fanciful devices: 02/2015

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.

2/26/15

No really tho.

So typical. I say I'm taking time off blogging then blog three posts in a row. But I just really want to share two things. First I was featured in the polymer clay bible, polymerclaydaily.com. I'm freaking out! It's a short read and it makes me sound all smart and stuff, go look.

Second I got this amazing box from Linda of teapotsandtelephones. As soon as I opened this cute box:

She knows all about my oversupply panic! This little note made me laugh way too much.

Little baggies with little notes.

I love random I don't knows!

I'm so lucky. The people I've met over the internet, sheesh. What did we ever do before? Honestly, I felt like the loneliest alien. Now I'm so normal it's ridic. (Well that's also the meds but yeah.)

Posted with Blogsy

2/23/15

Ohmygoshyouguys.

I just meant that I'd take a month off maybe! I didn't realize I was being elusive or making y'all worry. I was just going to take some time off so I didn't feel obligated to blog because recently I don't feel like I have much to say for myself. Also I didn't know if blogs were even still popular these days. But really I think I'll just blog a bit less.
Though while I'm here...

I made some stuff, surprise surprise.

More bracelets.

This abalone I flex-shafted the back of to give it a concavity so that it would sit nicely against a wrist.

Here's a necklace with byzantine chain mail or chainmaille or whatever you call it.

And carved French jet stone and a horn and an archeological dig find...

Some earrings which are just slightly asymmetrical, like I like to do.

But I have nothing to say about them. So like, you might as well see the pix on etsy or on Instagram or what have you.

Yah or nah?

The second and very last pair of these ever!

And these which I have nothing to say about except look! I made these! (via togifs:video)

I'm not going anywhere though guys.

I'll be chilling like this cool guy here.

2/19/15

Hiatus?

Yeah I know I've been not that chatty lately. I have blogged super consistently for several years now and I'm thinking of taking a hiatus. Achroous. White rustic assemblage earrings with pearl polymer and Nepalese naga conch.

Achroous. White rustic assemblage earrings with pearl polymer and Nepalese naga conch.

Achroous.
Remember those shipwreckdandy turban beads I raved about? Look at them now! Squeee!!! I actually had to cut the back of one of them down to make it flat enough for this, it was a whole ordeal. But it's like they were born to end up in the above construction. Three white circles- pearl, poly, naga chonch. Sigh.

Inspired me to make some more of my own.

With inclusions and textures...

And pits and striations.

Yuputka. White grungy earrings with rhinestones and polymer art beads.

Yuputka.
I used some already here, along with a carved bone bead that I used a crackle finish on just cuz I was experimenting with crackle. Grungy enough to balance out a buncha bling.

Also found a way to make some big dramatic crackles.

I pressed a little channel into two of them and then stuck these glass micro beads in with liquid poly which I then heat-gun cured.

I pressed texture into some then painted black then sanded off then did crackle over that, some just facets. Really ridiculous amounts of steps, especially since I forgot to mention a wash of grey acrylic to tone down the bright colors. But polymer is only worthwhile to me if

I'm experimenting. And experimenting you don't go in thinking 12 steps over 5 days is a good use of your time, you just mess with it, having fun until you've messed all you know how to mess.

Abodement. Rustic assemblage purple amethyst pendant necklace.

Abodement.
I used some of the crack pastels on this pendant and also below.
Acatalepsy. Rustic assemblage purple amethyst pendant necklace.

Acatalepsy.

I've also decided I prefer to use my polymer beads myself instead of selling them. I don't know. Photographing and listing them is a lot of time for the small amount of money you can charge, and I also feel like I make good use of my results in my own work. Of course, if any of you guys want to purchase any of these polybabies, just etsy convo me. That's right, I'll sell my own babies!!

Komorebi. Rustic assemblage lampwork asymmetrical earrings.

Komorebi. Rustic assemblage lampwork asymmetrical earrings.

Komorebi.
Oh and those NuminosityBeads double headpins I told you about? Voi-la. Above with a 4ophelia enamel drop.
Hygge. Rustic assemblage lampwork and rope cord earrings

Hygge. Rustic assemblage lampwork and rope cord earrings

Hygge.
Here I had the wacky idea to make cord hoops. I don't know but I just love them.
Abask. Rustic assemblage earrings with cut coins and leather cords.

Abask. Rustic assemblage earrings with cut coins and leather cords.

Abask.
So I made another pair with the findings made from double-headed rosey copper pins. And a cut coin from Uruguay.
Cafune. Rustic assemblage tin hands earrings.

Cafune. Rustic assemblage tin hands earrings.

Cafune.
Now talk about balanced asymmetry. There's even a tiny baltic amber on one side perfectly balanced with a teeny polymer bead on the other which shipwreck sent me. I even like the wire findings I made at the top. Gotta make more of my own earring findings.
Acronical. Rustic assemblage lapis lazuli

Acronical. Rustic assemblage lapis lazuli

Acronical.
Little lapis.
Protect the Mothers. Rustic assemblage necklace with antique medal and pyrite.

Protect the Mothers.
Oh and that piece from my post about setting coins?

With this amazing chunk of pyrite from Uruguay, my own handmade chain, etc. Thimble Crystal Talisman Pendant. Rustic cosmic assemblage art jewelry.

Thimble Crystal Talisman Pendant. Rustic cosmic assemblage art jewelry.

Even made this little guy here.
What else?

These aren't for sale. Remember good ol' Patroness from way back? I decided to make her a couple pieces from precious bits she'd left me with that I don't feel quite right just using for myself.

I consider it payment for all the stuff she gave me. Also those are real rough rubies and that shit's ridiculous.

I'm showing these three pix in my fancy new Instagram format. Everything on IG is vertical to accomodate phones, whereas everything on etsy is horizontal so my images aren't really translating. It's a whole thing.

So yeah that's what I've been up to. That and just being crazy stiff from exercising for the 1st time in my life at 40. I've been using the sauna at the gym. It's just like sitting in an oven. Now I know how my polybabies feel.