Handmade Birthday

This is just a small portion of D.D.'s birthday (the actual day). We started celebrating last weekend and will continue through this weekend. Why limit yourself to just ONE day? 

I've been teaching myself embroidery. And I've been reading about Jane Austen, so when I came across her signature I decided to give stitching it a try. It was a little tricky, but satin stitching the cameo was fairly simple.

You're probably wondering WHAT this is. It is what D.D. asked for when I asked her what she wanted me to make her for her birthday. I'll explain. Since she was diagnosed with Graves Disease a few months ago she has had to start taking quite a few medications. She has been carting them around in a gallon ziplock bag. She asked me to make her a drawstring bag to keep all those pills and things in. It's quilted, lined and turned out better than I thought. She was delighted. It exceeded her expectations. 

I was feeling like I didn't have enough. You have to understand that growing up our mom always made a HUGE deal out of birthdays. She still does. So the night before D.D.'s birthday I decided to make a bunting banner. I used materials I had on hand. I would have done it a little different if I had thought about it sooner. But still, I like how it turned out.

And I LOVE so much how it looks on the living room wall I just might have to make an everyday banner to keep up year round! 

I had a few ideas about birthday cake. Last year I made a Boston Cream Pie that was kind of a disaster. But we're heading to San Diego this weekend and any cake would dry out before we could finish. And mom is baking her a cake. We have NO freezer to speak of so I couldn't make my specialty ice cream cake. Plus, I'm especially low on funds. Sooooo, cheap and tasty won out. Yep, rice krispy treats! Always a hit. 

P.S. the rice krispy treats are almost gone!

Good thing I know my sister so well and that she loved everything I did. Another successful handmade birthday.