Regent Street, London

Christmas is the time of year when cards start to arrive from home (London) and I have longings of Christmas past.

Journaling:
Card from Home "We went shopping down the West End"

Can there anywhere be a more beautiful and spectacular sight than London's Regent Street at Christmastime? In the early 1950's, London was dull and lifeless, with a grey depressing look because of the veil of dust that came from smog and the remains of bombings of the war, but several years later, before I left, to live in Hawaii, this long passageway from Oxford street to Piccadilly Circus had turned into a magical wonderland, and I believe all of London's Christmas charm began here.

I remember the one year when I had a little money saved so I could give gifts to all those I loved, I was pleased with myself and decided to give this street a go. I sauntered from one shop after another searching for that one special thing that would make each person happy. I know I spent more time looking at the window displays and decorations than my shopping, and In the end I spent my money closer to home where the costs were more within my range.

It was Regent Street that stole my heart that Christmas, and I realized that even though most of London still wore a tawdry cloak, and money was still scarce, that in all the world, London was still a good place to be.
Credits:
Photo by permission of freefoto
Katie Pertiet card from Letter Box Christmas Kit
Ali Edwards_DecemberDaily_LayeredTemplates

"Dylan slept here" Chelsea in the 1950's

This paper and ribbon is offered as a freebie along with some other jeweled toned papers. Arty Chelsea in in the 50's was my inspiration.

Dylan Thomas slept here

London's Chelsea was once the place of writers and artists and a bit of Bohemia. My sister, Marie and her husband fit well as they made their home here before they moved to Rio de Janeiro in the fifties. Marie told me a story of the time she woke up one morning after Bill, her husband, had left for work and discovered one of his drinking buddies asleep on the couch. When he got up he wanted to make conversation, but being pretty upset with Bill, she made him leave. A few days later he arrived at her doorstep with a bunch of flowers that looked like they'd been picked from someone's garden, and they were tied with a shoelace. She said if she's known he was the famed poet, she'd have kept the lace, I told her I would have kept the couch and labeled it "Dylan slept here"


Sorry, the Digital Paper Freebies are no longer available. 
~~ chris

Sunday afternoon in Hyde Park

The paper from my paper pack giveaway below.
Tags are from KPertiet at Designer Digitals
Couldn't resist lifting PeppermintG's page at

PeppermintG 

Fishing in England

A long time since I posted!
I found these slides but couldn't make out what was on them until I scanned them into Photoshop and lightened them.

This is my Brother and his son, I think it might be the Devon or Cornwall coast, I can see the sea in other slides - I'll have to write and ask him. I have the twin to the jacket he's wearing. Eileen, his wife, gave it to me on my way to Turkey and it really saved me from the bitter winds from the Sea of Marmara, while I stood and waited for my bus that took me to Karamürsel several times a week.

A Very British Cream Tea

Three of my brother George's children.

Trafalgar Square, London, 1981

I'm doing an album for my two daughters from slides of all the places they've been. Credits later

This was a trip to England to meet their relatives. They were so surprised to find so many cousins their same age!
They were climbing the lions in Trafalgar Square when these two lads came by. They were fascinated by Linda's accent and wanted to know more about America. Cousin Joanne is looking on.

Never Forgotten

I have no other photos of my mum, brother and dad's sister from this era so used this old torn and cracked pic that cried out for a grunge layout!

I've restored this photo before, but recently decided that I like tears and folds in old photos. I loved a layout by Nevache (will link to DST later) It reminded me of an old worn 1890 magazine I had on the computer so decided to use it to fold around Katie's frame.

Credits: Chris Shoop (me): Grunge and folded frame, flowers and leaves, flag, cord. Katie Pertiet: LetterBox papers, FlossyStitches_yellow, Tiny PostageFrames, FiledPhotoFramesNo2 paperclip Kelley Mize: measured edges