fanciful devices: The Alchemy of Happiness, Part the Second

A Stone Is Nobody's

A man ambushed a stone. Caught it.
Made it a prisoner.
Put it in a dark room and stood guard over it for the rest of his life.

His mother asked why.

He said, because it's held captive, because it is captured.

Look, the stone is asleep, she said, it does not know whether it's in a garden or not. Eternity and the stone
are mother and daughter; it is you who are getting old. The stone is only sleeping.

But I caught it, mother, it is mine by conquest, he said.

A stone is nobody's, not even its own. It is you who are conquered; you are minding the prisoner, which is yourself,
because you are afraid to go out, she said.

Yes yes, I am afraid, because you have never loved me, he said.

Which is true, because you have always been to me as the stone is to you, she said.

Russell Edson

FAQs

1. Are you a Southeast Asian dancing girl from the 1800s?

No, sorry to disappoint. My avatar and banner images are from an ancient book I found in the depths of my grandmother's cabinets. More on that here.

2. How do you make everything look so old?

First, you need a good oxidizer to brush on every bit of metal you can reach. I'll tell you all about it here.

Then there's this wax. I first mentioned it here. You'll have to scroll down a lot.

3. How can you be so productive?

I'm insanely obsessed and I have no offspring. I do nothing else- I don't have a day job, I don't clean my house or cook, I spend all day in pjs, often completely abandoning personal hygiene... I only interact with other humans when I walk my dog. And I like people! But I prefer dogs.

And I'm sloppy- but I make that sloppiness work for me.

4. Any tips you'd like to share?

No! Except for these 16 posts about techniques and this one about how to find your aesthetic.

5. Would you be offended if I took some inspiration from your designs?

Well, I'd be happier if you outright copied them.

No really, imitation is how we learn. I have enough ideas to go around. And even if I don't- please. No one's going to do this obsessively enough to threaten my business. (Probably.) I learned by copying others and I've seen others copy me as a step toward developing their own voice. So feel free. (I'd love if you tossed me a link in my comments, so I can feel like a proud momma.)

6. What do you look like?

Why, what have you heard? Really? Wow.

6/19/10

The Alchemy of Happiness, Part the Second

Birdies to be listed. The drops are glass.

The circles are actually rhinestones. These were from Fancylinda's box of wonders. They are hanging on piece of stained glass from Sparrow's magical parcel.

I haven't shown you the bestest yet.

I got this cuff b/c I was fascinated with the military star. I didn't realixe how much I'd love the other focals- the lovely flower button w/a perfect 'bow' under it and especially this little round tin bit.

It's substantial and lovely.

I pressed the hooks a bit to re-position them and now it fits perfectly on my boney twig wrists.

I also wanted to show off this strip of Sari ombre and fluffy velvet, along w/this lace that's so antique, it rips when you stretch it. That's a good thing. To me.

Here are the crystal points that weren't visible in the last post. Also big studs I'm going to oxidize and use for a glovelette.

Here's a large piece of beaded trim which is beyond awesome and just begging to be sewn on to a bed if distressed fibers. Also, note the black fabric tape and glass circle showing a castle.

A couple more buttons and another view of my (cuz they're mine!!!!) orgasmic nailheads. I was hoping to untie them w/o cutting the strings so I could be lazy and attach them down by just stiching the red threads down. Not gonna happen.

3 comments:

stregata said...: Sigh - such a gorgeous stash! Those birdie earrings with the facetted glass are gorgeous!!!; 6/20/10, 12:42 AM
steufel said...: I love the bird-earrings and the cuff is stunning.; 6/21/10, 1:04 AM
fanciful devices said...: thank you!
(blush); 6/21/10, 1:01 PM