Dearest Daphne...

Hi everyone and welcome to my second post of the day (if you missed the first it's HERE).

Over at the IndigoBlu blog today four of the International Design Team are sharing a second helping of gorgeous inspiration for January. Having shared the new floral 'Colour Me' stamps and 'Lost Family'/'Arts and Crafts After Morris' Mixed Media Paper collections on Facebook I've been putting them through their paces again, developing a story to got with it in my head along the way (!)...

(click on each image for a closer look)

Dearest Daphne... she's the granddaughter of a typical 'self made man', a Victorian industrialist who used his ruthless guile and entrepreneurial aptitude to make a fortune 'up North'. This upwardly mobile family now live in the home counties and mix with the higher echelons of society. Daphne attends lots of functions at some of the grandest houses and it was at one of these she met Charles.

Son of an Earl, Oxford educated, he's a bright young man whose potential family inheritance and a huge allowance allow him to gad about with gay abandon. Daphne loves his carefree spirit, his self confidence (though others may see it as arrogance) and piercing blue eyes. She's fallen head over heals and dreams wistfully of their wonderful life together...

Unfortunately for Daphne their 'love' is doomed; Charles rather likes this innocent young belle and her starry-eyed passion for him is rather flattering, but really, she's new money. Her family are 'new money' and his would never hear of him marrying anyone unworthy. Besides, he's too busy enjoying life, his new motor car and escapades with the chaps to contemplate settling down right now! It's to be hoped he lets Daphne down gently but I have a feeling Charles is the type to break her vulnerable heart without much thought...

Daphne's portrait comes from the 'Lost Family' A6 Mixed Media Paper collection. aged with a little gold paint on the edges, coloured with Distress Ink and heat embossed with clear powder, several times before being frozen and cracked. Layered on lace and with a couple of altered brass corners she could sit nicely alongside portraits of her relatives on a grand piano or large mantelpiece!

The background paper is from the 'Arts and Crafts After Morris' Mixed Media Paper collection (this is the 12x12 size) covered in a layer of white gesso and several more Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays. The initial layer of 'Colour Me Dahlia' stamping needed emphasis after I'd added some stencilling and faux 'verdigris' dry embossed paper so I used tissue transfer to make them stand out.

The lace flowers and Calico Crafts lettering were coloured with a mix of paints and Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays before extra seed beads were added. For once I didn't go mad with the embellishments as the paper and stamping needed to remain the focal points.

Thank you for joining me today for a double dose of inspiration. If you haven't done so yet please make sure you see what my fellow IndigoBlu team mates have been up to on their blogs HERE. I know you won't be disappointed!

That's it for today from me. Take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

List of products used;

'Lost Family' A6 IndigoBlu Mixed Media Paper collection

'Arts and Crafts After Morris' 12x12 IndigoBlu Mixed Media Paper collection

'Colour Me Dahlia' IndigoBlu stamp

White Gee-Sso Good! IndigoBlu gesso

English Cottage Artist's Acrylic Paint; Goldfinger, Townhouse Teal, Pink Iced Gem

Fine Texture Paste

'Roman Numerals' IndigoBlu stencil

Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays - Industrial Chic/Crow's Nest Copper