fanciful devices: Guilty

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.

Am I the only one who has a love/hate toward the cute? A delight and a simultaneous disdain? A guilty pleasure....

First, Japanese, world leaders in cute. I'm kinda obsessed with their stamp sets.

Japanese Big Doily Lace stamp.

Japanese Big Doily Lace Pattern Wooden Rubber Stamp (Black)

Like I'd know what to do with these even if I had them- have you ever seen anything done with a stamp that improved upon the stamp itself?

Kodomo Margaret

Meaning, isn't it often the case that cute supplies are more attractive than any end-result of people using them? I know that's true for scrapbooking supplies...

Japanese cotton linen blended fabric - Writing Paper - 18in x 27in

Very special - Japanese cotton linen blended fabric - Envelope

Very special cotton linen envelope fabric.

It's the whole 'zakka' thing- a Japanese take on the vintage and traditional, homey western aesthetic.

But then, I also have this thing for country/shabby americana.

Red, Navy And Tan Ticking

On Sale Primitive Slave Dolls- that's right, slave dolls! (???)
Eulavon Primitive Black Doll E-PATTERN

Eulavon
Sadly, the patterns for these 'prim' things go for more than some of the finished products. Why is that?

Extreme Primitive Fall Harvest Halloween Pumpkin and Bats Shelf Sitter Doll Epattern Pattern

Extreme Primitive Harvest Pumpkin So what's your guilty pleasure?

5 comments:

Spirited Earth said...: shhhh...
i have a secret fondness for cute..but don't you dare tell..
the rubber stamps patina is fabulous..cut off the rubber and use it as a focal.
i think cute can work if you take it out of its element of sweet. maybe..; 10/8/10, 7:28 AM
Linda said...: i wish i could say i have a secret fondness for bright colors, but it just ain't so. what i really long for is anything made by fanci...; 10/8/10, 9:23 AM
Jennifer Valentine Morford said...: hhhmmmm....my guilty pleasure? rhinestones....lots and lots of them....I have never shown a soul my secret drawer...maybe on my blog I'll come clean...
it is filled with clear rhinestone pins, earrings and necklaces that I have yet to use. I covet antique beadcaps (I count them like gold coins and use them sparingly), religious medals and Miriam Haskell findings...my most guilty pleasure? BUYING YOUR WORK.
Seriously. Thrift store clothes and Fanciful's jewelry. (not that it is overly expensive, it is NOT. Especially for the work you put into it!)but I opt for cheap clothing and being able to wear my favorite gal.; 10/8/10, 11:24 AM
fanciful devices said...: aw you guys!
I wasn't fishing for compliments! I thought you guys were gonna admit to jammin' out to Justin Beiber or something...; 10/8/10, 2:33 PM
Linda said...: who?; 10/8/10, 6:22 PM