Victoria Layout

This layout took itself off in a totally different direction than I had originally envisioned, but I love the result! I was hunting through my stash for a blue patterned paper to go with the cloud paper and brown felt circle I had already pulled out when I happened across this gorgeous background paper from Basic Grey. It made me think about the fact that Victoria was Empress of India, which is why her monument is engraved with the title "Regina Imperatrix" (Queen / Empress). It didn't really match the blue in the pictures, so I left it on my desk overnight and, when I saw it this morning,I finally decided it was the right one! I ditched the cloud paper in favor of a purple one, and the rest of the layout came together over the course of the morning, with the finishing touch being the quote from Mark Twain, "In her the public saw the English Empire itself."

Recipe:
Universal Backgrounds, Victory WOTG & Vogue Alphabet stamp sets
Karma paper (Basic Grey)
Purple paper (from my stash)
Bamboo & Colonial White cardstock
Gypsy & Chocolate ink
Gypsy marker
Heartfelt Wonder felt circle
Greenhouse paper flowers (American Crafts)
Mocha Opaques pearls
DE Mixed Shapes chipboard
"V" chipboard (from my stash)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped shapes
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #347 (rotated to work with my vertical photos)