nothing-in-the-house: a pie blog

Em and I decided it was time for a pie blog. If you'd like to contribute your pie stories, photos, recipes, what have you, leave a comment w/ your email! Or email me! mreges at umich dot edu.

yours in the love of all things pie,

Maggie Kate

Design your own American Girl Doll!

Ugh. Sorry. I was thinking about what I was going to post, and for some reason, I was reminded of them...and how you could creepily design one of those dolls to look exactly like you...so weird.

But anyway--Em and I had an idea that I think would be great for a forthcoming issue of the DC: a design-your-own-page theme! Since there are something like 37 members, it may be better to do a design-your-own-half-a-page or something like that, but wouldn't it be sweet? Everyone could have their own half page of space to design however they wanted to, with pictures, scribbles, astrology, paintings, whatever. Complete artistic freedom. Besides, I miss seeing everyone's handwriting.

Whaddya say?

xo
abbi

Paper Rad

Don't worry, other artist's collective have trouble defining themselves too:

Paper Rad: http://www.paperrad.org/info/info/what-is-paperrad.html

It's an interesting idea, though to think of shows, peices, projects, all as part of the collective.
Check out these two groups too:

Black Ocean, independent literary press and production company. Their 'crew' lives in 3 different cities: Boston, NY and Chicago: http://www.blackocean.org/movement.html


Eye For an Iris, a small press and collective of writers and artists: http://www.eyeforaniris.com/home.html

How do these groups get funding?

audio edition of d.c.

in regards to emily's post about a possible audio edition of the dovetail collective - i have recording equipment. anyone near brooklyn, new york can come to my apartment and record anything they want. just let me know. i'd be happy to do the compiling of the cd as well, especially if a bunch of the stuff is on my 8-track already.

karl
ksturk@umich.edu

Boston Zine Fair in March

I'd like to go to this. Maybe some of you do too, and we can call it a holiday.

Announcing the return of the Boston Zine Fair!
This year it will be at MassArt in Boston on March 18th and 19th.

The Boston Zine Fair is a weekend-long event with the aim of bringing together zinesters, artists, small presses and other producers of independent media. The conference includes two full days of tabling, an opening night show with live performers, as well as potluck meals throughout the weekend. There are also numerous hands-on workshops and discussion panels which give us the opportunity to learn new skills to use in our own creative enterprises while exploring the importance of independent media in a corporate-owned world. The Boston Zine Fair is free and open to the public. In previous years the Boston Zine Fair (formerly known as Beantown Zinetown) has drawn hundreds of both local and national publishers, and has been a great way to build community and just enjoy each other's company.

Black Ocean has assumed responsibility for the production of this event, and we see it as an annual flagship gathering not only for the Boston area, but also for the entire underground and independent community. So please join us, no matter where you hail from, and pass along the invitation to others. It’s tough getting the word out on an underground event. Our advertising budget is limited so please tell your uncles and cousins; tell your friends and neighbors; stand up in your classrooms and in your workplaces and shout the news!

If you’d like to learn more about setting up workshops, registering a table, or information on the various fundraising shows and literary events that will take place between now and March, you can contact us at thebostonzinefair@yahoo.com. Or visit the website at www.bostonzinefair.org.

The best way to stay up-to-date on announcements and changes is to joining the Boston Zine Fair yahoo group. If you'd like to be added to the mailing list and Yahoo group for The Boston Zine Fair, just click on the link below:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thebostonzinefair/join

Lastly, we are publishing a Zinester’s Guide To Boston this year. It will contain all sorts of information pertaining to local resources, business, arts & culture, and transportation. It will be a useful tool for visitors and those native to the Boston area. It will be distributed freely at the Boston Zine Fair, so to help cover production cost, we are offering cheap advertising space. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in learning more—please let us know right away. The deadline for ad copy, artwork and designs is February 20th.

issue 2 and 3 and 4

Michigan and Vermont love each other. not to scale(as love goes).

Issue 2 is finally coming to you via US mail--some were mailed out today and the rest will go out tomorrow.

Issue 3 deadline is March 14th! We'll be trying something a little different and will do the layout by hand instead of computers and see what happens. Take this into account when you work on your submissions--you can handwrite or typewrite your peice, add graphic elements, etc.

Include with your entry: a one-line bio, a 1-2 line submission(even if you aren't submitting other things) for the "what are you reading/what are you listening to" section and self-adressed stamped envelopes/postage if you haven't already. Postage is .63/issue and SASE really make it easier for me.

Start thinking about ideas for future theme issues:
-Issue 4: Bedroom window issue. Submit a photo(or drawing) looking outside your bedroom window and accompanying writing peices
-Issue 5: Map Issue
-Audio issue, sometime down the road.

mle

(Physical) Creative Community

Check out this site:
www.orangetwin.com

It is the website of a creative community of artists and musicians that live in an eco-village outside of Athens,Georgia and have their own indie record label.

Consider how this might be possible for the Dovetail Colletive a few years down the road, either in an urban or rural environment...

Emily

Dovetail Collective in your ears...?

So I know I've been the post hound lately, but Ben's mention of one of his spoken word peices got me to thinking...
about an audio edition of the Dovetail Collective!

We'd need to hit up someone for use of recording equipment(although we all know a number of people who could do this, I'm sure)and could include poems/stories/essays read aloud, field recordings, radio peices(h-rad?),and original songs,funny/song phone messages (I've got some good ones...). They could all be expertly compiled on one CD(including an accompanying booklet and CD jacket with cool art, lyrics, and poems)...

This could be so fun. It has the feel of a summer project wouldn't you say...?

mle

Theme Issues?

How do you guys feel about themed issues of the Dovetail Collective? Cause I have some ideas...


-One issue where everyone submits a photo they've taken looking outside of their bedroom window. Perhaps writing to accompany the photograph(observations viewed and heard from the window, etc.). This idea came from here:
http://lappareil.free.fr/window/map.html click on the red dots for pictures and field recording.


-I like maps and making maps. It would be neat to have a "map issue" of the Dovetail Collective, but the possibilites are so endless, they could really be incorporated in every issue. Ideas include: a map of your route to work or class. Map your bedroom, closet, or pantry. Map your mind. Make a floorplan of your childhood home (like the Common Writing some of us did at NELP). Map the best places to buy cookies or beer where you live. Map the inside of your grocery store and the things you buy. Map a memory. your scars. a face. a trip, a route. anything, really. And these all can provide great inspiration material for poems, essays, stories, musings, or the other way around. Check out this totally sweet book by Katharine Harmon for inspiration:

What are your thoughts on themed issues? maps? What are your ideas?
-em