fanciful devices: The Waves.

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.

Sorrows Grown Fruitful.

Once again, got da pims. Seems like every dang month! So that accounts for why the last 3 days I've been making halloween cards and spending all night up reading Anathem by Neil Stephenson. Which by the way is insanely good and might have to go into my select list of books that have rocked my reality. Also, right now I would kill for a hot fudge brownie sundae....

We Taste Only Sacredness.

When the Universe has Finished Exploding.

So my sister is a biology teacher, among other things, and if her children complain about, say, mosquitoes or rain, she always explains that "we need the rain/ mosquitoes/ etc." and goes on to explain why.

It's very cute because her 5 and 3 year olds are growing up very environmentally aware- even if their favorite activity is frog hunting. They always release them after one night. I like to think they are slowing producing the most traumatized population of frogs any lake has ever seen.

Angels of Little Use.

Anyways, the other weekend my folks went out to Wisconsin to visit. My dad- who they call "Belo"for abuelo (grandpa)- was in the kayak with Marcela, the little blond terror.

Extraterrestrial Diamonds....

There were loads of boats out that day and Dad and Marcela were just bobbing up and down like crazy from all the wakes. So Dad, ever the professor, goes, "Do you know why there's all these waves, Marcela?" She looks at him very seriously. "Belo," she says, "we need the waves!"

Why Should I Fear.

Enki of the Water of Life.

9 comments:

Gayle said...: vintage frosting tips!!!????
Who the heck even thinks of that????
You are amazing.....and I can't even tell you how much I want those buffalo teeth earrings.; 9/24/11, 8:00 PM
Regina said...: Great earrings! We need earrings!; 9/24/11, 8:07 PM
Penelope said...: Jesus woman you've made a batrillion things! All fantastastupendous, acourse.; 9/24/11, 9:01 PM
stregata said...: I can't decide what is more amazing - your niece or the earrings. I think I will just settle for - you are amazing!; 9/25/11, 12:56 AM
Louise said...: Beautiful, unique & alluring work... :) x; 9/25/11, 4:22 AM
Anonymous said...: Loving the pebbles and textile wrapping, wished my pims led to such creativity.; 9/25/11, 4:40 AM
Flotsam Tide said...: Marcela is adorable!!!! What wonderful snippets of stories between your beautiful jewelry. Enki has such beautiful elements and drape.; 9/25/11, 1:20 PM
Chelsea said...: Generally, first comments from a long-time lurker should be some sort of praise for the created theengs, but what I really felt compelled to say was "I refuse to believe that we need the mosquitoes!"

Also, of course, I'm as usual awed and impressed by the way you continue to be able to make earrings interesting. You inspire me.; 9/25/11, 8:50 PM
Carmela said...: Hey... I'm the only one that's allowed to call her the blonde terror! Very cute pic; you know, she does have girl undies now.; 9/26/11, 8:30 PM