Cards for Kiev II

My husband left for Ukraine this afternoon with Global Leadership http://globalleadership.us. Earlier this week he asked me to make him a card he could give to Alex with a note of encouragement, and I also made a set of cards for Alex to use personally.  Here's why – taken from the latest GL newsletter. 

 "Alex is a newly appointed Federal Director representing President Poroshenko in a particular district. He has 135 government people he oversees, among whom are 26 mayors. His task is putting together systems to dislodge corruption and make being corrupt more difficult. He says he wants to teach them "servant leadership". His task is to behave so differently they will begin to catch what it means to lead honestly. Historically they expect the status quo, but Alex is breaking with tradition the moment he's sworn in.  His second day on the job Alex had all 135 come to work wearing their "dirty clothes". He joined them and they walked the streets all day picking up trash and cleaning up the debris. Later in a meeting he told them they will continue to clean up the debris of corruption and get rid of it. A very creative way to make a point. Alex said the best way to teach servant leadership is to be a servant leader."  

I am very excited for the Global Leadership team this week as they have the opportunity to  interact with Alex and his 135 civil servants. I pray someday they all come to embrace that title. The message on the card is Psalm 106:3. 

"Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right."

Ninja Card

Okay, so it's not a card with a black hooded ninja wielding a sword to slice a birthday cake, but after a week of spring break with my husband's family (and my sister) it seems appropriate to present a card with the Hattori family crest. I had the stamp made by Paper Angel Rubber Stamps  http://www.paperangel.com/store/home.html; I ordered one of their gift kits and sent a black line print of the crest for them to make my stamp. I use it often as a hallmark on the back of my cards. Now here's what I've learned from my brother & sister-in-law. 

The Hattori name goes back to early Japanese history and culture. Hattori Hanzo became a famous samurai and ninja elevating the Hattori name to great prestige after reportedly saving the life of the Tokugawa Ieyasu then helping him become the ruler of Japan. More recently, the name was associated with the commercial success of the Hattori Seiko company; also the running shoe and apparel company Saucony named a minimalist shoe Hattori. The most name recognition here in the U.S. is from the Kill Bill movies and Hattori Hanzo the sword maker. I have not seen the movies, but people tell me he was a memorable character, and there's actually a real Hattori knife maker who makes very expensive and collected knives today. 

Hattori is also a very common Japanese name which could be from two words meaning "cut" and "cloth". My father-in-law likes to joke that the crest was just the sign hanging over the laundromat or tailor's shop. Common or honorable the simplicity of the crest can infiltrate any card - like a ninja. 

Card Details: Completed size 5"x 5" square; heat embossed crest with gold detail powder; frame die by Cheery Lynn Designs; origami paper in background.