Two at 25

Ro'i was turning 25, and his mum thought his birthday card should feature a picture of him from his recent trip to Vietnam. Since he is also studying theatre, she wondered if I could include something showing him rehearsing lines. In the end, she sent me a few photos from Ro'i's travels, and we agreed that a particular photo of him wearing a motorcycle helmet would be fun to use. In the photo, he is standing with his arms spread wide, enjoying the view - like a performer about to take a bow on stage. So, I decided to add red theatre curtains to the card while keeping the Vietnamese scenery in the background.

Mum also sent me the badge of the school Ro'i attends, Nissan Nativ Acting Studio, to include on the card. I did some research and learnt that Nissan Nativ was an influential Israeli director, actor and acting teacher. He emigrated without his family to Mandatory Palestine in 1937. He was a commander during the War of Independence. After the war, he enrolled at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, then later moved from Israel to Paris where he studied mime. He worked as an Israeli theatre director and at Israel Radio when he returned from France.
Nissan Nativ founded the renowned Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in 1963. Many of Israel's best known actors are alumni of the school.

Roi's mum was delighted with the card. "You did such a brilliant job on Roi's card! It put a smile on all our faces the minute we saw it! I can't wait for Ro'i to see it on his birthday!" she wrote to me.

Another customer requested a card for a 25th birthday; her daughter was celebrating her 25th in January. She asked me to include a bikini, chips (french fries), the Israel Air Force, a pakal kafe (coffee kit), and the number 25 on the card.

I decided to depict her daughter holding a plate of chips. To her left is the emblem of the Israel Air Force, commonly known as Kheil HaAvir, or Air Corps. The emblem features a sword and an olive branch surrounding a roundel, which displays a white Star of David on a blue circle. The sword symbolizes the air force's combat readiness and defensive strength, while the olive branch represents the ultimate goal and hope for peace. This combination - a sword wrapped in an olive branch - was originally the symbol of the Haganah, the pre-state paramilitary organization that served as the predecessor to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). Wings, a common symbol in air force insignias worldwide, flank the sword and olive branch. The wings on the emblem symbolize flight, freedom, and protection, representing the Air Force's role in defending the skies and securing the nation from above.

On her right I added the number 25 to mark her age, and below that is the pakal kafe. The word pakal is actually an acronym of the words pkudat keva lechayal, which means "a fixed command for soldiers," that is - everything the soldier must have with him at all times. But as in many other cases, army acronyms and army slang receive other meanings outside of military life and one such example is pakal kafe - everything you might need in order to make coffee (or tea) outside. My eldest son uses his all the time!

Finally, I added a pink polka-dot bikini.

The word Brocha in the greeting on the card, "From day one to twenty-five, you've been our greatest Brocha", means "blessing".

* This post has been shared on Craft Schooling Sunday, Mosaic Monday, Happiness is Homemade, Busy Monday, The Good. The Random. The Fun., Inspire Me Monday, Tuesday Turn About and Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop.

Hello Seventy

A friend asked if I was able to make her husband a card for his upcoming special birthday. She told me that he is passionate about music, especially The Beatles. He likes red wine and espresso coffee, and New York. I protested that there were too many things for one card, but then decided that I was up for a challenge!

I showed our friend with an espresso in his hand. Behind him is The Beatles logo with its iconic 'drop T', a glass and a bottle of red wine, some music notes, and an aerial view of New York.
My customer was delighted with the card. "You are a genius!" she wrote to me. "You got them all in!" Her husband was happy too. "Amazing card. Thank you so much."

Another customer wanted to know if I had availability to make a 70th birthday card for her mum. She's a retired primary school teacher who loves Scrabble and Wordle, she told me. As a primary school teacher she taught Reception age children (usually aged between four and five) to read.

I showed mum reading a book to the kids. Behind her is a pot of pencils, a book and the letters ABC, to represent her teaching career.  A Scrabble board and tiles spell out the word 'Scrabble'. I added the Wordle logo too, and a big green number 70 to mark her age.

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

Joyeux Anniversaire

This is another card I made before we lost Gadi. The recipient turned 75 in May 2022. His daughter-in-law asked me to make a birthday card for him. Hobbies include photography, plays, concerts, art exhibitions, Judaica (her father-in-law has a spice box collection) and travel, she wrote to me. That long list was whittled down to a camera, an aeroplane, and something to represent modern art!

I showed my customer's father-in-law with a camera in his hands. There is an aeroplane behind him, to represent his love for travel, and also some framed art and a sculpture. I added a 75 to the card too, to mark his age. Next to him is a spice box. Spice boxes are used at the havdalah ceremony performed at the end of Shabbat, to separate the holy day from the weekday (havdalah means "separation"). The ceremony involves lighting a special candle with several wicks, blessing a cup of wine, and smelling sweet spices. The spice box is passed around and everyone smells the aromatic spices as a way to uplift the spirit since the end of Shabbat is experienced as a sad moment.

My customer sent the card to France, where her father-in-law lives, thus the greeting "Joyeux Anniversaire", or "Happy Birthday". The traditional Hebrew blessing "120 עד" directly below means "May you live until 120". The Torah states that Moses died a the age of 120, at which age "his eye had not dimmed, and his vigour had not diminished". (Deuteronomy 34:7). The blessing therefore carries the implication that the receiver should have a long and fulfilled life.

My customer was very happy with the card. "I've been wanting to have an excuse to order a card from you for ages. Love your work!" she wrote to me.

In January 2023 another customer wrote to me and said "Unbelievably my uncle Joe is 100 in 3 weeks... it feels like the card is very important. So if you feel like making him one, I'd love that." She told me that Uncle Joe likes coffee and chocolate.

I decided to show him holding a big birthday cake with lots of candles on it, though I didn't add 100! A hot cup of coffee is in front of him and some yummy chocolate behind him. A big red 100 marks his very special age.

"I absolutely love the card" my customer wrote to me, then sent me this wonderful photo of her and Uncle Joe together.

* This post has been shared on Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) and Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop.

50 Years of Incredible You

A customer wrote to me back in January 2023 to say that that her husband's 50th birthday was coming up. She knew that I wasn't working at full pace and wanted to know if I knew of anyone else who makes cards like I do. Of course, I don't! My cards are unique. I quickly realised that nice cards were important to this customer, so I decided to make one for her husband's special birthday.

My customer told me that her husband is into hiking and asked me if I could include hiking sticks, hiking boots and mountain views on the card. He also loves going on safari into the African wilderness and spotting wild animals. Leopard, springbok, cheetah, rhinoceros and elephant were the animals mentioned. Finally, she told me that her husband enjoys good Italian coffee.

I decided to show my customer's husband with a hot cup of coffee in one hand and a coffee pot in the other hand. Behind him are the mountain views that he loves so much. To his right is a springbok, a type of antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The name "springbok" comes from the Afrikaans words spring ("jump") and bok ("antelope" or "goat"). It is the national animal of South Africa and has been adopted as a nickname or mascot by several South African sports teams, most famously by the national rugby union team.

On his left I added some walking books and hiking sticks, and an elephant, another of the animals from my customer's list. A big red number 50 marks his age.

"Thank you so much. It's great!" my customer wrote to me.

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