Simple Thank you!

Love new Regency papers from Papermania, so delicate. The little bird is stamped and painted with watercolour.

A Way of Describing Autism

A poetic way of describing autism.

Constant heart: the story of my great grandparents, Alexandra and Timofei

Today I will tell you the story of Alexandra and Timofei, my great grandparents. For the LO I have chosen an old wedding photo (a photocopy) taken in Kursk, Russia in 1917. The red angel is taken from Marc Chagall's "Wedding", one of my most favourite paintings.
Red crowns are references to the Russian church wedding ceremony, when crowns are held above the heads of the wedded couple.
There is a pocket behind the panel with the photo, and it reads like this:
"Kursk, 1917. They called each other Shurochka and Timosha. Soon the Revolution will shatter their fragile world, and the lightening of the Red Terror will devastate millions of lives. They were in love, and they married. During the terrible waves of repressions and executions of 1937 Timofei was arrested and taken away in the black car. He was forced out of the car and shot dead for being rude to the KGB officer. Nobody bothered to tell Alexandra. She thought he was exiled to GULAG.
As many GULAG convicts had no right of correspondence, the absence of letters meant nothing. And there was always hope that one day your true love would be back... You counted days, years and hoped... You never gave up, a constant heart.
When Stalin died in 1953, and those who survived the camps returned home, Timofei's friends told Alexandra about his death.
Can you imagine waiting for more than 16 years to find out that your husband has been dead all this time?!
She never remarried."

Materials used: Stampington newsletter lace download on Basic Grey Boxer paper, antique ribbon, an old pearly buckle (got it for 5p at a charity shop!) and other bits and bobs.

Aquarium

You are not allowed to use a camera with a flash in London Aquarium, so as not to ruin the fishes' eyes. When I saw Sasha moving along the big window, mesmerised by the sharks and rays, I took a photo, and I like the effect of a dark silhouette on the blue background.
Text on the shark says: "My boy is lost in this enchanted world. Past flickering fishes, his soul is pulled into the silent world of the underwater, where you don't need to talk."
A bit of recycling here: a net from washing tablets, lol, and the jellyfish is made of my old bra (lacy part). Did I just say that?!

P.S. As I've just found that WS theme this week is Under the Sea, and I did use two stamps of seashells, I am adding my entry to the weekly challenge.

My chocolate loves me...

as in "I love my chocolate, my chocolate loves me", lol.
Here is a birthday gift for a friend, who also recently got engaged, hence all the kissing couples.
Stamp on the top: The Stampsmith (From Russia with love plate).
Images are from Curious by Design. Papers: Daisy D's and Basic Grey.

Born Free ATC in Craft Stamper