What do you get your craftiest friend for her birthday? Crafts, of course. At least, you do if the friend is Gilda, who along with being talented is one of the dearest souls I know — meaning that, among other things, she overlooks holes in the fondant and bumps on the embroidery. (Even though she’s the one who first got me to pick up a needle, and has offered the girls lessons, too. Her birthday present to me last year was a masterpiece.)

We celebrated on the Fourth of July, hence the overly-patriotic hues. Annabelle and I decorated a cake and some cupcakes. And Sophie drew a portrait of Gilda for me to embroider, featuring our first joint effort at lettering. I even got crazy and made Gilda a sewing bag, though I had to warn her the fabric glue might not hold.

“Don’t worry,” she said kindly, “I’ll just take a stitch or two to make sure it stays.”

Now that’s a friend. The final products are immortalized below, including my favorite part of the embroidery — the back.

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