nyc zine fest
June 30th, 2009Posted using ShareThis
Posted using ShareThis
Hey friends,
I’m trying to get issue #3 of the tight pantsy drew zine finished and ready for Zine Fest this weekend (I have a table with Joe Yoga, prolific performer and editor of (A)muse zine, wee!), and I’m having a rough time doing all the art myself, plus I’ve also been wanting to make this thing less of a vanity project, so if you lovely folks want to get on board what will one day become an empire, send me something and get published. Or…er…printed and copied!
If you have a moment and can do by this Wednesday (sorry, all my brilliant ideas come at the last minute)…scribbles and designs based on the below chapter quotes would be most appreciated!
1.)
She’s wearing purple tights as if they’re pants, and a drapey black scarf thing as if it’s a t-shirt. You’ve probs seen her lying on her back on the billboard at Houston and Clinton, blowing a bubble, playing with a small dog.
3.)
I’ll tell you where to stache’ it! (mustaches)
4.)
his debut novel, My Life in Beards
5.)
Black Betty is howling with some kind of sauerkraut pyschobilly band called, “Comrade Dude Ranch.”…sweaty pits and flapping scruff of cavorting Eastern Euros on holiday, weird beard ‘burgers and chicks with triangular hairdos and bangle-laden arms clapping and clogging like maniacs…Another bangle flings itself into a girl’s pint glass full of Stella, and she wails bloody murder and tries to smack some other girl, who in turn smacks her back much harder, then smacks the Stella out of her hand, which explodes on the floor and makes shards of glass and beer-splatters the hot new accessory for 2009.
6.)
The sex/death dichotomy dude from dead Ghetto’s camera is up there, shirtless with bat-tats, shades and a red bandana, scraping bloody knuckles up and down a piece of corrugated metal.
…we rock back another couple of whiskeys as the band goes into a slow, romantic ballad about comrade truckin’ down to the levy, drinkin’ vodka and Boones in the sun, in the sun!
7.)
this big bird/guy on a bike comes wings-out flying down the sidewalk towards us. Chick Fillet jams a converse into his back wheel, which does not work out well for him, as he goes flying over his handlebars and crashes into the pavement, squawking, “Oh fuckohfuck!” on the way down.
8.)
No, I don’t mean what “used to be The Buttered Ram,” as in we changed the name to Rabbitface Truckdriver or Robo-squirrel Cubbyhole.
Hello Everyone!
Every week brings something new and exciting into the world of Bags for the People! This coming Sunday, May 24th, from 5pm to 11pm the kind ladies from The Shiny Squirrel and One Stepper Productions are throwing a benefit for my cool little group.
The event will take place at the K&M Bar(North 8th and Roebling in Williamsburg). There will be music(Lady Magma, the Nasties, and many more will be performing!!), raffles, bag making, and free shots! All the proceeds will benefit us, so we can fix our busted machines!
Also on June 2nd, we will be appearing on Martha Stewart Radio(she has it all folks). We’ll be giving instructions on how to make your own bags! I’ll keep everyone posted so you can tune in.
Feel free to forward, post, etc., etc.
Bags out!
xo
May 7th @ 3rd Ward*: Get “Felt Up” at our Springtime Social!
Spring is in the air! Come to this crafty social mixer to celebrate the soon-to-come death of sweater-wearing, and the dawn of more parties, bbqs, picnics and frisky biz! We’ll provide you with pre-felted, recycled sweaters and crafting tools, and instructions to make felted drink coasters and cozies. And, if you have the means, feel free to bring along your own pre-felted ugly Xmas sweaters!
Attendees get a raffle ticket to win a copy of Betz White’s Sewing Green and more from STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books, a gift certificate to Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, and other assorted surprises!
*Here are pics from the last Craft on Draft at Spacecraft (alternating venues every month, keepin’ it fresh)! See how much fun you can have?








a brief reflection on our new school excursion
Posted using ShareThis
DISCUSSED IN THIS INTERVIEW: plastic bags are jerks, positivity in a concrete jungle, bigger than Obama, Oprah’s favorite things, child labor vs. eclectic boozy sew-ins, foraging for soup, live-action haircut portraits, me in a bag, Eco warriors vs. The OC, Al Roker’s lovability, Capricorns, the other Glenn Robinson, not being afraid of leprosy or Dinosaur Island, blockbuster biopics and Brad Pitt.
L.A. Henkel: First off, Thanks AMRsters for letting me introduce you to my friend Glenn of Bags for the People, a sexy* young non-profit all about increasing creative self-sufficiency and reducing people’s dependence on throw-away plastic bags, through avante garde bag-building sweatshop parties, workshops for the kids and the elderly, non-stereotypical activism, and overall good times and awesomeness. As I was just walked onto their “board of directors” super official-like (don’t ask…it involved a bloodletting and a vegetable orgy, with cats! Okay, almost, but not quite…), I figured my business is your business. *Sexy is for Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah and/or Vice, in case any of them happen upon AMR in search of “sexy things.” So tell me Glenn, what did plastic bags ever do to you? What’s your deal?
[Concrete Jungle Jam]
[Megan of BFTP in “The Good, the Bag, and the Ugly!”]

LAH: Why not indeed?! The first day I met you to talk about joining powers (Crafts, meet Bags) and co-hosting events at 3rd Ward and other spaces over too-fancy quesadillas, you gave me two of the cool little drawstring bags you’d started giving out for free at the Hawthorne Valley Farm stand. I mean, I know I was stoked on them, and have used them like crazy ever since, but I’m pretty easily stoked. How has the response been from the general Farmers’ Market-going public?
GR: The response has been amazing! People love it, and I mean, why not. It’s basically a funky little present they get with their purchase, plus now they are part of the positive change. It feels good to be part of positive change. Remember how all the people who voted for Obama felt… I’m going to strait up say it… this is a more lasting positive change to be a part of then voting for Obama! Haha. Well regardless if people believe that last statement, we are hopefully inspiring a lifestyle change that in time will have a very great impact on the world. VS

LAH: Whoa big britches! Actually, I do think there’s some truth in the statement that Bags For The People people could potentially make a bigger impact overall than all the slap-happy voters (including me, probably you) who felt pretty good voting Obama in. I mean, it seems to me this is really more than just about getting people to stop using plastic bags–which is a worthy enough cause–but I think the movement’s shining glory is that fact that you’re encouraging people to engage in themselves and their world just a little more thoughtfully and creatively; social change via simple, artful and surprisingly fun lifestyle changes. I’d also venture to say, though, that a lot of people have changed the way they’ve previously interacted with politics, as inspired by Obama’s win. But all comparisons aside, let’s just hope you can win that camp too, without getting indignant campaigners all up in your grill. Oprah wouldn’t dig! [Glenn really wants to be one of Oprah’s “favorite things”!]
LAH: Okay, moving right along! So you’ve already been teaching workshops at high schools, and you recently had your first “Sweatshop Social” at 3rd Ward (which was awesome–featuring home brewed beer, chocolate pecan pie, yummy cheeses and breads, and an experimental free jazz duo. I felt like I was at a beat happening crossed with a teach-in crossed with the raddest picnic ever). How does it feel teaching two vastly different audiences in two vastly different environs? I mean are the reactions/ interactions that different? Do the warm fuzzies well up in you more working at one place over the other?[3rd Ward photo credit to Linda Gastaldello]
LAH: Unless it’s classified information, can you elaborate a little on how you’d like to take bags to the peeps even more…testing hypothesis and whatnot?
LAH: That would be great. I mean, it’s such a simple premise: one person handing another person a bag they made in like, five minutes with a bunch of friends, who will likewise make and hand out more bags (much to the surprise and delight of shoppers and friends)…or start their own bag-making groups…or become inspired to sew their own clothes and gifts…or start up their own totally different organizations for good…or learn to forage for scallions in Prospect Park. For reals, as part of Glenn’s personal naturalist tour guide training (an extension of his brothers’ work (read on), he invited me to join him on an edible foraging tour of Prospect Park with a bunch of Freegans. Then we made soup out of our gatherings. It was cool to learn that scallions and mustard greens grow every-freaking-where, while folks pay a grip for them at Whole Foods!
[Glenn’s soup stock recipe can be found on his inspiring and educatonal food blog, Proletariat Kitchen, where he also makes his own tahini. WTF!]
LAH: Um, and I love the haircut / real time portrait idea! You’re like the Warhol of conservationists! We’ve also talked about events with 80’s cover bands and pimpsploitation dance parties, both adopting “baggly” punned titles, (grooooaaaaans!), and me go-go dancing in a bag. Go ahead, go crazy. Tell the people your ideal dream vison for Bags For the People ten years from now.
LAH: Bag zombies! Damnit. The UC system wasn’t much for apocalypse-training. Speaking of which, you’re from crunchy California like me. Do you think it would have been easier to launch BFTP there?
LAH: Late night reading of this info prompted existential crisis! In which I did what I do about once a month; looking up how to become a naturalist, a forest ranger, an art therapist, a nature therapist…which finally ended in me finding a backpacking club to join. So anyway, wow! Are all the Robinsons eco-warriors? This is not the OC (the specific area of California that birthed this not-as-famous Glenn Robinson and his brother with the awesome org that also makes me want to move back to California a little) that I’ve been watching! Is my TV lying to me?
LAH: Are you a typical Capricorn?
LAH: Who doesn’t? Do you prefer gathering shells, sea glass, driftwood, or…say if you’re in Coney Island: cigarette butts or empty vodka bottles? By the way, Capricorn is an Earth sign. Coincidence???
LAH: Hey, I googled you. You’re a totally famous basketball player in addition to being an eco-warrior! Way to go! So, can you play basketball at all?

LAH: Mmm, well at anyrate, one day you’ll out-google him! Or else join forces in charity “bagsketball” tournaments! (Groans) But isn’t being nervous and not taking charge not very Capricorn of you. Or is it Capricorn of you? I need to look this up.
[LAH looking up the other Glenn Robinson’s sign…]
LAH: Oh!!! No way, he’s also a Capricorn! Are you sure you’re not some bizzarro version of this guy?
[Glenn ROBINSON born 10/01/1973 sign Capricorn 20°23
LAH: Oh and P.S., it also warns that leprosy is a danger for you. To steal (some more) from Nick Courage’s interview-stylings, if you contracted leprosy and had to go live on Dinosaur Island, what 5 items would you take with you, and what genre of music would you choose to listen to forever and ever, if you only got one? Oh! And what kind of food would you eat? Dinosaur Island’s chefs will only cook one type of food for each resident, no negotiation
LAH: I’m sorry, but you still have to answer the Dinosaur Island question, regardless of modern science’s knowledge of leprosy. Let me rephrase: if these were Jesus times (I’m sorry…you’re Jewish aren’t you? You should know that I only speak of time in measurements of Jesus. This should only take you ten Messiah-minutes to answer…)
LAH: Good answer, that’s my favorite walking music! Probably perfect for trancing out on Dino Island too–which you’ll need to do just to survive there. Who told you this was some pleasure island where you could just whimsy around teaching dinos chefs how to make your favorite foods? They’ll bite your face off!
Anyway you also forgot to tell me what 5 things you’d bring.
LAH: Okay. So on to possibly the last question–I know you have alot of bags to make in real life: How would you like Glenn Robinson of Bags for the People to be immortalized on celuloid (or camera phone)? I’d like to know a few details if you could: casting choices, directorial preferences, artistic direction, scene by scene breakdowns…whatever you’re willing to give the readers.
[The real dream team, Megan and Glenn @ 3rd Ward]![]()
LAH: So Megan is played by Brad Pitt?? Or is Brad Pitt your homo/hetero-erotic love interest and Megan is played by Maggie Gyllenhaal and the 3 of you are in a baggy love triangle?
LAH: Yowzers! Well however you bag it, I think you’ve got your hands full! Thanks for taking the time to educate and entertain us. Everyone else, be sure to check out www.bagsforthepeople.org to find out more or to get involved, and if you’re NYC local, what the deal is with their onslaught of upcoming events!
Every once in awhile, though I’m not an editor, I get a proposal for somebody’s book they want published. The last one I got was super cute! I wish I hadn’t deleted it! It was called Diary of A Panda, with little kid panda drawings in crayon. Oh well, good luck little kid. It’s a tough biz!
This one actually looks really cool (though I seriously question the comparisons–and wonder how much damage an edgy underground poet can do…especially in Boston???), so I had to share. Will research the dude more later. Roid Rage!
***
I’m a writer-filmmaker from Boston and I just finished a new pop novel called GERM OF A NEW INSANITY and I would love to send you a copy for your consideration.
I thought you would appreciate the unique and innovative approach. See the attached illustrations that I hope will compliment the project.
I am collaborating with an award-winning graphic designer from NYC.
GERM OF A NEW INSANITY follows the turbulent journey of an edgy underground writer from Boston who launches a new revolutionary movement called “shit-house poetry”.
As leader of “The Dukes of Damage”, the vicious versifier ranges through the streets of the city and applies twisted literary vines dressed in urban
code. After slowly morphing into the next great media thing, he quickly sinks in a debauchery cesspool of his own making.
It’s A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES meets TROPIC OF CANCER. An edgy avalanche of a book dripping with Dionysian escapism and pop culture fun.
You can see some of my film work here - http://www.youtube.com/wickidpissafilms
I just finished a horror movie called ROID RAGE and a new biopic screenplay on the artist Keith Haring.
I look forward to your reaction.
Best,
JOSH MITCHELL
WICKID PISSA FILMS
Ahem. Hi there. Okay, so clearly this is not the Heather Ross you know and love, as she would never call her readers and fans “Heather Rossites,” as if you were mere minions lurching about the blogosphere wearing virtual “Church of Heather Ross” t-shirts, maniacally chanting, “One of us! One of us!” while inspiring/infecting people with your newly smocked and stitched duds from WEEKEND SEWING.
Or would she???
Oh, what the heck! Why not just own up to your freakish Heather Rossiteness right now?! I mean, I have. And not just because I’m being paid to, as her publicist, or because I really want her spare Necchi. Mwahaha!
Oh yeah, this will soon be me grinning psychotically with my glossy coif and polyester blouse:
Seriously though, I think I’ve become a card-carrying Heather Rossite simply because she’s so much fun to tour with!
First stop on our non-blog tour: Honfleur Home/Marimekko in Silver Spring, Maryland. Look! There I am with Heather, looking so cute!

What, she didn’t mention that her publicist was still in elementary school? We grow up fast in the city!

Alright. That’s not me, just a really cute kid, and I didn’t go to this demo. But! I was there in spirit, texting Heather affirmations to make sure she hadn’t had a nervous breakdown driving herself here. Fortunately she hadn’t. She survived the trip and came out looking like a demoing dream! And how lovely is this store?
Next stop, with the real me and my primordial dwarf of a sewing machine in tow, was the legendary Stitch party at Spool in Philly!



This place is a buzz! Heather meets, greets, and signs.

Meet Crisco and Frisco, the cutest duo EVER!

Entire families love Heather!

Hey! It’s Laura from Red Red Orange and The Philly Etsy Street Team

P.S. I want to live in Philly sooo bad just to take their classes! I looooove these quilts! Whoa! It’s Laura, Spoolster extraordinaire!

It was also Spool’s first birthday, and Go Knit in Your Hat was there to encourage people to accessorize with their birthday cupcakes…

…as was Freespirit designer and Project Runway season one winner, Jay McCarroll, putting everyone in stitches (pun so intended!) with his hilarious remarks!

Later, Jay and friends lead Heather on tour around Philly: to the Rocky steps, the Rocky statue…to the best falafel place in town…to the best hot pretzel place in town…etc., etc.

Needless to say, Heather was glad that the demo the next morning didn’t start any earlier than 11AM, even though she didn’t end up running the Rocky steps.



After the smocked sundress demo, which everyone loved, we hit the eats and streets of Philly! Bye Spool staffers, you’re the best!

Wow, look at all these cute people! Everyone here rides bikes and dresses nattily…


…um, except for all the tourists waiting in line for cheesesteaks!

But we, being posh New Yorkers, opted for classier fare. Mmmm, cheesy chips and guac! Oooh, Heather’s going to hate me for this pic!

Yum! After lunch we lost our minds in the awesome Eyes Gallery! It was impossible to take a bad picture in this place! Seriously! Every nook was a photo op! I’ve never used so many exclamation points in one description of a store before!!!
Heather came soooo close to buying this blanket. Next time!



Heather and I both wanted these cute little jazz dudes. But breaking them up was out of the question, and buying them all would’ve broken the bank! Aw, next time guys!


OMG, we can’t leave Philly! These crazy lamps drew us into Dumpster Divers, a gallery full of great found art!




Love this chair!

Love this sign!

Love this diorama!

Okay, so after finally tearing ourselves away from South Street, we head over to Baltimore, aka, “Little Havana”…
…where Heather and Chauffeur Tom try to chat about weirdos following Heather on the waterfront earlier that morning, and how earlier in life, Heather saved a group of lady backpackers from certain death (seriously!), over the sounds of Cubanesque frat boys and girls playing bar-shuffleboard, or whatever you call that game played with pucks in bars.

Chauffer Tom does not find Baltimore very Cubanesque at all, so we move swiftly along to the sparkly courtyard of the American Visionary Arts Museum. Perhaps we can suspend our disbelief regarding “Charm City” here?



We can! It’s a bird! It’s a crab!
It’s Heather sporting her love for this town! She’s so wacky! Now off to Atomic Books…

…where my camera died. So until some kid from The Brooklyn Messenger sends me his pics, you will have to use your imagination, or else believe me when I tell you that the demo and signing went almost exactly like this:

Thanks goodness we got her out of Baltimore and back to NYC in one piece (following, of course, a gigantic piece of carrot cake at the charming Cafe Hon)! 
But even after this mega-sugar rush, poor Heather was still so worn down and flustered by the whole “swift rise to fame” and “waterfront stalker” thing, she really just needed to knock back a cold one at Craft on Draught at Spacecraft Brooklyn...

…”Draught” loosely interpreted as PBRs with some crafty Brooklynites…

…and the ever-dapper TC, PBR-drinking husband deluxe!

Heather helped this dude get his craft on…

…and this lady scrapplique a cute tee…

…while people wore ironic mustaches…


…splattered and embellished…



…raffled things, including Weekend Sewing (you may have heard of it) and Complete Embellishing by the wonderful Kayte Terry of thisisloveforver blog...


…and basically, had a really great time crafting!

Bright and early the very next day, it was off to what I like to call part of “other Brooklyn,” Cobble Hill, for a demo at Brooklyn General. Um, how cute is that squirrel belt buckle?

Friday mornings the store always hosts a knitters group, but it was great to see so many knitters getting into the demo and the book, as they considered crossing over into sewing; foreign territory for some.


Brooklyn General, by the way, is awesome and huge! Packed with fabric, yarn, notions…

I could have stayed all day, were it not for the fact that I had to return to my real job. AKA: Octo-publicist!
Aw, but it was fun while it lasted, being a tour journalist /roadie /on-the-road groupie.
By the way, this post took me all day and then some! I’m so tired now! How does Heather do this?! Why does Heather do this?!
Hmm…maybe because I thought a blog tour would be a fun idea? Ha ha, maybe fun in a sightly masochistic, downing Redbull after Redbull and never cleaning your house way?
I jest! Kind of. But please, please! Give a round of applause to Heather for blogging so beautifully and enthusiastically these past few weeks (check out all the posts on the blog tour when you get a minute. They are so thoughtful and lovely!), and for doing the smocked sundress demo so many times, she can probably do it in her sleep. She’s truly a stronger lady than I, who is sooo ready to sleep and dream about weekends of laying low and sewing ’til summertime.
I hope you all can do the same…especially you Heather!
Goodnight everyone! Heather, thanks for having me. It’s all yours again!


L Hath No Fury! : A Tight-Pantsy Drew Mystery by Leslie Ann Henkel
rating: 5 of 5 stars
I learned that you should read this! You can get it at www.deardrunkgirl.etsy.com
Do it!
View all my reviews.