rob ryan gives me a toothache of happiness.

and i like it. despite having been on the world's radar for awhile, rob ryan first stole my heart while i was in london visiting audrey. we had taken a day to go to Liberty of London and Drool. On. Everything. (then we took a lunch break at leon, and then we went back to liberty. still one of the best days i've ever had.) i saw a rob ryan tea towel, which was a bit misleading, because rob ryan is not a tea towel maker; rob ryan is a magical PAPERCUTTING artist. as intricate works such as his must take billions of hours to produce, there are now (thankfully) screen printed editions available for the masses, through his shop in london and his etsy storefront. i haven't stumbled upon the treasure trove of information that will unlock the mysteries and answer all of my questions about rob, such as HOW DID HE GET INTO PAPERCUTTING? and WHO WRITES THIS BEAUTIFUL LOVE POETRY? and CAN I HAVE A HUG AND SOME OF THOSE DRUGS YOU ARE ON?, but as far as i can tell, rob ryan has sweeter thoughts than the most romantic person on the planet (*and the occasional burst of heartbreak) and loves nature.  i will seek mas info de rob, but in the meantime, if you are an Anne of Green Gables-loving sap such as myself, you will positively pine for some rob-ry in your life. check out these pieces, and try to keep in mind that they were originally cut from paper with human hands. i typed some of the messages below the pieces so you are able to fully marinate in the sugary sweetness of papercut love.

Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.

You are my universe. Moons circle planets and planets circle stars, stars and galaxies rotate eternally and you and I circle each other for you are my universe entirely and i will always be yours.

I can't forget and I never will you smiled at me and from nothing something came now the world is new to me again I will remember still you smiled at me and now I dream a dream of good.

Can We? Shall We? One day very soon, let us go away together just you and me. Can We? Shall We? Call in sick one day and travel to the sea and hold hands all day. Can We? Shall We? Eat our sandwiches on the train, get drunk on fresh air and come home tired and never tell anyone.... Ever.

I miss being a small girl.

We Had Nothing, We Had Not Much, We Had Enough, We Had Everthing. P.S. Please Don't Ever Let Me Have Too Much.

Every night, at the same time, I pick a star, hold it tight and think of you a thousand miles across land and sea. I feel you in my heart thinking of me. These same stars and this same sky hang over both you and I. In our dreams and in my heart they help us feel less far apart.

Mother of mine, O Mother of mine, Help me please. Tell me why I feel this way.

My home will have no windows, doors or floors, nor bricks or mortar. My only home is in your arms and nowhere else.

No stepping stones for me because I choose to sit on my ladder and feel the icy water flow between my toes and around my ankles. This water is not deep enough to make me feel alive with life and love.

Other planets cannot be as beautiful as this one.

These bells will peal for just one day but in our hearts will ring all winter long.

You were in my head but now you are in my heart. Please stay there forever.

My darling I have never done anything brave in my life. But one day 17 years ago in Birmingham City Art Gallery I leant over and kissed a beautiful girl. I loved this girl so much. Her smile was so sweet & kin and she was so different from any girl I’d ever met before. Yet she seemed so much like me…that is to say…alone. And we were sitting on a bench in a room full of beautiful paintings and I thought now is the time. I am shaking a little bit and it seems to have gone very quiet and I leant over & kissed her on the lips and to my surpise she kissed me back and my heart soared up and up higher and higher and higher upwards into the sky where it exploded like a giant firework. That was your mother.

When I see you from across a crowded room my heart skips a beat. When I get nearer to the place where I think you might be my heart starts to thump-will you be there? Will you be there? Will you be there? And then as if by a miracle, the clouds part and the sun pours out from behind a curtain of grey and suddenly you are there…my throught goes dry, my legs turn to jelly and even now as I write this my hands begin to tremble at merely the memory. I think you have a nice smile. I think you look kind. I don’t want to be alone with my thoughts. Will you? Could you? Be my Valentine?