fanciful devices: THREE THOUSAND SALES! And a sale.

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.

11/4/13

THREE THOUSAND SALES! And a sale.

There's a sale on to celebrate my THREE THOUSANDTH sale! I can't even believe it. Well, tutes occupy a huge chunk of that giant number, needless to say. But still!
Now I have an outburst of excitement like such:

To get some sale action, put something from my shop in your cart. Under "How you will pay" see that text that says "Apply coupon code?" Click that. Enter code FIFTEEN for 15% off. (No, not in message to buyer. How many times I gotta go through this?) Now buy the fuck out of that shit. As long as that shit doesn't include tutorials you tricky little fucks.

Anonymous said, " I wondered if you would consider posting some pics of your own favourite jewellery? I would love to see what kind of jewellery you like to wear yourself."
Here it is:

No really, I don't wear jewelry! I'm crazy, I know. I'm just a big tomboy in real life and joolz get in the way of the tough guy I like to delude myself that I am. Ideally I want to look like that gorilla up there: tough, goofy and way hairy. I got the hairy part down.

7 comments:

TesoriTrovati said...: Congrats you hairy gorilla girl you! What a great milestone! You might not wear your wares, but I know that you bring much love and light into the world when you make them, and when you share your talents with the tutes. (I know, because I have one that I love). Keep on rockin' on! Enjoy the day! Erin; 11/4/13, 9:33 AM
Beatnheart said...: I think i just watched that gorilla about 50 times...i love your little animals jinx movies that you include for our viewing pleasure..
Congrats on you billionth sale... That is awesome marina...keep the light shining for all of us to follow.

I wonx,t be using the coupon code as i am waiting for the made in china version for $ 3.95..; 11/4/13, 9:53 AM
alteredarcheology said...: Congrats!! Bravo!! Gosh, I remember I was your 1000th sale, such ancient history now...; 11/4/13, 10:26 AM
Jiorji said...: Congrats!!

HAHA i dont wear any either. Gets caught in things.
this dude on the subway was apparently hitting on me and the talk came to what i do and i said i make jewelry and he wanted to see it on me and i said well no, i don't wear any jewelry and his exact words were "that's FUCKIN WEIRD!! how are you a jeweler who doesn't wear jewelry??!!"

and that is the end of my AWESOME story....*yawn*; 11/4/13, 10:31 AM
Angi in hana said...: That is insane! I think i got 2 sales and then gave up, people don' t realize i have to work to get sales! So u worked pretty freakin' hard! Aloha, angi in hana; 11/4/13, 11:58 AM
stregata said...: Congratulations, girl!; 11/4/13, 11:58 PM
Lynn St. Over said...: Marina!!!! I did it!!!! I'm in here finally, or at least I think I'm in here with you and your BAD ASS creations...

I'd like you to tell me what's needed to begin. I mean, if I got a tute from you would I need special machinery? A kiln, a place to smelt, what? Really pretty much all I need to be able to do, I suppose, is to transfer one picture already in a piece of jewelry for another. You see there is a fantastic necklace made by the most exquisite artist I've seen in ages (she's THAT good), but it has one tiny little problem...there's a picture of a baby right bang in the focal piece. Babies and hearts are insufferable to me as far as jewelry is concerned and I simply cannot brook either in my baubles.

Also, I'd like much to see more pictures of the cuff you've made, the one with the buckle and the stones. How wide is it and will it fit a slender wrist? From the picture it looks as though the clasp swivels, and that's my clasp of preference (I don't understand your other clasps!).

I hope you tell me no heavy machinery is required to put one of your tutorials into action...I've got silver wire, gold-filled wire, beading tools, as well as beads, lots and lots of gemstone beads, but none of my things allow me to get anywhere near crafting something as beautiful and deep as those things made by you. I'd like much to learn how to oxidize metals. Is there any liquid I could buy at the crafts store, anything I could go out and buy tomorrow so that I could begin oxidizing right away?

Tell me what things are needed to begin and whether or not your tutorials are easily understood by the layman because I'd truly love to join you here in your beautiful niche of art...yours is the best.

Lynn; 11/6/13, 1:07 AM