fanciful devices: Uga Buga

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.

For some reason I feel obligated to include a title in all my posts. Clearly I've run out of inspiration. I need to rotate them like tags.
Anyways, here's some stuff.
If the World Goes On. Tin Sterling and Brass Hoops.

If the World Goes On. Tin Sterling and Brass Hoops.

If the World Goes On.
Onomatopoeia. Ring.

Onomatopoeia. (get it? onomonopia? bling? get it?... well, you will if you read the actual description.)

Ideals for a New Beginning.
You may have guessed my computer's back in action. It's working much better than before, actually.

Extraterrestrial. Earrings.

Extraterrestrial.
Also- the last day of the semester is December 17th! In 2 weeks I'll be making more, blogging more and generally giving into my obsession for little adornments.
Primality of One. Earrings.

Primality of One.
Note: for those new to these parts, I'm a teacher, now a student. Imna start teaching less, is why I'm excited. People always ask me if I'm a student and I hafta go NO! I'm a teeeea-cher. I look/act young for my age but I'm a full-fledged grown up! Damn you, awesome genes! (shakes fist at the sky.)

My Forehead Bears the Sacred Name. Glass Dangle Earrings.

My Forehead Bears the Sacred Name.
Does anyone else ever get so parched it hurts? Happens to me every day! I'm always drinking coffee which I'm maybe allergic to... makes me fart... (gets drink) Where was I?
Balance. Earrings.

Balance.
I'm watching Cowboy Beebop and enjoying my Saturday night while it snows outside.
Passerines. Large Sparrow Dangles.

Passerines.
These were the lovely bird's from Sacred Cake's gorgeous box of goodies.
Hoping yr all having nice weekends, catching up on sleep and staying warm. Unless yr in the other hemisphere, in which case I friggin' hate you.

9 comments:

jamberry_song said...: These are all gorgeous!! I am in love. ^___^ <333; 12/5/10, 12:04 AM
stregata said...: Love the extraterrestrial and those monkeys - excellent!; 12/5/10, 12:34 AM
carol said...: now now fanci....

.but, it is soo gorgeous and warm in the southern hemisphere.
i do love the No.1's and the bird earings. they are both so unusual. but of cause they should be.
keep rugged up.
regards
caRolS; 12/5/10, 2:18 AM
Penelope said...: I hate you too, baby! I'd swap your hemisphere for mine in a heartbeat right now. I've never dwelt in snow. I went to a snow-covered mountain once, but I've never, you know- *lived* with it. I can't understand winters so deep that the sun barely shows, it just doesn't happen here. Sounds like something that belongs only in Viking tales.

And it's a measure of how much your stuff rocks that I love those monkey earrings, even though I hate monkeys. Everything else is face-punchingly wonderful, as usual.; 12/5/10, 4:11 AM
Spirited Earth said...: most fabulous..love the monkeys.
and all else too..
drink water yo! coffee dehydrates.
med advice from Dr.N. ;-)
extraterrestrials make my heart beat faster.; 12/5/10, 7:39 AM
romantic decay said...: Love the monkeys, way cool.; 12/5/10, 12:45 PM
fanciful devices said...: wow, those monkeys sure got a response. i should get more of those guys.
how can anyone hate monkeys? we're gonna hafta have a serious discussion about this, missy. im crazy about apes and monkeys are the next best things! theyre so cute in a sped-up way... man. this is unacceptable. imna hafta convo you about this!; 12/6/10, 2:17 AM
Anonymous said...: Love love everything as always my dear...
I think the monkeys must be mine....if they haven't monkeyed off into someone elses cart already....
xox
Cake; 12/6/10, 5:29 PM
~Debi said...: Love them all! And yes, the monkeys rock!; 12/8/10, 4:29 PM