fanciful devices: Aaaaaand we're live!

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.

9/21/13

Aaaaaand we're live!

OMG my brain don't work. I'm exhausted. Here it is.

My tute!

So but here's a question. Should I mention it's plumbing epoxy in the title? Or should I just call it epoxy putty because 'plumbing' makes it sound cheap? Cuz I kinda like that it sounds cheap like people will be curious to try something inexpensive, but Sparrow thought it just sounded cheap-cheap. What do you all think? Help with title por favor. Note: Just plain "epoxy putty" won out. Even got some votes via 'notes to seller.' Thank you guy so much for your help for realz!

Also you can get it for 20% off for a short 24 hours with the code COSMIC. Cuz you're my blog bitches and I love you. But if you don't enter it in the apply code section and put it in the note to seller section, I'm sorry. Just, no. Not only won't you get the discount, you'll owe me $32.58 exactly, because that's exactly how annoyed I'll be, I did the math.

I need to sleep a lot now.

13 comments:

alteredarcheology said...: Epoxy putty.; 9/21/13, 8:12 AM
quisnam said...: I'm a massive cheapskate and I tried plumbers epoxy just because it was cheap and easy to get. I love the fact that you have made something so extraordinary from something ordinary and I'm betting others will too so I wouldn't gloss over the 'plumbers'.; 9/21/13, 9:22 AM
Anonymous said...: I say put epoxy putty in the title. Then when you tell them it is plumbing epoxy in the tutorial, they will feel like they are in on a secret! (Except for those of us who read your blog.); 9/21/13, 9:30 AM
Patty said...: 'Epoxy putty', although I'm always thrilled to find jewelry components/
materials at the hardware store.; 9/21/13, 10:07 AM
Beatnheart said...: how's about
Cosmic Rocks...using cheep cheep plumbers epoxy that anyone can buy for cheap at their local big box or little corner hardware store.; 9/21/13, 10:17 AM
Sandra said...: Ya, would leave out the "plumbing" bit and use epoxy putty or epoxy clay or resin clay instead.; 9/21/13, 10:53 AM
Sandra said...: Bought it, yay~! Too bad it's not an instant download. ;~; Do have epoxy clay, and I just finally found my old stash of gold leaf a week or so back which had been missing for aaaages.; 9/21/13, 11:07 AM
Lucie Tales said...: I would keep the "plumbing" in the title because it's one of your characteristic to work with unexpected material and it's less serious, I like that, just my opinion
and the picture you chose is gorgeous! I know you showed it already but I didn't mention then; 9/21/13, 11:28 AM
Jiorji said...: yeah for sure. leave that plumbing stuff out. sounds "crafty" and i haaaaate jewelry to be associated with that word. blehhhh!!!; 9/21/13, 12:40 PM
Chris said...: Epoxy putty. Every time I see the word "plumber", I think of butt crack. I know I'm messed up. What can I say...; 9/21/13, 2:05 PM
Chris said...: I bought the tute~~LOTS of pics and very clear instructions. Wooo hooo! Thanks Fanci!; 9/21/13, 10:04 PM
Unknown said...: Onward to get the tutorial - no matter what you call it. You use it to its advantage and ain't that making art is all about!; 9/22/13, 1:04 PM
HenrietteWhite said...: Got mine this morning and it is W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!!!! Clear explanations which should make it quite easy to get the Dutch version of the putties and stuff!
Thank you!; 9/24/13, 2:04 AM