Today was Project Annabelle — the DIY birthday party that would have put me over the edge, or at least under the kitchen table, were it not for my friends.

Handmade Birthday: The Finale is coming to a computer screen near you, soon, complete with a lot of photos. But first, I must devote a post to the Rose Sisters.

The most valuable element of the handmade/arts & crafts movement is not the Bedazzler, despite the opinion of some of today’s 8-year-old party guests. No, it’s time. Particularly when it’s the time of  a 14-year-old girl.

Not long ago, my dear friend Trish stopped mid-conversaton and remarked that, wow, Annabelle is the age Abbie was when Annabelle was born. It gave us both pause. Talk about a shortage of time. Where did it go? Trish is our guardian angel, and her daughter Abbie is GA, Jr. — babysitter extraordinaire, all-around great kid. Later this summer she’ll accompany us to the beach for the third (or is it fourth?) time, to help chase the girls and their cousins.

Trish was there when Annabelle was born. We called the girls the Rose Sisters. (You know my history with the name Rose, so I can’t get away with saying Annabelle Rose is named after Abigail Rose, but it was a sweet coincidence.)

I started to tear up when I spied the “tag” on the gift Trish was carrying when she arrived this morning, a photo of Annabelle at a year, and Abbie somewhere between 8 and 9. Abbie was signed up to help the party guests make outfits for our fashion show, and Trish graciously offered to stay, too, “if you have a job for me.”

Oh, did I.

Trish and Abbie both worked like mad, measuring girls, cutting fringe, sewing nips and tucks and — I know it sounds corny, but it’s true — making the little girls’ dream outfits come true. Trish had chosen an adorable gift, as always, a precious paper doll book called “Rosie Flo,” but you already know what’s coming . The best gift, of course, was getting to hang with Trish and Abbie.

Last night Trish commented very casually that the last time Abbie babysat, she had a really nice time hanging out with Annabelle. To be honest, that doesn’t happen too often. Abbie usually spends time with Sophie, while Annabelle’s off finding adventures, or, to be honest, while I’m hogging a little alone time with my first-born.

I know Abbie loves Sophie; their bond rivals the Sophie/Ms. X love connection. But she loves Annabelle, too. I’ll have to make sure the Rose Sisters get some quality time together at the beach.