fanciful devices: My Babies, my baby's babies.

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.

4/3/14

My Babies, my baby's babies.

Look at what one tute buyer, BellaLili, sent me!!!!

This is what she did with the Cosmic Rocks, completely foregoing the gold leaf and making it 200% her own. Lookit those crazy findings! Lookit the darkness of the putty! The chunky chunk of the stones! Way to go, I am bursting with pride. You can buy these beauties here.

Gail Taylor asked all about my Roman glass makes.- See, this is what they look like pre-solder. Well, that's one style, with thin wire. I also do thick wire and the latest ones have the wire around the edge to protect the thinner glass. I solder to keep it all together and to make it look interesting and organic. The oxidizer over that is what gives it the old look.
Gail also said, "you brighten my LIFE, not just my day."
!!!!!

OK so but Gail has become a regular etsybud and she shared this most amazing site you all have to run to right now- Fotofuze. It links directly to your etsy, downloads pix from your listings, and makes them AMAZING. You literally just highlight the item and it turns the image into a professional grade product photo and then updates your listing with it. To think of the YEARS of my life I suffered trying to do what this does in seconds! *tears out hair*

Fade and Remain wrote me the most moving comment and I just had to share it. "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. on"
I kept trying to picture her actually doing this, reacting this way to my makies. I kept thinking about it and trying to picture it... sigh. I love you guys.

3 comments:

Unknown said...: I do the same thing, I told you I can't look too long sometimes because I get too excited. What is that????? Because I am not just trying to compliment you or blow smoke, I tell you it is powerful stuff. Your art moves, but also, so does you giving soul. It is a combination. You are exactly where you need to be, inspiring, encouraging, and teaching all of your followers. For those of us with creativity that can not be quelched or suppressed any longer, you are the beacon that calls us to ourselves. I am so thankful I found you. You are a blessing, just deal with it, lol. It is hard to be so loved, but you are needed and it has become your life's work for now. So stay in your pj's, get lost in your art, love your life. As you are not so fortunate to be able to do so, you are a tool for the universe to give to us that need your light. Tis true U know.; 4/3/14, 10:58 PM
Wendy B. said...: you should know, that there are loads of visitors to your site that don't weigh in, but your enthusiasm, style and talent are totally infectious. i go back and read and reread so many of your postings. your voice is one i am tickled to read... thank you over and over again.
xow.; 4/4/14, 12:42 PM
Beatnheart said...: what an amazing difference once the solder and patina are added...ala FanciD dified....really amazing and wonderful stuff...

went and signed on for fotofuze but am working out some kinks ie...once you fix foto how do you put it back onto you etsy site...??; 4/4/14, 7:18 PM