My Year in zines: 2012

I don’t really use thins space anymore but I thought I would round out the year with this post.

2012 was a ridiculously active zine year for me. It started with creating the StolenSharpieRevolution.org site to be a companion to my book. The site includes a Zine Event listing calendar. In February I attended the first L.A. Zine fest and it was great! In March I attended the Chicago Zine Fest and it was really fun. We even had a Zine Organizer’s Event where we met with other zine event organizers to talk shop and I released my very first fiction zines (Brainscan #29) as a split with No More Coffee #4. In April I helped the fine folks at Zine Works run zine workshops at Coachella. I made some really great friends and got to see some great bands for free.

In May I opened a brick and mortar storefront and online shop in Portland, Oregon called Portland Button Works and zine distro. July was International Zine Month and I created a poster of events to do for each day of the month.and participated in the 24 hour zine thing. August had the Portland Zine Symposium that I helped organize and I hosted a bunch of guest at my house. In September I quit volunteering at the Independent Publishing Resource Centerafter over a decade of volunteering because I just didn’t have any more time for it after opening the Portland Button Works shop.

October and November were big months. I had been saving for a UK trip for a few years and somehow we had also planned for The Copy Scams, our zine themed pop-punk band, to record and tour. We wrote 3 new songs that we hope to release next year. I got to hang out with a lot of my awesome Uk friends and attend the Leeds Zine Fair and the SE London Zine Fest. I kept a bit of a travelogue on tumblr and put out issue #7 ofNobody Cares About You Stupid Zine Podcast, it’s all about trading zine.

So, now it is December and I did a bit of updating to the Etsy Team Zine and my own Etsy shop and changing it over to a Portland Button Works shop. I’m also offering free shipping Sunday and Monday  in my Etsy shop when you use the discount code: POSTMAN. I also hope to work on my new zine this week. It’s all typed up and I just need to do layout. I also just signed up for the 2013 Chicago Zine Fest! Hope to see you there.

Please help the Portland Zine Symposium andsponsor me in the 24 Hour Zine Challenge!

The Portland Zine Symposium is hosting their 4th annual 24 Hour Zine challenge. This awesome event is a fundraiser for PZS and works like a charity walk. You sponsor a participant (or participants!) and you only have to pay-up if the participant/s finish the challenge! If you sponsor someone for at least $10 you will even receive the zine the participant makes!

I have taken part in this event for the past two years and have finished both times.  I will be participating again in the 24 Hour Zine Challenge that  will be held at the new spacious Independent Publishing Resource Center in Portland, Oregon on 21 July. I would love love love it if you could help out the Portland Zine Symposium and sponsor me, Alex Wrekk, in the 24 hour zine challenge. There will also be live cams to watch our sleep deprived scribbling….and also so that you can laugh at us.

So, go here and send and e-mail pledging to sponsor me for this year!

Happy International Zine Month! Day 4

Are you playing along at home with the 31 activities? Here’s what I’ve been up to:

Day 1 – I posted on the We Make Zines post about IZM.

Day 2 – I sent twitter message to a couple distro.

Day 3 – I organized zines in the Portland Button Works shop. My own zines are a disaster!

Day 4 – I’m not sure what zine skill I’m going to teach myself! Maybe I should see it as ‘teach yourself a new skill from a zine” So it could be a bit of a DIY challege? If that’s the case then I’m going to curl up with my copy of Advanced Brains and teach myself the rules to this role playing game that puts punks vs. Zombies! We are going to have a test play of the game in the shop in a few weeks and I’m stoked! I think I’m going to play a skate punk.

This afternoon I’m leaving for the Riverhouse to see my mom and enjoy the sun that seems to be crawling out from behind the Oregon clouds. I’ll be bringing some new zines for the challenge tomorrow: Day 5 – Check out a different type of zine than you normally read. I’ll also be bringing some of my favorite zines to re-read for the Day 6 activity. I’ll be away from the PBW shop for 2 days.  TWO DAYS! I haven’t had two days off since we have opened the shop. I’m stoked!

I’m hoping to get away from the 4th of July fireworks and being able to sit in the woods, stare at the river, maybe doing some swimming and craft beer drinking.

How to get your own 31 Days of International Zine Month poster!

Oh, if you would like a a copy of the 31 activities for International Zine Month poster along with a Portland Button Works Quarterly here’s how you get them. send a self addrssed stamped envelope (SASE) to:

Portland Button Works

1322 N Killingsworth

Portland, Oregon 97217

Also, the Portland Zine Symposium is hosting their 4th annual 24 Hour Zine challenge. This awesome event is a fundraiser for PZS and works like a charity walk. You sponsor a participant (or participants!) and you only have to pay-up if the participant/s finish the challenge! If you sponsor someone for at least $10 you will even receive the zine the participant makes! I have taken part in this event for the past two years and have finished both times.  I will be participating again this year at this event that will be held at the new spacious Independent Publishing Resource Center in Portland, Oregon on 21 July. I would love love love it if you could help out the Portland Zine Symposium and sponsor me, Alex Wrekk, in the 24 hour zine challenge. There will also be live cams to watch our sleep deprived scribbling….and also so that you can laugh at us.

31 Days of International Zine Month – The poster!

Want to download a PDF page with two of these so you can make some yourself? Go here.

31 Activities for 31 Days of International Zine Month in July!

Play along at home with 31 Days of International Zine Month in July!

Last year I took a photo of myself in a different zine related shirt every day of International Zine Month. this year I made a calendar of events! You don’t have to do them all, or even do them in order. I just thought it would be fun to have some pointers!

1 – If you have an account on We Make Zines (A social networking site just for zines)  login to talk about International Zine Month. if you don’t have an account yet, start one!
I love zines week
2 – Zine Distro appreciation day.  Order something from a zine distro, or write them a letter or an e-mail telling them you appreciate what they do.
3 – Organize your zine collection. We all know you have stacks of zines by your bed, maybe you should look into doing something about that.
4 – Teach yourself a new skill: how to make a one page zine, a new binding technique, photocopier art, etc.
5 – Check out a different type of zine than you normally read. Why stay stuck in the same box, try something new. It might just surprise you!
6 – Re-read your favorite zines! We all have our favorites, why not sit down and read them again.

7 – Zine reading day! Host, attend, or participate in a zine reading. No zine readings around you? Read outloud to your pet!
8 – Try something new day.  If you draw comics, try writing a personal story.  If you write fiction, try non-fiction.  If you write poetry, try drawing comics.

Postal appreciation week!
9 – Buy some stamps, envelopes or postcards or make your own (envelopes and postcards, that is, not stamps.)
10 – Write a letter to a zine person that you have never written before to let them know you liked what they made.
11 – Create a care package to send to a zine friend filled with neat zine stuff (rub on letters, glue sticks, clip art, etc)
12 – make some mail art, decorate some envelopes, or make an Artist Trading Card.
13 – Send your zine out to be reviewed.

14-  ValenZine’s Day Write your zine crush (we know you have one!), or write to Zine Crush about your zine crush.
15 – make plans to make a split zine with someone.

Zine Library and Education week
16 – Leave a zine in a public place: tacked to a message board, on a bus, in a coffee shop
17 – Teach a friend or family member about zines.
18 – Send your zine to a zine library.
19 – make a zine flyer to send out with your orders and to trade with other zines.
20 – Host a zine workshop or zine party at a local library or community center.

21 – International Zine Library Day! Visit your local zine library! Start a zine library.
22 – Check out Zine Wiki! Add your zine or edit an entry.
Zine Distribution week
23 – Zine Trade Day! ask someone if they would like to trade zines with you.
24 –  Send your zine to a distro for consideration.
25 – Order from a different zine distro than your normally do.
26 – Review a zine in your zine, on your blog, or on your facebook page
27 – Look into consigning your zine at a shop that sells zines.

28 – Free Zine Day! Give the unexpected gift of a zine!
29 – organize a zine event, even if it is a small one

30 – Zine shop appreciation day.  Support your local zine friendly shop today!
31- Take a photo of you with your zine (extra credit if you post it online)

Extra Credit!
-Read a zine everyday
-take part in the 24 hour zine thing
-draw a comic everyday and release a diary comic at the end!

Fingers in too many pies and too many hats on my head…..

I turned 35 last week! It’s the Presidential Birthday (American civics lesson: as stated in Article 2, Section 1 of the US constitution the president must be at least 35 years old.) I don’t want to be President. It seems like a shitty and stressful job. I already have too many “jobs” that are stressful enough, but at least I don’t have to deal with congress.

Anyway, I’m so over trying to organize birthday parties. They end up being too much work with too much expectations. I just went out for a yummy vegan meal with Paul at Portobello and had a drink with some friends.

But there are lots of other things going on!

The Portland Button Works distro and shop are humming along beautifully.

Derek and I released the 6th episode of Nobody Cares About Your Stupid Zine Podcast! We talk about what we have been up to for the past year as well as the upcoming International Zine Month.

Derek and I also organized a 31 Days of International Zine Month with zine related things for you to do each day! What? Last year I wore a zine shirt for each day. How was I going to top that?

We also just put together the Portland Button works Quarterly. It is part zine/part catalog for PBW. It looks like this and is available free with every Portland Button Works order, free at the shop and other places around Portland, or a self addressed stamped envelope sent to the shop.

Two color risograph print, 8 pages.

Let’s see…paul and I have also been working in the garden but I haven’t been taking photos. They all just seem to look pretty similar as years past. I’m working on a new zine to have out by the symposium. I just need to sit down and work on it. I’m also working on the Portland Zine Symposium again and getting stoked for all the guests we are going to have!

International Zine Month Day 27

No more zine shirts, oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

Last year we had our first Zinester Feud. It was inspired by a dream of the lovely Erin H who runs Things You Say distro. It was a Family Feud style game show but with zine survey questions! I thought it was a pretty rad dream to turn into a reality and set up an online survey. I had this weird feeling that it was either going to be the most awesome thing every, or it was going to be a disaster. It turned out to be the most awesome thing ever! People formed teams and we had a great time. Well, we are doing it again this year. Would you like to take part in the survey that helps make up the game?

Take the survey here.

International Zine month is coming to a close. Did you finish your 24 hour zine? I did! The first print run was 20 and I plan on making another 30 more to trade at the symposium this year. After that I will decide if I am going to make more or not.

My Nobody Cares About Your Stupid Zine Podcast host, Derek Neuland, was on Fox News for his part in the Thirsty Dudes project. I’m gonna go out on a limb and suggest that is one of the reasons he STILL hasn’t edited the last podcast. It’s been in the can for months but has been in a partial state of editing. I can’t complain too much, I hate audio editing and I’m very grateful for Derek to do the dirty work! We are hoping to have that out by the end of the month and we plan to make International Zine Month round up post via Skype on Sunday. Hopefully we’ll get that out sooner rather than later.

Friday the Portland Zine Symposium is hosting a bike in movie. The movie is Triplets of Bellville. You should come.

Saturday I will be filling my wagon with my fold up table and heading to the Overlook Village Celebration to sell my wares and make buttons for the people. I have been meaning to get more involved in my neighborhood and this seemed like a great opportunity. Except, I  worry that I’ll get bored. Come and visit me!

I guess that’s about it. I’m headed to the IPRC for a zine symposium meeting. We have lots to talk about! It is less than a week and a half away. yikes!

International Zine Month Day 20

So, here’s another photo from my punk jacket. Hello Nothing was a one page zine from Florida that was made by my penpal Tim. We were pretty good penpals from 2008-2001 or so. I don’t know Tim’s last name or I would search for him. We lost contact years ago. I really enjoyed his one page zine.

HelloNothing

He made me this painting in 99 and wrote on the back of it.

in postage we trust.

 

Last year I wrote a post card to the address that is blurred out in this photo, I never heard back.

If you are our there Tim Nothing, I still have your painting on my wall and I still like real mail. I hope you are having a great life.

A year ago my friend Steve was living in our basement and sharing my office.Also, I made this post about it. I had just gone to see the Swingin’ Utters and had my face mangled by the elbow of a skinhead. Well, it has been a year and I took a new photo of myself to see how the scar had healed. What do you think:

also, I have no idea wat color my eyes are. I just say grey.

international Zine Month Day 17 &18

So, over the weekend I participated in the Portland Zine Symposium’s 24 Hour Zine Challenge, AND I FINISHED! That means that all 8 of you (only 8, really?) sponsors need to get your money in so I can send you my new zine. I printed 20 and gave a few away to participants so I’m not sure if there will be any left or if I will reprint them. I need to get my brain back and clear my head. I slept 2 hours in 28. Even after a full night’s rest  I still feel a little off. here’s the order of events:

spent about a hour trying to figure out how I was going to get my zine making stuff plus symposium coffee and snacks and stuff to the IPRC. Finally loaded it all on my bike.

 

Doug took this photo of me diligently working with laptop AND typewriter.

 

International zine month day 17: sleep deprived and still wearing the shirt from the day before...but I finished my zine!

 

The cover is so-not my style at all- but I do like it. The new copier at the IPRC does color copies at a reasonalbe price. I cut all these irises out of an old iris catlalog from the 60s. I'm not used to working in color so this was fun. The insert is also in color.

The theme, following my packing for the event, was "it's complcated" so, I answered complicated questions like "what do you do?"

...and "how long have you and Paul been together?"

with a fold out time line of 20 years showing how long we have known eachother.

Then I went home and slept for two hours and then woke up for a few more hours, enough to watch the new Torchwood and hang out with Paul and then fall asleep again. I need a shower.

International Zine Month day 18 shirt: 2010 Portland Zine Symposium