publishing. 2 things:

by dailies

Nels

1.

I wrote a piece at Underbellie: “what you could stand to know about addiction”. My brother sent me an email response that read, in part: “Holy F that is well written. Can you please get that published somewhere?  I barely relate to the subject and was still nearly moved to tears.”

Welp. Of course I am published. On my site. I think he meant publish in a way where I get paid? (or maybe read by more than twelve people?) #LOLsob because I think it is my destiny to be a largely-unpaid writer. I’ve been doing this since I could write, so there’s that.

2.

Speaking of my writing, for pay or otherwise, I have had only six customers purchase the new Tumblehome. That’s like, SIX. This kind of response is obviously not adequate for me to continue the work needed to curate, write, design, edit, print, assemble, and publish. However, I know I could make a little more effort in trying to distribute and get word out, and I am willing to do so.

In the meantime, after two printing mishaps (and therfore a late send-out), here is an alluring picture of the hand-assembled option. The zine is available in paper, or for a $2 download.

The New Tumblehome!

Our next issue comes out in April.

Family life: the other day Nels found the first crocus bloom in our neighborhood. He made me come take a photo, and he has been watching it every morning.

Yes. Spring is really going to happen.

1st Crocus Of 2013

get your Hoquiam aweomesauce here!

by dailies

Hutch, Trillax

My new issue of Tumblehome, our third publication, is available online and in print. Anyone buying a print version or donating more than $6 gets entered into a drawing for a hand-sewn pincushion.

Additionally: archives are free. You can download a pdf for your own printing, or visit my profile at Issuu where I’ve posted the July and August issues.

It is a lot of work to envision, draft, write, edit, publish, staple, stamp, address, email, etc this zine. It helps to have feedback; particularly if anyone experiences technical difficulties, which can be tricky to troubleshoot given my resources and home environment.

And of course, I’m happy to hear about content and what you might like to see in future zines.

Thank you for your support!

a brief few notes

by dailies

Today I staggered out of sleep and blearily told my husband, “Please take the kids to get haircuts. They’re at 10 AM at Penney’s. They’re free.” Then I collapsed all dramatically. I wasn’t feeling it; up late and couldn’t sleep well, yet again (I stayed up watching “The Tick” with Nels until about three AM). Still, hustling up that $30-$40 savings so my kids might look slightly less like molting foxes, that’s my job.* I’m grateful Ralph was willing and able to keep our appointments.

While having his hair cut Nels was sad, probably because he didn’t want to be up that early either. Ralph tells me later he can hear the stylist talk to Nels to get him to settle, as there were a bazillion kids there getting back-to-school haircuts. And the stylist asks our son about “school”. Nels volunteers he doesn’t go to school, so she assumes he’s homeschooled and is chatting him up about that. Ralph hears her ask Nels, “So what’s your favorite thing about homeschooling?” And a beat later she stops cutting, steps back and lowers her comb and scissors and turns and says to Ralph, “Do you know what he just said?”

And my husband says, “No, I don’t.” (and later he tells me he was thinking, “I literally do not know“, and we both laughed because… Nels can say funny shit.)

“He said, ‘I get to be with my family every day all day and they are always so sweet & happy.'”

Well that is nice to hear. P.S. I am bitchy & fuzzy and confused often. I don’t even get this “always so sweet and happy”, but if that’s my son’s perception. Awesome.

The kids came home and played on the Slip ‘N’ Slide and went for walks and ate lots of food. All day, all play.

In other news: ZINE PRINTING!

tumblehome, August 2012

My right hand hurts today because I got to hand-address many envelopes. It is amazing how little of my zine-production is automated. Pretty much, none of it. I get to track all the donations and emails and addresses by hand in a spreadsheet, and I send out thank yous to each person. Ralph folds and staples the zines and helps me with some website stuff. And of course there’s all the, you know, WRITING and formatting and photo-tagging et cetera. It is a lot of work even for a little production.

So with that: Thank you to my readers and supporters. I know not everyone will see this post, and I try to thank people in the moment on Twitter, or through email, or through ecards, or whatever. It means a great deal to me to have the kinds of kindhearted support I get, in all sorts of ways.

It is an honor to be a part of the human race and a part of so many people’s lives. Not a day goes by someone doesn’t thank me for helping them. Today I know that I receive help, too, and that I never was isolated, or alone, or self-sufficient (but I pursued these illusions to my own detriment).

So. Thank you.

***

*By the way Ralph cut my hair the other day, and the only two people who’ve complimented the new style have been HIM and my Mom! #ruhroh

Mysteries Of The Deep (Title Page)

crafty bitch!

by dailies

Aw yeah. I have been crafting it up like a madwoman. With a lot of help from my spouse, who is my tech advisor.

So first: pre-orders for Tumblehome, which ships out August 5th:

Tumblehome, 2012 08 Cover

If you order before the 5th you get free gratis my first-ever embroidery pattern (including tips and stitching directions): Mysteries of The Deep! If you order the print version or donate more than $6, in addition to the pattern you will be entered in a drawing for a bit of handsewn goodness out of my studio!

My pattern’s title page:

Mysteries Of The Deep (Title Page)Second. CHECK THIS OUT, pincushion and custom pins all made today by Yours Truly. The pincushion (100% cotton flannel & wool, with polyfill stuffing) – AND the custom pins! A first effort, but I’m pleased with the results.

Pincushion + Custom Pins

The pincushion is reversible:

Pincushion + Custom Pins, Backside

A few broaches for a friend, who admired my deep sea creature work: About 1″ across.

"Mysteries Of The Deep" Pins

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"Mysteries Of The Deep" Pins

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"Mysteries Of The Deep" Pins

Super-super fun stuff!

my mouse hand hurts

by Uncategorized

Hutch & Phee, Wet Dog Smell

NEWS! My zine is ready! Yay!

The pdf version is $2 and the limited edition, hand-assembled print version is $6. I think the print versions are going to sell out super-duper fast. I only hope I have enough to sell on First Thursday at my kids’ lemonade stand.

Lots of hard work. I hope readers here consider submitting their own works, especially writings or photography of their living area. C’mon I may be cool but it doesn’t need to be The Kelly Hogaboom Show all the time.

Thanks, darlings!

children_snip

inch by inch

by dailies

I currently have received about a third the budget for my first zine printing. I’m trucking along, keeping records and updating my addresses. I hope to not spam the zine here (or on Twitter) too much, but I also want to give people an opportunity to know the whole thing is live and can use support of any kind.

In other news. Kinda big news. For me. Kind of a big deal. I think I am actually going to put in an application for a paying job. This is… kind of huge. I haven’t worked for pay, at all, in any consistent way, since 2003. I won’t be taking anything more than part-time hours at this point, but I’m ready to apply, selectively. I’m also ready to abandon the pursuit if it doesn’t work for my family.

Anyway, this is kind of a major thing, which is why I’m outing myself here. And of course, as competitive as all jobs are at this point, I have no idea what the future holds. Probably no job. This is what happens when I make plans.

So anyway. When I have to go out. I leave notes:

Note Before I Leave, Checkmarks

Phoenix makes sure to check off her housework. LIKE A BOSS. She is awesome at it. I think she enjoys having time in the house, to herself. Scratch the word “think”. I know it.

Happy Friday, m’lovelies.

printing pretty paper

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Welcome to our new paper zine, tumblehome! I am pretty darn excited. I am also pretty darned determined to do something even simpler than previous zine efforts, as zine-ing is kinda a one-woman show around here and I have other responsibilities and, dare I say, a limitation or two.

On the note of previous self-publishing experience, several years ago about a dozen readers paid for a year’s subscription to my previous almanac, “Hoquiam Sure Nail & Fire”, and four times as many more supported that particular publication in a variety of ways (per-issue, submitting content, etc). Anyone who was on the SN&F email list will receive an email over the next day as I go through these records. If possible, I would like to zine them all up! 🙂 Since the SN&F project is a few years old, doubtless some email addresses will no longer work. I ask anyone involved to please bear with me. If you think you should get an email and you don’t, let me know.

For now, please cross your fingers I will have everything ready and a few awesome little booklets in my hot little hands, come July 1st!

2012 07 cover snip