Sometimes I Swirl (and a Giveaway!)

As much as I love displaying my family pictures around the T house, it's nice to mix things up with art work here and there. I'd love to be one of "those people" who can walk into a gallery and drop a few mil on a Van Gogh, but instead I am one of those people who can walk into a Target and drop fifteen on a mass-produced plaque with a witty saying printed across the front.

So I was quite delighted to hear that a blogging friend, Sarah, opened her own Etsy shop in May of 2010, after much encouragement from her readers. She features her unique (and affordable!) artwork: Abstract drawings concentrating on detail and line, with lots of flowers, leaves and swirls--with a feminine and whimsical touch.

Today, I am pleased to introduce my friends to Sometimes I Swirl.

Sarah has been drawing since elementary school, crafting intricate and abstract swirling patterns on notebooks, shoes, bags, her wall, and even (yes!) on the back of her hand. Her work is inspired by Mehndi/henna, painter Paul Klee, surrealism, and pretty much anything painted or drawn in black on a white background. Not having any Indian ancestry, Sarah notes that it's her love of symmetry that draws her to this type of art.

I'm drawn to the little details.

With such detailed designs, I feel like Sarah makes good use of color. Too much would saturate the work and overpower her design. The Gray, Canary Yellow, and Black abstract (below, left) is my favorite piece.

When browsing the shop, I really liked the fact that Sarah offers framed pieces and shows us how her art might look in your home. Readers who enjoy modern art, colorful design, and a little bit of retro might just fall in love with Sometimes I Swirl. 

Something else I love? Whimsy. Owls are all the rage right now, and these owls are a hoot. For real.

How cute would those owls be in a nursery? If that print doesn't work with your color scheme, guess what? Sometimes I Swirl is happy to take on custom orders at no extra charge!

If you love the Abstract Ink Flowering Landscape, but want to infuse some color into your family room, let Sarah know. She can take it from this:

to this:

I always check shipping policies when I peruse an Etsy shop's pages, and I was surprised (and happy) to read that Sometimes I Swirl guarantees next day shipping, with the exception of custom drawings that may take a few days to create. With a 100% positive shop rating, I'd say it's a win-win with Sometimes I Swirl.

You can also find Sarah blogging over at Hennessey House, where she writes about her family's experiences with their first home.

Today, Sarah is offering a reader a $20 Gift Certificate (in the form of store credit) to Sometimes I Swirl! 

There are a few ways you can enter:
1. Visit Sometimes I Swirl and then come back and tell me which piece is your favorite. (mandatory to enter)
2. Tweet the following with a link to this post: "Sometimes I Swirl" giveaway via @SerenityNowGirl
3. Facebook today's link.
4. Link up to my Dishing It! party with a valid link.

Good luck!

Hope you'll consider stopping by the Dishing It! party. We're sharing about summer experiences this month and having fun meeting new bloggers. If you've already linked up, please be sure to visit around!

Come back tomorrow for some Weekend Bloggy Reading (with a twist).