Toxique

Welcome friends and steampunk aficionados! I hope you all had a lovely September. I was so inspired by all of amazing entries for the month - so much talent and inspiration! We are back for our October challenge at Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges - ANYTHING GOES Steampunk/Industrial Mixed Media. 

I had to create something for the haunting month of October, after all, it ends with Halloween, and decided to build an assemblage with a box lid and a bird I've had for awhile. 

TOXIQUE

Let's begin with a fave - Chalky Gesso in Grey...makes a great surface to work off of. I put on two layers. 

I want texture on the box, so added that with Texture Medium and a gear stencil. 

Once everything is dry, the fun begins with the painting. I love blending colors. 

Even when I think I am done, I go in and add a touch more.

Metallic Lustres add a great sheen and turn it from leather like, to having a metal feel. 

I feel like my bird is a crow or raven, and I love the shimmery blue under the black of their feathers, so attempted to create that by first rubbing on the turquoise then the black. 

I decided the box needed some blue also. 

Then, I decided I needed orange, after all it's for Halloween!

I stenciled the bird with a metallic green. 

I couldn't resist turning this knob from my stash into a Fez. (Yes, I am a Dr. Who fan!!)

I dug though the stash, found this cool skull, bottles, cheesecloth, knob, etc and just started finding their place in my piece. 

That skull looks a bit like a mad clown!

Birds love to collect things and hide them away, and I think mine has done that too. We might not want to know what is in the bottles - treasures or toxins?

I hope you are inspired to join our challenge this month! Maybe you will create something spooky for Halloween using your steampunk/industrial stash...whatever you make, I will be looking forward to seeing it!

Many thanks to our generous sponsors who keep the cogs and gears turning for us - DecoArt and Boozybear chipboard!

Maura