fanciful devices: Earring Extravaganza!

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.

4/18/11

Earring Extravaganza!

Camelidae.
I can't believe I made all of these yesterday.
Rubedo. Antique Silver Medals, Fine Quartz and Pyrite.

Rubedo.
I used a bunch of these strand connectors I got at a jewelry supply in U.

They seem to organize things for me quite nicely, without me having to think too much.

Catacombs of Malta.
These earrings above are a collection of tiny, precious gold medals and bits.

A Cloud of Raindrops. Found Poetry and Chandelier Crystals.

These were almost done before I left.

A Cloud of Raindrops. Found Poetry and Chandelier Crystals.

A Cloud of Raindrops.

Qutn. Cotton Pearls Enamel Plates and Bone.

Qutn.
These too are from before I left, but I got the spear-esque head pins in that same shop in U, which I'm psyched over, since they're they only things large enough to keep in these beads with they're unreasonably large holes..

Those Who Came from Heaven to Earth. Vintage Religious Medals and Jade.

Those Who Came from Heaven to Earth.
These cylinders are jade, I think, from an artisan who put those cute tops on them. The stones cost more than the antiques most times.

Elizabeth. Religious Medals, Pyrite and Gold dipped Amethyst Druzy Slab.

Like these stalactite amethyst slabs with druzy tips are dipped in gold.

Elizabeth. Religious Medals, Pyrite and Gold dipped Amethyst Druzy Slab.

Elizabeth.
So since I wasn't shy about spending on these, I've priced them a bit high. I mean, for me they're high. But then I don't know. The ear wire here is sterling, the bits are precious, but the strand connector is some base metal, imported from Hong Kong or something.

Landschap. Earrings

Landschap.
And yet I know this mix is aesthetically the best. I guess I worry that the person who would spend for fine and special bits would not approve of non-special bits.

Concussion Idiophones. Earrings.

Concussion Idiophones.
Oh, these castanets are from my previous trip! I was very blocked on them and then was all "Duh! Earrings!"

Tooth and Nail. Earrings.

Tooth and Nail.
These tusks also came from that one supply store-aren't they cute? They're shell and resin, I think.

The Figa. Wood and Horn Earrings.

The Figa.
I think all the earrings are because I'm too overwhelmed to make anything else. Especially anything that involves a lot of unpacking.
Phew. I'm a makin' machine!

2 comments:

stregata said...: You're on a roll, girl! Wow!; 4/18/11, 11:57 PM
Penelope said...: Those gold dipped crystals!!! They KILL ME!; 4/19/11, 3:30 AM