fanciful devices: workinprogress'n'progressinwork

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.

12/2/10

workinprogress'n'progressinwork

Been makin' me some bezels. Which in Spanish is beseles, I thought you'd be fascinated know.

Wielding the torch makes me feel so professional. Or maybe that's after wielding. During wielding I feel a little out of control and in a panic to hurry up and spread the solder before everything chars black and I maybe set my house on fire.

Here's something redonkulous. I wrapped this huge chandelier crystal in filigree and soldered it to a base. I've never wrapped anything in filigree. But it really worked! Now I have a ridiculous ring-pop looking thing.

All of these 4 pictures above taken before a massive dose of oxidation, of course. As my regulars will know. Though I checked today and I seem to be up to 75 followers!!! Hi new guys! I always drown everything in Novacan Black Patina, in case you can't tell. (And yeah that's me sharing my "secrets" with anyone who cares to know. Make sure to read that last sentence in a sarcastic tone.)

An etsian asked for my blade earrings in ginormo-size. So I'm experimenting. I just don't think my sterling ear wires will be substantial enough for these...

Again, these are very, very "in progress". (Yeah, more quotation marks, but that wasn't sarcastic. How would that even make sense as sarcasm? Sheesh you newbies are a little slow.)

Oh, plus I've realized that I switched 2 buyers' orders. URRRRRGGGHHH. I hate feeling like a total 'tard. I wanna knock my head on my desk repeatedly and beg forgiveness!!! F*CKF*CKF*CK! And I'm putting off some convo damage-control by blogging but can't put it off any longer. Wish me luck.

3 comments:

stregata said...: Oops. Things (as not to say sh..) happen. Am loving your beseles - which I find a much more fascinating word that bezels.
Oh and, sorry about scaring your dog. Didn't mean to. Know anybody that needs some s...? We got another 30 cm yesterday...; 12/2/10, 12:42 AM
~Debi said...: Fantabulous new stuffs!! You go girl.; 12/2/10, 1:21 AM
Spirited Earth said...: love what you have goin' on.
the filigree is great.

order mix ups happen..i did it..
duh..felt and said the same as you.
but i convo'd refunded the shippings and sent free stuff..bowing and scraping all the way.; 12/2/10, 8:28 AM