Mourning Dove Mixed Media Collage

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Keep Going!  You Can Always Paint Over It!

I am continuing my breaking of limits by working on collage and setting aside cards and most of my Stampin' Up! products for the week.  One of my favorite times of spring is when the mourning doves return to our backyard.  They have been coming back each year.  Sometimes they are fewer in number, sometimes greater.  I love their beautiful cooing sound and the sound made by the beating of their wings as they less-than-gracefully propel themselves into the air :)  This collage was all about honoring these gorgeous birds.
Would you believe this collage started out as a blue-painted canvas?!  Hard to believe, I know.  Yes, I decided I didn't like the color so instead of starting over I just kept on going - kept painting over layers - again and again until something seemed to emerge that I liked.  This is a lesson I continue to learn about art making.  The ability to keep going when the inner critic starts getting loud and obnoxious.  Just keep going!  You can always paint over it!!!!!
What did I use to make this collage?  A better question might be, "What didn't I use?!"  Let's see:  canvas, modeling paste, parchment paper, bird photo, sewing machine, parchment paper (which nothing will stick to!), feathers from walks and the backyard, sticks, beads, clock parts, burlap, paint, marker, charcoal, more paint, painted tissues, gel medium (matte), bubble wrap, sanded styrofoam colored with ink....I think that covers it....although I reserve the right to add more to the list at a later date!  How long did this collage take me?  Hard to say - I had to allow different stages of modeling paste and paint to dry.  I left the canvas on the craft table as I worked on it so that I could keep walking by it and continue to add to it as I was inspired to do so.  I guess it came together over the course of 3 or 4 days.  It's been really enjoyable busting out of my self-proclaimed limitations and now I'm just going to keep going!!!!!