fanciful devices: Questions. That's right.

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.

10/18/13

Questions. That's right.

I got an actual question:
RESERVED for Lynn

When I asked for questions, Beatnheart said, "That "paper" or whatever it is behind earrings with lion ...yellow paper..how'd ya do that ...what is it."
It's just gold leaf on tin! But now I feel like it's all mysterious an' shit. I put some variegated red with some variegated green, just cuz that was on hand.

For that question you win the tute of your choice! Convo me. Reader, if you want to win a free tute (or a $20 gift certificate if you have all the tutes) you have to ask a question. But it has to be a real question, not why is the sky blue. I'll decide if it's a real question.
Like cjasin wrote, "Say can you help me find where to purchase the bangle bracelet forms again? I cant remember, and want to make more. Thanks girl!" Which if you mean the fillers, the best place is here in TeapotsandTelephones run by my etsybud fancylinda. Now, is this a prize-worthy question? Hm... It's good, it's a legitimate question.... But I'm gonna say no, cuz reasons.

I've been on a mini stay-cation. Sorta distracted for the 1st time since started making julz. I did manage to make some things but they're photo-ed under horrible artificial light. But Imna make you look at it anyways.

Dis da custom necklace I was asked to make.

Deez da custom earrings.

Then I made this from Kathy's things.

And this below, though the focal bidness is all mine. Also painted some of the wood beads. Been painting beads.

Also this. I'll have to take some daylight pix so you can see all the iridescence going on here.

Now I'm going back to reading johnlock and listening to music. Oh, I've also left the house the last two days- with make up on and everything! Forgot how it felt to be a normal human and not some kind of art hermit ogre.

10 comments:

darlene said...: oooo. what's your favorite makeup? i don't mean brand, but do you do lipstick? eye shadow? eyeliner? rouge? a lot of a little or a little of a lot? what's your favorite color of what you do choose to put on? i love makeup! but not on me. photo?; 10/18/13, 6:40 PM
belvedere beads said...: I have questions about drilling. It looks like you make a lot of holes, in all kinds of things, to use in your pieces. Do you Dremmel? Tell us about your (drill) bits. Your set up... give us courage, and maybe a bit of insight into making holes in found objects.; 10/18/13, 9:19 PM
Aimee/Relics Revisited said...: Hi Fanci: What type of wire do you use? Is it steal, what gauge? It looks like you just loop the end and don't twist it around itself for security. I use a lot of wire but always have the twists at the ends.

Aimee; 10/19/13, 8:09 AM
dawn said...: love those earrings....I thought that was some kind of way cool mica....BTW..have you ever tried mica instead of glass in your tin bezels? I have lots of sheets of different types....think I will try it out....probaby need to try to keep the moisture off....?; 10/19/13, 1:45 PM
dawn said...: k....now I'm thinking mica behind the glass....stuck on mica...; 10/19/13, 4:10 PM
martinisfor2 said...: geezzz, my knees are weak from your stay-cation creativeness. The custom earrings are so freakin' cool. Linda's things bracelet is gorgeous. Was that a medallion or metal plate and how did you bend it? I have an old metal plate from a dresser that I am dieing to make a bracelet from. I'm thinking of trying gold leaf on it but am scared to death... any suggestions to make it work? Keep on creatin' to inspire us to get the hell out of the box. I still want to spend 24 hours in your brain. Can you create a tute for that???; 10/19/13, 4:56 PM
Beatnheart said...: I WIN CAUSE I OBEY THE LEADER OF THIS CULT.

I AM HAPPY

OBEYING SOMETIMES PAYS OFF

NOW I TOO CAN MAKE STUFFS OUTTA " exotic puddy"
from hard to find sources.

thank you fanci deelightfulls.; 10/19/13, 6:57 PM
Beatnheart said...: whatcha gonna do with the 6 million questions yer gonna get now.; 10/19/13, 6:58 PM
gretchen said...: When you made the Kathy's thing bracelet or other large curved shaped pieces, do you use a bracelet mandrel? I've been using an old wood baseball bat, mostly because it was handy, but I need to get something that will let me enlarge curves more easily. Do I need to get one of the 'for reals' tools or can you think of another option? Thank you, oh great and knowledgable one!; 10/20/13, 2:29 AM
Lynn St. Over said...: Mrs. Device, has someone been eyeing my lion earrings? Oh good! I'm wearing them as I type and they're fantastic and I love them and they're my favorite pair of earrings from you and I own six pair and yes I know that the moment I put in one of the other pair then those will become my favorite but the truth is they're all my favorite and I NEVER wear any other earrings other than the ones you made and for that matter I never wear any other necklace and la! you know full well I never wear any bracelet save that glorious cuff I got from you and I really don't blame you for trying to get me to send it back to you with that ridiculous story about you needed to fix something on it, yeah, a valiant effort on your part, that, but while I was born at night it certainly wasn't last night so NO, you'll never see that cuff again, MR, and cryin' won't do you no good Mrs. Device is my personal jeweler and just you try an catch me wearing anything she didn't make because it'll never happen...; 11/9/13, 12:44 AM