fanciful devices: Howdy Strangers

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.

8/26/10

Howdy Strangers

Hope you don't feel abandoned. I've been much too consumed with seething rage at my boss to have energy to make.

Folk Medicine. Mexican Ex Voto and Antique Nailheads.

I was really loving these heavy brass stampings I used here above. I liked how they created a very symmetrical thing I don't ever do. So I thought I'd sort of make my own. Thus:

and:

That's the fun of ideas, they never turn out like anything... These second loop bits came out too straight. I'm thinking I could rubber band some pencils together and use that as a guide to wrap the wire more proportionally, and so that I'm not spending an hour trying to get the 2 bits to look like each other. I know they sell jigs, and you can hammer nails onto a board, but, pencils! How simple is that?

Oh, it's been awhile since I tormented you with the ol' scanner... It's also been awhile since any before and afters.

Before:

Heart Free Master. Antique White Choker.

After:

Before:

After:

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

After That:

You can't tell, but it looks good. The strands were way too monotonous. I'm still trying for that Lorelei balance between pattern and random, order and chaos. Getting there. OK, You'll believe me when I get some real pictures going...

4 comments:

Spirited Earth said...: these look great..and i think the solid background really shows off the work well too.; 8/27/10, 1:22 AM
Malin de Koning said...: The top earrings are suuuuper nice. I will have to try something similar. What's wrong with pens? Or the top part of your slim bead drill bit? Or just anything with the right dimension, I use an upside-down cone shaped teacup as my bracelet meassurer. Hammering some nails into a wooden bit and you have your jig. Use larger nails for bigger loops, or screws with a smoth top part.
Love the pendant on the bottom necklace. The leg one ... naaah.

All the pieces look great though! And I love your blog big time. In fact you were awarded by me. Check out my blog some posts down, the versatile blogger.; 8/27/10, 1:32 AM
Malin de Koning said...: Oh, it's the middle earrings I really looove.; 8/27/10, 1:38 AM
fanciful devices said...: thank you so much! and of course, pens, chopsticks, just about anything would work.
Thanks so much for the award?! Ima go check it out!; 8/29/10, 2:39 AM