fanciful devices: Couple Custom Creations.

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.

5/26/13

Couple Custom Creations.

A woman who makes these amazing documentaries about children in Nepal sent me some antique beads to be made into something. Here's this big fat choker:
RESERVED for lunamdocs.

She said she wanted pieces with the sparkly edge I give my patroness' things. I made those spacer rings with epoxy putty and gold leaf. So. Many. Rings.
RESERVED for lunamdocs.

I'm especially pleased with this toggle closure I came up with on the spot.

Here are some earrings I made with the long beads that were on the bead strands. RESERVED for lunamdocs.

I can't use tube beads with necklaces. It's like they're trying to take up more room than they deserve. They're not giving enough eye joy for the space they take? Yeah, I know, but it's how I feel.
And here's some for the Patroness with these sort of Roman glass bottle bottom chunks.

And some fine Roman glass heishi.

I've stopped mentioning my PMS here. Got tired of hearing myself complain. But I'll still put cute anipals here for my own enjoyment.

"Grr! I'm tough!" *Lick*

And now die from the this:

Join us next time for the giveaway winner.

8 comments:

HenrietteWhite said...: Those beads are absolutely gorgeous!! And you've used them so beautifully! Love those earrings!! Cannot think of a better way to have used the tube beads!

And love the colors in those roman glass earrings! They're really beautiful too!

And so is the baby elephant!! Want to take it home with me!; 5/27/13, 1:18 AM
Eva said...: What a necklace...
So beautiful!

You are so talented, and thanks for sharing with us.; 5/27/13, 3:24 AM
PipnMolly said...: Nice use of the beads. Simple with a funky touch of bling. Works together real well. Buyer must be thrilled with the outcome.
Love the clumsy baby elefuntus footage of course.; 5/27/13, 9:18 AM
Claire Maunsell said...: The necklace is so delicious I could eat it up...; 5/27/13, 11:21 AM
Anonymous said...: those beads are a bit splendid, love those earrings too. Epoxy and gold rings you say...best move my cat out the way, last time me and puss played with glue it wasn't pretty!; 5/27/13, 4:07 PM
Unknown said...: It's hard to do those incredible antique glass rounds justice but you did. wow - it's just the right amount of bling without being overpowering, who'd of thought all of that leaf would look so totally great with that - you did!

The earrings - whoo hoo - it's like a bonus round of eye candy.; 5/27/13, 9:29 PM
gretchen said...: you really did an exceptional job making those amazing vintage beads into a "new" art piece. the size alone must have been a challenge. love the earring, too!; 5/29/13, 3:27 AM
Anvil Artifacts said...: Wonderful devices! Love the necklace! Wow! Adorable baby elephant. Thanks for sharing.; 5/29/13, 10:51 AM