engine to tailor cultural audio content to its users.

Whatever that means.

Photo credit: Gesher Theatre

Whilst I am on the subject of theatre in this post, some time ago I went to see a Hebrew production of The Kite Runner, Rodef Ha-Afifonim, at the Jerusalem Theatre. Though I have lived in Israel for many years now, I still prefer to see productions in my native English language. However, my youngest son saw this production on a school trip and declared that we should see it too. He's at the age that everything is "boooring!", so when he says something is good, it really must be good!

The Kite Runner is essentially a story of coming of age, loss and redemption set in Afghanistan, a country that has been in a state of political, social and religious turmoil for more than a century. The book and the play span the turbulent years from the overthrow of the monarchy to the era of the Taliban.
The production of The Kite Runner that we saw at the Jerusalem Theatre made wonderful use of props. The stage was dark but clouds were carried on sticks, cars made of steps and a steering wheel on a stick, trees were made of actors and those sticks, and so on. The acting was imaginative and emotive.
I am so glad we went to see it.

* This post has been shared on The Weekly Link Up, Made By You Monday, Make It Pretty Monday, Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) and Inspire Me Tuesday.

25 Years!

I've mentioned this couple before. They're big supporters of my little business and both of them like to order cards from me for their wedding anniversary (and ALL their family's birthdays!). Their 25th wedding anniversary, their silver wedding anniversary, was fast approaching and, sure enough, both the husband and wife asked me to make two, fortunately very different, cards.
This first card, above, was requested by the "groom". It was based on their wedding photo. He asked me to add a "25", which I of course created in silver.
"Thanks Lisa for this incredible card!" his wife wrote to me.

She in turn requested a card showing her family's achievements over the last 25 years. I showed all five members of the family on the card. The husband and wife have their company logos next to them, representing their professional lives. Their twin sons are currently in the Israeli army. G., on the left, is wearing his olive green Israeli army uniform and the brown beret of the Golani Brigade. A., on the right, is wearing the dark green beret signifying that he is in Military Intelligence. Both young men hold the rank of Officer and have the two stripes on their sleeve to show it. Their sister, in the middle, is about to finish High School. Mum asked me to show her wearing a black graduation cap with a tassel. I finished the card off with "25 Years" in silver lettering and added a silver heart.

This time the husband showed his appreciation. "Great card, Lisa" he wrote on his Facebook wall.

* This post has been shared on Wednesday around the World, Little Things Thursday, Share Your Cup Thursday, Welcome to the Weekend, Flaunt it Friday, All Seasons and Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday).

Congratulations and Celebrations

A customer asked me to create a graduation card for her daughter but had a very specific request. She wanted a card that was split into two halves - one half showing her daughter in her mortar board and gown to represent her university studies, and the other half showing her passion for princess related things, for Harry Potter and for the well-known women's magazine Cosmopolitan. I was also asked to include a doorway into the Union of Jewish Students office as that is where her graduate daughter has found a new job.

I managed to fit all of this onto a "split" Hannah. She is wearing her black cap and gown, and holding her graduation scroll on one side, whilst on her other side she has a gold crown on her head, a Gryffindor scarf round her neck, and a "Cosmo" magazine in her hand. A small pile of books are in the background, including a book on English Literature - her degree subject. To her right is a red door with the Union of Jewish Students logo on it.

Both Hannah and her Mum were "chuffed to bits" with the card. The Hebrew greeting says "Mazal Tov (Congratulations) Hannah".

* UK English: If you are chuffed about something, you are very pleased about it.

Another customer requested a wedding card for a young couple who were getting married. I suggested a card showing the bride and groom under the chuppah, the canopy beneath which Jewish marriage ceremonies are performed. I created their paper likenesses, taking a guess as to what they were going to be wearing on their big day. From the photos I have seen since, I got it just about right!

Finally, my friend Nomi recently celebrated her birthday. She is a great supporter of my little business and always takes a great interest in what I do, so I wanted her to have an extra special card on her big day. Sadly Israel Post, whose logo is a running stag, failed to deliver her card. I often think that this logo is far more suited to them than the stag. Hee hee!