When people see my writing or art they often ask me “How do you have the time?”
I make because I must.
My brain is a very busy place. Making is one of the only things that turns spiraling thoughts “off.” When I get into monotropic flow everything melts away and all that exists is the art. As I create my nervous system comes back to center.
This month I’ve spent over 14 hours designing a rainbow zine. 🌈
I was intuitively drawn to this process because my brain needed the reset time to balance out the stress of book launch.
I followed my intuition because I have learned to trust it.
This work may look frivolous, but it is deeply important.
The next time you have an impulse to do something that you consider a “waste of time” notice how you feel before and after. It may be a powerful regulation tool that you’ve been made to feel guilty for.
Can anyone relate? 🐝🌼🌙🚕
This text is adapted from my September zine.
I posted behind-the-scenes last week, but since then I’ve decided that I can’t punch holes into these compositions. So I’ll save the whole punch idea for next month.
I’m running out of toner after test printing so these may not arrive until October.
Because these are so ink heavy so I’m making a limited run of 20.
If you’d like to claim one just hit reply to let me know.
Cheers,
P.S. I almost didn’t send a newsletter this week because I felt like I “didn’t have time” to write one. Then I realized I’d already written this. Sometimes I make things harder than they need to be.
While I wait for more books from the printer I am having fun with September’s zine. This month’s zine is an exploration of form and color.
I’ve had this idea of photographing color curated objects for a few years, but my lighting has never been good enough to fulfill the vision. This scanner can do it! So I started with a bag of blue and green toys that my kid and I curated together two winters ago. (Yes, two YEARS. Sometimes you have to wait until you have the right tools.)
First, I played around with my new scanner. It is MUCH better at scanning detail from dimensional objects than my old one. (See above.)
Then, I experimented with my circle punches.
Working with a punch introduces some limitations – it will only reach so far into the paper. Because I want them to line up in a certain way I need to make mini zines. Which is fun since I usually make half sheet zines.
Once I knew the size of the zine I made a little frame of paper so I could compose a specific design for each spread. I also quickly learned that scanning as you go is much better because you can see what you’re doing and adjust the layout from below.
Arranging and scanning the blue spread took over an hour. Green and yellow were around 40 minutes each.
(Zines are definitely not “worth it” for an hour to profit ratio. But they have been an incredible tool for my creativity and my mental health.)
There are three more colors to go. Then I need to do a series of test prints to adjust the vibrancy and test assembly (extra tricky with the circle punches.)
If you’d like a copy of this zine I’ll be making a VERY limited quantity.
So let me know if you want one!
Because these zines are taking extra time to create I’ll be selling them for $15 each.
UNLESS you’re a member of Snail Mail Club who always get the best price (currently $5 a month).
I made this zine for the NWA Maker Faire earlier this month. It’s a single sheet monochromatic zine that tells you how to get started if you’re brand new to zines.
August zine subscribers will be receiving a copy of How to Make a Zine along with September’s Hope zine. Thanks for your patience while I took compassionate leave last month.
Thanks to everyone who contributed their art and words to this issue.
Last month we had a death in the family and I took compassionate leave. I’ve been planning to do an annual collaborative zine so I opened up submissions to my newsletter subscribers.
Artists are credited below. The cover photograph and stamped letters are my own.
Last weekend I ran a “Make a Zine” booth at the NWA Maker Faire.
I brought supplies to make zines and also had a display of zines and books for sale. Lots of kids made zines! Three teens. One friend I invited.
And one college student who made this zine. (I have permission to share.)
Thanks to everyone who dropped by my table.
The whole event was a great experience.
Full transparency: I didn’t make any money. I lost about $27 based on the table fee alone. But the money goes to a good cause. I’ll participate again next year.*
The Autism Spectrum
The zine that was picked up most often during the Maker Faire was my Spectrum zine about neurodivergence. While our goverment leaders are spreading such harmful misinformation about autism it feels more important than ever to do the opposite.
You can read (and share) the blog version of the zine here.
I have a few misprints of my Spectrum zine printed on the wrong paper. Completely readable, but the images bleed through more than I like.
If you would like to distribute Spectrum zines (either publicly or to friends and family) let me know and I’ll send you a stack of misprints for free.
This second edition has minor edits (most notably an expanded section about purpose), my new headshot, updated bio, and they/them pronouns.
These paperbacks are printed by 48 Hour Books and live in my closet. They will each be packaged and mailed by me personally. So I’m happy to sign and personalize them if you like.
They are $15 – which is the lowest my book has ever been available for purchase.
Tap below to watch me flip through the spacious full color interior.
If you’ve bought the original edition I’ll be sending an ebook version of the updated text soon.
There was a printing issue with the hardcovers, but I should have those back in stock before the end of the month.
I’ll be updating Self Publishing 101 soon. I’ve nearly finished testing several Amazon alternatives. They all have pros and cons so which printer is best for your book depends on your goals and budget.
An invitation to draw together. 🍉
I’m sending this email earlier than usual because there’s an event this week I want you to know about. Hanna Keiner and Logan Juliano, PhD are hosting a meditative drawing livestream on Thursday, September 11 called Where Do You Draw the Line?
The event is free, but everyone will be invited to take action from my Palestine Advocacy page in lieu of payment. (There are many ways to make a difference even if you don’t have the budget to contribute financially.)
I’m really grateful for my advocacy library to be used in this way.
If you host a similar event or link to it please let me know.
Image Credit: Hanna Keiner
That’s all for this week.
Take care of yourselves. I appreciate you.
FOOTNOTES
* I enjoyed meeting the other vendors so much I’ve logged in to Instagram after 8 months off social media. I’d like to be able to more closely follow local events and those I met at NWA Maker Faire. This is a trial period to see if curation, boundaries, and tweaking advertisements can make it a more positive experience. I much prefer RSS, but when there is to RSS feed for certain groups and events I am just missing out.
Entwined weaves together stories of creativity and motherhood from mothers on the west coast of America, to Canada, Mexico, and the UK. Contributors include painters, writers, potters, visual artists, musicians, poets, and multipassionates.
Every mother has their own creative ecosystem. By sharing our stories we hope to inspire you to entwine creativity and motherhood in your own way.
New around here? Subscribe for updates from Sarah Shotts about pursuing creativity as a neurodivergent parent. 💌
Shoutout to all of the contributors! 🥰
I’m so honored to have such a brilliant constellation of mothers involved in this project. There are over 55 mothers involved from the writers and cover artists to our editor.
I’ll be turning into goo next week to recover my energy. (Like a caterpillar in a cocoon.) Even gentle book launches are a lot.
Thanks for your patience with the extra emails. We’ll go back to our normal creative compost heaps next month. I just want this book to reach as many mums as possible.
Cheers,
Originally Published to Kindle Curiosity on September 29, 2024
