fanciful devices: HERE IT IS

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.

4/1/12

HERE IT IS

THE MONSTER TUTE...

**pant-pant**
33 pages and... -wait for it- ... one hundred forty one motherfreaking photos. That I took. All by myself. My mommy or daddy didn't help me with my homework, no sir. And 2 diagrams, one a whole-pager.
PHEW.

AND- the oxidizing tutorial called "A Practical Guide to Oxidizing" logically enough. 8 pages, 25 pictures, no diagrams. I could diagram how to dip a brush into liquid but I thought I'd let you guys wing it. You get it all for $25. And previews reviews say it provides more tips and ideas than most artcraft books... But that may have just been Kim flattering me.

Go forth leetle art minions, make mama proud. AND WITH THAT- type proudmama into the coupon code area and get a 25% discount. And if you can't figure out how to do it correctly, I can't give you the discount!!! That's because by the time you buy it, Paypal and etsy have both charged their fees so to give you that 25% back will cost me. And I need that money to buy some soap cuz I stink.

20 comments:

Alice said...: Whew, it wore me out just thinking about the amount of work you put into this new tute.

I like the idea of a no-solder bezel!

Hey, wait, this isn't an April Fools joke is it? Naw, didn't think so. Now go put your feet up and take a rest. You deserve it!; 4/1/12, 1:43 PM
indie grrrl said...: Here I go...... off to Etsy. THANK YOU for these AMAZING tutes! Sandy; 4/1/12, 1:48 PM
Numinosity said...: Me first, me first! Yay! Tute tute!
xoxo Kim; 4/1/12, 1:50 PM
martinisfor2 said...: i was so excited when i saw the listing i forgot you were offering the discount......but, i don't care. i consider it your tip for sharing your secrets with all of us stalkers..........; 4/1/12, 2:16 PM
JenHoney said...: I'm off to etsy right now! Also,I've written about your work in a feature on the Honey Bijou blog. I hope you'll check it out!
http://honeybijou.blogspot.com/2012/03/honey-bijou-hive-is-monthly-month-end.html; 4/1/12, 2:20 PM
SarjeantandCo said...: Bought mine! Can't WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!; 4/1/12, 3:03 PM
Jean A. Wells said...: Marina, you are wonderful. I'm off to etsy to save myself 25% and wow, I was wondering what that smell was.; 4/1/12, 4:38 PM
Jackie said...: Thank you, thank you! You are so appreciated for your talent and your sharing ways! Thanks Mama Marina!!; 4/1/12, 4:43 PM
Flotsam Tide said...: Shaking my head with flabbergasted admiration... this bezel tutorial is one of the best I have ever read. I am so impressed with the time and effort you have put into this... it really shows. Your photography coupled with clear concise instructions, and those sweet diagrams make this quite a toothsome project.

Fancifuldevices...more like "fancifuldevices of epic genius!" (imagine a Jack black rising vocal flourish there). <3; 4/1/12, 5:01 PM
Skye said...: Two tutes in one?! Awesome :)

Of course, rent's paid and I still have money, so I popped in to your shop to buy the bangle tute... and pay pal and etsy are not wanting to cooperate for me at this time >.< I'll have to try tomorrow. I'll just assume it's pay pal's idea of an april fools joke... ;); 4/1/12, 5:24 PM
rubyd. said...: Fanci- Make sure you are saving all of these motherfreakin tute photos in high resolution files too... for the day when you put all these into a book. You will have the book written with pictures to go within a year at this rate, all the while having satisfied your fans along the way. Then the larger world can discover our secret. (in fact, you could submit a book proposal right now based on these tutes as chapters!).; 4/2/12, 1:36 AM
neshuma said...: Marina, Flotsam Tide is right. And Kim, too. Both tutes are works of epic genius. Actually, there are more useful techniques, great
tips, and truly helpful background info between the two--not to mention creative work-arounds at points where I’ve stalled
over concern that I’ll ruin a piece--than in any book I’ve come across. They are the best combined investment
that I’ve made in a long time.

Also, shout-out to Happy Fallout: you were absolutely right about zip file compression potentially degrading
the quality of the photos. The files should remain full size.

Peace to Subconscious Dad, too. Your child is a font of brilliance. There is no bingo here.; 4/2/12, 9:16 AM
Sandra said...: EPIC. No better word to describe these tutes. Too bad neither novacan nor jax are available here ("here" being Germany), but I might be able to hunt down something similar in the stores that sell tiffany supplies - they still have all the good chemicals in stock the regular craft stores here seem to have banned. I kept thinking those patina products would only ever work on solder, silly me. Weapon shops seem to have some interesting products to add patina too, including some that work on aluminum.; 4/2/12, 12:12 PM
Carrie said...: My man-thing bought this latest tute for me from his etsy, (which exists mainly for the purposes of buying me something now and then). It is a fantastic resource you've unleashed on us and I look forward to more!

Do I look forward to driving to the stained glass supply in Tinley Park for Jax black? No, but I do look forward to avoiding that hazard ship charge. And to making every metal object in my place pitch black.; 4/2/12, 2:02 PM
alteredarcheology said...: Marina, I've had butterflies of excitement in my stomach today while awaiting the link to the tute. But I've realized that the butterflies are actually more from excitement for YOU! I am so happy for you! I feel you are on the cusp of an amazing new direction. You've already flabbergasted us with your tutorials that just keep taking larger leaps toward greatness, but i bet this is just the very beginning. I feel so lucky to know of your creativity and intelligence. That gorgeous heart and soul shines through in every piece of jewelry that you make because YOU are a beautiful soul! Not everyone would be willing to share all this knowledge (much less make such concise explanation in a pdf masterwork)
How can all of us even begin to thank you for the miasma of info you are bestowing upon us!?!; 4/2/12, 4:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Any chance you will make the oxidizing tute a separate buy in the future? Especially interested in that one.; 4/2/12, 10:11 PM
Rosie Moceri said...: It's fantastic. I didn't even know I wanted to the Tin Bezel toot until you offered it! I'm in awe! Thank you Miz Fanci. I hope you make a bazillion dollars!; 4/3/12, 9:01 AM
Kathy Barrick said...: Amazing tute! You really should do a book. I can fathom the amount of work that took. Time to contact a publisher!; 4/3/12, 6:06 PM
Green Studio said...: I am impressed....you are amazing!; 4/3/12, 9:20 PM
Juliette said...: Congratulations! Fabulous work, and what a treat after moving, thanks! xxx Juliette; 4/4/12, 11:22 PM