Let's celebrate with the birthday girl

As some of you read, yesterday was my friend Kathy's birthday.  I spent what free time I had making her gift.  Before she got there, I nearly finished it.

I started with some "scraps" of fabric.  In fact, the top fabric above is all I had of that beautiful hand dyed.  People who read my blog often, know I seldom measure anything, and I always tear my fabric whenever possible.  When I need to square something up, I use my guillotine cutter.

To make matters worse (better for me, though), I couldn't sew straight if my life depended on it.

After I assembled the piece, I simply had to pin it, something I also seldom do.  You can see why, here.  Makes it hard to remove the pins before they hit the needle when they are all going every which way.

After I sewed and cut the excess fabric, where no pins were harmed in the process, I might add,

I covered and sewed both ends to hide the mechanics, and

added a few embellishments.

No, I didn't sew the buttons on, because I don't sew by hand.  E-6000 is my friend.  This was taken right after I stuck the buttons on.  I still needed to remove any excess glue once it dried.

I had planned to get photos of Kathy when she first got there, but by the time I got the camera, she was talking to Bleubeard.

Although Mr Social Animal would talk to Kathy, he refused to let me get a good photo of him doing so.  It was also at that time I informed Kathy she had to finish her birthday gift by sewing on the button that would hold the piece together.  Kathy is used to having to finish projects, like this book I made for her back in 2006.  She even had to take all the photos since my camera was so wimpy back then.  And talk about recycling.  Practically everything in that book was recycled.

We started at the Chinese buffet, where I lit a candle just as I had for Sally a few weeks earlier.

Somehow, I managed to get Kathy's back side, when I was preparing a shot of what I planned to eat.

Since they didn't have egg foo young, I chose fried shrimp and french fries, while Kathy chose a more traditional Chinese meal.

For the rest of her gift, I promised had already decided to buy her a new Clinique eyebrow liner.  Of course, the sales lady, who works on commission, saw a potential customer and gave her a complete makeover.  And Kathy bought everything else!  After the purchase, of which I paid for my share, I asked the sales lady, since it was her birthday, did Kathy get a free gift.  They had some sales freebies, and they gifted her with them.  I'm sure glad I asked, because she got two bags in the process of buying all that stuff.  And, like Kathy, I'm also a big fan of Clinique, so I know how awesome their products are.

Next, it was off to JoAnns, where Kathy and I shopped.  I bought some batting that had been marked down from $9.99 (US) to $0.97 (US) a yard.  Kathy insisted on buying it, too.  So I guess we both made out.  But I'm not going to show what she gave me for MY bEARTHday until the day I celebrate it.  You'll just have to wait!

Today was Day 13, and I recycled some scraps of fabric and turned them into a cuff for my friend's birthday.