Swimming for Katie – A Blog Hop & Fundraiser

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 story, Katie’s cancer 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.

All of the patterned papers here are from the Sweet Owl pad. I pieced the character from one of them and colored the tentacles with a Copic marker and then went over them with a Spica pen to give it a little shimmer. There are some little glitter dots of Stickles on the crown and at the tope of the wand. I cut strips of some of the papers and diagonally covered the card front. The waves are cut with a scalloped Nestabilities die.

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 Ribbon Fish DIGIstamp and DIGIpapers $5.00 with instant download
Keep Swimming Mermaid DIGIstamp $3.50 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!

Now go check out all of the other stellar stampers who are participating in today’s round of this amazing collaborative effort:

AJ Otto
Beate
Carolyn Mustopa (you are here!)
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