A birthday card for your girlfriend that she'll screenshot

She'll know in half a second whether the card was picked off a shelf or made for her. A painted cover of the thing she loves — the otters, the allotment, the city she moved to — lands differently than a stock illustration with her name typed on it. Describe her, we paint it, and the words inside are yours.

Getting the artwork right

• Name what she's obsessed with, specifically: 'otters holding paws' beats 'animals'.
• Give the mood: warm and soft, bright and silly, evening light.
• If it's close but not quite, ask for a tweak — warmer colours, one more otter — and it's repainted without losing what worked.

The message

Three moves: the occasion in your voice, one specific thing from this year, one thing you're looking forward to. "Thirty. You made this year the best one I've had. Still planning to beat you at board games when we're eighty." Let the draft write a first version if you're stuck, then make it sound like you.

It's $1.99 to send by email as an animated envelope — no subscription, no app for her to install, no price anywhere on the card.

Milestone years

For a 21st, 30th or 40th, post the real card as well: same artwork, printed on card stock and mailed for $9.99, so it ends up on the mantelpiece and not just in the inbox.