fanciful devices: Roman Glastravaganza

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.

3/29/14

Roman Glastravaganza

Wind and Water. Roman glass, labradorite, solder and sterling silver rustic bohemian assemblage earrings.

Wind and Water.
I just madephotoeditlisted soooo many things I can't even.

Looketdem ridges! Never seen nun like. Me sleepynotalkgood.
RESERVED for Emmanuelle.

Made on request of friend so no you can't have. Of Shimmering Rains. Rustic victorian tribal assemblage earrings with Roman glass, apatite.

Of Shimmering Rains.
These. See, with the tin? To protect, glass no break.
Shadow Veil. Victorian tribal assemblage earrings with Roman glass, garnet.

Shadow Veil.
These no break with edge thing.

MerMaidens. Victorian Tribal assemblage earrings with Roman glass.

MerMaidens.
These no break with solder frame.
The Lover of the World. Victorian tribal assemblage earrings with Roman glass, baroque pearl, polymer art bead.

The Lover of the World. Victorian tribal assemblage earrings with Roman glass, baroque pearl, polymer art bead.

The Lover of the World.
The faceted little lilac is one of my polybabies.

Other's a baroque pearl
Winding Creek. Rustic Bling assemblage earrings with Roman glass, rhinestones.

Winding Creek.
These with the longs.

The Strange Pull. Rustic Victorian Cosmic Iridescent Earrings with Roman Glass, citrine, sterling.

The Strange Pull.
I coated these utee pins in epoxy resin so no break.

Salvaged sterling ear wires. Super iridescent glass.
Deep Space Love Story. Roman glass ruby and sterling rustic bohemian assemblage earrings.

Deep Space Love Story.
Crazy sparkle glass, real teeny rubies. Sterling.

Sister and her goblins are in for weekend so I have to go entertain. Maybe I'll teach them to twek? Earthenware. Rustic Bling assemblage earrings with Roman glass, rhinestones.

Earthenware. Rustic Bling assemblage earrings with Roman glass, rhinestones.

Earthenware.
These have a dangle from the back of the post stoppers or nuts or whatever you call them.

Trust the Water. Roman glass. Rustic Victorian Tribal earrings with aquamarine and beach stones.

Trust the Water.
And these are my favorite of all because of the holey beach stones.

Really never know what's gonna look good or work or what.
The Enchantress. Rustic asymmetric assemblage earrings with polymer art beads in pastels.

The Enchantress. Rustic asymmetric assemblage earrings with polymer art beads in pastels.

The Enchantress.
Check it these use a bunch of my polybabies.

See the faceted ones? The Lost Self. Rustic assemblage asymmetrical earrings with polymer clay art beads and cultured pearls.

The Lost Self.
Also these simple ones, one is shipwreck's and one is mine.

So I think I'mna have to start making bead soups to destash because all I wanna do is make polybeads now. Check out some.

Faceted, painted then sanded.

Used rock salt for those pits:

And regular salt for the surface. Then I shaved off some of the surface cuz they were looking sorta bubble-gummy. Then I attacked them with paints.

Twirls and facets and paint oh my.

Cap type things that are too thin and I have to either try again or fill with epoxy or resin to strongify.

It works really well when you just keep doing shit to them. like, use your acrylics and your alcohol inks and you knife and your textures...

Here's a bead cap texture Shipwreck sent me. Learned you can use a spritz of water as a mold release! That's what I gotta try more of. Got tons more but you get the idea.

I need me a little -

12 comments:

Alice said...: I want to come play with you. Wait, that sounded all wrong. I want to watch you make beauties like this.; 3/29/14, 5:37 PM
Unknown said...: Your newest beads are mad science Marina! It's a thrill to see you produce such treasure. I keep meaning to ask, did you get a wee baby sister for your mom's cat? Hello to the fur folk from me. N, x; 3/29/14, 6:20 PM
Beatnheart said...: words cannot describe the way you have with just anything you put your furtile mind and hands on...it's like magic and these latest make me even wanna buy some even though i rarely if ever buy other peeps stuffs...these are an exception...makes me wanna run out and get a soldering iron cause i guess that's what you use here...so imaginative...; 3/29/14, 7:58 PM
Lela said...: Holdthephonewaitaminute! I see symmetrical earrings! Am I in the wrong blog?!? Love'em all. <~~; 3/29/14, 10:41 PM
StaroftheEast said...: I've always thought that you 'messed' too much with inks and ute and putty and glitter and what not. Things that for me belong more to the realm of scrapbooking that to 'real' jewelry.

BUT, those polymer beads, are incredible. All that applying of inks and gold leaf and stuff really elevates the humble polymer to something else entirely.

It seems that you can satisfy with those beads your obsessive manipulation (I mean it in a good way!). The result is stunning :); 3/30/14, 4:41 AM
scissor pirate said...: gorgeousness!; 3/30/14, 6:54 AM
Unknown said...: When do you have time for a life? I love ALL of what you do!; 3/30/14, 11:36 PM
Terry Ricioli Designs said...: Love what you are doing with polymer clay. In fact, I love all these earrings!; 3/31/14, 10:00 AM
CraftyHope said...: Your skillz with polymer clay are tremendous! And you just started a few weeks ago!? Wow-o-wow! Just fabulous.; 3/31/14, 10:28 PM
Unknown said...: beautiful of course, now, on the cap that shipwreck sent, is it that you molded it into the poly so it looks like a bead cap, or is it a real bead cap? Love it all.; 3/31/14, 11:39 PM
Unknown said...: Wow wow wow! Craziness as usual, so lovely, so original, so beautiful... like Beatnheart said, makes me want to buy it all :)

That little kitty is sooooo cute; 4/1/14, 3:05 AM
Miss R said...: Sometimes I click over to your blog then get overwhelmed by what I'm sure I'm about to see and have to click away real fast because I just won't be able to stand all the pretty and fantastical and make-y-ness. After several days away, I took a deep breath and looked and I'm overwhelmed by all the pretty and just want to go to bed now. How do you live with all this!! So pretty it hurts.; 4/2/14, 7:42 PM