fanciful devices: New in Shop

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.

7/14/10

New in Shop

Raqs Sharqui. Hinged Bangle with Antique Cut Steel Buttons.

The Giant Spheres of Costa Rica. Lava Dangles.

Escape from the Eternal Round. Enamel Plate Strand.

Land of the Lords of Brightness. Garlic Shell, Soldered Quartz and Antique Key.

Our Lady of the Missing Button. Assemblage Necklace.

A Bane A Boon A Bounty. Tintype and Citrine Heishi with Topaz Rhinestones.

Are You the River or the Thing That Makes the River's Face So Still.

You Spread the Nighttime. Rag and Bits Earrings.

A Moon Appeared. Rag and Glass Ear Wear.

I just put up so many new listings that my brain is sorta melting. 10 in one day. I still have to put up 1 necklace, 3 cuffs, 2 rings and a glove, though that's not quite done. Gha. 2 cool rings, though, which I forgot I put together right before leaving. I need to think up interesting things to put in the descriptions or else I'll have to recycle some old descriptions.... And tomorrow is when I'm officially back from vacation- according to my shop announcement, so I have a few packs to work on. And THEN I can start setting up my new studio. Oh, and shop and clean and cook.
So Dad tells me that he was in his lab today (he's a fancy-shmancy scientist) and he said to a co-worker, "Marina's back from Virginia." And she said, "I know!" Turns out she reads my blog- which my father was very surprised and amused to hear. (Yup, smart folks like pretty things, too.) So, Hi Monika!

6 comments:

stregata said...: Lovely, lovely, lovely!; 7/14/10, 11:31 PM
fanciful devices said...: thank you- (blushes); 7/15/10, 2:38 AM
steufel said...: Wow! Beautiful stuff!; 7/15/10, 2:39 AM
Regina Moore said...: Gosh, you've really been busy! Gorgeous pieces!; 7/15/10, 7:07 AM
Monika Sz said...: Hi Marina! :)

Blushes...I am reading your blog for a while now and get all excited when you are listing things. They are all gorgeous and it's so much fun looking at the GREAT pictures you take and descriptions..and then browsing away to other people's blog...; 7/15/10, 11:49 AM
fanciful devices said...: Thank you monika (and all of you) for visiting! its funny you should mention pictures- if you look at my earliest items, i couldnt take a picture if my life depended on it. i really struggled with that, and hated it SO much! now i'm much better. Though I still wish an amazing photographer would appear out of no-where and say 'i will handle all your photography needs from now on! and by the way, here's a magic button that will clean your home for you and provide instant meals... by the way, can i walk your dog?'
that's what i wish...; 7/15/10, 3:08 PM