How do you start your day?
I start mine with a smile. How come, you may ask.... well
I grab a cup of coffee and turn on my computer. Open up the Swirlydoos site and go to the Gallery.
Which is the most greatest source of inspiration. You can find the most GORGEOUS projects there.
From, layouts, ATC's, mini album's, altered art, etc.
And Yes, they make me smile, because .... I can feel the love.
The love for the *creating* process, as well as the love we feel for our beloved ones, which we scrap about or for.
Love is our starting point.
Today I would like to share some amazing cards, that I found whilst browsing the gallery.
First up, a Gorgeous card from Shell

MAGIC This week I bring you a special LO. It was created by Patti Hamil, who is one of our newest subscribers. This LO happens to be her first LO with the new kit! And it is amazing. The enhancing of the papers with masking, the beautiful floral cluster with handmade leaves, the little tag, and the sweet tie around the letter in the title. It is the little touches that can fill a LO with personal style. The photo is Patti's beautiful daughter and her son in law on their wedding day. The LO reminded me of the beautiful song Magic by Colbie Caillat. It is all about love. And we sure do LOVE this layout. To see more of Patti's work, please visit her blog. You will surely be inspired! http://mypiecesoftime.blogspot.com/

• You have one more day to submit your take on the sketch for our June kit, The Looking Glass.  Click here.
• The sketch challenge for this month's kit, Vintage Fae has been posted and you have until 8/15 to post your entry.  Click here.
• There are 4 other challenges going on right now as well; the monthly and infamous Round Robin, Angelica's gorgeous Butterfly challenge, and 2 SGC challenges hosted by our members.  Click here to check them out and jump in.
• CHA sneak peeks are being posted daily and everyone is weighing in.  Click here and see what all the hub-bub is about.
• Add-ons for the August kit will be unveiled today for our subscribers!!!!  Let the swirling begin!  Bring your body armor and stretch out your hips for all of the hip checking that will be going on.  We don't want anyone to get hurt.  LOL  j/k
• We will be having another Kit Reveal Blog Hop.  We had so much fun that we are going to do it again!  Be sure to sign up to get our blog postings by email so that you don't miss any of our upcoming announcements!!!!

Check out these gorgeous pages submitted by our members using our July kit, Vintage Fae! 

This one is by Joyce.

This one is by one of our newest members, Patti. 

 

Swirlydoos July Kit Reveal Blog Hop!!!

First I want to thank YOU all, for playing along
with our First Blog Hop. You made it a great succes and I think I can say:
There will be many to come.
Now for the winner...... drumroll please!!!!!

Our FIRST BLOG HOP WINNER IS:

Virginia

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

you won a $25 gift certificate for the awesome Swirlydoos Store.
How cool is that?!!!!
Please email your addy to Krissy.
krissy@swirlydoos.com

I would also like to thank Lisa V for coordinating our blog hop. She did an AMAZING job!!
Thank you Lisa.
And of course Krissy, for sponsoring the Blog Hop.
On Tuesday, we usually have Card day on our blog, but this time
it is a little different.

Every month I'll do, a step by step *CARD* Photo Tutorial, which was created from the Main Kit.
Here's the card for this month's tutorial:
























You can find the tutorial HERE

Hope to see you all there, and to finally see your cards
into the card-section of the Swirlydoos Gallery.

AMAZING GRACE

If you haven't seen this LO, read the incredible story that Maggi tells us.
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Photo of my Mom in Verdun, France taken in 1953. She is standing in the doorway of the house we lived in. I have to change the journal as I didn't get all my facts quite right, but it will read:

1953 Verdun, France – Dad had already gone to his duty station in Verdun, so you had to fly to France with a baby, Margaret, and Craig, almost 5 at the time. The plane was struck by lightening and caught fire so the plane made an emergency landing in Newfoundland. By that time, you must have been scared out of your mind and wondering why on earth you were traveling to this foreign land.


But there you were, in France, living in a house with a bullet holes from WWII in the front door. Our french landlady & her son had hidden in a cabinet in the kitchen when the Germans forced their way into her home. Fortunately they didn’t look there and she was ok.

You and Dad lived on the French economy and with the grace that you’ve had all your life, you accepted the situation and set about learning to speak French. You and our landlady, Madam Gaillard, sat with the French/English dictionary and learned to communicate. By the time we came home from France, you were speaking fluent French.
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This LO is just amazing in fine detail. The doorway scene, blended from paper and photo is incredible. The lamp post, the flowers, the title. All scrapped with love. We don't know what else to say Maggi, except, you have created a stunning LO. And thank you so much for sharing the intimate history behind the photo. That just makes it more the sweetest!!

XO, Lisa

Do you alter a lot? I found this stylish and fabulous Kaisercraft drawer in the gallery. The creator is Tammy/tamh3030. I love how she's decorated it with gorgeous papers, stamps, bling and stuff.

A Tiny Kiss,
Sweet and Tender.
A Precious Moment,
We always Remember.




Something about sweet sweet kisses we give our children, can make our heart skip a beat! Amazing that this is a self portrait Rae did of herself planting a sweet smooch on her son Owens darling cheek.
This week our beautiful LO was chosen for not only it's beauty, but for the love it shows coming from a mom to her child. It is simple, it is complex..But most important, it is love...The softness and warmth of the colors give off a glow perfect in reflecting the mood of this LO. The beautiful frame is altered to look like a beautiful old gilded frame. The masking is soft and invites you to enter a garden of plantings and butterflies. Love the ribbon work to tie it all together. Just beautiful Rae..You, Owen and the layout...