Chantel C. Guidry

Poppies Silhouette Pendant

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:46:00 +0000

This simple yet beautiful handmade pendant has a base of a one inch square piece of fiberboard and is but one of the hundreds of choices available from NoisyBirdStudio, a husband and wife team from New Hampshire. The husband cuts out the fiberboard tiles, and the wife does the rest.

Once she creates her tiny pieces of art and prints them “using high-quality laser print and paper,” she sands and seals the edges and applies a “non-toxic glass-like resin” to the top. The resin on my pendant seems very sturdy and resistant to cracks and chips. I was able to make small dents in it with fingernail and teeth while putting it through rigorous product testing, but there were no problems from normal wear around my neck. The pendant did come with a tiny note specifying that the top finish is water-resistant, but not waterproof, and recommending removal before showering, swimming, and other wet activities.

The pendants are sold alone, without any chain or cord, allowing for individual choice. NoisyBirdStudio does sell both 2.4mm silver plated ball chain and 2mm, 18-inch long black leather pendant cord with a sterling silver spring clasp. Another option would be to hang it from a matching or contrasting length of ribbon, yarn, or braided embroidery floss. My poppies hang from an old, dull ball chain, which makes the overall look a little tougher, a little less dainty.

The pendants can also be used as zipper pulls. A three-inch, silver-plated ball chain with clasp can be added to any pendant, making it a fun addition to backpack, purse, coat, jacket, or any item carried or worn by someone who doesn’t wear necklaces. For folks who can’t find the perfect words or image among the multitude of offerings, NoisyBirdStudio takes on custom orders, even creating designs from scratch. They can turn a photo or other work of art into a truly one-of-a-kind creation.

The affordability of the lovely pieces from NoisyBirdStudio, coupled with the abundance of designs, makes it easy to pick out a special piece for every friend and family member. I think I can make all my winter holiday purchases in this one little Etsy shop.

As for my poppies, I enjoy the unusual pairing of brown and pink, their subtle beauty dangling at my throat.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, November 16th 2009

Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History Necklace

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:35:00 +0000

By TwilightShades

"Well-behaved women seldom make history," Harvard professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich wrote in an article about Puritan funeral services. Feminists embraced the sentiment and now the phrase (as well as the misquote “well-behaved women rarely make history”) can be found on a vast array of consumer goods, from coffee mugs to t-shirts, bumper stickers to compact mirrors.

Designer Jerry Hall of the TwilightShades Etsy shop](http://www.twilightshades.etsy.com/) has created a necklace out of an oblong metal disc about the size of a nickel into which the inspirational expression has been imprinted.

The metal disc is fastened to what is described on the TwilightShades shop as a “16 inch antiqued brass chain.” The designer does not mention from what material the disc is composed, but it’s certainly not antiqued brass. The chain and the disc look markedly different. The chain is brownish in color, while the disc is silver. I am a fan of mismatched, clashing looks, so I’m not bothered by the necklace having components of different materials, but more particular folks should take heed.

I was bothered when the chain turned my neck green. I was suspicious when I saw the chain in person. While it is sturdy and well-made, it looks rather cheap, like something out of a gumball machine. Sure enough, after wearing it in the heat of early summer, my neck looked dirty and more than slightly green. I wore the necklace on several other occasions, just to make sure I wasn’t imagining my new skin tone, and even had my most honest friend confirm the unnatural color of my flesh.

I don’t know if the chain will turn everyone’s skin green, or if I am an unusual case. I typically wear silver ball chains with no adverse effects. Maybe some material in the chain reacts with my body chemistry, but whatever the cause, I won’t often wear jewelry that makes me look as if I forgot to wash up before leaving the house.

The necklace does hang a bit lower than I tend to like, but doesn’t dangle so far down that I am afraid it will get caught on something and strangle me every time I lean over. Hall offers to make adjustments to this piece for people who are more comfortable with a shorter chain.

Overall, I am impressed with the construction of this necklace. I live an active life of commuting by bike, moving books at my library job, and taking photographs outside. I’ve yet to be in a situation where I feared the necklace was in danger of being ripped from my neck or the chain might slip from the connector rings.

I’m thinking of ways to enjoy this necklace without suffering from green neck syndrome. Perhaps it would look good hanging from my rearview mirror.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, July 27th 2009

Brainscan #23

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:47:00 +0000

By Alex Wrekk

This second printing of Brainscan #23 was released in September 2008, but don’t worry about it being outdated. While the events in this zine happened between 1995 and 2003, none of Alex Wrekk’s narratives has an expiration date.

Wrekk’s travel-themed vignettes are entertaining stories, told the way a friend would talk about the wild things that have happened to her. Not only is this zine an amusing way to kill some time while riding public transit or sitting in a waiting room, it also allows the reader to experience bits of one woman’s life. From trying to discourage unwanted suitors to exploring the urban legends of Salt Lake City and helping an unappreciative bike jock fix a flat, I felt I was right there with Wrekk through every adventure.

The tales are not laid out in chronological order, which keeps the zine from feeling like an autobiography. Arranging the episodes out of sequence emphasizes them as brief glimpses of Wrekk’s life away from home. The fact that each short-short story is independent of the others, coupled with the booklet’s small size perfect for tucking into a backpack or purse, make it easy to read on the go. Readers can open to any page and dive right in without having to keep up with a plot or remember what they read last.

This black and white zine’s old-school cut and paste design is a delight. Nearly every page features an appealing background pattern, and vintage photos are scattered throughout. A variety of fonts, point sizes, and white-on-black printing keep the pages visually stimulating.

In her introduction, Wrekk writes that the first version of Brainscan #23 was “literally thrown together in the fits of a fever haze,” but it doesn’t seem like she did much editing before printing more copies. Missing words, typos, and grammatical errors plague this zine. I realize paid copyeditors don’t correct anything self-published, but I found the multitude of mistakes distracting. A single careful reading should have easily brought the most blatant of the needed revisions to Wrekk’s attention.

Overall, spending two dollars for theses thirteen tales from Wrekk’s journeys is a great entertainment value. At fifteen cents each, these stories are bargains! This is a zine I will pull from the shelf again and again when I’m stuck at home but want to get lost in the saga of the road.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, June 16th 2009

Crimsonheart Ring

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:55:00 +0000

By BrightCircle

I found another beautiful piece of jewelry on Etsy. I was looking at member profiles on We Make Zines and found a link to a fellow zinester’s Etsy shop. I like seeing cool things other imaginative folks have made, so I decided to take a look at what she was creating and selling.

Wow! BrightCircle has absolutely gorgeous handcrafted jewelry in her shop. She calls her work “free-spirited,” and offers the Serenity Collection of jewelry based on characters from the television show Firefly, the SlinksterMinx Collection of necklaces, and a set of beaded lovelies she calls Geometric Insouciance.

I was totally enamored by the Keys to Secret Cities necklace, but knew I’d seldom have the occasion to wear something so stunning and elaborate. I turned my attention to BrightCircle’s lovely beaded rings and began to browse. When I saw the Crimsonheart ring, I knew I had to have it.

The actual ring is even more delightful than it looks in photos. It is crafted from tiny iridescent red beads, which shimmer and sparkle in the light. The beads are sewn with black thread, which produces an overall deeper color. The ring is really a slightly stretchy finger cuff, which gives the wearer a close, conforming (but not too tight) fit.

I wasn’t sure if the available ring would actually fit me, since I had no clue as to what size I needed. I started a conversation with BrightCircle and soon received a response. She was very helpful and gave me clear instructions for determining my size. It turned out the available Crimsonheart ring was too small, so BrightCircle offered to craft a custom sized one for me. She worked swiftly, and I received my Crimsonheart ring quickly.

I adore this piece of jewelry and wear it every day. I like wearing something so pretty, something that makes me feel happy whenever I see it. I like knowing that I’m sporting something made especially for me, something that I’m not likely to see on every third person I meet. I especially like being able to support another creative zinester.

For striking and beautiful rings at affordable prices, as well as other pretty treasures made from beads, keys, baubles, and charms, check out BrightCircle’s splendid offerings.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, May 15th 2009

The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City

admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:57:00 +0000

By Kelly Coyne, Erik Knutzen

Process Media

Subtitled "Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City," this volume in the Process Self-Reliance Series bills itself as "a project and resource book, complete with step-by-step illustrations and instructions to get you started homesteading right now." It really delivers, both to absolute beginners and to folks who have already ventured into the world of urban homesteading.

The authors start with growing food. Chapter One offers guidance on the four general strategies for growing food in an urban setting, followed by directions for making seed balls. This chapter gives basic yet useful information about permaculture, then goes into helpful detail about the seven guiding principles of successful urban farming.

Chapter Two gives step-by-step instructions for five projects the authors deem essential for growing food, including starting a compost pile, composting with worms, mulching, building a raised bed, and building self-watering containers. The second half of the chapter includes guidelines for a variety of undertakings, including staring seeds, transplanting, making fertilizer tea, container gardening, installing drip irrigation, controlling insect and animal pests, and rotating crops. The directions are comprehensive; it is not assumed that the reader already has a lot of gardening knowledge and experience, which is beneficial to both novices and folks needing a refresher course.

Urban foraging is the topic of chapter three, and everything from eating acorns to dumpster diving is covered. Six things to know about eating wild are explained in the feral edibles section, along with a list of "some of the most liked, most widespread edible weeds in the continental U.S." There are also sections on invasive edibles, fruit foraging, and reviving day old bread.

Chapter Four focuses on keeping livestock in the city. It includes ample advice about chickens, including where to get them, what to feed them, and how to house them. Other livestock considered include ducks, rabbits, pigeons, quail, and bees.

"Revolutionary Home Economics" is an extensive chapter dealing with the "indoor arts." The first part of the chapter is about food. There are instructions about preserving food through canning, pickling, and drying, as well as by other means. There are also directions for making yogurt, ricotta cheese, and butter. The second half of the chapter is all about cleaning and includes formulas for making DIY cleaning supplies using baking soda, distilled white vinegar, and liquid castile soap. There’s also a short section on dealing with household pests. The chapter ends with valuable tips on what to look for and what choices to make if choosing a new urban homestead.

Chapter Six is about water and power for the homestead and includes information about conserving and harvesting rainwater. There are several projects pertaining to greywater, including running a greywater source directly outside and making a greywater wetland. Topics in the energy section include using insulation and solar heat to increase energy efficiency, alternatives to gas-heated showers, solar cookers, and wind and solar power.

The last chapter, "Transportation," is rather short. It touches on walking but basically emphasizes cycling. The book ends with a comprehensive resource list, including websites, books, and magazines. Disappointingly, there is no index. The Urban Homestead is a fantastic introduction to living off the land, even when there’s not much land available. It's not meant to be read once, cover to cover. It’s meant to be kept on hand as a resource, a book to refer to again and again in the garden, in the kitchen, in the workroom. There’s a lifetime of information packed in to these 308 pages, and the time to start using that information is now.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, March 5th 2009

Behind the Bedroom Door: Getting It, Giving It, Loving It, Missing It

admin — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:17:00 +0000

Edited by Paula Derrow

Delacorte Press

“Daring. Provocative. Unflinchingly honest,” the book jacket proclaims of this anthology subtitled “getting it, giving it, loving it, missing it.” It is sex, and Behind the Bedroom Door is a collection of essays from twenty-six contemporary women writers.

Don’t be confused. While some of these essays are sexy, this writing is neither erotic nor academic. These are personal essays covering points across the adult female life cycle, the thoughts and feelings of individual women about their individual sex lives.

In “The Sweetest Sex I Never Had,” Hope Edelman recalls her first sexual experiences as a teenager. “If you define sex as an act of penetration, we weren’t having it, but that feels beside the point,” she writes of the hours she and her boyfriend spent giving each other pleasure. Sadly, some teenage sexual encounters are actually sexual assaults, which cause repercussions well into the adult years, as attested to by Stephanie Dolgoff in “Kiss Poker” and Anna Marrian in “Under the Influence.”

We know that pregnancy and childbirth are not only the biological culminations of sex, but also two factors that change the way a woman and her partner(s) interact sexually. In “Pregnant Pause,” Pari Chang tells how her husband stopped relating to her sexually during her pregnancy, while in “Sex with a (Much) Younger Man” Elizabeth Cohen confesses that she was the one who halted sexual intimacy with her husband while pregnant with their child. Brett Paesel shares her experiences of trying to get pregnant and how that affected her sex life in “Procreational Sex.” She says, “…sex, always so easy throughout our relationship, became a thing to be calculated, negotiated, withheld.” Both Susanne Paola (“Toys in the Bedroom”) and Lori Gottlieb (“Mommy Lust”) divulge secrets of sex once there are kids in the house.

I especially enjoyed the essays steeped in humor. With “Ouch, You’re Lying on My Hair!” Valerie Frankel deals specifically with the comedy of sex. “Looking for Mr. Snickers” is Jenny Lee’s funny retelling of how, after she leaves her husband, she decides “sex is a commitment, even if it’s only for a night.” Although discussing the serious issues of what arouses her and what leave her cold, Bella Pollen keeps the tone of “Turn Me On, Turn Me Off” light and humorous.

The essays in this book are definitely hetero-normative. Twenty-four of the authors write about having sex with men. In “Look Both Ways Before Crossing,” Meredith Maran writes about having sex with men and women (although the word bisexual is conspicuously absent). Thankfully, Ali Liebegott does nothing to hide her queerness in her piece “In the Beginning,” a consideration of the early, heady days of a new love affair “pretty in all its potential.”

On the surface it may seem that sex is the theme tying together the stories in this volume. However, these essays truly deal with women learning about themselves through sex. The writers in this anthology don’t just write about the sex they’ve had; they use that sex as a prism through which to examine themselves, their hopes, their needs, their desires. Instead of using this collection simply as entertainment, readers would do well to use these stories as a catalyst for learning about themselves through studying the role sex plays in their own lives.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, February 25th 2009

Anatomical Heart Necklace

admin — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:56:00 +0000

By Niku of The Ephemeral Mailbox Museum

I was messing around on [Etsy.com](http://etsy.com/" target="_blank) when I stumbled upon this lovely and unusual [anatomical heart necklace](http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15164609" target="_blank). I’m not much of a consumer, so I thought my desire would prove to be nothing but a passing fancy. However, I couldn’t stop thinking about this piece and didn’t stop wanting it. I finally decided that $10 (plus a $2.50 shipping fee) was a small price to pay for such a striking piece of hand crafted jewelry.

The heart itself is 1.25 x .75 inches, made of acrylic, and sealed for protection. Once I was able to take a good look at the heart, I realized that it seems to be made from shrunken plastic, what we called Shrinky Dinks when I was a kid. Cool! The design on the heart is very detailed and (from what I remember of freshmen biology class), anatomically correct. It is red in color and is both beautiful and realistic enough to perhaps make the weak of stomach a little queasy.

At my request, the artist added three beads between the heart and the chain to pretty the whole thing up a bit. I certainly appreciate her willingness to go an extra step to satisfy me. I think the beads (a small, faceted purple one; a larger round red one, and a medium round black one) help soften the look.

The heart dangles from a standard silver ball chain. The fifteen-inch length keeps the necklace from hanging too low; it’s not quite as tight as a choker, but has a similar look. Of course, the chain could easily be shortened with jewelry tools for a closer fit. I appreciate the tough look of the ball chain, which keeps this piece from looking too delicate or frilly.

Overall, I enjoy the balance of the design. It’s both raw and whimsical, delicate but strong. I like that it suggests the work of Frida Kahlo and the tradition of Mexican milagros. I wear the piece almost every day, and so far it’s held up wonderfully. None of the parts have broken or fallen off, even though I tend to be rough on my jewelry. I need sturdy things that stay intact while I’m running around, living my life. This necklace is both well made and attractive, and I feel happy whenever I have it on.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, November 4th 2008

Liddle Kiddle Embroidery Patterns (Artist Series #4)

admin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:59:00 +0000

By Lisa Petrucci

Sublime Stitching

I had never before attempted embroidery until I received Sublime Stitching’s Artist Series #4 embroidery patterns, “Liddle Kiddle” designs drawn by artist and illustrator Lisa Petrucci. The front of the packet promises “any skill level” and “EZ how 2,” and it’s true! By following the included instructions, I was embroidering immediately, even though I’m not a particularly gifted textile crafter. With these patterns, anyone who can sew on a button should be able to embroidery right away.

This packet includes thirteen different designs (a cutesy devil, an adorable angel, a sexy flower, a fluffy poodle, and a sweet kitten among them) on an 8½” x 11” sheet. To make the transfer, a design is cut from the large sheet and then ironed on to the fabric (preferably cotton or a poly-cotton blend in a light color) to be embellished.

Each transfer makes up to eight imprints, and when the designs no longer transfer, they work as templates for tracing with carbon paper or for use with a transfer pen. The designs aren’t only for embroidery, but can also be used for crewel, needlepoint, and fabric painting, as well as for wood, leather, and paper crafts. Getting so many uses from these patterns makes them a really excellent value.

As the Sublime Stitching website points out, there are no charts and no counting necessary with these designs. After I transferred the pattern onto my fabric, I stitched along the lines with embroidery floss in the colors of my choice. I really enjoyed deciding what colors to use; my favorite part of the process was designing my own project and making it look the way I imagined it.

Because this set only provides patterns, I had to acquire an embroidery hoop, a needle, and embroidery floss. I already had a needle, and I picked up a hoop and floss (and handkerchiefs on which to transfer the designs) at thrift stores I frequent. I didn’t find the colors I want to use for the little devil, so I will probably buy new floss for her, but I was able to get started without spending a lot of money.

I think these patterns are fabulously fun and easy to use. I am absolutely satisfied and can’t think of a single drawback. Sublime Stitching and Lisa Petrucci rock!

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, June 25th 2008

The Chainbreaker Bike Book: A Rough Guide to Bicycle Maintenance

admin — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:55:00 +0000

By Shelley Lynn Jackson, Ethan Clark

Microcosm Publishing

This “rough guide to bicycle maintenance” is really two books in one. The first half is a bike repair manual, with which the authors strive to “serve many people, from the very beginner to a decent mechanic who just likes to geek out.” I found the how-to instructions accessible, written in a way that is easy to understand, not in “high tech or cool dude language.” Although both authors have been professional bike mechanics and stalwart volunteers at the New Orleans Community Bike Project, they come across as real people who just want to help other real people repair and maintain bicycles — no bike snobs here!

The illustrations — by Ethan, Shelley, and Happy, the title page proclaims — are really awesome. They are simple but informative, slightly cartoonish, but factual. For folks who need to know what different styles of bikes or different kinds of tools look like, there are pictures here to help. There are also drawings to assist with adjusting breaks, truing wheels, and replacing cables, as well as other repair and maintenance projects.

The manual ends with two appendices. The first is a directory of community bike programs in the United States and abroad, followed by a helpful glossary of bike terms.

The second half of the book consists of reprints from past issues of the Chainbreaker _zine. Shelley Lynn Jackson edited and self-published _Chainbreaker from 2001-2005, but was unable to continue after losing her typewriter, clip art, desk, drawing supplies, and home to flooding following Hurricane Katrina. Lucky for readers, she was able to collect some of her favorite parts of the old zines in this compilation.

Shelley’s excitement about bicycles shows in the articles she wrote and collected for her zine. In her introduction to the very first issue of Chainbreaker, in a love letter to bikes, aptly called “For the Love of a Bicycle,” she details all that bikes have to offer. “…[T]he bicycle shows a person that their [sic] are options, that there are other ways of living, new horizons undiscovered.” Romantic? Yes. True? Definitely.

Chainbreaker contains not only Shelley’s voice, but includes the art and writing of other folks too. There are instructions for making a bike tube belt from Spitshine the Eye zine, directions for constructing bucket paniers [sic] from Joe Biel of Microcosm, and art and words from long time zinester Icky Apparatus. Andalusia contributes an account of volunteering at Maya Pedal, a bicycle-recycling center in Guatemala, and Happy explains bicycle delivery New Orleans style. Co-author Ethan Clark has participated in the project from nearly the beginning as a contributor of stories and images to the zine.

This bike repair manual doesn’t just show how to fix things; it provides a lot of encouragement and inspiration as well. Shelley gives several pep talks to women throughout the book, cheering us on to ”stand up and be heard…get to know the tools and language…ask questions and look for guidance, but look to your own sense of logic as well.” That’s good advice, not just for bike repair, but for everything we do in life.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, May 8th 2008

The Constant Rider Omnibus: Stories from the Public Transportation Front

admin — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:39:00 +0000

By Kate Lopresti

Microcosm Publishing

This second edition of _The Constant Rider Omnibus _collects issues 1-7 of Kate Lopresti’s zine of “stories from the public transportation front.” The first issue dates from September 2000 and chronicles the author’s holiday travels during a week riding Amtrak and VIA Rail (Canada’s rail system). The most recent issue included is from spring 2005 and covers tales of “celebrity sightings” associated with public transit. In between is everything from bus riding manners and romance (issue #6) to what people on the bus are reading (issue #4) to tales of passengers traveling in altered states (issue #2).

Lopresti lives in Portland, Oregon and uses both her bike and public transportation to get around town. She encounters a lot of intriguing folks while en route, and she describes them with a sharp wit that really makes them come alive. Because Lopresti is gifted at relaying details, in just a few words she can reveal the people she comes across as multifaceted and real.

At her best, Lopresti does an excellent job pacing her stories, revealing just enough to keep the reader wanting more. Many of her narratives end with a clever “pow,” some witty remark that completes the piece and leaves a feeling of satisfaction. However, as a high school English teacher might write at the top of Lopresti’s composition, sometimes her pieces come to an end, but not a conclusion. Those stories left me wanting more too, just not in a good way. But a few bland endings don’t keep the collection from being a fun read. Overall, I was quite entertained by this book. I think Lopresti is a talented writer, and I enjoyed watching her abilities improve from one issue to the next.

This anthology is really perfect for reading on the bus or train. It’s slender, only 125 pages, so it is easily slipped into a backpack, messenger bag, or tote. None of the pieces are more than a few pages long, so it’s easy to read snippets on short rides or during short waits. Some pieces are amusing enough to read over and over again, so with this book in your bag, you always have a handy distraction if your travel plans go awry or you need to ignore a fellow commuter who seems to be getting too friendly.

Since spring is here, I’ve been riding my bike to work instead of catching the bus, so I read this whole book in a couple of big chunks while sprawled out on my bed. However, I really do recommend savoring Kate Lopresti’s words in smaller portions while commuting, during those times you would rather not bond with the bus driver or the other passengers.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, April 17th 2008

Sweet Snow Sensual Body Powder

admin — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 22:48:00 +0000

By Boudoir Essentials

The Honey of the Nymph Sweet Snow Sensual Body Powder is from the Shunga Erotic Art line. The word “shunga” commonly refers to Japanese erotic paintings from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. The company brochure says the collection was inspired by the sexual imagination and fantasy of such paintings. The company claims to have “collected a range of products for the lovers of lovemaking, those who must fully experience their intimate moments in a spirit of sensuality, excitement and passion.”

I think this product is especially suited to people who like their intimate moments to be a bit… messy. This mixture of modified starch and corn starch (which may also contain honey bake, aspartame, natural and/or artificial flavor) is essentially a dust which comes with a small, wooden handled feather duster. Applying the powder with the plumes leads to a small cloud of sweet smelling dust that sometimes includes tiny feathers. Of course, the dust that doesn’t make it onto the skin is going to end up on the sheets, on top of the stereo and all over the floor.

The powder does not have an unpleasant flavor. It is not overly sweet and leaves no after taste, but I wouldn’t choose to consume more than a small amount. The feather applicator felt deliciously tickly on my skin, but it does seem to be made of genuine feathers, so vegans beware. (Vegans may also want to do some research into the “honey bake” listed as a potential ingredient.)

Although I’m typically quite the sensualist, I didn’t find this “lovemaking” enhancement all that exciting. If I were already in the mood for sex, I might find this product thrilling, but if I were trying to get into the mood for sex, I think this product would just make me giggle. Personally, if I wanted to spice up my sex life, instead of buying this powder, I would take the money and buy some good lube or a bottle of tequila.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, August 5th 2007

Tazewell’s Favorite Eccentric #4

admin — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:20:00 +0000

By Sarah Arr!

This zine, published in April of 2006, is tiny but powerfully personal. It has 30 pages, and, at only 5½ by 4¼ inches, it’s small enough to fit in a pocket for on-the-go reading.

On the very first page, zinester Sarah Arr! writes, “this issue is a lot more personal than things I’ve previously written,” and adds that she will not give copies to co-workers and casual friends. She observes that her life is not all misery and wretchedness, that she has fun every day and reminds us, “like most perzines, this is an outlet.”

Sarah’s first story, in which she pays homage to “bargaining with a real, live, flesh and blood human,” is about the flea markets in her hometown. The topics of the next few pages include the frustration of not having the right words, envy of thin women, drifting away from friends, being attracted to a guy while loving her girlfriend and a parent’s illness as a reminder of her own mortality.

In the middle of the zine the issues get even more intimate, and the label on page 15 reads, “This may be TRIGGERING.” She writes about her mom’s drug addiction, which led to Sarah being sexually abused as a little girl. After sharing what she calls “possibly the hardest thing that I’ve ever written,” she then tells of her younger brother’s death as a child.

While these issues are in no way happy or upbeat, Sarah tells her distressing stories with honesty and clarity. I appreciate that she is struggling to deal with her past and trying to heal by writing about the painful events. The insight Sarah has given into her harrowing experiences will help me behave more sympathetically towards people I know who have dealt with similar occurrences in their lives.

While this zine is not exactly entertaining, it is thought provoking and well-written. Words can be powerful weapons in the struggle for survival. As Sarah says about the sexual abuse that she experienced: “I write about it because that makes it real. Something that I can understand in words that happened. I can wrap my mind and my mouth around those words and arm myself like a soldier. I can wrap them up into ribbons to give other women so that they know that they’re not alone. That you’ve already lived through it once. We are stronger than the past.”

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, July 16th 2007

Felt Flora

admin — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:31:00 +0000

MWAH! Creations

MWAH! Creations consists of two good friends who co-run an internet shop on etsy.com (“your place to buy & sell all things handmade”). Babs lives in London, while Tanis resides in Vancouver. Tanis, “a schooled artist,” who “enjoys creating whimsical pieces of felted wonder” made this felt flora pin.

Tanis says that these blossoms are “unique and definitely one of a kind,” so if you order a felt flora pin, it will be different from mine. When sporting such distinctive artwork as accessory, you’ll never have to worry about running into someone else wearing a replica of your pin. For folks who don’t like anything already available, there is the option of customized felt flora; the client gets “to choose colors, textures, fiber types, and all the little details like beading, and more fibers, feathers and ribbons.”

These textile creations are hand felted, which Tanis explains this way: each piece of the flower is first wet felted with wool roving, and then the pieces are combined and needle felted onto a base. What I understand is that this flower is beautiful: in shades of purple and burgundy and blue, with hints of yellow and green thrown in for good measure. It will look gorgeous on either my purple or red vintage coat - like a soft fabric corsage that will never wilt.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, July 12th 2007

You Live for the Fight When That’s All That You’ve Got #1

admin — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:07:00 +0000

By Ciara Xyerra

This zine is the latest from the woman who brought the world five issues of A Renegade’s Handbook to Love & Sabotage. After her dad’s unexpected death in 2002, she took a break from producing zines because “the words just didn’t come out in a way that felt right” to her. With You Live for the Fight…, she is “trying to let the words come out in a way that feels right to them.”

I’m really excited by the way the words came out. It’s been a long time since I’ve liked a zine as much as I like this one, and I highly recommend it to anyone even marginally interested in perzines.

I appreciate Ciara’s candid and honest writing on topics ranging from her dad’s death to her own depression and suicidal thoughts. Despite the serious subject matter, this zine is not a downer, since Ciara utilizes humor and wit when describing her life. She has a gift for telling entertaining and enlightening tales, as well as for sharing illuminating details from her adventures away from home. Best of all, her narratives always come across as sincere and genuine. From the linoleum print self-portrait on the cover of the zine to its eight pages of reviews of books and other zines, Ciara’s personality and individuality shine throughout this project.

Like the best zines I’ve ever encountered, this is one I want to hold on to so I can read it again and again. Even when I memorize what every one of its stories is all about, I’ll still take pleasure in how those stories are told.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, June 20th 2007

Sports Ragtote

admin — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:52:00 +0000

By Ragtotes

The Sports Ragtote is a six-inch long hard plastic case marketed as a tampon holder. It comes with a snap clip for attaching to things, and it’s made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. The company website asserts that it “will support 200 lbs. of weight” and is “crush-proof under most circumstances.” I squeezed the container as hard as I could, stood on top of it and even hurled it against a wall. Despite all the abuse, no cracks, splits, chips, or breaks developed.

Another perk of the Sports Ragtote is that it floats, which means there’s a chance for recovery if it ends up in a river, creek or ocean. The Sports Ragtote is waterproof too. Everything I put into both the main compartment and the bottom area designed to hold pills stayed dry, even after being held under water. The caps screw on to the container and snug up against a rubber ring designed to keep water out. The website says the caps are “guaranteed to last through 100,000 open/close actions.”

I managed to squeeze four long tampons into the Sports Ragtote. I estimate at least twice as many short ones would fit into the 1¾-inch diameter main compartment. Since I don’t use tampons anymore, I checked out the Sports Ragtote’s compatibility with other menstrual products. Two rolled up super long, ultra thin pads fit in snuggly, as did my folded Diva Cup.

Maybe I’ll carry pads in my Sports Ragtote, but it would also make a great travel first aid or sewing kit or could easily hold cash, lip balm and house keys. The Sports Ragtote is a good carrying case for any small items that need to stay clean, dry and intact.

Written by: Chantel C. Guidry, June 12th 2007