Swimming for Katie Blog Hop - Day 3

Good morning!

  If you are here for my Waltzingmouse Stamps preview please click HERE. 

Welcome to Day 3 of the Swimming for Katie Fund Raising Blog Hop. Be sure to read right to the end as we have a very exciting prize update. 

From October 10-12 some of the best stampers are joining together to support and encourage our friend and fellow stamper, Katie Renz, who is currently battling inoperable gastric cancer. If you're not familiar with her, Katie’s cancer story started just before Christmas last year. This young, beautiful, healthy, vibrant mother of 3 with her infectious smile was suddenly diagnosed with an inoperable cancer, virtually overnight. A few tummy aches and then stage 4 gastric cancer. Her first post about it is here. The idea of “Swimming for Katie” came from her recent post here.

This exclusive stamp used in my sample, designed by Becky Oehlers is available as a clear stamp, as well as a digis or a dig and SVG cut file. 100% of the profits go to Katie's fund to help her and her young family. Her husband Kevin and her three young children need our help and support. In addition to the Keep Swimming Octopus, Marianne Walker and True =D Doodle Designs both also donated digis that are for sale. Direct donations are also being accepted. Information central is HERE. This is a permanent page that will stay active at i {heart} papers with current information and the full 3 day blog hop listing, as well as the donation button.

Here are all the items available for sale.

Keep Swimming Octopus

Peachy Clear stamp

$5.50 with free shipping

Keep Swimming Octopus DIGIstamp

$3.00 with instant download

Keep Swimming Octopus DIGIstamp with SVG cut file

$3.50 with instant download

Keep Swimming Mermaid DIGIstamp

$3.50 with instant download

Keep Swimming Ribbon Fish DIGIstamp and DIGIpapers

$5.00 with instant download

I hope you will join me in supporting Katie through a purchase or donation. The following is a list of everyone who has projects posted today. I hope you will be inspired by them and moved to purchase or donate. If you would like to send Katie a card, her mailing address is:

Katie Renz

PO Box 5913

Bellingham, WA 98227-5913
Thank you!

List of participants

Amy Heller
Jackie Pedro
Julie Masse
Kecia Waters
Sandie Dunne
Susan Liles 
Latisha Yoast
Laurie Schmidlin
Lisa Arana 
Lisa Henke
Lisa Silver
Lydia Fiedler
Lyn Bernatovich
Lynette
Maria Gurnsey
Meg Craig
Melissa Bickford
Michelle Woerner
Mona Pendleton
Niki Estes
Robyn Weatherspoon
Sarah Jay
Sarah Martina Parker
Savannah O'Gwynn
Stephanie Washburn
Susanna Boyd
Tobi Crawford
Julie Lacey
Kim Kesti 
Shemaine Smith
Danielle Lounds
Debbie Carriere
DoBea A.
Fran Gumprecht
Geny Cassady
Gina K.
Holly McMillen
Jak Heath
Javablustamper/Jacquie
Kimberly Crawford
Jeanne Streiff
Trudy Sjolander

*UPDATE*

To help raise money for Katie, Creating for Causes (www.creatingforcauses.org) has generously donated a FREE ticket (value: $249.95) to one of their upcoming 3-day Scrap & Stamp Retreats.

The winner of the free ticket will enjoy 3 days of non-stop fun and creativity with fellow scrappers, stampers and paper crafters, and can choose between the Charlotte, NC Scrap & Stamp Ritzy Retreat at The Ritz-Carlton on October 21-23 or the Orlando, FL Scrap & Stamp Retreat at the Marriott World Center on November 4-6. Both retreats promise to spoil you and provide 48-straight hours of creating, camaraderie and fun!

To learn more about the events, please visit: http://www.creatingforcauses.org/our-events/scrapbook-events/.

Not only will you be raising money for Katie by making a donation, you get a chance to win a wonderful weekend getaway for yourself! And, because all of Creating for Causes' events are charity events that raise money for local charities, you'll be giving back twice!

Wow, a weekend retreat for you and two chances to help others. Does it get any better than that?

Here's how it works:

Simply make a $33 donation (or more) for Katie and indicate that you want to be entered in the Creating for Causes Retreat ticket drawing. Everyone who makes a qualifying donation will be entered into the drawing and one lucky person will be attending this 3-day retreat for FREE! That lucky person could just be you!  (If you have already donated and wish to be included, just email kate(at) iheartpapers (dot) com)

DEADLINE TO ENTER FOR THIS GIVEAWAY IS FRIDAY 9PM EST, although other donations will be accepted for weeks to come.

Help for Katie

Katie Emmerson Renz, a fellow crafter, has very recently had the devastating diagnosis of stage 4 gastric cancer. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy, her only treatment option. 

Katie is married to Kevin and they have 3 beautiful boys. You can read Katie's story - in her own words - HERE on her blog.

A group of very talented artists have come together to fundraise for Katie and her family. They have put together a package full of lots of digital images that you can purchase for a fraction of their worth. Details and images of these digis can be found on Jak Heath's Blog.

Please, dig deep and do what you can to help. Spread the word about this fundraising through your blogs, forums, Facebook, Twitter.. anywhere that will allow it. 

I have made a very clean and simple card using one of the images and some sentiments from this package. 

and here are some photographs of the lovely Katie and her family.

The full list of artists and images are over on JAK'S Blog, along with details on how to purchase the images - AND there will be prizes!!

Challenges:
Stamp Something - use a digi
Delicious Doodles - try something new or use something new

Cute Card Thursday - use some old stash
Delightful Challenges - buttons
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - buttons

Pixie Dust Studio - 2 or more ribbons
Rainbow Lady's - something new (product, technique, tool)
Sassy Studio Designs - use something new