fanciful devices: New

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.

10/11/10

New

Got some images for some postings.

Nothing looks right to me, though. As always.

I just found out my in-laws are coming this weekend and the house is a catastrophe. Thanks for letting me know, hubby! He's all 'what, you didn't know they were coming for my birthday?' So I'm all- 'I only asked a hundred times and every time you were all- "naidunnno"'... Grrr.

So no more of this for a while.

Question- which side is best- the side w/the tag or the side w/just the roses? I'm asking for my 1st picture when I list on etsy.

Now I'm starving and I have to mow the lawn.y which I mean, shave my legs for the 1st time in months. It's getting so you almost can't see my skin! OK, maybe not that bad...

7 comments:

Spirited Earth said...: all lovely...i like the rose side best.; 10/11/10, 7:19 PM
stregata said...: I like the tag view.
But am drooling over the carnelian piece. And what is that longish blue element between the darling little buttons on the first piece????; 10/11/10, 8:41 PM
stregata said...: Almost forgot - I feel with you about having to shift gears to clean up for the in-laws.; 10/11/10, 8:42 PM
TesoriTrovati said...: I like the side with the tag.
I had a similar experience with Husband on Sunday. As we past a house on the way home from church at 12:15 he commented that the party was already started. What party? The steak fry. You knew about it, he said. I emailed you! Umm. No. And we had to be there at noon. With a dish to pass.

I got the email today ;0

Enjoy the day!
Erin

P.S. I got the best present in the mail. Filled with treasure. And I hardly know how to thank you. I waited until today to open it at lunch and spent the hour savoring every.single.piece. Thank you seems inadequate, but it is what I feel. Thank you.; 10/11/10, 10:28 PM
Regina Moore said...: I prefer the tag side, but what do I know? :-) I do know for certain that I love each and every one of your creations...am saving up to purchase one.; 10/12/10, 7:39 AM
fanciful devices said...: oh, after all the time i spent coming up w/a good 'description' and figuring out the pictures- it sold almost instantly! thanks for your help, everyone!; 10/13/10, 4:32 AM
*Debi* said...: I know the feeling about the surprise visit! My son and his new gf are coming up for a birthday party this weekend and now I find out they are coming to my house as well! I know the new gf should be the one worried about making a good impression on me, but I get crazy when someone new visits my house. Ack! Cleaning for the rest of the week.; 10/14/10, 2:41 AM