Creating a new place to play: Extember, the 'zine

We are making a 'zine.  'Zines were a thing when we were youth, and still exist: small books, like a magazine, but short, non-commercial, homemade, photocopied or online publications with a niche subject matter- very on brand for Works-in-Progress.

As we entered our second lockdown and the 10th? 11th? month of this pandemic experience, we were thinking about all the things we had learned. I have learned a lot about time, pacing... plus how to darn socks, slash sourdough and make kombucha (tip- don't smell it, just drink it.) A 'zine seems like a good place to share all sorts of things.

So, the working model is to create four simultaneous issues about making things from other things.  We are seeking tips, not recipes; inspiration, not aspiration; works in progress, not finished masterpieces.  The content will be playful, launch pads, more visual than text. Collaborative and inclusive, with lots of contributors involved.

These will be published (online and also as downloadable pdfs to print) as they get full, and grouped along 4 themes: Food, Cloth, Plants and Stick & Stones.

And the name- I was mulling over a few names along with the idea.  It could be something playful and a little 90s,like Make/Do or more explicit, like A magazine about Anything but Shopping but then inspiration came from a wise friend (this is not unusual and also another good reason to do a group project like this.)

"I dreamed they added a new month called Extember. 'I always forget Extember,' quoth I, in my dream"
-Amy Brown, earlier in 2020

This inspiration of whimsy from our friend Amy is a perfect name: Extember- literally a month out of time.  We have all been experiencing a strange time out of time, and this is a place to share what we have learned to help each other out. We are seeking images and ideas that inspire, ways of making do that you have learned over this Extember.

If you feel inspired or have something to share, email us [email protected] or check out the sample pages on our website.