fanciful devices: Dickens Apocalypse

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.

7/3/10

Dickens Apocalypse

Custom Fit Tribal Garter Leggings in Your Size

Kingdom of God is Within Fine Art Print 11x14 with White Border

Dominus. Domini. Antique Bone Wood Horn and Rosary Neck Wear.

nomad TRASH and CONSEQUENCE deconstructed top

SALE... Unisex Green and Brown Spirulina Vest... Size Medium

Oracle - Ornate tribal industrial pendant RESERVED FOR internaldarkness AVAILABLE AUGUST 15TH 2010

Armwarmers, Black and Brown Velvet Combo, Gothic, Tribal, Black Rock, Bellydance

My wonderfu lfriend, back from England, sparrowsalvage made this gorgeous collection, It features: Dominus. Domini. Antique Bone Wood Horn and Rosary Neck Wear.

Dominus. Domini.
I like the blond peacock feathers, the vertebra colored black (why didn't i think of that?), the ankh, the copper pendant (that shop has lovely industrial things made of scrap sheet metal)... basically all the jewelry. Because my mind blocks out anything that's not jewelry. Even beautiful dragons.
wooo- the shop w/the feather earrings has-
Peach Moonstone and Steel Pendant

Smokey Quartz, Copper, and Steel Earrings

It's called Tangleweeds. Whycome I can never have a collection this consistent? Hmm. I am sort of getting there, though.
The shop with the Ankh, savage muse, has this type of madness:
Carnage - Jaw Bone Necklace

Good for the punk in your life.

Oh, and today I'm meeting Venus Soberanes, who makes:
Revelatory sun flower

And was one of my very first etsy friends and one of the first jewelry makers who encouraged me. She's here in Chicago and I'm gonna hand deliver this:
Calavera. Wood and Sari Yarn Assemblage.

Calavera. Wood and Sari Yarn Assemblage.

Yay.

2 comments:

Jennifer Valentine Morford said...: My God that has to be the most incredibly haunting and...and.....and....well....unforgettable treasuries I have ever EVER seen...and the name in itself is amazing. AND YOU, dear one, so deserve to be in it!!!
(and I DO think that you have a pretty darn consistent shop. unlike mine, who has shabby and shiny and then there's that damn pink mirror thing that will NEVER sell.....); 7/3/10, 10:36 PM
fanciful devices said...: no way. you are consistent! shabby chic in a sweet vintage way. And I, too, have those items that will never sell. They are our cross to bear. I don't know what that means, but I'm gonna go check yours out.; 7/3/10, 11:25 PM