Month: March 2017

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Mini-Zine Review: the reverse side #1

the reverse side #1
ro grimes
barcadia@gmail.com

As we get to the last day of March and the last day of mini-zines-only reviewing, I want to end things with a zine that’s a little bit different than anything else I’ve seen…

the reverse side #1 is an origami folded zine within a zine zine. (How many times can you say zine on one sentence.) In it, Ro writes perzine-style about winter, what to do in winter, and

I imagine the big question on your mind is: What do you mean by zine within a zine?

Well, check out how you open this up…

Isn’t that cool? A small zine – Winter 2010 – lies nestled within the double-sided single page zine folded around it. As you can imagine, I really love this idea. It makes opening up the zine like unwrapping a present, which it kind of is because there was a little pin inside along with the smaller zine! That’s so cool.

The writing in the zine as well as on the outside ‘wrapper’ is, as I mentioned, perzine style with small snippets of this and that around the theme of winter. I must admit that I was happy to see that I’m not the only adult out there who reads “lighter” fiction at times because I’m such a slow reader.

I must admit that the presentation of the zine grabbed me more than the content itself, but those sorts of things can always be influenced by mood, day, etc. That being said, it’s a first zine, and I’ve unfolded and folded the zine so much that I am more than happy to check out future issues of this zine.

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Mini-Zine Review: Stories About Returning

Stories About Returning (Where are you from? number 3)
gutwrench press
http://www.gutwrenchpress.com/

Stories About Returning is a haunting yet beautiful mini-zine filled with snippets from various times and places of returning. Rather than short and sweet, they have an air of short and bittersweet. As someone who is far away from where I was born, it made me feel a little strange and wistful.

I do like ‘snippet of life’ things like this, but I also admit that they have to be done right to hold any interest. For me, this zine does them right. There’s enough to make me curious but to leave me sitting amongst my own feelings as well.

There were some beautiful lines in there as well, this one being my favourite:

“…and I was home and a stranger at once.”

This zine came with an unexpected bonus that I nearly missed. The funny thing is that I’ve taken a peek inside so many one-page folded mini-zines to see if there is anything hidden inside, and the time I don’t think to do that is the time I almost miss the note to take a peek inside…

Yes, that’s right. When you unfold this zine, you can fold it the opposite way and get a whole new zine out of it – Stories About Leaving. While a neat touch in and of itself, the stories about leaving relate at times to stories about returning. I think that’s a clever way to do things.

I think you’ll know if this sort of zine will strike a chord with you.

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Mini-Zine Review: promiscuous agriculture

promiscuous agriculture: a gardening experiment
@celuran
celuran@gmail.com

That title! You have to be curious when you read that title.

Promiscuous Agriculture is a zine about gardening by the very generous Celuran who stopped by to say hello at the Melbourne Art Book Fair. It’s filled with notes on various veggies Celuran planted along with garden bed sketches and pictures of the plants.

To be frank, I really didn’t know if this zine was going to be for me considering my complete lack of a green thumb. As it turned out, I quite enjoyed it. I liked the feel of it being like a gardener’s journal. I like how she encouraged you to create your own garden but didn’t push it on you or make you feel guilty for not producing your own food.

If you’re wondering what ‘promiscuous agriculture’ is, then don’t worry. The middle spread tells you what it is as well as giving you a few tips if you’d like to start a garden bed (or more) of your own.

I know I probably mention this a lot, but colour printing suited this zine well. When you’re talking about plants and gardening (especially to a black thumb non-gardener like me), colour pictures are helpful. (Colour-coded garden bed diagrams are also appreciated.) Another nice touch (again, especially for people like me) is the recommendation of her favourite gardening book at the end.

Something that truly made me smile is how she used green staples to bind it. Green staples for a gardening zine. I love it!

All up, I think I may need more copies of this because I have some gardening friends who will enjoy it, too.

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Currently

I realised that it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these posts, and I wanted to do something a little more relaxed today. I had a trial of anti-anxiety meds for the first time in a long time, and the side effects proved to be too much. So I’m coming off them and having a bit of a time of it at the moment. Here’s to gentle days when we need them…

The zine showcase at the Melbourne Art Book Fair was exhausting but a lot of fun.

Mini-Zine March is swiftly coming to a close already. Hannah Brown participated if you’d like to check out what Hannah has been working on for the month.

I’m working on a new zine that should be finished this week or next. I started making an ‘intro to bullet journalling’ book for a friend of mine, and the encouragement from friends of mine prompted me to dive in and make a zine of the project.

My friend has her book now (and loves it), but the original book was an odd shape. So now I’m making it into A5 size to scan and print. I had thought that the whole thing might make me sick of bullet journals, but it really hasn’t.

Well that’s me for now. I appreciate your understanding while I deal with the very much ‘ugh’ side of anti-anxiety meds. I’ll be back tomorrow for the final week of Mini-Zine March reviews!

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Happy Mail Monday – Variety Edition!

I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to send out even more mail so I can have more weeks like this. Hehe. ^_^

A letter from Chris arrived early last week and was such a nice surprise. We’ve been exchanging zines, so I assumed that he’d send whenever he had a zine to send. Lo and behold, he sent a letter to keep in touch between projects.

Sober Booooooooob! I was not expecting this zine at all (special surprise mail booty dance), and it took a lot of will power to not drop everything I was doing at the time to sit down and read this one. I mean, that title! As someone who enjoys Sober Bob’s Instagram videos, I am completely certain I’m going to enjoy this zine just as much.

More Sober Bob mail! I have a little conspiracy theory when it comes to sending mail between Queensland and Victoria, so I wasn’t expecting these for a while. Yet here they are!

Anyway, Sober Bob makes stickers (and pins! – I have a magpie to commemorate my first ever concussion (caused by a magpie)) and, well, I do really love stickers… Hehe. Anyway, get in contact with Sober Bob on Facebook to have a peek and get your own pack. Free postage in Australia!

Last but certainly not least is a lovely thank you postcard. I’m thinking I need to make or get some postcards because it’s such a nice little thing to receive in the mail, and I always have plenty of people to thank for their awesomeness.

Especially all the wonderful people who send me mail! Many, many thanks as always.

See you tomorrow with more zine-y goodness.

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Call for Art Submissions: Arospec Poetry Network

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The Arospec Poetry Network is seeking submissions from arospec visual artists to illustrate the second issue of its collective art/poetry zine “Don’t Talk To Me Of Love”.

This issue will center around the theme of freedom.

Artists have the choice between directly submitting original content related to this theme, or getting in touch with our members to work in closer relation and illustrate a particular piece of poetry.

We accept traditional art, digital art, photography, comics (1 to 2 pages), … You can always get in touch if you’re not sure whether you’re artwork would fit our zine.

All rights will remain with the artists. Since the zine is going to be a free publication, we cannot offer financial compensation. Submissions limited to three pieces at a time.

Due date for submissions is May 1st.
The zine should be released in June

You can contact us and/or send in your submissions per e-mail: meenilevi@gmail.com or through tumblr: @arospecpoetrynet.

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Calling Zine Makers, Libraries, Distros, And the Like

I’m at the very beginning stages of working on a new zine project. As part of this, I would like to include A5/A6 spaces (maybe even A7, if that works for you) that feature things like:

*Zines that have a rolling call for submissions (even if your zine changes theme/topic from issue to issue, an overarching ‘flier’ for the whole series would be awesome)
*Zine distros – whether you want to say ‘check out my distro’, are looking for zines to sell in your distro, or both!
*Zine libraries – again, whether it’s a ‘check us out’, ‘looking for zine donations’, or both, I’d love to see it
*Zine people who want to be included in an ‘open to trades’ section. I’m thinking name, preferred contact (or your mailing addy, if that’s the way you roll), and a few likes/dislikes.

The key thing here is that things be ‘undated’ (hence sharing a zine series rather than one specific call for submissions) so things aren’t out of date before I get the chance to create the thing.

Ideally, I’d like things to be images with text on them because of the limited space involved (with the exception of the trades section, which will be text only). But I want to be flexible, too. This project is really in its early days, so I’m still figuring a lot out.

If you want to get involved straight away (please do!) then you can shoot me an email (theauthor at inkyblots.com)

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The Freedom APA

Freedom APA is an alternative press association with one expectation: participate where, when and how you are able.

Annual Membership: Participation by sending items for the mailing a minimum of once per membership year PLUS $15 for US membership; $25 for rest of world. Items for the mailing bundle may include mail art, printed journals, chapbooks, zines, cds, dvds, cassettes, envelopes, postcards, bookmarks, recipes, stamps, letters, or whatever you choose to create.

Four bundles are mailed per year. The next mailing is scheduled for June 2017. If you send materials for the June bundle, 22 items are needed.

Membership dues may be sent via Paypal: singinggrove@conknet.com

Checks may be made payable to: Frederick Moe 36 West Main Street Warner NH 03278.

$6 postpaid for a sample bundle if you’re curious to check it out before jumping in.

Freedom APA is intended to be fun & embrace the spirit of personal journalism, zine making, letter writing, graphic arts, mail art, DIY printing, poetry, homemade music, creative projects, podcasting & more. Freedom APA is not an organization nor will Freedom APA have officers or by-laws. We have however add volunteer “staff” as Freedom APA grows.

With your support, this will be an enjoyable mailing circle project full of creativity. Freedom APA is a postal activity.

Please share with your friends!

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Call for Submissions: Cat & Dog Zine

pawprints

Looking for:
*stories (up to 500 words)
*poems (page in length)
*artwork
*love letters

Topics may include:
-how they came to be in your life
-their therapeutic presence
– how they help ease your anxiety, depression and provide comfort
-the special bond you share
-their unconditional love
-the playful/weird/cute things they do
-if they are a service dog/cat
-if they have a physical disability, mental illness and/or health issues
-do you refer to them as your: pet, baby/child/family, companion, friend/best friend, room mate, healer, etc.
-if you have more than one cat or dog
-anything else you wish to share about them

Contributors will receive a free issue of the zine upon completion.
If interested, email Xyendrarocks44@hotmail.com