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.

Love and Marriage

This Saba (the Hebrew word for Grandfather) recently celebrated his birthday. His daughter-in-law asked me to create a card showing Saba and Safta together outside their new holiday apartment in the Mediterranean resort city of Netanya. Saba, she told me, always wears a pale blue cap. I didn't know what their new home looked like so created a white tower block, much like many of the buildings in Netanya, and added a little sign with the city's coat of arms on it.

The couple, below, recently got married. I was asked to make a card for their wedding day showing them standing under a chuppah, the canopy under which a Jewish couple stand during their wedding ceremony. I decorated the chuppah with a few flowers, as they are often decorated, added a heart and also an elephant! The groom apparently proposed to his bride while they were travelling in India, so my customer asked me to include a little elephant somewhere on the card. (Elephants in Hinduism and the Indian Culture are a symbol of intellectual strength, and sturdy earthy mental strength.) The groom is wearing a kippa (skullcap). The Hebrew greeting says "Mazal Tov Yael and Mattaniah."

Finally, this couple recently celebrated their silver wedding, their 25th wedding anniversary. Mum asked me to show them on the card. I added a big silver number 25, some hearts, two champagne glasses and finished the card off with a silver bow.

* This post has been shared on Sweet Inspiration Link Party, All Seasons, {nifty thrifty sunday}, Happiness is Homemade, Sunday Features, The Good. The Random. The Fun. and Make it Pretty Monday.