Ilana

Ilana celebrated her 50th birthday in November. She is quite a regular customer of mine and so it seems that her family and friends who have received my cards over the years wanted to return the compliment when it came to her birthday. 

Her daughter contacted me and asked if I could make her mum a card. As it happened, one of Ilana's friends had already beaten her to it, but her daughter didn't mind. I assured her that the cards would be different! She told me that her mum likes cooking. She loves butterflies and tulips. And she is a teacher.

I showed redheaded Ilana holding a big bunch of pink tulips. Some butterflies are fluttering past her. I added a little blackboard with the words "Back to School" on it, and an exercise book and pencils to represent her teaching career. A cooking pot and wooden spoon illustrate Ilana's love of cooking. A big yellow number 50 marks her age.

Ilana's friend asked me to make her a birthday card too. She requested a water bottle, and some vegetables, since Ilana loves to cook. She told me that Ilana teaches English and also loves to read.

I showed Ilana with the water bottle in her right hand. She is pointing to a blackboard with the words "50 Today!" on it with her left hand. Next to her are some vegetables and a small pile of books.

Ilana was delighted with her cards and kindly messaged me on the day of her birthday:

Thank you for my cards

I was soooo lucky to get two 

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Love them

* This post has been shared on Wednesdays in the Studio, Tuesday Turn About and Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop.

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.

50 & 60

Saville was turning 50 so his wife asked me to make him a special birthday card. You definitely need to show him hiking Shvil Yisrael, the Israel National Trail, she told me and it would be great if you could add in cooking and biking too. I asked her what Saville likes to cook and she told me that he make hummus and challah every week.

I showed Saville in front of a desert landscape. He has a large rucksack on his back. The white, blue and orange striped marker indicating sections of the Israel trail is next to him and behind him is his blue bike. I added a small challah and a plate of hummus to illustrate his love of cooking.

His wife posted my card on Instagram and declared "Lisa's card made it [Saville's 50th birthday] just that much more special."

Sarah's sister asked me to make a special card for her upcoming 60th birthday. She likes baking and bike riding and she is a teacher, she told me. She enjoys gardening and sunbathing too. She also wanted me to mention that they are sisters and to include a large 60 since Sarah is very proud of her age. 

Sarah teaches social sciences at a secondary school in London. I have shown her with a social sciences book in one hand. She is wearing a green gardening glove and holding a trowel in her other hand. Behind her I added a red parasol on a beach. Her bike is standing there too.

Her sister told me that she likes to bake scones and lemon cake - favourites in our home as well! A scone filled with cream and jam is on a plate next to her, while there is a slice of lemon cake in front. Finally, I added a little graphic saying "sisters are special".
I do hope that this sister liked her special card.

* This post has been shared on Little Things Thursday, Creative Crafty Link Party, Thursday Favorite Things, Craft Schooling Sunday and All Seasons.