fanciful devices: Giveaway... rants... spiritual home.

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.

3/19/13

Giveaway... rants... spiritual home.

It's time again. What's the occaision? Umm.... I've added five more items to the sale section? The snow thawed? I just finished a fantastic book? Free Shipping. A Divine Letter.

I have 363 followers? That's to be celebrated and is amazing. Kim née Flotsamtide has an amazing new blog?

How about my dog has the best stink in the world and makes me laugh several times a day? Same with my hubs. Well, no the dog's stink is waaaaaaaaaay better. In fact when and if the hubs stinks its no good at all. You're so glad I went into it. So yeah. Leave a comment if you want in. If you want two entries leave a comment with link to some other where that you plugged my shop. You'll win this guy, good for layering or for adding more charms to.

Here's an excerpt from a convo to Sparrow I was just thinking on. She'd been telling me about how psyched she was to do some house remodeling serious construction-type stuff. Which I was exhausted just reading, but she said she had infinite energy for- not so with jewelry. So this is me:
"no that totally makes sense. some ppl are more comfortable with a certain scale. for me, the scale of jewelry- how it fits in your hands, how it is finger-fiddling size- is just perfect. but i know most ppl, its so small it would drive them nuts. for me the fine-diamond-setting size is nuts-driving. not to mention the ppl who, like, paint on rice and shit. anything that needs magnifying- kill me now. but i know men, for example, are more comfortable at building-construction scale. like i read once an article by this guy wondering why his wife always packs but he always fits the suitcases in the trunks and insists on hauling them around. he said that part of it is just more satisfying to him, the other just a hassle. and his wife thought vice-versa. an actress friend of mine i was like -how can you handle the scale of it... having to interact w/all these ppl on such a huge project. mine is tiny and i dont have to coordinate. she said that she felt like mine was much more of a pain cuz i had to see it thru start to finish, not to mention selling it rigamarole. whereas she shows up, does her part, leaves the hassle to the rest of them.
ok, wow, let me get off this fucking topic already."

Anyways, I add that because I often think about it and about how I was just made to make jewelry. I love being hunched over tiny hand-sized things, my eyes are even actually most comfortable focusing on something really close-up. My whole body curls up over whatever I'm working on. Not to mention all the ideas. Which I always do mention so who'm I kidding?

New topic: Numinosity Kimberly is in Uruguay and sent me pictures! Mu husband who is the world's biggest (only?) Uruphile was all "SHOW ME NOW!" and you shoulda seen how he deflated when he saw the first one-->

He's all "Shoulda known."

Here's a glimpse of hotel. This is so Uruguay.

The ornate bit, the cramped tininess. Of course this is all original from maybe 150 years ago. Sigh.

Here's Kimberly herself looking dramatic against one of the two-story-high windows. This is actually Argentina but it might as well be Montevideo.
She called this the Man Cave Bar:

But I know what you really wanna see, you filthy sluts.

Those masks? 4 for $3!!! OK? This literally looks to me like she stole from my stash. Thus my reaction, "I want to burglarize you now."

It's funny because Kim's (née Flotsamtide, now Wildthorn) new blog is all about the inspirinks of home. Well, at least how inspiring it is for her to return to her spiritual- and now physical- home. Well, I was enjoying but not really relating- I'm very happy here in the heart of Chicago but it's not like Chicago has anything to do with my makies. But just now putting up these pictures, it clicked. Uruguay, damnit. Everyone pause for that lightbulb moment. And also I need to shake Numinotisy Kim by the ersatz lapels and go "Close ups of these fuckers! MACRO!!!!" Both of those things is what occurred to me.

Here's the fountain of lover's locks.

Finally, I had to share this picture she took ~~of Chili~~ in Chile because it is just so South America I can't even stand it:

As I commented on her post, my hub is gonna wanna frame this and put it over the mantle place. Go to her blog to see more.

12 comments:

Numinosity said...: How exciting to see my pics on yer blog. I'll macrofy my finds when I get home next week. I kept trying to imagine a gang of theeng craving maniacs trying to stay as a group thruvthe Tristan Navajar market and I had a hard time featuring that scenario. Maybe filling up the man cave bar with giddiness over a quart of Quilmes perhaps!; 3/19/13, 7:38 PM
neshuma said...: MACRO~! OMG, yes, go macro!
My prayers have been heard! Thank you, thank you...; 3/19/13, 7:53 PM
neshuma said...: ...Make that u r u m a c r o .; 3/19/13, 7:54 PM
Juliette said...: Yes please, I want in! And that sign is hilarious. Looks like something my Welsh husband who lived in Spain for 7 years would make for dinner.
xoxo J xoxo; 3/19/13, 8:24 PM
Relics Revisited said...: I have been eyeing that necklace for a long while. Love, love, love your creations! Thanks for sharing so much of yourself, you inspire me every day!; 3/19/13, 9:00 PM
Wildthorne said...: Aww the mental image of: "My whole body curls up over whatever I'm working on" is really poignant to me. Something almost vulnerable in that, which is made even more touching because you are fearless in so many ways. Thanks for mentioning the new blog! :) Why did I blush so hard when you said "filthy sluts" because I take a sick glee in seeing all the pretties?.. yah. Lucky Kim, I heart that key.... Uruguay is your spiritual home, and that photo of the locks is a visual testament to that.; 3/19/13, 11:27 PM
Penelope said...: SHOW ME NOW! hahaha your husband is hilarious!

I get what Kim means, but she and I have been discussing that at length. For me it's England, and I know that everything I do while I live in this country is a world away from what I'll do when I get there. In a sense what I do now has an expiry date that hits the moment I hit Heathrow. Bitches better get on it!; 3/20/13, 4:56 AM
betweenreader said...: I don't know so much about cool husbands and hotels and incredible hauls of wonderful theengs, but I do know my dog stinks better 'n your dog. We could have a sniff test if only we had a smell o vision app. ZO; 3/20/13, 8:02 AM
martinisfor2 said...: three posts in one comment box... here goes..........

LoVe your giveaway! Sign me up! I also follow and promote you on my Pinterest page... don't do fb, blog or tweet. Technologically challenged.

Kimberly's new blog is great. Can't wait for the stories to follow. I have so much stash envy from y'all I can't even focus...

Drooling over all your new jewels. The triple wrap bracelets are fab and what a great idea for destash.

Thanks for sharing your workspace and home with your stalkers. It was pretty much what I pictured you as. Loving your artwork from your previous life as well your uncle's piece.

The cutie patootie pic was perfect. I think we all have at least one with our signature pose.

Thanks for reading my novel... autographed copies are available for purchase in the lobby during intermission. Please be sure to visit our juice and snack bar.; 3/20/13, 5:37 PM
Beatnheart said...: I am happy for Kim to carry out the touraguay on our behalf...she deserves all the loot ...; 3/20/13, 7:17 PM
Shari Replogle said...: Ha Ha what is it about liking our dog's body odor , but not at all liking when people have it . It's kinda true. Your blog makes me think about silly things , I love it.
I would love to be entered for the giveaway , and adore the photo of the fountain of lover's locks!; 3/22/13, 5:50 AM
Laura said...: I love laughing, and I love reading your blog and cracking up.

Those masks are OMG, awesome!; 3/22/13, 8:19 AM