Blog Hop; Swimming for Katie

 

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!

Here is my project for the hop today!

Katie and her family have been going through so much for almost a year now that I am inspired to honour their courage in this way. Purple and scarlet together feels like such a rich and royal colour combination which it fitting for Katie's stamina, battle weariness and humanity. To undergo such a situation, I would hope to have as much grace and dignity as Katie has shown.

The light, watery background is sparkly. Yup, it's just that simple. Besides, every girl needs a little sparkle in their life!!

There is oodles of dimension here since I printed 3 of my image to cut and paste it. The pen I used to edge bled a little when I applied stickles so, her darling crown is a little tarnished...

The copics list;

octopus; V20/25
crown; Y21
sign; R000/11
background; B0000/000/01

As was already mentioned, this blog hop will span 3 days with 125 designers so it is not like a normal blog hop. Below, you will find a list of links to the designers who are participating today and we invite you to take your time and enjoy all the projects designed for 'Swimming for Katie'. Each day of Swimming for Katie, I will have the current blog hop list posted for you here (because I want to see what everyone is up to!) and it will also be posted on the i {heart} papers blog. Now, go hop and enjoy!

AJ Otto
Beate 
Carolyn Mustopa
Dawn Burnworth
Deb Felts 
Gretchen Belknap
Heather Jensen 
Jen del Muro
Julie Ranae
Kate - i {heart} papers
Kendra Wietstock
Lisa Johnson
Loretta Lock
Lori Tecler
Lynn Mercurio
Marianne Walker
Michele Gross
Stacy aka Twinshappy
Tracy Schultz
Debbie Olson
Cindy Lawrence
Cindy Haffner 
Julie Koerber
Christine Okken
Tammy Hershberger
Danielle Kennedy
Barbara Anders
Makiko Jones
Ashley N Newell
Shannan Teubner
Taylor Usry
Jen Tapler
Jenn Balcer
Jenny Chesnick
Jess Larsen
Jessica Knutsen
Jimmi Mayo
Joan Bardee
Joan Ervin
Julia Aston
Julie Day
Julie Ebersole

stamps; keep swimming octopus digi stamp 
paper; picket fence (lily bee design from IHP), pomegranate, white canvas (bazzill), x-press it (copic from ihp)
accessories; fancy tags, sm & lg classic circles, sm scallop circles (spellbinders from IHP), white sheer tinsel ribbon (may arts from IHP), stardust stickles (ranger from IHP), large white dew drops (the robin's nest), copic markers (from IHP)