Where we are today.....

I have gotten several comments from people who have come across this blog in the last few months. I just want to take this brief minute to answer a few questions. Turtle Girl designs was born in the very first few months following Dani's death. It was the first summer vacation (she works in the school system) her mom faced since her passing. TGD was her outlet. Her therapy. And mine. We worked almost nonstop for almost a year doing blood drives, walks, relays, marathons, craft shows, a fundraising crop....etc. Then time and grief caught up with us. We took a bit of time off and just LIVED for awhile. It was time. We've had some great adventures in the last two years. We've taken our kids camping for a week all by ourselves. We've been on a cruise. We've hung out at the pool in my subdivision. We've caught beads at a Mardi Gras parade in Shreveport, LA. We've gone on scrapbooking girls weekend retreats. We've watched countless hours of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy. We've lived. We've still supported many efforts and events in our community that involve raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research or patient support. But, everything we've done in the past (almost) three years we've done with the love and memories of the littlest Turtle Girl in our hearts.

Steph and I appreciate everything that was done by everyone when we were at our peak of fund/awareness raising efforts. We still bust out those Turtle Girl shirts and hit some events now and then but like I said...we are also taking time to just live. I have started a new adventure that was born of Turtle Girl Designs and will be forever connected. There are many charities and organizations in our area and the country that need our support. One of the most successful events we had in 2006 was a Scrapbooking crop fundraiser. It combined the best of both worlds for me. My favorite hobby and raising funds for a worthwhile cause. Now, I have decided to host two crops a year working with various organizations. The first crop will be held in March of this year and benefits a Therapeutic horse riding center here in North Texas.

We will remember Dani's 3rd Angelversary on March 7. This year the spring event at Camp Sol falls on that weekend so Steph and her older daughter will most likely spend the weekend there with other families who have experienced the same type of loss.

So, there you have it. I hope this answers some questions. Inquiring minds want to know! I think I will leave this post up for a few weeks and then change the profile to private. Then again maybe I'll leave it so anyone who happens upon it can read about a special little girl who suffered more than any child should. A little girl who loved and is loved intensely. A little girl who is missed beyond measure.

We love you Dan, Dan!

A special day......for a special girl.

Happy Birthday Dan Dan!




Dani's Grammy saves a life!!


August 12, 2006 would have been Dani's second birthday. We celebrated in a BIG way. TGD partnered with Carter Blood Care, Albertson's Grocery and La Dolce Vita Bakery to host a Blood Drive in memory of our girl. It was a HUGE success!! 24 people came to donate life saving blood products and 19 of those were successful. Some people couldn't give for various reasons but we got credit for all attempts. When I say we got "credit" I mean that for every unit of blood collected that day AND every person that attempted to give blood, Carter Blood Care donated $25.00 to our team for The Light the Night Walk in memory of Dani. That means we raised $600.00 that day! Yeeehawwww! It meant so much to see all of our friends and family come out to remember Dani on her special day by giving of themselves and helping to save lives! Dani's life was saved many times by nameless, faceless individuals that gave of themselves for someone they didn't even know. We will forever be grateful to those people. It is because of those angels on earth that we had Dani as long as we did.

Thanks La Dolce Vita


We had a great time at the drive. Turtle Girls set up a table and showed off our stuff. We got a great response from the public and had many orders placed that day added to our total fundraising efforts for this event. Very exciting!

If you live in Denton County or the DFW metroplex and would like to give blood in Dani's name please call your local Carter Blood Care center. YOU could save a life!
carterbloodcare.org

The best laid plans...........

I cannot upload pictures. I have NO idea why and no one can seem to figure it out. I am going to try to get in touch with tech support for help. IF I ever get it figured out I will go back and add the pictures. I guess.....I hope you can do that! Geeeesh..........lol...I thought I was techno inclined than this! Until the pictures are available I will just update you all on some VERY EXCITING things going on in Turtle World!

What is Turtle Girl Designs?

Turtle Girl Designs consists of me, Mindy Hollingshead, and my dear friend Stephanie Blaschke. We live in Little Elm, TX where I am a SAHM and Stephanie works in our local school system. We work to raise funds for research, awareness and patient/family support in the world of pediatric cancer.





We know all too well how things are in the world of pediatric cancer. Mike and Stephanie Blaschke’s baby daughter, Dani Marie, was diagnosed with Lymphoma in August 2005. Dani endured numerous rounds of harsh chemo, clinic visits, hospital stays and in October 2005 she developed a life threatening fungal infection. Dani spent the next 5 weeks on a ventilator. She recovered from that experience and continued treatment. Dani was cancer free and almost past the harshest phase of her treatment when she contracted the adenovirus in March of this year. In healthy children, the adenovirus causes common upper respiratory infections. For little Dani and her compromised immune system, it was much more destructive. It attacked her respiratory system and destroyed her liver. Dani passed away on March 7, 2006 surrounded by her loving family and friends. Dani was only 18 months old. There are many stories that take place during those precious 7 months of Dani‘s battle with cancer. Stories of donut holes and IV poles. Many stories that you will hear as we continue this journey.

When we lost Dani it was devastating. It still is. But, we knew immediately that we wanted to do something that would give back to everyone who reached out to Dani and her family. Something that would honor Dani's memory and continue her fight for a cure. We wanted to do something to give hope to other families experiencing this crisis in their lives. We wanted to achieve these goals doing something we enjoy and can get passionate about! Stephanie saw my stamping/crafting projects and thought that people would PAY to have things like this. We began tossing ideas around and before you know it we were knee deep in the card/gift making business. We needed a name and since Stephanie had collected turtles for Dani since before Dani was even born we knew the turtle was our "mascot". It was upon waking around 3 am one morning with a head full of ideas that the name "Turtle Girl Designs" was given to me and here we are today. OUR goal was to just go local craft fairs, bazaars and try to build a name locally for private orders. Well.....after only telling a few people what we were doing and having ONE craft show...things just kind of took off and TGD has taken on a life of its own!

We hand craft, paint and stamp cards, gifts, accessories and home decor to sell at local craft show, stores and to anyone who will buy! Several of the products we design and produce (using and crediting various stamp company images) are named after a child who is in the battle or has battled cancer. We will also provide information about each child so that our customers and volunteers get an inside look into the REAL world of pediatric cancer and who they are helping by supporting our cause. For now, all of our proceeds go to various research and support organizations. Turtle Girls will also sponsor several fundraising events and blood drives throughout the year.

We have many friends who are still in the battle with the beast called cancer. Periodically we will introduce you to some of our friends. We will share with you their stories, ask you to pray for their specific needs and allow ourselves a reminder of WHY we do this. Something has to be done to give those kids hope for a CURE. To find a cure there has to be more research. For more research there has to be more funding and more advocacy. We have a voice. We owe it to Dani, to our children, to your children, and to OURSELVES to use that voice and any talents we may possess to provide these kids with a better future. A future WITHOUT cancer. Eventually....prayerfully in OUR lifetimes...they day will come that no other child will lose precious childhood moments to battle cancer. No other child will lose their life to this monstrous disease or complications associated with treatment.

This is the vision of Turtle Girl Designs.

The First of many............

Whooohooooo.....I did it. I think;) I set up our Turtle Girl Designs blog and....to my knowledge....... noone got hurt and no computers were harmed in the making of this blog. We've set up this blog as a central point of return for current information regarding Turtle Girl Designs, Mindy, Stephanie, their respective families and lives, upcoming projects and fundraisers and TurtleKids who have news to share or are in need of prayer.

I am attempting to navigate through the unfamiliar and strange world of blogging. I enjoy reading others blogs and find them highly informative. We hope that this blog will serve as the same for supporters of Turtle Girl Designs. However, as this is my first attempt......please be patient as I learn "the ways of the blog"!

In the next turtleblog....."THS: Turtle Girl Designs....the TRUTH behind the business." A no hold barred, behind the scenes look at the creation of and the visions of Turtle Girl Designs!;)

Have a TURTLEY AWESOME DAY!

M~