Buttons? Maybe a Zipper?

We have been looking for Cosmo's buttons but have not been successful.  We began to think that perhaps he has a zipper.  But the search has come up empty-handed to date. 

Look for yourself to see if you can find anything. 

A Real Life Kliban?

Do you think Cosmo looks like a Kliban Cat?
Here is a selection of Kliban Cats.  

In the first place these are all activities and poses that are typical of Cosmo.  Obviously Cosmo and the Kliban Cats are stripey cats.  Cosmo has a tendency to be a little plump, so much so, that we have begun to call him Pudge.   No matter what we do, he always looks pudgy; some family members think it is because he has short legs but I think his short legs have nothing to do with it.  When he sits down or lies down, his body spreads out; it just spreads out.  He, unfortunately, will never be svelte. 

Two Finishes

Well, that is really one finish and one almost finish. 
When I work two projects at the same time, I hardly ever finish both at the same time. 
It just happened with the two I have been reporting. 
First, let's see the finish. 

It is such a good feeling to have actually finished the needlebook and its co-ordinating scissors fob. 

Hooray, the stitching is finish on the no longer sad little sampler. 
You will see it once again after I have had it framed. 

Now I will select a new project and a new UFO.  
Choices, choices

I should have been a bit more observant.  Not all readers of this blog know North American birds.  Phoebies are cute little birds.  Here is a little information about them.  This little description also has a recording of its calls.  If you listen to it, you will discover how they were named.  First thing this morning, I hear one of them calling. 

Someone's been in my garden.

The wildlife have been visiting the garden. 
A phoebe built its nest on top of our backdoor light.  I would very much like to take a picture of her in it but she leaves when I go out the door or am any where near the door.  A few years ago, a purple finch made its nest on top of the same light.  Phoebes and purple finches have different philosophies on nest building. 

The finches locate a suitable platform and throw the nest materials on it.  The nest materials will either stay there or fall off.  Sometimes the partially formed nest will completely fall off.  On the other hand, the phoebes are very intentional and quite precise.  They first locate a suitable platform and then bring in the nest materials.  They very carefully lay the nest materials on the platform and then mud them into place.  I am not certain if they bring in mud or just use spit but it is extremely effective.  They can quickly assemble a nest with no waste motions. 

Last week we were visited by a little yellow rumped warbler.  We are in its migratory path, just a little south of its summer breeding grounds.  That probably explains why I have never seen one before. 

There are at least six tulip stems in this picture, all missing their flower.  This is just one grouping of tulips suffering the same fate.  This one just happens to be my favorite, Elizabeth Arden.  Only two flowers have been spared, the one in the picture and a second one to the right outside the picture.  One night a deer decided to munch on my tulips.  I don't know.  If I ordered and planted a couple dozen Elizabeth Arden tulips in the fall, would that just give the deer more to eat next spring or would they proportionately leave more tulips to open? 

Today my kindergarten teacher gave me a little thank-you gift, a cute little plant with yellow flowers.  The flowers and leaves are like dahlias but it is something else with a name that suggests it is a relative.  I hurried to plant it as soon as I got home because it had gotten dry over the weekend and rain was on the way.  As I walked into the garden, a very young rabbit ran out the back gate.  I planted it in front of the large rock that is in the background of the picture above.  The rabbit would have been between the white narcissus and yellow daffodils.  

We are currently enjoying a heavy all-day series of thunderstorms.  Yesterday my husband and I decided to remove the winter mulch from the gardens when I came home from kindergarten today.  It had not yet begun to rain but was threatening progressively more ominously.  As much as I did not want to change into my work clothes and go out with him before it finally would begin to rain, I did.  We put in about a half an hour, just about enough time to get our hands dirty, before the rain began in earnest. 

Good News All Around

Good News - The stitching is done.  I must assemble the needlebook and co-ordinating fob. 

More Good News - I do not have stitching progress to show you on the sad little wedding sampler but there is very good news.  The silk ribbons and Kreinik braid arrived today.  I can tell right now it is going to work.  The ribbon roses will look very nice and the new color of Kreinik braid will look much better than the color I had originally selected. 

Even More Good News - Currently Wednesdays are my UFO stitching days.  I can work on my little wedding sampler and a progress picture will follow. 

A Busy Week

Yes, it has been a busy and exhausting week.  First of all, I have finished the Little Red Hen costume.  My kindergarten teacher is having a spring program for the parents.  The students are performing The Little Red Hen.  My teacher had all the costumes under control except for the Little Red Hen.  That was a not so subtle hint I had to get busy.  Here is the result. 

Next on the agenda is my UnFinished Object (UFO), the sad little wedding sampler.  Although I have made progress, it is going to be delayed.  Wednesdays are my UFO Day.  I just discovered that the ribbon I had for the two roses is just too dark to show up well.  Complicating the issue is the fact clear, bright, and light teal or peacock colors in silk ribbons are a little difficult to find. 

Now it is on to my regular project, the needlebook. 
I have made progress. 

Blogger is being a little difficult for me to arrange.  I am just too tired to feel like playing around to make the layout better. 

Meet Cosmo

Here are some pictures of Cosmo.

November 2013 Shortly after we got Cosmo.  

He plays hard and sleeps soundly. 

I was trying to sleep.  

February 2014

May 2014

I'm guarding your laptop.  I'm keeping it warm??!!  Whatever