Yonatan and Yishai

Yonatan was turning 21. His mum asked me to make him a birthday card showing him wearing his black army vest top with the logo and name Magist (מאגיסט) on it. Yonatan's black vest in fact has the logo on the back of it but, with some artistic licence, I put it on the front.

The MAG (a heavy machine gun) is one of the oldest and most powerful weapons of the IDF (the Israel Defence Forces). A Magist (heavy machine gunner) is a soldier who, on long marches and trips into the field, is charged with carrying a gun five times the weight of the normal M-16 rifle most soldiers carry, and wearing a tactical vest weighing twice as much as well. 

Mum also asked me to show Yonatan playing the guitar. I didn't want to cover his vest, so had him holding the guitar instead. In the background I added two badges of Sayeret Golani, the Golani brigade's scouting unit. It is one of several units which specialize in intelligence gathering and surveillance. Sayeret (סיירת) means "Reconnaissance", Golani is one of the five infantry brigades of the IDF.

A big 21 marks Yonatan's age.

14-year-old Yishai is Yonatan's cousin. He had seen the cards I have made for Yonatan and his brothers over the years and put in a request for his own. Apparently he loves my cards and they have inspired him to make a few in a similar style to mine.

Yishai wanted me to show him with Disneyworld in the background. He has big blue-turquoise eyes, his mum told me, so we decided to show him wearing a T-shirt of that colour. She asked me to add a 14 on the card as well.

The card was very well received. "It is gorgeous!" mum messaged me. "Just perfect!"

* This post has been shared on Create, Bake, Grow & Gather

Aliza's Album

Aliza's Bat Mitzvah party was delayed due to Covid-19 but she was finally able to celebrate it last month and was able to put the album I made some weeks ago to good use. Her mum asked me to show Aliza with the family's Maltese dog, Buddy, on the front of the album. She plays the guitar, likes to make and eat sushi and enjoys watching Netflix on her laptop computer. Mum told me that Aliza's outfit of choice is currently a white T-shirt, a black knee length skirt and blue denim jacket.

As requested, I showed Aliza holding Buddy with one arm. Her guitar is in her other hand. She is wearing her denim jacket. Behind her is her laptop computer, with Netflix open on the screen and next to her is a plate of sushi. The album opens the Hebrew way (Hebrew books open from right-to-left). Aliza's name appears at the top in English and the Hebrew words בת המצווה של עליזה, Eliza's Bat Mitzvah, are at the bottom.

Mum initially told me that Aliza's favourite colour is yellow but then Aliza requested pale pink. She also asked if I could add musical notes in two corners of the album cover.

I decorated several pages inside Aliza's album. The first page, above and below, showed a burger and chips, which was apparently the theme of the Bat Mitzvah party and is another one of Aliza's favourite foods. 

Next I cut out a tiny guitar, below, and a saxophone. Mum told me that Aliza is much more into playing the guitar but is learning to play the sax this year too. The following page showed Aliza's favourite Marvel icons, which she specified were Spiderman, Ironman and Black Panther, then I created a page showing the emojis she uses the most on WhatsApp. I added a little mobile phone with Whatsapp open on the screen as well.

Finally, the last page in Aliza's album was devoted to Buddy the Maltese dog.

Aliza's mum was happy with the album. "I am so pleased we found you online. This is gorgeous and she's so excited!" she wrote to me, then followed up by telling me that "Aliza loves it".

* This post has been shared on Link-up Potpourri, The Good. The Random. The Fun. and Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday).

Sam and Jonny

A customer asked me to make a birthday card for her husband. She wanted me to show him playing the guitar. I checked what type of guitar he plays and was told that he has a collection. She suggested that I show her husband playing a red electric guitar, with an acoustic guitar next to him. I even checked that he is right handed for accuracy!

His wife was thrilled with the card. "It's amazing. You captured him exactly. He will love it. Thank you." she wrote to me.

Back in May Jonny completed a long trek around the Kinneret, or the Sea of Galilee. The lake is situated in northeast Israel, between the Golan Heights and the Galilee region, in the Jordan Rift Valley. It is approximately 53 km in circumference, about 21 km long and 13 km wide. Jonny, along with two friends, completed the circuit around the lake in 3 days, covering 70 km, including 39 km in just one day! He declared it his most challenging physical activity ever. I should say so!

Shortly after returning from the trek he celebrated his 53rd birthday. His wife asked me to create a card showing her husband and his friends. I showed the three guys, Jonny in the front holding the map and leading the way! Behind them is the beautiful Kinneret. The number 53 marks his age.

Jonny loved the card. "Great card!" he wrote to me. "Not entirely accurate as we are all smiling!"

I am not surprised that he found the 70 km trek a bit tough!

* This post has been shared on The Good. The Random. The Fun., Creative Monday Link Up