fanciful devices: omgilistedallthethings

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.

10/1/12

omgilistedallthethings

So many things. Listed so many things! *pant pant*

Your Mirror.

So much caffeine!
Your Mirror. Cosmic Gold Compact with Faux Raku.

And even though you've seen all these mostly, you have to look at them again now that they have little loops on top. A Lion, a Star. A Lion, a Star. Cosmic Cast Pendant with Faux Raku.

A Lion, a Star. Cosmic Cast Pendant with Faux Raku.

True Alchemy.
I have a buncha these but I had to add little snippets of something to the backs. Except for this one. I was too impatient, had to list at least one of these.

Lights Up the Sky.
There's always some little something extra to be added, you know? Something to the back, a little dangle to the end...

A Divine Letter.
Good Lord on a Popsicle that's bright!!! Within.

Within.
And here, I didn't show you how the top on this opened.
He'll Make You Shine.

He'll Make You Shine.
Yeah, you've seen all these I suppose. The Lip of Insanity. Antique Bronze Escutcheon Bracelet with Cosmic Faux Raku.

The Lip of Insanity.
That's the price you pay to be my minions. Repeats.
Scattering Stars. Scattering Stars. Rustic Cosmic Iridescent Earrings.

In Your Light. Rustic Cosmic Iridescent Earrings.

In Your Light.
Wait, these are new. And look at the bottom-most knobby rounds. I MADE THOSE!!! Well, they were plain wood beads and I made the flashy flash. In Your Light. Rustic Cosmic Iridescent Earrings.

Guess how guess how!!!

Come In. Rustic Cosmic Mini Shrine Earrings.

Come In.
Which reminds me. Not everyone who won a coupon has claimed one I don't think. They're still good ya know. Come In. Rustic Cosmic Mini Shrine Earrings.

Do you see what's bizzare about the photo below?

Secrets. Cosmic Antique Skeleton Key with Gold Leaf and Faux Raku.

Secrets.
The pictures I was getting of this key once I put the little loop in weren't as glowy as the original ones, see below. So I took the original one and photoshopped a loop into it. Of all the weird things to find yourself doing. Secrets. Cosmic Antique Skeleton Key with Gold Leaf and Faux Raku.

Dance in Your Blood.
Here's an egg-like something.

Oh here's something new! I photographed my 1st kit. The smallest, thus easiest to photograph.

I guess I'm ok with it... but now I have to figure out what to charge! Help!

12 comments:

Numinosity said...: All these pieces look like they've been thru some fanci photo filter like instagram or something the way they're glowing.
I don't mind seeing things more than once, gives me more time to absorb it into my brain receptors.

Voonderbar kit there, no idea what you would charge for all that inspiring loveliness. Cool idee for sure.
Nice knobblies, it's all so magical and gets me all pitty patty and fired up.; 10/1/12, 9:24 PM
Numinosity said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/1/12, 9:24 PM
Juliette said...: Wow, the kit is 'huge' to me! No idea what to charge, perhaps describe some of it? Who knows, my brain is toast after working on copper and ammonia all day. Ha!
xoxo; 10/1/12, 10:38 PM
Flotsam Tide said...: Ok I read before that you were going to make a kit but I had no idea that you were really going to make "kits"! Awesome! Also love how you turned wood into flashy gold gleam..... some of them remind me of basha beads (which are some of the prettiest beads to me), and scattering stars is perfect. Also cool egg thing caught my eye right away, I like the curled bail. You have just so much cosmic dust sprinkled everywhere. It is a joyous Ole!; 10/2/12, 12:15 AM
Alice said...: Fabulous stuff, including the kit. Seeing all the things you made makes me realize I need to get myself to the work table. I haven't made anything for a couple weeks...!!!!; 10/2/12, 3:42 PM
Anvil Artifacts said...: Wowee. Your flashy flash wooden beads remind me of Australian boulder opals. Flashtastic!; 10/2/12, 5:07 PM
Chelsea said...: A thousand dollars?; 10/2/12, 7:08 PM
Lela said...: Cool beads!

And what are you thinking with that kit? That's like at least three kits, isn't it??; 10/2/12, 8:54 PM
alteredarcheology said...: ok, I'll take a stab at how the transformed wood beads were done, looks like utee, gold foil, mica powder and that fusible film crap you just used in those pendants. All glorious offerings once again, me loving the 'egg thing', it's like anything could hatch out of there!; 10/3/12, 8:23 AM
Anonymous said...: LOVE your pendants!

Advice I got once on 'how to price a kit': cost o' materials, plus a small finder's fee relative to anything exotic and or rare. Add some labor for any beads or findings that you've treated/embellished.; 10/3/12, 3:00 PM
Penelope said...: Seriously I thought I commented here last night...weirdness. Okay I reckon you should charge about $25-35 for that kit, cause I can see about 8 pair of earrings in there. So if that sort of price makes you mental, you might have to split it up a bit. Maybe just one or two pairs of things and then some beads?

Everything else- brilliant, genius, etc.; 10/4/12, 9:26 AM
annamei said...: I love your *within*
Did you´ve left a secret in there?

the flashy wooden beads are great!!!; 3/18/13, 7:07 AM