Isralove - Interview + Giveaway!

When I first found came across Isralove over on Instagram it was seriously ALL the heart eyes. Ruth, the founder, has been a graphic designer for more than eight years. She's putting her skills to good use, working full-time to make a beautiful collection of home items, like throw pillows, customized mugs, coasters, and wooden Hebrew letters, and the cutest onesies for babies! I think items like these are not only a fun way to decorate your home, but also serve as a reminder of your faith both to yourself but also to others who visit your home.

Ruth was sweet enough to send me her gorgeous Am Yisrael Chai pillow. But all opinions are my own. 

After seeing this pillow I knew right away where it would go in my home. It is so lovely that I wanted it to be one of the first things you see when you walk into the house. 'Am Yisrael Chai' means 'the people of Israel live.' I love that. For me, the meaning goes beyond the typical idea of the nation of Israel persevering despite constant threats and attacks from Islamic nations though. For me, 'Am Yisrael Chai' also reminds me of that the people of the Lost Tribes of Israel still live and of YHWH's promises to bring them back. I am so happy to have this beautiful reminder of Scriptural truth in my house. The pillow itself is soft and easy to wash, definitely the type of thing that's made for living and not just looking at. :)

A little more from Ruth herself....

What was the inspiration behind starting your business Isralove?

I started Isralove after my son Adam (4) was born and I saw all these cute outfits and nursery designs on pinterest, etsy and other international websites, and couldn't find a lot of modern, we'll designed baby onesies, nursery art etc that I liked. And, a lot of the shirts, onesies etc here in Israel have English phrases in them... I wanted Adam to have some modern, Hebrew designs... 

What was the first product you ever made and how did you get started?

The first product of Isralove was the Hebrew name onesie. Almost all of my first items were gifts I prepared for family and friends, took pictures of them and created Etsy items of then (that's why Adam's and his cousins names dominate the shop :) After the first items went live in the shop the first orders came in,  and sometimes customers would have a special request which helped me develop more and more items as I got to know better what Jewish gifts my audience is looking for, and which personalization options they are looking for. 

What has the experience of running Isralove been like?
During the first year I almost only uploaded gifts I created for fiends "on the way" but whenever I had an idea for the shop I wrote it on a sticky note and put it under my keyboard. Since this was "just a hobby" next to my "real job" I never really got to create all my ideas which frustrated me a bit and I decided to dedicate more time for the shop and develop more products. 

You moved to Israel from Germany, what was it like moving to Israel as a child?

Well, I was 13 when we moved, and we have visited Israel very often during my childhood. And I was very excited about moving here, since I remembered the beaches and fun we had during the vacations (and probably also a lot of ice cream?) which sounded pretty cool for a 13 year - old. When we came here at the beginning of the summer vacation we went to an Ulpan (Hebrew class) as family. I knew the Alphabet already since my father taught us… and after 2 months only (while the course is 6 in total) we had to go to school, which was a bit of a culture shock at first, I didn’t understand much (Israelis talk REALLY fast), but after 6 month I was able to speak and read and during 8^th grade children are still pretty open for new friendships and especially here in Israel, which is a very warm and welcoming culture. At the age of 16 I met the brother of one of my school friends, who is my husband today :) 

What's your favorite part about Living in the Holy Land?

My husband is a tour guide, so the best part about Israel for me (and Adam) is to tour the country, with it's amazing and various views and the history going back thousands of years. For now, Adam's favorite place is the "Elah Valley" where we stopped on a trip in May and  he was excited to finally see where David fought Goliath, after reading the story.

Do you have a favorite product that you have designed?

My cushions and the Hebrew alphabet place mats have been under my keyboard for more than a year I guess and these are designs I am  extremely excited about to finally have in the shop! 

Giveaway time! Get yourself entered to win a pair of Isralove placemats with the Hebrew alphabet on them! They say immersion is the best way to learn a language, so why not add more Hebrew to your home? Especially when it's this pretty! Like the throw pillows, these are also made for real-life use and can hold up to spills and wipe downs. These would be a fun and educational upgrade to your dinner table.  This contest is open internationally. Thanks so much to Ruth for a fun giveaway!

Isralove's website
Isralove on Instagram
Isralove's Etsy shop

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