fanciful devices

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.

I've clearly lost my mind b/c I keep re-making this. Now there's gold leaf.

I just don't think I can sell anything that isn't leafed now. So I also did this one:

I made another honkin' "statement" necklace:

And the statement is: "I'm a big honkin' necklace."

"With every color in the crayon box."

A statement choker. With the hand of the son of God on it.

The hand of the son of God comes from Uruguay. I don't know where the rest of him is.

I also have a couple new rings.

Next, druzy bells.

I made these earrings with some amazing hollow lampwork that a buyer sent me to make something with for her.

Goddamn these beads are amazing. From. Damn, super expensive lampwork sure is amazing.

And here's some more fancy lampwork (from) with some rough amethyst that I plumber puttied into place then put the shimmer to. The wires are sterling, cuz I figure... And full-hard not even half hard. Because I'm a hard-ass.

And here's a gorgeous bronze escutcheon from, you guessed it, Blurubly. I mean, Shmuru-shmy. And SacredCake sent the big rhinestones that I, you guessed it, leafed. Cuz I figured... Now I'm watching Puppy Bowl and gold-leafing my whole body.

13 comments:

PipnMolly said...: Those druzy bells are kick ass awesome.; 2/3/13, 6:01 PM
Juliette said...: Yowza I love the Honkin necklace. Well, pretty much all you've posted here.

Puppy Bowl, eh? My TV is off. But during baseball season I make lots of jewelry with games in the background. xoxo; 2/3/13, 6:10 PM
quisnam said...: Love it all - in particular the choker with the hand. You are a genius.; 2/3/13, 7:37 PM
Sharon Driscoll said...: Putty, necklaces, and especially those earrings with the lampwork - yummy yummy stuff.; 2/3/13, 8:46 PM
Penelope said...: blarrbahahawaaaaaaaaaahhh..coronary noises...drool...etc

Yeah, so you know how you said you could never do printmaking because there's already enough out there that you could never be as good as? Well you make me feel that way about jewelry. I think I'll become a janitor instead.; 2/4/13, 4:17 AM
Jiorji said...: yeah i second sparrow's comment...i mean you're both AMAZING jewelers so imagine how i feel with HER saying that lol but dude...you're like INSANE!! (in a good way)

those amethyst drops with the blue...and the shimmer.....MY PRECIOUS!!!!

hmm so yeah.....remember how i was doing that custom hoodie/long sleeve thermal giveaway thingy?? yeah ...so happens you won. YAY! umm i guess you got good karma points from raping my eyes with pretty pictures of pretty things :D

i need you to email me info and stuff on what i should make you :D YAY! (colours and size and such ); 2/4/13, 6:01 PM
StaroftheEast said...: Wow, that hand thing is striking!
And the earrings...yumyumyum.; 2/5/13, 3:21 AM
alteredarcheology said...: Oh my, where do I begin..... You are outdoing yourself!!! I love every piece here. In particular the druzy/putty with the shimmery stuff. Please, oh please dish on the shimmer. What is that irredescient gorgeousness on there??; 2/5/13, 9:16 AM
Corey said...: Thank you so much for re-visiting my blog today! And for your wonderful comments!

My, my, but you have some beautiful jewelry here! And that hand is simply divine- gorgeous!; 2/5/13, 4:56 PM
martinisfor2 said...: OMG... how in the world did I miss this post!!! I second Tracy... the druzy bells are kickass awesome!; 2/5/13, 6:07 PM
Tribalis said...: These amethyst with lampwork..the most beautiful earrings I ever saw until you make another one I will call most beautiful.
Powerful woman!; 2/6/13, 2:50 PM
Tribalis said...: These amethyst with lampwork..the most beautiful earrings I ever saw until you make another one I will call most beautiful.
You, powerful woman!; 2/6/13, 2:51 PM
beadybaby said...: I am really loving the latest necklaces, and rings, and pendants, and bracelets, and...!!! Love the colors!; 2/9/13, 3:22 PM