The Outlawz Greetings Melon and Mango Color Challenge/Kelsey's Birthday Card

OK, another Monday, another Outlawz Greetings Card challenge, and this one is a color challenge--to use melon and mango colors. We are sponsor-less this week. Which means that the team could use any images their little hearts desired. And my teeny, tiny, microscopic hollow muscular organ that pumps blood throughout my body decided to use Lacy Sunshine this week. I heart Lacy Sunshine. Heather is a really talented artist; love her images, and my favs are those with Eleanor and Pickles.

I had another birthday card to get done; this one for my older granddaughter, Kelsey Meghan, who is turning 11 on the 7th. And she just so happens to be enchanted with all things dragon. Dragon this and dragon that. So I had to put a dragon image with an Eleanor and Pickles image, right? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight! So there you have the reasoning behind my card this week. And now I am going to digress a bit.

Oh, actually I'll probably digress a lot. Right now it's Sunday night, and the wind is blowing like a son of a gun. So our front door rattles slightly and our darling Donovan, (cough, cough), is also rattled, to say the least. He keeps getting up and whining at me. He thinks somebody is at the door. Sigh.....this could be a very long night.

I have been asked what book I was reading that kept me from my duties as Most Inane Blogger on the Planet. And I really did not want to admit that I am a sci-fi/fantasy junkie. But there it is. I am. In the worst way. So I am reading a series by Scott Rhine, called "Temple of the Traveler". And, yes, I know you are supposed to underline the title of a book. But technically this is not a book title, but a series title, so I put it in quotation marks. Because I could. And so that I could tell you why I did that. Again because I could. Aren't you glad I am taking the time to blog tonight today? Yeah, we've got that stupid thing going again where I am writing like it is today, tomorrow, but it is really today, tonight, the day before tomorrow. I'm so confused.

I wanted to mention the snorkeling trip that Gary and I took while in the Bahamas. We were a little disappointed that there was no snorkeling on Paradise Island itself. Because we like to just swim out from shore to the reefs. One, because it is cheaper than hiring a boat to take you snorkeling. Two, because Gary gets seasick when on the snorkeling boats. Three, we can go snorkeling more often. Four, well, actually I can't think of a four right now. But if I remember one, I'll be sure to let you know. Just don't hold your breath.

Anyway, we each paid $70 for an all-day, (which means 5 hours including a large lunch), snorkeling excursion on a sailing catamaran. Fortunately, we didn't sail the entire time, because it was much slower and rougher than when they used the engine. However, we did have to sail most of the way back because some mechanical difficulties developed with said engine. I loved the sailing bit, but Gary, not so much.

I stayed in the interior of the boat, so I could avoid being in the sun too long. Yeah, after having that skin cancer removed, I plan to take really good care of my glow-in-the-dark exterior. I do not want to tempt fate with a senior-citizen-sunburn. No, no, no.

Anyhow, there were some sweet people from Mongolia in the interior with us. Two couples. Parents and daughter with spouse. And, apparently, the daughter ate rice for breakfast. I know this because she urped it up right next to me, on the floor, and on the three steps, in her attempt to go topside to feed the fish. I hope you aren't eating as you read this. If you are, you have my sincerest apologies. (Just kidding. If I had been really concerned for you, I would have warned you ahead of time.) OMGosh, my evil twin is at it again, isn't she? So sorry.

I wish that had been the only time the poor young lady had gotten ill. It was not. However, the crew was Johnny-on-the-spot, (where on earth did that expression come from anyway? More importantly, why am I using it?), and they she, (are you kidding, when would a guy help with this?), jumped up with towels to wipe up the mess while giving the unfortunate creature a barf bag. Which she promptly filled. (No, not the crew member. The snorkeler. Who didn't snorkel to my knowledge.)

Oh, and btw, her stomach contents may have fed the fish, but not where we actually snorkeled. We moved a long way away from that spot in the ocean. Thank heavens. But the girl didn't start feeling any better. She sat with her head under a towel so we wouldn't have to watch her filling bag after bag. And my word, how did she have anything more in her tummy after her first great launch? Or her second? Have no idea. Possibly she was doing dry heaves. Aren't you glad I cleared that up for you. (Snort.) Oh, and her mom was ill, too. But she had the barf bags in time, luckily for her and us, don't you think?

So when we finally got to Rose Island and the reef, I was more than ready to get off that boat. Just get me in the water, please! I think I was the second one in, although I became the first because the first got right back out--he was having trouble with the mask they supplied him. (So glad we have our own gear. And my mask is prescription, so I can see really well in the water.)

Speaking of the water, it was rough. As in two-foot waves. Lordy. I have never snorkeled in water that rough. It played heck with taking underwater pictures with my new camera! It was really tough to try to hold still to take photos of the fish, which were being dragged around by the surf, too. But I persevered and stayed in the water for the full hour--they had to ring the bell to get me out, don't ya know. But getting out was a lot tougher than getting in. There was a suspended stairway into the water, which moved like crazy with the waves. The boat went one way, and the steps went another. I turned and backed my big fat Greek butt, (just kidding, I don't have an ounce of Greek blood in me, but I do have a rather large derriere), onto the first step. And then was bounced up and down, in and out of the water for an eternity. (Well it seemed like it anyway.) Fortunately, my wet-suit held my boobs in place, or I could have gotten a concussion. I was finally able to get myself pulled up to the next step, while holding my fins and my camera. I needed a third hand. Possibly a fourth. And then it took me as long to get up to the next couple of steps. But after that the ocean didn't drag me back down, so I managed to salvage my dignity, (who am I kidding. I had none left by then. At least I wasn't vomiting all over the boat.), and climb the rest of the stairs.

Oh, forgot to mention that Gary was OK until after he'd been in the water for a while. The motion of the ocean was so fierce that he became nauseous and had to get out long before I did. And he got in quite a while after I did. Which means he's a wuss. But we knew that already, didn't we? (Insert evil grin here.)

Gary had brought Dramamine with him, so he took one. And offered one to the Mongolian mother/daughter combo--they were so grateful. And they all lived happily ever after. Well, at least the nausea abated. They kept their ginger-ale down. Along with the Dramamine. And I had lunch. Before we pulled up to the seawall on Rose Island. Where most of us climbed out--with the help of the crew--guys this time--to check out the beach on the other side of the island, (yes, it is quite narrow). Couldn't take any photos though--the wind was blowing too hard and sand was flying everywhere. Which is too bad, because you could see Gilligan's Island from the beach, and I wanted to get a shot of it. Oh well....

By the way, or btw if you prefer, I noticed several bruises on my left arm after the dolphin encounter and the snorkeling trip. It took me hours to figure it out. But then I finally realized that it was from the young men "helping" me on and off the boats. When you're older than dirt your skin bruises easily, see?

Back to the snorkeling. I will say the reef was just gorgeous! Some fabulous coral that I have never seen in Hawaii. And beautiful fish I have never seen before this trip either. So it was well worth the boat ride, in spite of the hives I got. Yes, hives. I get them on my face whenever I am near cigarette smoke. I may have mentioned this previously; I hate being redundant, so pardon me if you already knew this. And there were three smokers on the boat. And, of course, they were situated just right for the smoke to blow into the area where I had parked my generous behind. I knew I would break out, but what could I do? It was out of my control. So I looked lovely for the next week or so. And yet, I am so glad I had the experience. Quite the conundrum. Which reminds me, I love Conundrum wine. FYI. 

OK, time for the photo show. If you don't want to see them, close your eyes.

There are little tiny fish in several of the shots. We had some cloud cover while snorkeling, which didn't make for the best photos, so I have enhanced each of these in Photoshop.

These two are looking toward the edge of the reef.

And the seagulls were out fishing while we were there. They tried to fly off with me, but I was a tad too heavy for them. (Just kidding. About the too-heavy part.) See how rough the water was?  

I have lots more, but I think this gives you an idea of just how cool is is to snorkel in the Caribbean waters.

And here are some of the hovels on Paradise Island. Surely glad I don't have to live in one of them.

That's all the photos for now. I have to skedaddle. It's late and I need to describe my card. Yikes. I think I will wait until I get up in the morning. I'm tired. So I will actually finish this later today. (Yes, it is after midnight now.) To be continued...

OK, it's now later today, and I am ready to finish this post with my card deets. I printed my merged Lil' Dragon/Eleanor and Pickles Catching Butterflies on MICBC. Then I used the following markers to color the image:

Skin; E000, TTR131, TTYR133, TTR139

Hair: Y21, YR23, E33, E35

Bows, Dress, Butterflies: YR00, YR01, YR02, R05 

Flowers: R01, R02, R05

Frog, Dragon, Grass: G20, G40, G82

Sky: B0000

Clouds: B60, W0, W1

Eyes: B41, B45 or E33, E35

And a bit of W5 and BV23 for shadows underneath the "kids"

I chose Prima Songbird for my DP and Stampin' Up CS for the card base. I also used scraps of MICBC for die cutting the butterflies, banner, (which were colored with YR01), and the sentiments and doilies, (which were not). I used the following dies: Whimsy Ticket Die, LaLa Land Crafts Heart Banner, Cheery Lynn Mini Italian Flourish Doily, Cheery Lynn Mini Sofia's Heart Doily, and Cheery Lynn Small Butterfly.

The sentiments came from Whimsy Treasured Moments Sentiments, Whimsy Ticket Sentiments, Whimsy Good Life Sentiments, and Whimsy Celebration Mini Ticket Sentiments.

Then, since Kelsey loves cards with lots of layers and embellies, I added the following to the Zutter Distrezz-It-All layers: SU Ribbon, frog button, WOC flowers & pearl stick pin, floral pearl sprays, cheesecloth, Washi tape, lace, a Prima Junkyard Findings Trinket, and a Tim Holtz Wishbone. 

I am actually going to enter a couple of challenges this week! Shocking, I know, it surprised me, too:

Lacy Sunshine Always Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door Anything Goes

CMC Copic Colors of Summer Challenge 

Fashionista Wedding or Birthday Card Challenge

Oozak Anything Goes with a Girlie Theme Challenge

OK, that's it. Hoping you will join us this week. Do stop by and check out the fab creations by my teamies. And have a wonderful week--that's an order from Donovan, the demented dog. (Anyone want to give him a home? Pretty please?)