Hondahoney, thanks for the compliment!!
I think having healthy colored hair is definately possible, regardless of the length. I did have to learn to "over" moisturize to compensate for the dryness that would come with the highlights and also had to learn to be consistent in keeping up on the protein treatments. As someone mentioned, the lighter the color, the higher propensity it is for the hair to be drier.
This is def. true in my case b/c I have about 3 diff. colors in my hair and the lower layers of my hair used to be the lightest. (blond) When I wasn't on top of my game with the deep conditioning and protein treatments, that part would be very brittle.
I think it's highly possible except you have to be willing to give your hair extra t.l.c. to maintain its health....and oh yeah, direct heat is a serious no-no.