Gift for a friend and gift to myself

Graduation gift for a friend :: rice pillow to help him unwind after a long day at work.

Box pleat skirt :: gift to myself. As I made up the pattern myself I agonized forever over the dimensions ... how many box pleats? How big should they be? Should I make the skirt a slight A-line? [wish I had left that detail in instead of chopping it off] How wide of a waistband? But it turned out well enough and each piece you sew is a new learning experience ...