Friday, January 25, 2013

Jellypark Friends January 25th Release

I am doing my Jellypark DT work backwards this month. I designed a card for the challenge two weeks ago, when I should have done a release image. Now I am doing a release image when I should have done a card for the challenge. How contrary am I? Chalk it up to confusion this month with the trip I just took. Hopefully I will be back on track next month and do my assignments in the proper order.

Speaking of that trip, I haven't mentioned much about it yet, have I? I am still trying to catch up with everyone's blogs, though it seems I am running in slow motion on that front. I decided to take a break from comments and write up an actual blog. Haven't done that in ages. And I know my sisters miss the extra chatter.

So, I flew to Maui with my sugar daddy, aka Gary, on January 7. We then took a 9-seater prop plane to the Big Island of Hawaii. When I walked out on the tarmac to board that plane I felt pure, unadulterated terror. The plane looked a lot like a mosquito sitting out there. Scared the patootie out of me. What is a patootie anyway? My spell-checker wants to change the word to patriotic, but that is definitely not my intent here. Patriotism has nothing to do with wanting jump back out of a toy plane before it takes off.

Gotta tell ya, the seats in that plane move. It's like they're not really well-attached to the floor. And they tilt at a funny angle so you have to lean backwards during the flight--in a very awkward way. It made my belly button pop out. Well, not really, but it certainly felt like it should have. Take-off was super-scary.

Back up just a moment. We flew on the Monday that they were actually playing golf in Kapalua for the PGA. You see, it had been so blasted windy over the weekend that they had to cancel the rounds of golf. On Monday things had settled down enough to resume the tournament, but it was still windy. We could tell by our bumpy landing from the mainland.

OK, now you add that extra wind to the normal fairly windy conditions and you know that our little, tiny, teensy, weensy prop plane had quite the time getting down the runway, off the ground, and up in the air. OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! If it hadn't been unladylike, I would have peed my pants. Sorry, that was gross. (It was my evil twin, getting back at me for making her fly in that itty-bitty plane.)

So we bounced along in this minature airplane up to 8500 feet, where it settled a bit, (but not much), for the half-hour trip to Kailua-Kona. I was absolutely terrified the entire time, and a local on the flight took pity on me and talked to me during most of the horror. She even took a photo of Gary and I to take my mind off what was really happening. Good thing I had my sunglasses on or you would be able to see my eyes bugging out of my head. Notice that we are leaning toward each other. We are leaning in the aisle, People! That is how small this plane was. Lord have mercy, I had to board that plane 7 days later to return to Maui. I didn't even want to do that. But that's another story. For another post.


Suffice it to say, we did land safely--it actually wasn't a fraction as windy on Hawaii, so the landing wasn't too terrible. Compared to what. Oh, I don't know--perhaps falling into an active volcano. Or being attacked by a shark. Something fun like that.

Anyway, I almost kissed the ground after I deplaned. Flying in that gnat reminded me of the helicopter trip I took with/for Gary on Kauai in 2005. Will never get on another helicopter, and will never, ever, get on another prop plane. No way, no how. Gary said it was on my bucket list. IT WAS NOT. But he put it there, I lived through it, and it has now been removed. My bucket list has much calmer things to do on it now. Like swim with a dolphin. Or snorkel with a sea turtle. You know, safe things. BTW, the reason Gary looks a little uneven is because he shaved off his mustache--so that he could use his snorkel mask without Vasoline. And no, that is not an off-color story. To get a mask to seal, if you have a mustache, you have to use Vaseline. Which Gary doesn't like to do. That's why he looks a little odd. Of course, he is sitting next to me, which could also make him look a little odd. And, now that I look closely, we also look old. We are, but I don't really like being reminded by a photograph.

OK, I will blog another time more about the trip, but first I want to leave you with a photo of the view from our balcony at the Sheraton in Keauhou. I spent 7 mornings having tea on this balcony, listening to and watching the waves. It was like having a spot in Heaven. Yeah, I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii.


Back to my card for today. I chose one of Claire's new, cute Jellypark images to color, #210 Pirate Dog Boat. I printed it on X-Press It CS and colored it with my, wait for it, Copics:  BG10, BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18, BG70, BG72, BG75, R20, E000, E00, E11, E31, E35, E43, E44, E47, E49, C00, C0, C2, C4, C6, C8. I accented it a bit with a white gel pen. I made up my own sentiment and printed that on X-Press It CS also. Then both the sentiment and the image were die cut using Spellbinders Labels 23 dies.

My DP is from the Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue collection, which I paired with Stampin' Up CS. I kept this fairly simple, (for me), and just added a couple of die cuts using: Cheery Lynn Lace Corner Deco B die and MFT Double Scallop Border die. That's it for this edition.

Check out all the fun DT cards made with the release images and the great DT cards for our new challenge:  Button It Up. Looking forward to seeing what you create! Have a great weekend!


16 comments:

  1. Welcome home Penny.
    your card is so cute for a guy! love the dies
    hugs
    céline

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  2. I hate prop planes, and I hate the "new" flying experience. I yearn for the old days when my buddies would drop me off at the door to the airline, 15 minutes before departure and I could stroll out to the plane.
    your pirate is adorable, I love all yiour die cuts.

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  3. Oh Penny, I feel your plane pain. Going to Cozumel, I had to get on a baby plane (not quite as small as yours, but still the kind you curse and make jokes about to hide how scared you are of what must be imminent death). Before we took off, the pilot announced that we had a weight imbalance and that he would need one or two folks to move to the left side for our safety. Eh? Scariest plane trip ever... But yeah, glad you're back and had a great time. Your card is super cute! The paper is perfecto!

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  4. It is certainly a darling card and there is nothing simple about your coloring, it is fabulous. Love this cute little image and your design. I also hate those little jumper planes, they are always so rough. I've been up in small planes and they are fun with my friend or Uncle flying but you get on the prop planes and they always seem to be flying into high winds.

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  5. Coming from the Land of the Perpetually Confused, I seem to always have my assignments mixed up...lol! I don't think I will ever be on the right page at the right time...hee hee :D

    Adorable card and image! That sentiment is fabulous and I would love to take you up on it...as long as it doesn't involve that little plane you made friends with on your trip ;) You are so brave!!! My hero :) Oh! I almost forgot...I LOVE THAT PIC!!! You and Gary are a gorgeous couple!!!

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  6. Duh! Forgot to say that I missed you and am glad you are home :) Love and hugs to you my DT Sistah!

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  7. Love your cute card- love the cute image and the die cuts you used. OMG I am glad you are still alive- jeepers- what a scary plane ride.....fun that the locals tried to help relieve your anxiety!

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  8. Sweet card, Penny, and your background is gorgeous.
    Blessing hugs,
    Teresa

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  9. What a beautiful view!! Also a great snap of you two too (try saying that 3 times quickly!) So sorry to hear of your traumatic flight though - me, I love flying in just about anything :)
    Anyway, at least you had a gorgeous place to fly to.......
    The card looks great - very CAS for you :) Cute image and I can definitely relate to that sentiment :)
    ps - you must have been blog commenting for hours!!!!

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  10. Hi Penny, Wow the picture from your balcony is wonderful, I would definitely chance a near pee experience to go there hun!!!!
    Fab card, love the image and the sentiment.
    Hugs Sue W.

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  11. Hi Penny
    Thank you for stopping by my blog, love your card, it's just too cute, and I envy you the trip!
    I took almost a month off from blogging due to my daughter being in hospital, she is fine but it's been very stressful.
    Hugs
    Martina

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  12. Penny, I think I would of peed my pants right along with you. You and Gary look great. Love the picture you shared with us.
    You did a awesome job with your card. Love the image and your coloring is just stunning. Love the paper in the background and the colors you used.
    Hugs

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  13. Your card is adorable. However, I am absolutely shocked that you used your Copic markers. Um. Not.

    Anyway, great job coloring that super cute image. I also love both the corners and the border dies. If I hadn't already been bad this month, I would go for them.

    The view from your balcony is absolutely gorgeous and almost worth the trip in the little plane.

    Back in the dark ages, when Mark and I were dating, I was working in Washington and had to get to Rochester, NY for a wedding, so I booked a flight. No one told me what kind of plane it was. I get to the airport and it's a rubber-band powered toy plane like the one you took. I hate to fly to begin with, so I was totally freaked. The flight was much as you described. When we landed, I went down the steps, sank to my knees, kissed the ground, and walked into the terminal to be greeted by a crowd of people laughing at me. The end.

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  14. It's me again.

    I just wanted to tell you that I don't think you and Gary look old. I think you're adorable.

    So there.

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  15. You both look very happy and cute! I thought it was the seats until I read across the isle. I dont like the little planes, well I like them just not flying in them (only once). That picture is gorgeous! Oh there was a cute little card too!!!

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Thank you for visiting my blog! I appreciate the kind comments more than I can say! :^)
Hugs, Penny