Day 29: Organize a zine event - Oh, Philly Feminist Zine Fest is coming up. Does that count?

Day 30: Zine Shop appreciation day. If you're in Philly, swing by the Wooden Shoe. It's pretty much the best place with the best folks I know.

Whew! This month is kicking my butt. Have I mentioned?

Day 26: Review a zine somewhere - Oh, hi. Did you know that Taryn Hipp and I are doing a review-a-day (or so) on the Philly Feminist Zine Fest Blog? You didn't? Better check it out!

Day 27: Look into consigning your zine at a store that sells zines. Mine (and many other outstanding titles) are almost always at Wooden Shoe Books in Philly.

Day 28: Free Zine Day - I'm actually going to be @ DC Zine Fest.

I'm actually saving up my pennies to get some zines @ DC Zine Fest this coming weekend, so I can't really afford to place a new order, but, if you are looking for rad folks who sell awesome stuff, please consider:

Things you Say Distro
Gimmie Brains
Sweet Candy Distro
Portland Button Works

Day 18: Send your zine to a library

Barnard is typically where I donate my jawns to, but I think they're pretty up to date, and I met Alycia at a couple of fests recently, so, I thought I'd donate this to Brooklyn College. 

Day 19: Make a flier to send out

Ok. Here's where it's time to fess up. International Zine month? Totally kicking my ass. That's why I'm so behind. Instead of making something new, I reprinted these older fliers that I had made awhile back. I like 'em though. I hope you do too. 

Day 20: Host a Zine Workshop or Party

I haven't done a workshop in awhile, but haven't had enough time to do a lot of planning. However, I did put together two separate  readings at Wooden Shoe Books, both of which went pretty well, I think. The only real reason that I ever read my zine in public to to hear other people read as well. But last night a lot of really talented, wonderful zinesters came into town, read from their zines, and I presume continued to charm the socks off of Philadelphia. And I didn't have to read it public! Also, I took home a stack of zines by new pals. 

Day 21: International Library Day - visit a zine library. 

I had actually planned to visit Barnard and read a bunch of zines I loved when I was young, but a couple of things happened. My computer died (well, I killed it in a dropping type accident), and it's so old and crappy that it's really not even worth replacing. So, now it looks like most of my extra cash will go to replacing it. So sadly, this trip wasn't feasible. 

Day 22: Edit your Zine Wiki Page

Oh man! Someone beat me to it! I updated this a little bit and changed the cover photo for my zine. 

Day 23: Zine Trade Day!

I made a 24 hour zine, and am sending it around a bit for trades! Hit me up if you're interested in swapping. 

Day 24: Submit your zine to a distro!

I'm sending mine to Sweet Candy Distro, Things you Say Distro, and Portland Button Works!

Day 13: Send your Zine out to be reviewed!

I typically do send a round of zines out for review when I finish a new issue, but I think because this one was a little closer/more personal than typical, and because I talked pretty frankly about addiction, I maybe didn't do that. Also, Broken Pencil just did a fun interview with me around International Zine Month and Philly Feminist Zine Fest, so I chose them. Also, I think the newest issue of Zine World reviewed my jawn. But even if not, you should get it because reading reviews is the best way to trade and get new stuff to read. 

Day 14: Valenzine Day!

Who did I send postcards to? I'll never tell. (Actually, I'm really, really lucky to know so many amazing, inspiring zinesters that I'm just, in general trying to spread some mail love this month. 

Day 15: Make Plans to do a split zine with someone. 

I'm almost done with the next issue of TFE, which will be a split with Tina Armstrong, editor of F-Bomb Zine.  Photo is unrelated. 

Day 17: Teach a friend of Family Member about Zines. 

I thought today might be the day that I talked Ryan into making a mini-zine. But she's a sleep burrito right now, so maybe we'll wait until she wakes up to see how this goes.  

Day Seven: Zine Reading Day. 
I'm actually going to postpone this until the 19th, when I am reading with a lot of other rad folks at Wooden Shoe Books on South Street in Philly. This is the link to the facebook event: right here. RSVP if you want, and invite friends! In the meantime, I'd like to encourage you to watch this awesome video that the talented and lovely Taryn Hipp did in honor of day seven. 

Day 8: Do something different. 

I drew this comic! I really love comic zines, but don't consider myself to be consistent enough of an draw-er to do one, but in the interest of exploration, I did the photo to the left. It was fun! 

Day 9: Buy some stamps or make some envelopes! 

(I have been thinking for awhile "Oh, I should get small envelopes for letter writing and stuff." And I was out of stamps, too. So: bonus!

Day Ten and Eleven: Write a letter to a zine creator. Send a Care Package to a zine Friend.

How about four letters and two postcards? Two care packages, just because. Two rad folks I owed mail to. 

Day Twelve: Make some Mail Art!

Hand stamped postcards with gems! 

Day 5: Read a different type of zine than normal
Barfstains and Barricades
is an art zine with a radical political slant. In general I tend to chose zines that are personal zines by women or relevant to women's issues or queer stuff. The art in this zine was really impressive, though it's a lot darker and more grizzly than something I'd seek out on my own. I can see the value in artzines for people who are into them. But I'm probably always going to love perzines more than any other genre. 

24 pages, legal sized $5 from friendsofibnfirnas@gmail.com 

Day 6: Re-read one of your favorite Zines. 
List #15
This is definatly on my top ten of 2012 so far. If you're not familiar, Ramsey's zine is a whole zine full of lists. But more personal and detailed than average, and drawn alongside of her awesome adorable illustrations. Some of the lists in this zine include: Places I've been and what I remember about them, things I really love in nature, The things I think are most important, Adventures in dating, and lots more. Naturally all of the lists especially relevant to Philly were my favorites. 

Digest sized, 60+ pages, $4 to everydaypants@gmail.com

I'm totally a day behind, but I'm trying to keep up. Here's what I've been doing. 

Day 3: Organize your Zine Collection
Instead of my personal collection (which is much smaller and a mess) I reorganized the distro inventory by size and shape, and then in alphabetical order. Things are much less chaotic now.  

Day 4: Learn a New Skill
I went to a barbecue yesterday, but while I was there, my friend Tanya loaned me a copy of this book (which, full disclosure, I read today). I learned how to make accordion zines and wallet/pocket zines. Awesome!

It's day two of International Zine Month, which means that it's Distro Appreciation Day. What does a distro do to appreciate other distros? Well, I'd like to talk about how influential Sage Adderly and Erin Hawley have been in both encouraging me to start a distro and dozens of madcap ideas I've had along the way. Both of these amazing ladies have been editor and cheerleader, friend and sounding board, and I am so lucky to have such awesome, inspiring pals. And the zine community in general is very fortunate to have such hardworking