fanciful devices: Return of the Snotting Dead

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.

2/13/11

Return of the Snotting Dead

My mom has mercifully given me some antibiotics (she's a doctor), but yesterday I was full-on flu zombie.

But here's some proof that I haven't just been sitting around feeling sorry for myself.

I have been thinking of you, dear reader, and your eye-candy needs.

Because if I fail to provide, you might go off to another dealer, and we can' have that. I guess.

By the way, where the solder looks all 'swimmy' is me getting loose with the smudge tool, trying to cover up this white dust-stuff that I shoulda just rubbed off before taking shots. It happens when a lot of Novacan dries on metal.

<--Thusly.

I know this one's weird. I didn't have the right sized glass and you know how I like to use the wrong supplies whenever possible...

And the reverse weird one with the pieces of microscope slide I McGuivered.

Also, notice the crazy bright primaries. Y'all know how much I love me some bright primaries! ... Do I even have to say 'not' here?

Here's that white dust w/a minimum attempt at hiding.

Here it looks like a time lapse of a creek poster.

I even have a couple things ready to go-ish.

This one wasn't even soldered but rather folded into a makeshift tin bezel under a piece of plastic why not.

And the back--->

Oh all the previous have backs and lots I showed both sides and so now you proly think I made 2x as many as I did... which I should just shut up now.....

This guy has a back whynot.

<---Also, look at these glorious beads one of my lovely etsy friends/buyers sent. I know, I'd be jealous, too.

OK, now Imna go make packages. Oh, and eat!

7 comments:

Regina said...: Hope you get better soon. Love the eye candy, thank you.; 2/13/11, 6:15 PM
Anonymous said...: Those are beautiful. I love the loopy top and bottom connector pieces. I can't wait to see them finished. Hurry up and get well!; 2/13/11, 8:57 PM
stregata said...: Thank goodness your mom is a doctor - I don't suppose you would consider going to see one. Hope those antibiotics help real quick.
I admire your dedication to our eye candy cravings - you did good!
And those beads - jealous!; 2/13/11, 11:32 PM
Penelope said...: About time! I was getting starved for candy over here, every day I go to your blog to be met with the same post. You have an obligation.

I love those loopy swirls you do. You're the only person I know that makes solder look like primitive cast iron, or liquorice. I love it.; 2/14/11, 5:13 AM
Spirited Earth said...: gorgeous...even if there are primary colors involved ;-)
i love that bird on the back side fold over..but it would be difficult to choose a favorite they are all amazingly lovely.
hope the anitbiotics make you start feeling better.; 2/14/11, 6:43 AM
Jennifer Valentine Morford said...: SIGH....I love the loopy loops and I have a real thing for matchbooks. My grandfather collected them and when I was little I'd always dump them out and look at them all...every summer there were new matchbooks. when he died I got the huge "Sarah and Bob" snifter they were in, but alas, no match books....so since then, I have always wanted to refill the snifter with matchbooks...but maybe I should just buy a necklace instead. After I pay for the other two things on layaway of course....lol.
I'm such a fan of yours my dear. But then, i think you already know that!; 2/14/11, 5:37 PM
Pretty Things said...: REALLY cool stuff.; 2/14/11, 7:15 PM