fanciful devices: Magic!

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.

6/10/11

Magic!

Hi peoples. Today I have a cuff and earrings.

Endsick.
Lookit! Bone! How did I get it in there? Via magic?

Or could it have been... cutting the bone on an angle then gluing it in?
Or was it magic?

Sangelous Commendaces.
How about these? Are they magic?

No but they're cute. Sort of. I hope. I hope someone thinks so, anyways.

I'll tell you what IS magic. The mailman made a box of wonderful things appear for me out of thin air! I know what you're going to ask- "Did you order those things you twit?" NO!

It was from yet another etsy buddy who just decided to give me stuff for no real reason!

In fact she MADE these insane lampwork beads!!!!!!!! These are just exactly the ones I've been looking for- not shiny or overly bright- organic and mysterious.

Lookit the white babies. Eeee!

And this teacup, can you stand it?

Little Charlottes.

A bajillion of these which Imna have to spread around among friends. Or I'll have supply overload panic again.

But look at this little set of cuties!

And these white ones look just like cigarette holders. That's what I thought they were at first.

And eeeek! Druzy! Can you tell she used to sell supplies?

Can you tell I'm so excited for my surgery I could just die? But remember, it's going to be a couple days til lefty actually works again. I don't wanna be getting, you know, letters of complaint, demanding to see new pieces. You animals.

6 comments:

stregata said...: I wonder how the bone will stand up to 'wear and tear' if you didn't use magic... which you probably did. Your carpal tunnel problems probably come from your wild waving of your magic wand...
That stash has got me on the floor, drooling my little heart out.
Wishing you all the best and speed recovery for your surgery.; 6/11/11, 12:18 AM
Flotsam Tide said...: That cuff is so cool.... the bone reminds me of a septum piercing. Love it! You have some real treasures in your new supplies. Take it easy though lady til lefty is healed... can't wait to see the flood of fanciful that will ensue in the nearby future. xo!; 6/11/11, 12:51 AM
Cate said...: sending you healing light. I recently reconnected with your Etsy site and blog and am SO glad! Bought a pair of earrings awhile back that either grace my ears or a photo of my husband and me. What a treasure box of stuff waiting for your alchemy.; 6/11/11, 10:48 AM
Penelope said...: You know, that bone cuff is sort of like a testament to your hand pains, innit? I mean symbolically. No I'm not drunk, I'm an artist!

Those supplies are giving me an internal hernia. Those lampworks!!! I WANT THEM. And that shield shaped thing- is it a stone? And there are some white bits I like too...; 6/11/11, 10:54 AM
Lurena Sheary Williamson said...: Kick Ass eye candy! What a glorious surprise to get in the mail! Good luck with the surgery - I had a friend do it and said it was the best thing she ever did!; 6/11/11, 6:33 PM
Jennifer Valentine Morford said...: I'll be thinking about you...sending you and your lefty good ju-ju for speedy healing...
Hey also? I'm never sending you any more farkin' goodies from my stash again. ever. so there. you have enough good stuff already.
well...I do have that one more awesome get well box to send, but after that? NO.; 6/12/11, 12:34 AM