Thank You!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the Auction for the Baumgarten Family! It was amazing to see such generous bids placed on our beautiful handmade items. Thank you to those who donated and thank you to those that placed bids- Your participation made this a complete success!
Just in bids alone, we have raised $369! 
Using the PayPal button to the left, you can pay for the item you've won or make a donation to this beautiful family. Every little bit counts, and if the winners donate just $1 more than their bid, we will be able to raise $25 more. (And if each of us donates $2 more we would get into the $400's!) I will be sending an email to the winning bidders by the end of the day telling you how to get in touch with the donor so that they know where to mail the item to you. Once your payment goes through, I will give them the ok and your item will be sent to you. ** If you have not received an email for Christine or me, please contact us so we can get your information.**
Thank you again for your support! I love this organization and the strength I feel from each of you makes this all completely worth it! It's amazing how many of you there are out there who are willing to help others, even though all of us have troubles and trials of our own. I think serving others, even during our tough times, can actually lesson our burden a bit as we try to lift the burden of others. Thank you for your quiet examples of love, friendship and service. I am humbled by the generosity I've seen and the willingness to serve others, even complete strangers!
oh, and p.s. Baby Eliza was born on Saturday! Go here for the cute pics: http://dadnamedjosh.blogspot.com/

Handmade Auction for the Baumgarten Family

Thank you so much to all those that participated in the Auction! It was a great success and we could not have done it without each and every one of you!

How the Auction Works!

Welcome to the Sending Smiles Handmade Auction for the Baumgarten Family! We hope you enjoy shopping and please know that 100% of every penny we raise will be given to this wonderful family to help with medical bills and treatments for Dad, Josh who has just been diagnosed with brain cancer. To read more about this beautiful family, go HERE. Thank you to those who donated their time and talents to this great cause, and thank you for your kind support. Enjoy shopping, here's how it works:
Below we have over 25 beautiful, handmade items donated by our crafty supporters. You bid on the items you'd like by leaving a comment with your NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, and BID AMOUNT. Each bid must be greater than the last by at least $1. If you are uncomfortable leaving your email address in a comment, you can email us as SmilesForStrangers@gmail.com with your bid and information. But you must leave a user name and amount in the comments.
Shipping will be covered by the person who created the item, and will be sent anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. If you are the winning bidder and live outside the U.S. or Canada, you must pay for shipping.
The Auction will end Saturday night at 12:00 Mountain Time and the highest bidder will receive an email stating that you've won and how to contact the person who created the item to give them your mailing address and any custom information for the item you've won. Highest bidder will need to submit payment by Friday, May 14. Once payment for the item is received and cleared, the donator will mail the item off!
Payments are accepted by Paypal, Check and Money Order. You are welcome to make a donation at any time by clicking on the Paypal Donate button, top left of the blog.
If you have any questions, please contact us and we'll be happy to help.
Thanks again for your support! I know that the Baumgartens are extremely grateful for the support they've been receiving. Once again, have fun shopping and know that your purchase of our beautiful, unique handmade items is helping this wonderful family!

Next up: Handmade Auction for The Baumgarten Family

The Baumgarten family {daddy Josh, mommy Kristen, sweet rambunctious boys Kimball(6), McKay(5), Benson(3), and baby Eliza due in May} call Vernal, UT home. They are known for their kindness, enthusiasm for life and constant serving of others in church and the community. They recently learned that Josh has a brain tumor. He is recovering from surgery and will soon learn about radiation treatments that will come next. Friends of Josh and Kristen have created a blog and are asking for your help so they can focus on Josh's recovery and Eliza's arrival rather than financial stress. You can read the story from wife, Kristen here.

We will be hosting a Handmade Auction!! All proceeds will be given to the Baumgarten family to help with medical bills and treatments. So, here's the information on how to participate:
Send an email to SmilesForStrangers@gmail.com with the following information and AUCTION as the subject:
Title of Item donating
Short description (optional)
Picture of item
Retail Value
Web Address or Link to Etsy Store or Blog Boutique (optional-- if you have a handmade business, this is a great way to receive publicity, someone who bids but doesn't win may want to know where to get one!)
*You will be responsible for postage to send the item to the highest bidder, and they will contact you with their address when the auction ends.
Dates: Emails must be sent by Monday, May 3 at midnight. This gives you 2 weeks to create the item or items.
Auction will begin Thursday, May 6 and end Saturday, May 8 at midnight.
Thank you to all who choose to participate! Get started on your handmade goodies, and definitely check back May 6th to start shopping! I know this family will appreciate our help. I can't even image the stress and heartache of watching a loved one go through this, and the least we can do is lighten the financial burden a bit!