Digis for Debbie Fund Raiser with Fresh Brewed Designs

Good morning and welcome to the Digis for Debbie Fundraiser Blog Hop. Recently, we learned that Mrs. Debbie Lynch, the beautiful and loving mother of Heather Dennis, owner of Fresh Brewed Designs, was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer. As most of you may know, cancer related medical costs can be quite expensive in the United States, and Mrs. Debbie currently has no medical insurance, which makes the cost significantly higher. Therefore, we have decided to help raise enough money to cover these medical expenses, as well as aftercare expenses, by creating a digi shop. All the proceeds of the Digis for Debbie Fundraiser Shop and the Fresh Brewed Designs Store will go directly to Mrs. Debbie to fund her lifesaving surgery and the aftercare necessary to bring her back to wellness. Furthermore, Heather has created a Give Forward Account to assist her mother. 

If you would like to help, please stop by the Digis for Debbie Fundraiser Shop, the Fresh Brewed Designs Store, and/or the Give Forward Account. For those of you who are not able to contribute monetarily, we would love for you to add Mrs. Debbie to your prayer list. If there is one thing we know, prayers can work miracles that money cannot and healing and wellness is what we are praying to receive.

The hop launches today, Tuesday, July 14th on the Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge Blog, and will run until Tuesday, July 28th @ 11:59 PM Eastern Time. All participants can be found in the linkies section of *THIS POST* on the Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge Blog, and we would love to have you join us! We do ask that you use a digi from the Digis for Debbie Fundraiser Shop or the Fresh Brewed Designs Store, and the theme is Anything Goes, and you can enter as often as you would like. Two prize packages will be awarded, one prize for a digi purchaser and one prize for a blog hop participant. Winners will be chosen on Saturday, August 1st. The prizes will consist of stamps, papers, ribbon, embellishments, etc.; plus, some random prizes will be offered by some generous blog hop participants along the hop.  Also, Cara is offering one random commenter a 12-month subscription to her awesome on-line crafty magazine, Through the Craft Room Door.  It is filled with creativity, inspiration, crafty techniques, and loads of helpful information to fuel your artistic mojo.  

Thank you for dropping by and for helping us with our fundraising efforts; and again, we ask that you keep Mrs. Debbie in your prayers. Have a wonderful Tuesday, crafty friends! We look forward to admiring your creations! :)

I know all too well the ravages of cancer as it has affected and / or taken many of my family members.  My own mother battled and won her fought with vaginal cancer and continues to battle her fight with skin cancer on her scalp.  Thankfully it has been almost two months since her surgery and while she remains sore, she is healing.  Better yet, the biopsy came back with all the margins being cleared.  We are lucky in Canada that the majority of our medical costs, especially for surgeries and such are covered by our government.  Sadly it is not the case in the US.  I have heard of many families going bankrupt just to pay their medical bills so if there is any way you can help out, please do so.  Remember, even if you can't assist monetarily, helping to spread the news of this special hop and or including Debbie in your prays can still help out a lot.

I have created a special sentiment set for the hop along with a special set of papers that will hopefully be added to the fundraiser page very soon.  The sales from either of these sets will go towards the fundraising efforts.  Once again you can find all the images available for sale in the Digis for Debbie Fundraiser Shop.

Here are my contributions...

I will also choose a random person who leaves a comment on this post between now and July 28th to receive the sentiment set for free and another person to receive the paper set for free; so, be sure to leave me a comment for your chance to win!

Here is the card I have created for the hop.  I will also being sending it to Heather so that she can forward it to her mother...

FRONT

Digital Image Details: 

• I have used two images from Fresh Brewed Designs. One is the wonderful Heart Hot Air Balloon that I adore so much.  I coloured this image with Copic Markers.  For the second one I took the tree image from the fundraiser set and duplicated the tops of it a few times so that it looked like my balloon was floating above the trees.  I coloured this image with coloured pencils.

Embellishments: 

• The half pearls were purchased at Dollarama. 
• The tag is a digital shape from Marisa Lerin, Pixel Scrapper, that I duplicated, added the sentiment to and then fussy cut.

INSIDE

Digital Image Details:  

• I have used one of the images from the fundraiser set to serve as accent pieces on either side of the sentiment.

OVERALL
Digital Sentiment Details:

•  My own from the sentiment set I created for the fundraiser.  Preview and details above.
  

Paper Products: 

• Card, image and sentiment bases: Michael's Recollection's Cardstock, white.
• Designer Papers:  The floral paper and the piece on the bottom are from the Recollection's The Sweetest Thing paper pad. The yellow striped paper is from the Recollection's Bold Basics paper pad.

Challenges I hope to enter... 

***Please note that if the word verification appears, ignore it and simply click the 'publish' button***

• Word Art Wednesday -- Anything Goes
• http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes but must be a card
• http://artbymiranchallenge.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes but no digital colouring
• http://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.ca/ (3E) -- Always Anything Goes (2nd entry)
• http://inspirationdestinationchallengeblog.blogspot.ca/ -- Always Anything Goes
• http://www.ttcrd.blogspot.ca/ (2E) -- Always Anything Goes (first entry)
• http://lovetoscrapchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ -- It's a Triple Play (I have used three different digi images.  I have also used three brads on the front of my card)
• http://scrappers-delights-challenge-blog.blogspot.co.uk/ -- Anything Goes
• http://alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.ca/ --  K is for Kind Thoughts (offering up hope to someone going through a challenge serves as a kind thought)
• http://graphitmarkers.blogspot.co.uk/ -- SHADES OF PINK, YELLOW or ORANGE (my DP has all three colours and the image has been coloured with pink and yellow as well)

Thanks so much for popping over today.  I hope that you get the chance to join in our hop and give to the cause if you are able.  It is always wonderful when the crafting community is able to come together for events like this!

Click HERE to join in now!

Until next time,

Saturday Showcase: April 13, 2013

It is time for the Saturday Showcase where I highlight other artists' work (whether it be stamps, cards or otherwise), a blog post offering a great technique, or I might even just pick a whole blog to showcase. If you are new to my blog you can find out why I created the showcase HERE.

This week I'm sharing tips on how to create a really neat project with you all, courtesy of this week's showcase pick. 

My top pick for this week is a... 

Unique Project

This cool project was created by

LISA MINCKLER

Her blog is called  

You Made Me Ink

I have a real treat for you this week courtesy of Lisa Minkler.  Just make sure you don't try to eat it.

Currently, Lisa is in the midst of creating these unique treats as part of a fundraising project for an organization called Cupcake Camp.  According to the information I received from Lisa, Cupcake Camp originated in San Francisco and has been a way for people to gather together in support of their chosen cause, eat cupcakes and raise money for charity.  Each camp deems their own fundraiser and it just so happens that Cupcake Camp Kansas City, Kansas, USA, has chosen to spread awareness for childhood cancer.  Local bakeries comes together and have bake offs, there are cupcake testings, face painting, tons of activities for kids and even a professional motor cycle team, Rides For Kids--who help raise money for The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation--will be there performing as well.

Cupcake Camp KC has chosen to bring attention to and raise funds for Childhood Cancer Awareness for the following reasons:

• Because childhood cancer is the #1 disease killer among children under age 15--more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes and pediatric aids combined.
• The National Cancer Institutes budget was $5 billion...of that $625 million went to breast cancer research, $296 million went to lung cancer research and only $197 million went to pediatrics cancer research only 4% of all cancer research was dedicated to childhood cancer. 
• Because childhood cancer affects children differently than adults.

This is a 100% Volunteer operation and all the proceeds from the event will go to benefit The University of Kansas, Cancer Center's Pediatric Research as well as The Kansas University Kids Healing Place.  

If any of you are located in or near Kansas City and would be interested in attending this fundraiser, the event is taking place at The Johnson County Community College and the link above directs you to the events taking place, the entry price, the local bakeries participating and all the fun events for kids and adults alike to take part in. 

Lisa was asked by the Director of Cupcake Camp, Samantha Ekwuru, if she would be interested in providing a booth that offered up crafty elements that focused on a cupcake theme and she jumped at the opportunity.  Lisa's mother is the Program Director of Heath and Human Services at the college and of course being one of Lisa's biggest supporters, she put a bug in Samantha's ear about Lisa. After Samantha saw Lisa's blog, she asked her to be part of this wonderful event and of course Lisa was thrilled.  The only downside to Lisa's offerings is that people won't be able to eat any of her goodies!! However, don't fear all you sweet tooths in the area, there will be PLENTY of sweet treats surrounding her.

The Cupcake Camp link above takes you to the website that gives all the events, prices, times, donation button, etc.  The date for this wonderful fundraising event is set for April 28th from 2-5 pm.  So, if you do live in the vicinity, I know that Lisa would love to meet you. 

Now for those of you who can't make it to purchase one of these incredible goodies for yourself, Lisa has graciously allowed me to share the "ingredients' and "baking instructions" with all you wonderful readers for how to create these delicious looking centrepieces.

Lisa used spray foam--you know, the kind you spray into the gaps and cracks around the house--into the cupcake holders just like you would if you were making the real deal. Using a wooden stick,  she leveled out the tops before they dried completely.

 

 

Apparently, Lisa's attempts to aid in the levelling went a bit wonky (actually willy nilly was the term she used) because the foam sort of did its own thing anyways.  She painted them with acrylic paints to look like variations of cupcake recipes. 

At this stage, right before the icing, is the time when you have to make your decorative items. Lisa rolled Sculpey clay out to look like little cherries and then used the leaf cutter from a fondant cake baking kit as well to make accompanying leaves. She then added little wire stems with a curly Q into the top of them.

Bake them  at 270 degrees for 20 minutes, let them cool, paint them with acrylics and then apply clear coat for shine...they're ready when the icing is.

 

 

Now if you want to learn how to make the icing and how to finish these cupcakes up, you are just going to have to go over to Lisa's blog and find out for yourself.  You'll find these instructions in the post, "Fake Baked Cupcakes".  Here is what they look like all decorated and on their own fancy plate.

Are these not some of the neatest things you have ever seen?  If I was closer to where Lisa lives, I know I'd be ordering a few. I hope that you have the time in your schedule to go over and say hi to her and congratulate her on an incredible concept for raising funds for a very worthwhile charity.  I wish her the absolute best in her attempts to sell these scrumptious looking centrepieces at the charity event on April 28th.

Oh and if you do go over today, take a moment to wish her a Happy Anniversary as her and her husband got married on this day some years ago.  Both of us were married in April.  Just one more thing Lisa and I have in common beside our first names and love of crafting! 

 
Now, before you go there is some unfinished business from last week to take care of.  Last Saturday, Melin from My Papercrafting.com, generously offered up two free digis for one lucky person.  It is unfortunate that only five people participated in this draw, but that certainly made better odds for the lucky winner who turned out to be:

MANDY

All names were placed on pieces of paper, put into a pencil case, shaken up several times and then, a name was pulled.  Congratulations Mandy.  Please contact me to learn how to claim your prize!

I hope that you have enjoyed your visit and will take some time to go see the artist listed above.  Lisa works very hard to provide us with images for inspiration and our viewing pleasure so it is important that we don't take her for granted.  I am so grateful that Lisa allowed me to share her "recipe" with all of you along with the charity information on this fabulous fundraising organization.

The next Saturday Showcase will take place on May 4th, 2013.  If you have been reading my posts regularly, you will know that this is an extremely busy month for me.  With a birthday coming up at the end of this week, my husband's on the 22nd and our wedding anniversary on the 29th, I need to take some time and spend it with the dear man who puts up with me and all the hours I spend with you guys.  It's only fair I throw him a few extra hours, as we celebrate these special occasions.  Additionally, my parents are coming up on Monday for a couple days and I haven't seen them since Christmas, so I'll definitely be spending some time with them too.  So, I will be taking some time off from approximately April 18th to May 2nd.  I will still be around though, I have DT obligations to fulfill and other stuff that needs taking care off.  I'm just going to be taking some time off from some of my regular posts.  If you need to reach me, just send me an email.

Until next time,

Note:   *Thanks to Nikki from Limited Runs Stamps for creating my Saturday Showcase badge.