My friend Aska is the most fude-mame (筆まめ, a Japanese word for someone who frequently writes letters) person I know. She fills every birthday card from top to bottom and left to right, with her beautiful handwriting. So, for her birthday this year, I wanted to gift her a personalised letter set.
Another thing about Aska is that she talks as much as she writes. She seems to be bursting with thoughts and ideas almost every moment of her life, and so I think she needs to let them out through words; spoken or written. I tried to represent Aska’s colourful energy in one of the designs.
Talking and tea come hand in hand, so It’s no wonder Aska loves tea and tea time. I drew Aska’s iconic green teapot, which she can fill with her words, a.k.a the tea.
The last design is based on a lovely day we spent at the park on a warm summer’s day. We spent almost the entire day together eating, chatting, gazing at the trees and sky. I just really liked that day, so I wanted to turn it into a portable, sendable, and shareable thing.
Happy birthday Aska! Here’s to many more amazing years. <3