fanciful devices: Winner, winner chicken appetizers!

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.

12/19/11

Winner, winner chicken appetizers!

Having collected a total of $1725, the raffle is now closed. The runners-up are:

All photos from Sparrow's amazing flickr.

BloodMilk Jewelry
Deborah Rubin
CabariBeads.com
Alice Peterson
Lauren Faulk
Renate Starke-Krammer
Mary Newton
Anne Lichtenstein
Cindy's Wicked Good Beads
Lori Anderson

You can convo or email me to give me your address and request a specific lot. I'll do my best, but no promises. And no fancy wrapping. It's going to come to you in old cereal boxes and you're gonna like it!
And the grand prize goes to Paula Bonhomme. Again, convo or email me your address.

I haven't been properly addressing your lovely comments- first, numinosity, the kitty was part of the image on the kvlt images thread. It's funny, see? Oy vey, joke failure.
Stregata- you're viewing the cat from above. It's not totally off.
All the rest- yeah, I've been convoing with her everyday. Sometimes, the pain meds make her pass out while she's writing and it looks like this: "Oh I liked that one neckkkkkkkkkkkkkkk" so that's been entertaining.
When it 1st happened, a broken rib punctured her lung but that's mostly fixed.

Now she has a bunch of bones to heal and some movement to regain. From her last convo:"i've gone to rehab instead of home, so i'm still technically in hospital. it's a fancier, more quiet hospital though, with better food and carpet on the floor, so going for walks is nicer. I'm hoping to only be here for 3 days cause i really don't want to be here on christmas day. "
Her brothers are preparing her home for her arrival by bringing in a big ol' lazyboy armchair. Her older brother came home from the UK to take care of her while she heals up. In Australia, the government pays people who have to leave work to care for an invalid (doesn't that make you feel like this place sucks, oh fellow Americans? Sheesh.).

But it's going to take several months for that to kick in so the $ we've raised will greatly help with groceries, cab rides (since they don't have a car now) physical therapy sessions and bills.

Also, she is completely stunned by all the love and outpouring of goodwill. And me too! All you goofballs saying how amazing I am for doing this- I just googled how to stick a donate button in your blog, stuck up some pictures I'd already taken of a necklace that never sold, and basically watched agog as the dollas rolled in. Raffles are the tits! I want to do everything in my life in raffle format from now on. Don't know how that'll apply to cleaning the house and listing new items, but I'll figure something out.

I just don't know how to thank you guys. This whole community is the 1st group of people I've ever truly identified with, the first group I've been 100% happy to be a part of, virtual as it may be. And now this experience has warmed my black and shriveled heart.

Now it's just grey and limp! (Groans from the audience.)

19 comments:

Kathy Barrick said...: WOW! $1725! That's AWESOME. I'm so proud of you. Not to sound condescending at all. I'm just truly proud of you. And thank you for the update on Sparrow. I'm so glad her brother is coming in to take care of her. We should all move to Australia.; 12/19/11, 10:07 PM
Jackie said...: So happy to see some actual words from Sparrow. I really miss her and I'm honored to be a part of the successful raffle. Glad she has help on the way.
...Jackie xo; 12/19/11, 11:35 PM
Spirited Earth said...: This was a very successful raffle..i hope Sparrow gets home soon...Oh yea,So true about America's need for better health care.; 12/19/11, 11:37 PM
stregata said...: I am sure your heart is already purple and pulsing...
So glad to be helping Sparrow a bit - do you know that there are artists that will be doing silent auctions to benefit her?
As for hearing from Sparrow - anyone can send her a convo via Etsy to wish her well - come on, people - send her some convo-love!
Re: the cat anatomy - I have cats - okay, maybe it isn't exactly the anatomy, but you will never see a cat in this position. There is no way they can stretch their hind legs like that in this position... they are supple but not contortionists....; 12/19/11, 11:57 PM
Janet said...: Great to hear sparrow's doing better and will have her brothers taking care of her.

You know raffleing off the opportunity to clean your house isn't such a bad idea. There might be all sorts of people vying for the chance to get a glimpse of your abode/studio to see how you do it all. I wouldn't be one of them cuz I don't need to see your studio. See, I think you secretly have hoards of minions churning out the amazing amounts of jewelry you claim to produce single handedly. As if.

Kidding guys, just kidding! :); 12/19/11, 11:58 PM
Petra Carpreau said...: What a fantastic amount raised! That was a brilliant idea of yours. Good to know that Sparrow is getting there slowly, and that she's got the help of some useful brothers. Oh God, how poignant is that first photograph of hers? I instantly got a big old lump in my throat.
xxx; 12/20/11, 4:08 AM
Petra Carpreau said...: What a fantastic amount raised! That was a brilliant idea of yours. Good to know that Sparrow is getting there slowly, and that she's got the help of some useful brothers. Oh God, how poignant is that first photograph of hers? I instantly got a big old lump in my throat.
xxx; 12/20/11, 4:08 AM
Petra Carpreau said...: What a fantastic amount raised! That was a brilliant idea of yours. Good to know that Sparrow is getting there slowly, and that she's got the help of some useful brothers. Oh God, how poignant is that first photograph of hers? I instantly got a big old lump in my throat.
xxx; 12/20/11, 4:10 AM
Petra Carpreau said...: SORRY!!!! It wasn't that interesting the first time!! Having a bit of button pressing rage before I noticed my connection had dropped out!!; 12/20/11, 4:15 AM
Lorelei Eurto said...: Thank you for the update! Please tell Penny we love her and miss her!! and THANK YOU again, for doing all you're doing. You are a special friend!!; 12/20/11, 5:11 AM
Alice said...: I'm so happy your raffle was such a success! And I'm thrilled that Sparrow is on the mend,and has such a wonderful friend like you, along with family to care for her.

Thanks for all you've done here. I was so excited to see my name up there in the runners-up list!; 12/20/11, 7:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Thank you for offering the donation opportunity to help Sparrow and for re-posting her richly colored yet poetic, pungent art photographs. I miss her pictures that captured the slices of spirit from her life. I wish her the bests.; 12/20/11, 7:45 AM
Brittany Kuhlman, COC, CPC, CCC said...: That is such an amazing achievement! I am so glad that you were able to help your friend. It will surely make a big difference in her life. ♥; 12/20/11, 8:15 AM
Gardanne said...: So happy that Sparrow is on the mend, thanks for getting the ball rolling on this Marina.
I can't wait to see what I get in my cereal box.; 12/20/11, 8:53 AM
TesoriTrovati said...: I am so glad to hear those words from Miss Sparrow. And it warms the cockles of my heart to see how generous our little community is, whatever a cockle is I don't know. I think that you are right... this is the first community that I can call my own, that has my back, that 'gets' me. I think that we are all richer for sharing and caring. Thank you for figuring out that raffle bit, and when you find out how to raffle off cleaning the toilets, let me know! ;-)
Enjoy the day.
Erin; 12/20/11, 9:38 AM
Lela said...: I'm sorry to have missed all this...I do hope Sparrow is healing quickly - so very sad about her Mom. :-/

What a good friend you are to do this to help her.; 12/20/11, 9:10 PM
Sidereal Day said...: Thanks for the update. I'm relieved to hear she has some helpful brothers to look after her.
I know you are being all humble about putting together this raffle for her, but you should know that it was very thoughtful. She is lucky to have you as a friend.; 12/21/11, 1:04 PM
Anonymous said...: Fanci,
Just got the Making Connections book and I had the same reaction. Found it to be inspirational and encouraging too. She seems like a good teacher.; 12/24/11, 9:31 PM
Jennifer Valentine said...: SO honored to be a part of this...you are indeed an extraordinary person...whom I happen to be on an entire YEAR of "knowing" a.k.a. convo-ing!
I love me some Fanci, and this just made you all the more loveable...is that possible?!; 12/25/11, 4:10 PM