Hana & Gary

Hana was turning 40 so her husband wrote and asked me to make a special card for her. She is a hairdresser and a teacher, he told me. She loves going to the gym, her iPhone, Instagram and jewellery. There was a lot to include but this was an extra large card, so I had plenty of room.

I showed blonde-haired Hana with her hairdryer in one hand and a dumbbell in the other. I added some running shoes as well, since running and weights are her favourite ways to exercise. Behind her is a blackboard with the words "English Lesson" chalked on it. In the foreground I added Hana's iPhone 12, some hairdressing scissors and a comb, the Instagram logo and some sparkly jewellery. Her husband wasn't sure what her favourite piece of jewellery is but said that he had just given her a gold necklace, so I made sure to add that. A big silver 40 marks Hana's age.

A few months before Hana turned 40, her husband Gary celebrated his special birthday. Hana also asked me to make him two very special cards. The first card, an extra large one, was going to be from their children. Hana asked me to show her husband with their five kids. He is a big Everton F.C. fan so I included the club's crest on the card. He is wearing a royal blue shirt, Everton's traditional home colour. Hana also told me that he enjoys playing golf and lifting weights and I had to include his iPhone and the TV remote too!

The card from Hana showed Gary enjoying a tumbler of whisky and smoking a cigar. To his right is a big 40, his Tesla electric car and some weights. On Gary's left I showed the logo of his accountancy firm along with some tiny coins. A bottle of whisky and some more cigars completed the design.

After asking Gary a few questions about Hana's card, he replied saying "Now I understand why my wife likes your work. She also likes detail!". They certainly got it in tenfold on all three cards!

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

Coffee, Biscuits, Golf and Gardening

A customer requested a card for her mum's 94th birthday. At her wonderful age she is not one for hobbies but her daughter asked me to put chocolate biscuits and mince pies on the card and a cup of coffee too.

I have shown this British mum holding a cup and saucer. She is surrounded by chocolate chip and Bourbon biscuits. I don't know if they are her favourites but they certainly used to be mine! Most British people will recognise these sandwich biscuits just from the shape. I also added some teeny-tiny mince pies as requested.

I made a card for this lady's 91st birthday and my customer at the time couldn't get over the likeness to her mum. It seems I got it right again.
"Lisa they are great as usual. You always capture the essence of the subject. [I am a] happy customer as usual."

This 80th birthday card was also made for a repeat customer. I made a tea and cake themed card for her mum's 70th last year. Dad's favourite things are golf, jigsaw puzzles, gardening, Scrabble and Rummikub, my customer told me. He has dark brown hair with some sliver streaks (but not too many!) and he tends to wear short-sleeved polo shirts when playing golf.

I have shown dad with a golf club over his shoulder and a gardening trowel in his other hand. Behind him is a red golf flag, with a tiny golf ball next to it. To his right are some Rummikub tiles and to his left some jigsaw pieces and Scrabble tiles. I added a green watering can and a couple of plants to represent dad's love of gardening. A big red number 80 marks his age.

"Thank you so much for the card for my Dad. The likeness is great." my customer wrote to me.

My own dad celebrated his birthday recently too. He's a keen gardener as well and in fact seems to have spent this whole coronavirus period in his garden! I had to make that the theme of his birthday card. I cut out a wooden workbench, then added some tiny plant pots, a watering can, trowel and secateurs. Finally I cut out the letters for DAD in bright red card.

He was very happy to receive it.

* This post has been shared on Share Your Style, Little Things Thursday, Creatively Crafty Link Party and Thursday Favorite Things.