Paradise Found (in a card?) maybe, maybe not!

Wow is it Friday already?
I don't know about you but this Summer is whizzing by and I can't believe another week is almost over. When you see 10+ weeks of 3 children 24-7 stretching ahead of you it seems like an eternity but this time before we've known it it's almost 1/2 way gone!
It it still so hot here in TX, Wednesday the area broke a record for electric use so I can't bear to think about my utility bill :(
Anyway enough of my ramblings on to todays card.
This one caused my all sorts of headaches.
First I've never done a shaped card before and so I broke out my Wild Card Cricut cart (thanks for the reminder I had it Sharon :)). That sounds easy huh? well it would be but it took me a while to work out how to make it the right size, thank goodness for the "fit to page" option!
Then I needed a sea image. Well I was going to use a lighthouse stamp that I have but it didn't really fit with a shaped card.
So I went on a hunt through my digital site links, luckily I have a folder full of bookmarks from my digi travels.
I ventured over to the land of etsy and found the perfect image but of course I almost messed up my Paypal account in the process (my fault completely) so that was another near miss.
Then I colored the image and decided to cut out the fish, tiny goobers that they are it hurt my fingers. Of course then the pop dots were too big so I had to trim them.
Then I couldn't find a sentiment small enough to fit and you know I can't bear to leave a card "unspoken".
Then I added the dewdrops (thought they looked like bubbles) and glossy accents to the bubbles and the visor, I mounted the image and all was done, yes?...no
I asked my son if it looked "sealike enough" and he said "no Mum it needs more blue all around" (I had only shadowed the bear at that point)
Well once I commited to coloring the whole thing (I don't have an air brush you see) I didn't stop to think I may run out of ink. I struggled and then then this morning I managed to make it look decent enough I think (not all water is crystal clear is it?)
Still with me? I still wasn't finished and so I added the bling just minutes before photographing.
I'm still not completely happy with him but if I don't put him down I'll be a wreck.
So I don't really think he's Paradise Found but he'll have to do!LOL (plus he covers 6 challenges in one which I'll link to after you finally get to see him)



The image is from Doodle Palace and I colored him with my Copic's. Dewdrops from the floral dept and the rhinestones from Michaels $1 spot. The sentiment is Reminisce.



The inside is simple (after everything the front took my me!), the sentiment is another from the same sticker sheet.



I don't know if you can see the Glossy Accents on the bubbles, fish eyes and visor but they are there.

The challenges he covers are:
Flourishes - A feel of the sea
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday - Pop it up!
Scrappy Frogs - Under the sea!
Color Throwdown - Real Red, Tempting Turquoise and Kiwi Kiss
Paper Blooms - Shaped Cards
All Sorts - Shaped Cards

If you got through all my ramblings then well done, pat yourself on the back and go and make yourself a nice cup of tea!
Have a great Friday!
Katie