fanciful devices: New jewelry, how very unusual.

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.

3/12/14

New jewelry, how very unusual.

Hello my ladies. How are you faring this fine day? Orgasmically ecstatic I hope? No?

Hm. What have I got to share? Here's a layered pair.

I hope you managed to catch Cosmos on the tube with my secret boyfriend Neil deGrasse Tyson?

Gosh he rocks. And the show is spectacular!

These are miniature dollhouse plates from Kathyhaul. Did you like that smooth segway? ~~seuge... sueguey~~.... ~~seguey~~...

Here's another pair like the Silent Sisters from last time with tin curled into cones. Tin from Uruguay I finally got to chopping.

What else?

I discovered something new for me. This beading thread called Wildfire.

Here it is, almost as thin as sewing thread and strong enough to lift a truck.

So impressed I decided to feature it in these delicate pairs.

Plus I got all this flashy labradorite to show off.

Here's some asymmetricals. Tra la la ...

This pair below got different ear wires.

Maybe I'll list tomorrow?

Ooooh, color!

So much color.

I've been experimenting with polymer bead making! So addictive.

Here's another tri-focal ring with baroque glass pearls.

Sorta golden tones. I guess I have nothing to say today. But in a good way.

I finally finished fiddling with this necklace.

Gonna have to take close ups on the mannequin because when I try to photo on flat surfaces it's all, plop!

Thats it for today. Have a good one and make sure to cuddle your loved ones.

16 comments:

Jiorji said...: if theyre not Orgasmically ecstatic at the beginning, they're surely be by the end of the post.

HOLY BEADS!! i looove labradorite. so much. I want to live in one of them :D

and beach pottery.MIND.BLOWN!!!! i love that pair; 3/12/14, 7:00 PM
Beatnheart said...: you amaze with new and different techniques each and every time...just when i was thinkin...hey there is nothing new to come with ...bam...there you go blowing my feeble brain...
i bow down and worship at your feet...

birds......adorable and so sweet...
xx you marina....; 3/12/14, 7:16 PM
Kelsy said...: Oh wow! I love the earrings with the yellow rhinestones. SO MUCH COLOR!; 3/12/14, 7:23 PM
Lela said...: OH. Wildfire *takes notes* Must have. Plus I do love those flashy labradorites on it.; 3/12/14, 9:24 PM
Unknown said...: Once in college we had to invent a fake product and do an ad campaign for the product - my invention was Orgasmic Toothpaste. LOL - it's the first thing I thought of when I saw what you wrote. Can you imagine how white our teeth would be and long we'd brush with that stuff?

Your jewelry kind of works the same way! Jewelry porn....; 3/12/14, 10:29 PM
Anonymous said...: wow that is some earring fest going on there. I'm loving the photos too, they really bring out the colours and details. When I was a young girl we used to have a ring necked parakeet called Pete and when he died, my mum was so upset I had to bury him. This made me late for school and when the teacher demanded to know why I said " I had to bury my parrot Miss." She gave me detention....oh the childhood trauma!; 3/13/14, 2:44 AM
Unknown said...: OMFG the beauties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:::faints::::::::::; 3/13/14, 5:49 AM
Unknown said...: Wildfire thread a huge hit. Looks fabby. I am extremely excited about you getting inspired to make your own beads. Oh boy...here comes Marina! :) N, x; 3/13/14, 4:43 PM
Unknown said...: p.s. in memory of my darling budgie who did kiss with its' beak:
http://www.thefairyyellowbugqueen.blogspot.com/2008/07/rip-dude.html

:) N, x; 3/13/14, 4:51 PM
Shari Replogle said...: Kind of upset now that 13 said she got detention after having to bury her deceased parakeet by herself , that is really sad!
But, just wanted to say that the new photo styles/ backgrounds are really
awesome and stunning. I especially love the layered pair !; 3/13/14, 6:56 PM
Louise said...: Holy smokes that first pair of earrings are absolutely gorgeous Marina! LOVE; 3/14/14, 1:26 AM
Penelope said...: I have not seen the new cosmos and probably won't for a trillion years because Australia sucks, but I'm sure it's good anyway because NdGT. Although I do love the way Sagan does it, with his languid poetic voice and reassuring tones. I guess it's like apple pie versus apple candy - both good, for different reasons.

Those big blue fang things are ace!; 3/14/14, 3:59 AM
Unknown said...: I'm speechless! That is all.; 3/14/14, 7:28 AM
WillOaks Studio said...: I love the GUSTO in your assemblies--the contrasts are just stunning, and YES, Cosmos. Just. Rocks!; 3/14/14, 8:08 PM
Unknown said...: hi fanci, I am in love with the polymer beads you did with the interference gold phthalo blue, those are absolutely royalty. You should make those and sell them, they are exquisite. Now, I am new to the blog, but the solder babies, are you taking your solder and running it over the connector wires to make it look old and rustic? It is awesome, just wondering if that is the technique, putting solder over the wires, it is so cool, it makes it look like you have done some incredible metal work. I love your work and your blog, you brighten my LIFE, not just a day. Thank you for sharing all this lovely knowledge and talent.; 4/3/14, 1:20 AM
Tribalis said...: Love all these gorgeous earrings, Marina!Suddenly I feel i've been before in this place..; 2/13/15, 9:19 PM