Thumbs up for 10

Remember Keshet, the young lady who came to learn how to make cards with me? It was her birthday back in June and this year she turned 10! Last year she was into slime, sewing and going to her youth movement. The year before she was all about rainbows and doughnuts. Mum didn't have any specific requests for this year's card except that it should feature a big number 10 and obviously be different from the previous cards.

I decided to show Keshet holding a sign with a big number 10 on it. She's obviously proud of turning double digits because she is smiling and giving a big thumbs up. The name Keshet means "rainbow" in Hebrew so I added some rainbows and a few sparkly stars to the card as well. The background is lilac because I know that is the colour of her bedroom.

I was so happy to receive this photo of Keshet and those showing her opening her birthday card, above. Mum reported that she absolutely screamed with joy when she saw it was one of my cards and kept saying how amazing it was. This photo is especially nice since it shows the birthday girl with her card and behind her is a picture I was commissioned to make when she was born! My style has changed over the years but I am delighted that it still takes pride of place in her bedroom.

* This post has been shared on Little Things Thursday, Creatively Crafty and Thursday Favorite Things.

Papercutting with Keshet

Remember this card I made for Keshet back in June? Earlier this year I made a couple of customised Bat Mitzvah albums for her mum to give as gifts and Keshet was fascinated by what I do. Mum then asked me to make the card for Keshet's birthday, above, and as an extra treat I made a promise that she could come over and make a card with me one day during the summer holidays.

For various reasons I don't teach art or share my creative processes. I also have two boys who, when they were younger, didn't often want to sit and make things with their mum. (This was one rare occasion when we did sit down and papercut together.) Consequently I had no idea how much patience 8 year old Keshet would have for papercutting. Well let me tell you, she had a lot!

My plan was to make a couple of cards with Keshet. I chose a sweet yet simple design for her first card, above, which she completed quite quickly. After that I thought she might want to draw her own card design but Keshet already had ideas of her own. She wanted to make a door sign for her newly decorated bedroom. Great idea! I was happy to go with the flow.

The first thing to do was to draw out the design. I reminded Keshet to keep the shapes simple and a reasonable size since she was going to be cutting them out of paper. Then, using scissors only and not my scalpel, she carefully cut out her designs, listening attentively to my suggestions along the way.

The rainbow in the centre of Keshet's door sign was an obvious choice (the name Keshet means "rainbow" in Hebrew). She then chose her favourite emoji and a lovely little flower. I showed her how to trace the Hebrew letters of her and her sister's name. "We" had a few little slips when cutting those but, hey, that's how you learn isn't it?

Before I knew it Keshet and I had been drawing, cutting and sticking for 2.5 hours! The time had flown by. I had such fun with my young apprentice and mum reported back that she had loved it too.
Who knows if I will decide to teach papercut art one day? Maybe. All I know is that I now realise that there are youngsters out there who can happily sit and create for hours like me.
It's nice to know.

* This post has been shared on Sweet Inspiration Link Party, All Seasons, Pink Saturday, {nifty thrifty sunday}, The Homemaking Party, Happiness is Homemade, Creative Monday, The Good. The Random. The Fun., Make It Pretty Monday, Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) and The Keeping It Real Link Up.

Keshet

I have a young fan called Keshet. I recently did some pieces for her mum and Keshet was apparently fascinated by what I do and went to bed with a million questions about my work and how I know how to make such lovely things. She asked if I could make a card for her birthday at the end of June. She wanted a card with lots of rainbows, doughnuts and treats on it. How could I resist a request like that?

Mum sent me some recent pictures of her soon-to-be 8 year old. One showed her with her favourite emoji face headband, and the other was of a much-loved rainbow T-shirt (the name Keshet means "rainbow" in Hebrew). Mum also added that Keshet is currently planning a lilac bedroom, so could I include some lilac on the card too?

I have shown Keshet wearing her much loved headband and with a doughnut in each hand. She loves the ones with chocolate icing and hundreds and thousands (sprinkles) on them, and also those with chocolate chips. She's 8 years old. She adores treats - marshmallows, sweets and sour strips - all the things that parents don't like to give their kids! I cut out some tiny pink and white marshmallows and jelly beans, some more doughnuts with hundreds and thousands on them and added another rainbow too. A big number 8 marks her age.

Mum sent me these fabulous photos of the birthday girl on her big day and was happy for me to share them here. "If a picture says it all... she loved the card!" mum wrote. 

* This post has been shared on Welcome To The Weekend Blog Hop, All Seasons, {nifty thrifty sunday}, Sunday Features and Happiness is Homemade.