Try to get away for a little anniversary weekend and what happens?  Captain Stupidhead thinks he’s been abandoned (he wasn’t, my son was here) and hasn’t left me alone for a second today.  He’s like a two-year-old, and if you could see me this very minute you would see his big orange cat-self leaning on the keyboard.   In case I miss that, he gets up every few minutes and sticks his head in my face.  This has the effect of showering me with cat hair, which is oh-so-pleasant. (It’s better than him yawning, because his cat-breath is indescribable.)

Earlier today, when I was putting dishes away, he wrapped himself around my legs and cried like a baby.  I swear he’s saying “UP! UUUUUPPPP!!” in that briefly endearing but quickly annoying way that toddler’s have.  Prior to that, I was trying to take some photos for you:

This is the “before” basket,  a 2-4-6-8 basket trimmed with retired Designer Series Paper bits and pieces run through the Big Shot with the Tasteful Trim die.  I had a better idea and my plan was to show you the two projects, but I had “help”:

The photo is  blurry because he is in motion, rapidly approaching my “photo shoot”.  This is after a lot of whining and winding around under my feet.  Since I failed to acknowledge him, it became necessary to move in a little closer.

I’m attempting the photo of the second basket, but it’s impossible to get a picture because A) there is a cat in the way and B) he is giving me the “head-butt” treatment so it is impossible to focus the camera.

I tossed him to the floor but he must have hit the trampoline, because before I could get a photo HE WAS BAAACK.

However, I’m experienced in the art of diversion and found some shreddies for him.  They make a great rustling sound, which always gets his attention, and I can get them to wiggle just a bit which means he has to inspect.

He’s checking the shreddies to see if they’re tasty.  This photo cracks me up, because he looks like a fat orange Easter bunny – sans the ears.

• Flourish stamp set
• So Saffron and Bashful Blue card stock; retired Designer Series Papers
• So Saffron Classic ink pad
• Designer Button and Pretty in Pink 1/8 taffeta ribbon
• Oval Scallop Frame and Tasteful Trim XL Bigz dies and the Big Shot
• Eyelet border punch
• brads (to attach the handle)

THIS is the project I was trying to photograph.  I apologize for the crimped handle, but as you can imagine, I was happy to get this picture as it was.  The Flourish stamp set is one of the single stamps that were available as a Sale-a-bration option, and you can see it better from the side.  You realize, of course, there isn’t a photo of the side.

And yes, Mr. Maui Stamper and I had a lovely weekend on Lanai celebrating our 30th anniversary, which is actually today.  We stayed at the amazing Lodge at Koele, and did whatever we felt like doing.  Apparently next year we will be expected to take a companion with us.  Oh, as if that would ever happen.

P.S.  Ha!  Just as I was about to click publish, he leaned over and hit the speakerphone button with his chin.  It’s very childish of me, but I always crack up when he does this as the dial tone is loud and he looks around to see who or what did this annoying thing.  Serves him right.  Knucklehead.