Long-Arm Stapler First Aid: Self-Care In Zines and Mini Comics

Friends in Chicago can check out this really neat art exhibit I am really excited to be a part of! The art show is called Long-Arm Stapler First Aid: Self-Care In Zines and Mini Comics and is focused on the healing aspects and self-improvement by creating zines and comics. It promises to be a great show, and it opens on April 20. More information can be found on Liz's blog here. Check it out!

Become Awesome Business People!

Missy was invited by the ATHENS AREA CRAFTERS: BECOME AWESOME BUSINESS PEOPLE MEET-UP GROUP tonight to share some of her insight on running a successful ETSY SHOP and crafty business. For nearly three hours we discussed the ins and outs of the "crafting biz as we know it", sharing whatever useful information, tips, and tricks we had up our sleeve. It was an honor to be invited to speak with the group and we had a blast bouncing ideas off each other, sharing knowledge, networking, and making new friends.

College Night: Frida & Diego

WE'VE MOVED! The post you were looking for can be found at our new blog HERE: RANCHOCOCOA.COM

Frida & Diego

Missy and I are honored to be participating in the big FRIDA & DIEGO exhibition at THE HIGH MUSEUM this weekend! We will be repping for ICE ATLANTA during "COLLEGE NIGHT" festivities this coming saturday - we will be running a table where museum-goers can decorate and make their very own souvenir ONE INCH BUTTONS for free! We will have pre-printed designs that folks can color-in and draw on...or, if they choose, they can decorate blank templates with their own art and/or political messages...YEAH!

There will be other crafty activities hosted by ICE Atlanta along with salsa and tango lessons, body painting, a dance performance, live DJ's...not to mention the incredible art of FRIDA KAHLO and DIEGO RIVERA! If you're a college student, this is such a great deal...come on out to see some great art, mingle with other appreciative students, get some free swag, learn to dance...party the night away! Come stop by our table and say "HEY!" to me and Missy!

Check It Out

Friday night, Missy and I headed out to the OCONEE COUNTY LIBRARY to attend the TEEN ZINE SECTION LAUNCH PARTY. Missy was a SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER at the event and WEREWOLVES (sans me) played an acoustic set of songs. Before heading out to the library, Missy put together a bunch of GOODY BAGS that were going to be raffled off at the party. Each goody bag had a copy of her book, PERSONAL CHARM, several copies of her zines, a bookmark, and a collection of one inch buttons that she designed...



By the time we got there, the PIZZA AND ZINE-MAKING PARTY was in full swing. We had just enough time to say "hi" to our friends before Missy had to take the stage. Our friend Lonna, who coordinated the event and is also a librarian at the library, interviewed Missy along with our friend Katy, who also makes zines. During the interview, Missy and Katy talked about how they got into making zines, why they love zines so much, and why it's important for teens to have access to zines. They also talked about how teens could go about making zines of their own...









After the interview, Lonna gave us a quick after-hours tour of the library while the band set up and sound checked:















After the tour, we checked out the temporary ZINE READING LOUNGE while everyone else was waiting for Werewolves to perform. It doesn't look like much, but there are actually over 100 TEEN-FRIENDLY ZINES stuffed into that little magazine rack...









Before heading back into the auditorium to see Werewolves play, we checked out drawings that were left on the zine-making table in the lounge...































Lonna and Katy:



Missy and Jay:



Missy and Jean:



Missy and Kamron...Kamron was one of our favorite kids that we saw that night. We really dug his hat! Anyways, we were happy that he won one of Missy's goody bags in the raffle at the end of the night...

Teen Zine Scene

Hey Y'all! Missy will be speaking at the dedication of the brand new TEEN ZINE SECTION at the Oconee County Library in Watkinsville this Friday! She will be talking about her experience as a teen who was heavy into making ZINES in the '90s, and how she has steadfastly continued to create zines ever since, for well over 20 years. There will be free pizza, free zines, and a free performance by WEREWOLVES! This all-ages party starts at 7pm...come one, come all!

Girl Scouts Today, Leaders Tomorrow

Last Thursday, Missy gave a ZINE AND COMIC BOOK-MAKING demo to a group of GIRL SCOUTS from TROOP 13030, who are headquartered in Hull, Georgia. Their troop leader, Linden, contacted Missy a couple weeks ago about possibly helping the girls out with earning their COMIC ARTIST BADGES. Of she jumped at the chance, knowing what an honor it was to help the Girl Scouts in any way. Missy brought a bunch of her own self-published comics and zines to show as examples and then taught the girls how to make a "book" out of a single sheet of paper that didn't need staples...in the process, I think she even helped them earn a BOOK ARTIST BADGE as well!















Missy made a quick little zine, explaining that comics didn't need to be about SUPER HEROES, "you can make a comic about anything you want...I'm going to make one about some interesting things I saw today!"



Denise decided to write about a MOUSE who BAKED A CAKE: