Happy New Year!

 I hope you all had a pleasant holiday season.  I know it's a stressful time for so many.  My circle is so small now that the holidays are an enjoyable time for me.  

I buckled down and got busy on some handmade gifts for my family.  Each member of my family got a piece or two of handmade goodness.  The g-kids all got a box with a burning on it, full of goodies, necklaces, toys, etc.  All got a round loomed stocking hat, as well. 

These were the kids, I didn't get a pic of the adults hat, but they were cool.  I didn't get a pic of the boxes and burnings, either, because I procrastinate too much.  

This was the first draft of my daughter's gift.

 

This is hanging on my wall.  

These were a custom order from a friend/repeat customer.

 I made for my sister on my peg loom, from jeans she had given to me.  
Some of David's jeans are in there, too.

This was the pre-burning of a plaque I did for my oldest niece and her honey.  The kids all got round loomed stocking hats.  There are 8 kids.  The girls got pretty colored ones, the boys were black and red, their school colors, but the pattern I used on each one of them was different.

Blended families are awesome, but they're a lot of work!

This was good in my belly.  

This little note showed up in a dresser drawer.  
I had tidied that drawer 2 days prior. 

My daughter doesn't remember it.  

I may have sleep walked into a diff dimension the other night.

 

A burning I did for my boys.  
This, of course, is pre-burning.

The cats were made to resemble my nephew's cats, which they did and the boys loved them.  

They're done in faux leather and felt.  

The dragon was made for my great-niece in her requested colors.

I finally found the fur I was looking for, the Cow Kitty is the first I made, I have two other furs for 2 more cats, one is a bobcat kinda looking, and an all black. I knew I had a stash of sherpa, and finally found it!  Fluffy White Kitty has felt inside the ears.  Both are available, send me a message!  

These were for my other niece and her husband and his brother.  If you knew them you would know how absolutely perfect this gift was.  I was so tickled that they liked them as much as I hoped they would.

My $1.25 tree, some accessories I already had.  

I've had these elf heads for years, and finally getting around to doing something with them.  This is the first try, with a body pattern I found on Pinterest.  I know I didn't attach the head to the body "correctly" but I think I have it figured out for next time.  

 

 

This was for my bonus g-son.  

This is my newest Critter.  It's made from faux leather and felt, with the pompom nose.  My first thought was to call it Stormy Cat, but one of my friend/customer mentioned that it looks like the Moon, so with the sparkles that you cant see in the photos, I believe it'll be called Moon Cat.  Available for purchase, and I usually can ship next day.

If you are still reading this, please leave me a comment! 

I just moved my computer to a place that's easier for me to use, so I'll be updating on a more regular basis...up to you if that's a good or bad thing.  *wink*

Play Nice!  xxoo

I Did Another Thing

 

Big Boy Brad

Good Boy Greg was so bored.  He was tired of the games we play all the time.  Even new toys didn't excite him.  All he wanted was for me to stop whatever I was doing and do something with him, even if he didn't really want to do anything, he wanted my full attention.  

Good Boy Greg

Not that I blame him, I'm pretty cool, but dang, I have things I want to do, too.

And I know I said I didn't want another cat, I remember all those things I said...

I got Greg a little brother this weekend. My niece found him for me.  (That girl has the pet connections like crazy.)  after the first night of Greg showing this little 10 week old kitten who was boss, I think he likes him.  He'll be standoffish for a bit, I get it, kitty language and all that, but Brad is not afraid of him one bit.  

So far, Brad is a sweet boy, already knows his name, and loves his cat food,  I feed them together, with separate bowls, of course, and they do fine.  They share a water bowl, which gets refreshed at least 4 times a day, including ice cubes.  Yep, I like my water cold, they probably do, too.

I have a white pleather Big Fat Cat with gray and white details.  Stuffing it tonight.  

Here's some pics I took over the weekend of the Critters I have available right this minute.  If you see anyone you'd like to know more about, check my shop over on FB, and if it's not in there, send me a message!  

The pleather pig is way redder than this shows. 

That's about all of them, for now anyway.  

Play Nice!  xxoo

Handmade by Cosmo

More Adventures

This is my test run of using pleather and the "big" version of the Fat Cat pattern that I use.

Here are the 3 sizes Big, "Normal" and Mini.

I learned a few things working on the Big one, it had been awhile since I made one.  

I started another Big in shades of blue, and in using what I learned, I think he's turning out very nicely.  

Hopefully I will have him finished this evening.  I kinda like to do my stuffing in the evenings.  I like to watch a few You Tube videos, always trying to learn new things.  

For example, last night I learned how to make a scarf with my round loom!  I've also learned how to make tassels with my handy dandy pom pom/tassel making contraption.  

When I learn to make something new, my mind just goes into such a heavy creating mode, I love it!  I can hardly write the ideas down fast enough! 

My daughter, Darlin' Danielle, is a very talented artist, in many mediums.  (Shame on you, 2nd grade Art teacher that told her she didn't have any talent!)  I have asked her to draw something for me for the top of my small work table.  

Winter is coming soon, and I want to make sure I have enough projects to work on!  

Play Nice!  xxoo

Latest pic of Greg.  

In the middle of all the stuff I am working on, of course.  

Come check out my shop?

Handmade by Cosmo

 

Well, Hello!

 It's been a little bit, I've been doing a few family things, since my little family has come to America to visit for the first time in 4 years.  My grands spent the night last week, Thursday, and are coming to spend the night with me tonight!  

My place is small, but we all fit, and we have a wonderful time.  

They are staying with family about an hour north from here.  I drove up to see them, all his cousin's  and their families, and all his siblings came...they had a really good time.  It was fun to watch them in the pool, laughing and talking to each other, as grownups, for probably the first time.  I hope they took group pics.

There are a couple of "things" going on, family wise.  Of course, right?  One may be fixable.  The other I think it could be written in stone that it is finished.  

You know, people feel how they feel.  I think it's disrespectful to try to change the way they feel.  But I will, however, suggest a different way of looking at a situation.  That's about all I can do really.  

So, I've been creating little Pleather (faux leather) Critters.  Really liking the Pleather Suede a lot. I'll get my photobox and stuff back out of the closet once the kids are gone.  

Good Boy Greg is one year old!  Our routine is so comfortable, but he's still a "teenager" in most ways.  Energetic, mischevious, cantankerous when he doesn't get his way...but also sweet and cuddly when he wants to be.  

I love this cat.

Here's a couple pics of something I've been working on.  Those are I think 5 x 7 stretched canvas.  I've hand appliqued the kitty's and handsewn them to the canvas.  Teal and a few shades of purple.  

I think they are so cute!  

And of course, I can do them in just about any color combo,

and have some printed felt, as well.  

Send me a message, I would love to create something for you!

Alright, it's almost 1:00 pm, they will probably be here in a couple hours, so I better do anything that needs to be done before they get here because that's how I roll.  I only have them for a short time, and it will be a long time until I get to squeeze them again.  

Play Nice!  xxoo

Found those Benihana Buddahs on the free table in the community laundry room!  

Score!  One for me, one for Mary! 

(tiniest Gain bottle, for scale) 

HandmadebyCosmo

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The Weekend!

In just 3 days I will see some people that I haven't seen in 3 years.  These people are very very very close family and I am beside myself with giddiness!  

Since I've recently moved here, and since it's just Greg and I here, my place is pretty clean, there's not a lot that I need to do in that regard.  I just want my new home to look peaceful and comfy and inviting, as well as functional as to my creativity.  

My order from Amazon of some frosted suede (faux) was supposed to be here on Thursday, but now they say from the 16th to the 20th, and if not I can get a refund.  Pffft.  I didn't mind waiting a week, but now it's all in limbo, and I don't like that.  I am so looking forward to trying this new idea, this is frustrating!  

I have the A/C on, but looking forward to a good thunderstorm this afternoon.  

Warning!  The next paragraph will be discussing bodily functions.

Waylon is doing well, his owner is still a bit edgy.  He's worried that Waylon hasn't pooped since he got home from the vet (wednesday).  The food that Waylon is eating now is a mucho better grade of food that he has been having, so his body is actually absorbing the food.  Plus he hadn't really kept much down for about a week.  He's acting fine and not acting like he needs to poop but can't, so I'm not too concerned.

With my company coming, and my mind busy with thinking about that, my creativity has taken a back seat for the moment.  Not a good time to start any new projects, but I do have a couple that I can finish up, so that will keep my hands happy.  

A little later...my pkg did come today, in the mail! Now the decisions.  Which Critter?  Regular sized or mini?  

Sunday Morning

The predicted thunderstorms did not appear, but we did get some rain early this morning.  It is a coolish day, probably won't need the A/C.  I'm gonna crank up some tunes and do a whole apt. tidy up.  Laundry tomorrow, and I'll be ready for my company!

Waylon Update ~  He did do what he needed to do, and what he did shows that he is completely recovering from whatever gut infection he had. 

Oh, and Happy Father's Day to the good ones out there.  

I did start on a  regular sized Dachshund yesterday, stitched but not stuffed yet.  I'll do that this evening, and hopefully share a pic with you tomorrow.  

Until then,  Play Nice!  xxoo

Handmade by Cosmo