Rubber Stamp Start Up 2 Help Preemie's

My name is Heidi Arrowood and not many people know this but I was born prematurely. I was 3 months early and weighed 2 lbs 5 ounces and had to stay in the hospital for 2 and a half months. I could not function on my own and had to have surgery on my ductus valve. I am writing here today because I want to take my passion for drawing and start a rubber stamp business and start a fund for premature babies. I have had this idea to create a line of "Preemie" characters for a long time. I can see them now, they all have big heads with tiny bodies all wearing a diaper that is a little bit too big. Ever since I can remember my mom, dad and grandparents have told me the stories over and over again how they prayed and visited me everyday in the hospital. My mom wrote in journal everyday and even saved a newspaper clipping on the doctor that saved my life. My mom even told me we would make special visits to the doctor so they could see how well I was doing and how I was growing up as if nothing ever happened.




Throughout the years I have actually dabbled into selling rubber stamps but lacked the funds to make it a business , then turned to licensing my designs to rubber stamps companies and then now creating and selling digital stamps. I just have been missing something and creating this line of "Preemie" Stamps is it. I want to create art to help others. I have realized all I have been doing is just creating art without a purpose. I have always said I am suppose to be here for a reason, since I made it through that tough time when I was born.


I have also learned throughout my art trial and errors that I want to have my own business. That is a "family" business and create a "real product". My family is the most important thing and being able to work with my husband, mom and sister would be a dream come true. I picture my mom making card samples, my sister talking on the phone and sending my latest stamp designs to get made, while my husband works on advertising and marketing, as we all pitch in to package and ship each stamp to our customers. Who knows I could even see us having a small store front where we sell our rubber stamps and arts and crafts. All while being able to help support premature babies and donating 50% of sales to the March of Dimes Foundation. It would also be great to have some cards people make and donate them to the families with premature babies.


My vision is to start off with a line of 10 "Preemie" baby animal rubber stamps:

1. Giraffe
2. Elephant
3. Owl
4. Bear
5. Lion
6. Hippo
7. Bunny
8. Duck
9. Cat
10. Dog



These stamps would be "smaller" stamps, which I think fits with the theme of "Preemie's" because they are so small.


The reason I am asking for a 1000 goal
1. To get the actual stamps made and packaged.
(Each stamp needs a plate made and then pressed with rubber, cut and packaged).


2. Create a professional website, to drive traffic and create sales.


3. Advertise our product line in some of the top stamp and craft magazines like, Card Maker and Papercrafts.


4. To be able to succeed with our goal of raising money for the March of Dimes Foundation along with kicking off a Family business right away.



I will be posting sketches and ideas for the "Preemie" Line on a new blog Help Premature Babies. I encourage you to share your stories and ideas.


*You can now make donations through paypal *

Thank you for reading my story and helping my dream come true!
Heid