fanciful devices

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.

2/9/11

I'm sick so Im gonna cheer myself up by posting some glorious treasuries 2 of my best etsy buds included me in.

THE PERFECT PAIR. Curated by SacredCake.

Antique French Nude Student Study Painting 1 of 6

Pear Original Oil Painting by Claire Elan - 10x8

Winter Frost...One Pair of Raku Wing Cabochons

CURLEY is the New Straight, BLEACHED Peacock Feather Pair

SALE - 40 perc. off - Nuno felted wrist arm warmers - Growing Spring on my skin OOAK

Vintage White Textured Kid Leather Gloves Size 6 1/4

French Scripte Pair of Accent pillows 10x14

Wedding Handmade Place Cards Set of 60 Victorian Heart Wings Brown Kraft

Three Golden Pears - 10x20 Original Oil Painting

A Chimney sweep's heart. Curated by sparrowsalvage.
4 x 6 Black and White Tower Bridge London England Photograph

the priestess of panormita. tribal victorian arm cuff.

Vegan Eye Shadow Eyeliner Eyeshadow Large Black Orchid Mineral Makeup

Chimney Sweep Boy Folk Wood Top Hat Ladder vintage

Black Cinnabar Carved Butterfly Beads Pendant 2 pieces

SALE Antique Napkin Ring Victorian Edwardian Christmas

Spirit Voices--Antique Rosary Bead Earrings

2 Vintage Silver Tone Metal Top Hat Drops or Charms

In the Realm Between Gods and Mortals. Soldered Fossil Necklace.

Vintage brass primitive ring. Woman wedding ring.

There's tons more glorious treasuries that include one of my babies. How do people make them so easily and frequently? I'm terrible at it. I can only handle one thing at a time.
AVintageSeason has included me in a bunch. She makes like 10 per day, though, and they're all beautiful. Isn't it funny how what comes so natural to one person that they do it just for fun seems like work to another? I'm talking about video games, of course.
I'm sick, my throat hurts and I don't have to make sense. By the way, my students can't say throat. They say troak or something. It's very cute.

4 comments:

Spirited Earth said...: sorry you're sick ..
hope you are on the mend soon.
these treasuries are wonderful..Sacred Cake and Sparrow Salvage both have a good eye to design.
wish i could get a treasury pulled together..maybe in the future.; 2/9/11, 6:03 AM
Jennifer Valentine Morford said...: sending you well well wishes my dear friend!
thanks fer talkin' 'bout me and ma trayshurees on yer blag.
xoxox; 2/9/11, 7:36 AM
stregata said...: Sending get-well-real-quick wishes. I love seeing the treasuries these ladies create!; 2/9/11, 11:47 AM
richelle said...: Sore throat remedy:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/109210/ease_your_sore_throat_pain_instantly.html

It really works--hope it helps. (I wrote the article, not trying to promote it, just easier to link than to describe the technique...); 2/9/11, 5:04 PM