Lady Elsie...

Hi everyone and welcome. Recently I told you the sad story of Dearest Daphne and mentioned her heart's desire Charles, son of an Earl and a bit of a cad. It's now time to introduce to you Charles' mother, the Right Honourable Lady Elsie...

(click on  each image for a closer look)

Lady Elsie spends a lot of time thinking about the past these days. As the future in Europe seems to her to grow more uncertain and day to day life becomes so drearily predictable, it's a comfort to return to her childhood memories...

Her childhood was a time of freedom long since lost. Under the instruction of their governess, Elsie and her sisters received an education appropriate to their position, learned much of the social etiquette that would be essential in adulthood and were also indulged in their literary and artistic pursuits. The chance to escape into the grounds of their family estate and sketch, paint or read as the warmth of the sun beat down was a treasured time, a dim and distant memory that grows more golden with age.

Elsie always knew that her life would be planned by those around her; it was her duty to marry a man chosen by her parents, ensuring bloodlines, hierarchy, and an order that spanned back centuries. Her mother's only involvement in Elsie's education was to teach her what was expected of her and what she must endure without complaint. And so it was that she began running a household, welcoming guests and dignitaries without question or hope of friendship, and being of use to her husband in any way he saw fit.

The Earl, though not unattractive, had an air of arrogance that gave him an ugly personality. Elsie never entertained the fantasy that the Earl felt any sort of love for her even though she was by any standards a true beauty. Just as she had learned well her duties, Elsie's husband had instilled within him from an early age the belief that a man of privilege could take whatever he wanted whenever and wherever he wanted without reproach. As such Elsie knew that the visits 'to his club' in London would include many dalliances which should never be questioned.

Whilst initially she longed for him to return home to her now she almost dreads the time they spend in each other's company. Elsie's abiding interest in art and culture are lost on him, and as the wine and port flow and his belligerence increases, she listens on in unexpressed sadness as he berates 'those damned Suffragettes and their poisonous ideas'.

The one glimmer of light in her life was on the birth of her son. Briefly 'applauded' for having fulfilled the duty of producing an heir she looked upon him as an angel with a shock of blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Of course, as with any joy, it was short lived. A governess took over the upbringing of her boy until the time when he was packed off to a succession of boarding schools and ultimately University. Along the way she saw those unpleasant traits inherited from his father develop in Charles and she fears that another generation will be forced to endure all that she has.

And so it seems that in potentially scorning young Daphne's desires, Charles may in fact have given her a lucky escape from a life of servitude and acceptance. Yet all their futures are soon to be changed in a way that will impact on the entire social fabric as the dynasties of Europe collide...

Hopefully this canvas captures some of Elsie's story in its twists, turns and textures.

I'm entering this canvas into the January 2016 Lindy's Stamp Gang Color Challenge.

I've used all the gorgeous Sprays from the limited edition set alongside C'est la vie Cerise and Silver Moon Turquoise Embossing Powders. This has to be one of my all time favourite colour schemes and I've used the sprays to colour most of the embellishments along the way.

I'm also entering the Anything But Cute Challenge - Ring out the Old, Bring in the New

There's some stamping using the brand new IndigoBlu Teeny Backgrounds swirl in Gothic Purple StazOn ink and stencilling using their Roman Numerals stencil. And then there's Elsie herself (yep, she's stamped too! on tissue, layered onto burlap and texture paste!)

I wonder what story you could tell using her...

If you want to see Elsie and so many more new and exciting releases make sure you tune into the IndigoBlu YouTube channel after 1pm today (Saturday 30th January) to see a very special video with a double giveaway featuring Elsie and another beauty, Valerie!!!

For my part I hope you've enjoyed this latest tale and am pleased to say there's more to come.

Have a great weekend whatever you're up to and take care of yourselves. Jenny xxx