fanciful devices: Around the Studio

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.

9/1/10

Around the Studio

It's a total mess still, but what the hey. Here's a wall:

I've been putting up some papers from my stash. I'm giving it away, why not keep and enjoy some special bits?

I've also finally cut some drawing out of old folders and attendance notebooks to put up.

I bought these strange button-y things b/c they were so pretty and mysterious- and also underpriced- I couldn't pass them up.

I broke a few trying to hammer or bend the stud, but now I think I'll just cut the metal off and use them as flat cab stones.

Here's a necklace I'm working on. The trim is from some that Opulent Oddities send me. It was coming apart so I carefully stitched each loop and bead in place.

Here's a pretty box that was next to that. While others might show you their work table, I show you my work floor. I've always worked on the floor. I've always been most comfortable squatting like an Asian people in old photos.

I do have a coffee table. It's topped w/glass. How nice for hammering and such.

I believe it was Malin who asked to see my stash, but its all boxed up.

I do have random boxes everywhere

Here's some bits.

My 1st 3 attempts at pom-poms.

Some recent mail goodness. I bought this stash of damaged glass beads along w/the odd button-y things above from treasurebooth.

I love broken things! 1- cheap. 2- sense of discovery b/c they come in big packs. 3- they turn on your creative problem-solving since if it's perfect it already tells you what to do w/it.

Here's some fossils I'm gonna solder into connectors. They came w/a amethyst freebie but I'm not loving the shape.

If any of you want it, email me- marinarios@yahoo.com.

This mysterious box arrived yesterday and I waited til now to open it so I could take pictures as I did.

OK? Am I freaking my shit or what?

Here's a penny for size. All this for $18? MorningDove didn't know what she had and I fear I've taken advantage.

A rather amusing bit- On these redonkulous rubber dolls were fibers strung w/these giant capped resin amber babies. Ou. Em. Gee. I've been wanting and drooling over so much amber. I knew I ordered this pack but I didn't realize how much goodness it was packed with.

And now, of course, I shall oxidize it all to kingdom come!

8 comments:

Spirited Earth said...: that's a fab box of crazy goodness, those metal shoehorn looking things are cool
also love the fossils in the other photo..; 9/1/10, 4:16 PM
fanciful devices said...: metal shoe horns!!??? LOL!
I had to look back at the pictures to figure out what you were even talking about!
The woman who sent the box says she's about to list many more such boxes. yipeeeeeeeeee.....; 9/2/10, 12:18 AM
Penelope said...: hahahah- you bought all these things that were on my fave list to buy! I wanted those weird glass pin things for aaaaaaages but had no idea what to do with them, and now I've gone off the Victorian thing.

And that morningdove stash was SO nearly mine the other day- I put it in my cart and then changed my mind later. And you know what? I was going to give the little dolls to you!!

BUTBUTBUT stuuuudio!!!!!!! FLAILSOGOOD. I need some of those wall of plastic boxes things. That random box full of bits has me foaming at the mouth.............

(ps I think those 'shoe horns' metal bits are coins.); 9/2/10, 2:35 AM
fanciful devices said...: the dolls practically bounce, they're so rubbery.
so today i was looking around at all this other stuff i didnt take pictures of somehow. yet its all packed into this tiny room...; 9/2/10, 1:10 PM
Anonymous said...: Oh wow. That was an amazing haul from morningdove ! And i'm glad i'm not the only one with boxes full of bits and bobs all over the place .; 9/2/10, 4:43 PM
Anonymous said...: can't wait to see what you do with the budda head

your stuff is always amazing

caRols; 9/2/10, 10:40 PM
Unknown said...: So many things to comment on...

1 - I like the wall. I did this with a dresser back for my daughter and we still enjoy looking at it 6 years later. I can't wait to see it when you are done.

2 - I like the bottled rose buds and the tobacco tin. A lot. They seem ingredients for a spell.

3 - I am freaking out over the fossils. I think that should be a piece you send in to Belle Armoire, the way you go sideways with your soldering is very original and it could become like a signature style.

4 - I can't believe you got all that in such a cool wood box for $18. You know Morning Dove knows what she has, look at her shop, she is pricing according. A true collector. I can't believe you got it. I am watching her shop like a hawk now....

5 - I wish I could make a mold of that dolls face. I neeeeeed it, Fancy. I could make you a mold, too? That way you could re-create it when you felt like it. I could if you let me.....

and lastly 6 - I used to work on the floor, over the coffee table. Hours upon hours were spent there in my little happy place. I stopped when I had babies but I miss it. I could never squat like that though, although I like it when people do. It seems very in tune to the earth, to sit in a position like that.

Okay, sorry about my crazy long comment. (hopefully you like my kinda nuts too, hehe); 9/4/10, 10:07 AM
fanciful devices said...: aw- i loved this crazy long comment! it just took me a while to find it b/c i never expect comments on any but the most recent posts. what in the world would i do w/a mold? fill it w/mud?
but i could send it to you if you like. to make a mold of.; 9/8/10, 12:57 AM