fanciful devices: new 'n' all

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.

10/23/10

new 'n' all

The Omega Point. Victorian Tribal Pyrite Pillbox.

Thank you guys for your comments, you're so supportive and it's so wonderful to know we all go through these things. I mean I know we all do, but you forget.

The Omega Point.

Thank you Spirited Earth, for making me feel like less of a dork for still being controlled by my parents even though I'm in my 30s! That actually I didn't know others also struggled with!! So it's a creative-types thing?

And Tesori, I've never heard someone say I have a responsibility to share my talent! That is a new one and I'm gonna have to turn it over in my head a few times. By the way, if my dad said 'How's your playing with beads'? I'd launch myself at him with fangs and claws out.

Thanks Debbi for saying you wanted to get one of the doorknob ones! You probably have a day job, right? You don't, er, live off $14 a month?

Each Moment's Sickle.

<-- Doesn't this look like I stole this from Sparrow? And not just the design, but the actual piece! Oh, well...

A Hazel Fire.

Dream of Existing.

Shards and Thorns of Existence.

A Garden in Every Childhood.

When Stars Explode.

Wandering Moon.

4 comments:

~Debi said...: Wow, more awesomeness!! I LOVE that Omega Point necklace!!!!Girl, please be my mentor. lol

Nope, Etsy is my only paying job. I do have the supply shop, but it sucks right now. Basically making nothing there either. My husband is the one that supports us.

~Debi :); 10/23/10, 10:32 PM
Jennifer Valentine Morford said...: (BIG SIGH) so wish I could purchase every. single. thing...
You have such talent. I know it is hard to stand up to parents. You've got to believe you have something special. Because you do. Your mom will see that someday. How can you ever be anything than who you are?; 10/23/10, 11:53 PM
stregata said...: Drooling over all these gorgeous pieces. Just sent you a mail.; 10/24/10, 1:07 AM
fanciful devices said...: -Oh, jenny! that really moved me: how can you be anything other than what you are?
so simple but so so true! could you say that to my mom? cuz she thinks she can scold and stress you into being what would most keep her from worrying...
-and yes, deb, my mentoring services are available for a small fee of zero dollars. but ask jennifer, my mentoring consists of "make it grungier! oxidize it! rub dirt all over it! add some ripped lace, then dirty up the lace!" but if you convo me w/a link to a listing or picture, i could tell you what i'd do to it. (which will surely be to make it grungier, oxidize it, etc...)
-and stregata, your listing's up!; 10/24/10, 2:25 AM