Timestream Collage

I have really been enjoying my foray into mixed media in my BPC class, Technique Toolbox, and wanted to create a collage incorporating some of the ideas I have learned in class. I am also entering this into the Simon Says Challenge "Make the Cut" and the Steampunk Matchbox challenge at SanDee and Amelie's.

Timestream: When Pigs Fly

I started with a canvas board, layered on a tag, covered with gesso, and laid it on thick in the corner and added texture with bubble wrap.

Worked on some of the elements I wanted to use, like the clock die cuts and embossing folder from Tim Holtz. I used on of my new techniques with the foil embossing and black paint. It is so easy - emboss it (I adhered it to the tag to give it some body), then go over with black paint, and wipe most of it off. Do that until you get the look you want. I really like how it ages it.

Working on elements, to meet the steampunk challenge I have to use matchboxes. Since I did not actually have any, I found a very small jewelry box, added tissue tape and inks, and sealed them up with Glue and Seal.
I have been experimenting with Perfect Paper Adhesive (gloss) and paints to create some amazing marbled textures, which you can see in the detail here. I started with a thick layer of the glue, dripped in several paint colors, and started to swirl and play until I liked it.

Before the glue dried, I added lots of watch parts, gears, microbeads and jewels, so they would dry right in to the collage. I am liking the way it looks now. Once the gessoed area was dry, I used Dylusions spray, and painted in some turquoise and lime.

Close up of the watch parts... Next, I laid all of the elements I wanted to play with out on the canvas board in a couple of different configurations to see how I wanted it to go. Vertical? Hmm..losing a lot of that great jeweled "milky way" look of the background...

Horizontal? Liking this better with more of the background showing through...

Some of the areas in close up detail...

Love that pig's wings..ready to fly!

Seems to me there is a great story hidden in the timestream!