#i have no new content today so i am upcycling my last two things | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sticky-institute · 7 years

Photo

Travel Diary: Zinefest Christchurch, by Bryce Galloway

I used to go to all of New Zealand’s annual zinefests, but now that there’s six of them (!?!?) I only go to my hometown zinefests - Hamilton/Wellington, and one other, in strict rotation. I’m weird like that, just ask my friends.

Last time I was here (2013) I was in a lonely hotel on the edge of Cathedral Square, telling the assembled locals to go zine, cos it was one of the best cultural vehicles for a city lacking infrastructure. Christchurch (Ōtautahi) was post-quake. Christchurch is still post-quake, just a little less so.

This time round I’m staying with friend, artist, musician and Content Manager at inde radio station RDU - Gemma Syme. I slept on Gemma’s coach, until drunken friends and flatmates woke me with their banter and late-night fry-up. I listened to the drunken Pakeha boys try and argue their iwi (tribal) status with the Māori girls. What, with the sleeping bag over my head, I totally missed that one of the boys in question was friend and zinester Spencer Hall. Once they’d left I got up and checked they’d turned the oven off. Those, “don’t drink and fry” ads, ya know?

I see nobody from Christchurch Zinefest 2013 at the 2017 event. This must be a completely new local zine spasm. However, Christchurch’s ongoing love of the risograph and the influence of designer/art school lecturer Luke Wood are still present, extended by Jane Maloney’s riso press (M/K Press Ltd) and her pre-Zinefest riso-zine workshops.

Christchurch Art Centre are providing this space by virtue of the fact that they have a zinester in their ranks - Louise Sutherland. Otherwise, Alice Bush is the primary organizer of this year’s event.

Louise’s zines precede her. She be the author of the wonderful Coaster Frenzy, here today for just “$1 or swaps”. Alice and I gush our respective roller coaster stories at the Coaster Frenzy author. Alice has the world’s highest rollercoaster under her belt. I have the world’s highest vertical-drop rollercoaster under mine, which is surprising, I HATE heights. I launch into the Dead Kennedy’s rollercoaster disaster anthem Funland at the Beach, and later kick myself for the inappropriateness of that song in the context of post-quake Christchurch!!!

Louise says she feels privileged to have been part of the Christchurch rebuild, “It’s a moment in history. How many of those do we get to share.” Louise contends that Christchurch art and music have benefitted from the quakes; that a formerly closed scene, full of hierarchies, is now open to all players. That’s very ziney. It’s a sentiment echoed in issue two of the riso music journal Cheap Thrills (at Zinefest with editor - Erin Kimber). In the opening article - On the Value of Music - Matt Scobie writes, “I believe these events allowed or encouraged us to break free of the shackles of competitive individualism driven by exchange values and start acknowledging the importance of seeing the Ōtautahi music community as a synergetic whole…”

Hey, there’s Cameron from riso design journal Strips Club. His Strips Club collaborator’s moved to Berlin. Maybe there won’t be another volume of Strips Club. “Awe, do a White Fungus.” I encourage. “Berlin/Chch to their Taiwan/Wellington. Interview White Fungus’s Hanson brothers.” We talk politics, voting patterns, Winston Peters, the “king-maker” in post-election New Zealand. Cameron tells me about the massive Justice Building, that cynically opened for election season photo ops with members of the incumbent National party, closing again for ongoing construction as soon as the polling booths were shut.

I do the stall-holder circuit, it probably takes about an hour to get a reasonable handle on the qualities of the various zines on offer. All the zinesters are doing the same thing; doing the whole circuit before deciding how to spend their budget of $5, $10, or $20. I spend every cent that I make in sales of my own zine - Incredibly Hot Sex with Hideous People. I get all zinesters to sign their work.

There are approximately 20 stall-holders here according to Alice: Asian exchange students have written about racism against their own, David Merritt has his foldout poetry housed in upcycled books and banana box linings, there’s a zine from the Christchurch Women’s Centre, Spencer’s pop-up comics and satirical propaganda commands (Spencer also passes round a folded piece of paper for a comics jam on fictitious FX pedals), there are other inde comics, second hand books, witch zines, potion zines, stickers, handmade jewelry, cassettes, CD-zines, creative writing, sci fi stories, photo zines, travel zines, cat zines, music zines, even a zine about zines.

I sell more zines when I’m not on my stall than when I am there!?!? I’m not surprised, zine shopping is a potentially self-consciousness experience in the extreme. Where else do you examine someone’s art while they examine your face for signs of enjoyment, waiting for you to decide whether their art’s good enough to purchase. Imagine being installed next to your own gallery painting, with your hand out!? But that’s also the best thing about zinefest, you meet ALL the artists.

Bleeeurh! A bit tired and hungover now. Need coffee. The worst busker in the world sits in her wheelchair outside Bunsen Café warbling some churchy dirges over karaoke backing. Too good to be full-o-character, too bad to forgive her genre of choice.

My zinefest neighbor is a scrapbooker from the US, so I’m compelled to ask her if she thinks the scrapbooker kits one finds in art/stationary shops are a rip. Thankfully, she does. She appears to be afloat in NZ, not knowing if her art school back in the US will be restructured out of existence or not. Is looking to find an arts program in New Zealand.

Cameron of Strip Club packs up early. Bastard! Makes a huge hole in the wee zinefest presence/footprint.

I’m just not acclimatized to this Christchurch cold. They’ve put the Wellington guy in exactly the wrong place, by the draughty doorway. Locals chit chat in tee shirts while I hug myself, jacket zipped, hat pulled tight!?!?

I’m encouraging Louie of Dunedin Zinefest and Alice of Christchurch to get committees of helpers. They’re both currently running their zinefests solo!?!?

Spencer tells me to check out his story about NZ alt rock legend Bruce Russel being the alter-ego of NZ alt rock legend Martin Phillips, as printed in his Lyttelton Rotten Radio zine.

It’s nearly 5 PM. I pack up and make short work of my farewells so that I can catch a bus to the airport and relax knowing I’m in the right place for my flight back to Wellington.

Back home and checking the best of my haul:

Cheap Thrills Issue 2 - an elegant risographed volume of NZ music past and present

Wandering Wolves is a gorgeous riso, the very first zine of Prabha Mallya, made at one of the workshops leading up to zinefest. Poetic mix of tagged animal narrative, poetry, illustration, photo and collage.

Field Notes from The Crescent City – July 2017 “It’s a very efficient and sensible method of burial that ensures you can never ever escape your family, even in death.”

Louise Sutherland’s holiday snaps and memories of New Orleans (including its cemeteries), well enough written and photographed to transcend any photo album limitations

A Most Elusive Species – by Louise Sutherland’s brother Robert. Photo essay of seemingly empty zoo enclosures. A subtle variety to the picture-by-picture approach creating a rewarding sense of narrative.

Burn Out is a pun. Yes, there are cars, but the scars are not the result of spinning tyres but of the sun’s rays peeling the paint off that once proud finish - by Robert Sutherland.

The cutest wee Untitled zine that pitches it’s teensiness against clipped horror narratives from Greek myth.

Cuss Weird cussing birds. Inexplicable.

OX OX OX... a CDR economically clothed in a folded A3. Rockabilly are the first chords, with hints of Ramones and Stooges. Next song is quite different, same vocal stylings but over “Dunedin Sound” meets Fall repetition. In the zine, we’re regaled with some pretty compelling “um and ah” misadventures from the band’s singer. Now they play a kiwified Joy Division cover. Sweeet!

Strawberry Stories runs some loopy narrative logic, or lack thereof. And some nice red spot-colour on the strawberry coloured one, though s/he’s not actually a strawberry eh, s/he’s like a person with a tree growing outta their head!?!?

A Zine Fanzine Beautifully designed and laid out riso about zines. Tightened up my own understanding about the provenance of zines, though changes to conjecture when talking about post internet zines.

Misc - Excellent poems by Arwen Miriama Sommer. “Snow is built of feathers and birds are built of trees”

All About the Sex* The Christchurch Women’s Centre decide to distribute their newsletter at zinefest, so it’s a zine now. An intro to the Woman’s Centre and their weekly discussion forum, plus an intro to the Red Tent movement and editorial about aging women’s identity.

Rotten Radio Zine - Spencer Hall’s good at writing original meandering comedy nonsense about music and culture.

6 notes · View notes

diyhomegardenblog · 7 years

Text

Today we are going to look at how you can create quick and easy vertical storage space in your home. While most of us daydream of living in a large home with huge walk-in closets, that’s not the reality for most. The number of people who reside in apartments or homes of modest size is huge! While most are content with their snug space, they have one common complaint: lack of storage space.

I live in a small ranch home built in the 1960s. I love the small space. It takes very little time to keep clean, it’s well-built and the brick exterior needs almost no maintenance, and it feels warm and cozy.

However, I am in the same boat as apartment renters. My home was built before walk-in closets became trend. There are only two bedrooms in my home and both have wall closets that are on the smaller size. Therefore, stealing closet space from a third bedroom isn’t in the cards.

After a couple of years of trying to find things that I had lost, I decided to think about new ways to store things. First, I took a very honest look at all my possessions. I went one room at a time cleaning out and organizing every closet. I donated a lot of clothes that didn’t fit to a great charity. In fact, I even made a few dollars selling some higher-end items that I no longer needed on eBay.

Once the big clean-out of 2015 was completed, I made it a point to find creative new storage solutions. After pondering my situation and looking up ideas on pinterest, the solution was clear.

I obviously needed to take advantage of vertical storage space to store all my things. Vertical space is the area up the walls, over the doorways, under existing furniture. This is where you can find sneaky storage space in the most challenging areas of your home.

In the effort of full disclosure, the images I’m sharing today aren’t mine. They are the ideas that inspired me to take action. I used some of these ideas, I modified some to suit my home, and I rejected a few that are great ideas but just didn’t work for me. Consider adopting whichever ones may work for you.

THE BATHROOM:

Small bathrooms present a particular challenge. Of course, we all want a sleek, neat clutter-free bathroom. We want to get showered and groomed in a serene feeling. But when you have a tiny bathroom, that may sound impossible!

Add shelving that adds charm while providing valuable storage space.

Some people have etageres above their toilets. That has never been my personal favorite as I find that dust collects around the feet. Installing shelving off the floor above the toilet adds character and I find it easier to keep clean. I installed shelving where I can can display my large collection of fine fragrances and select one to wear each day.

The trick is to keep the items all alike (like my fragrances) or in baskets to keep the look neat. Otherwise, you will certainly end up with clutter!

Add shelves above your toilet to add storage space to a small bathroom | pinterest.com

Adding shelving above the bathroom door is a sneaky way to add storage that I loved. However, I sadly haven’t taken time to build shelves yet. Perhaps that’s another project that I can post…

Stainless steel shelving provides sturdy storage for extra towels. | familyhandyman.com

Steal space from above the bathroom door to add storage to your bathroom | hometalk.com

Crafty and creative touches like mason jars mounted on an upcycled piece of scrap wood or a basket turned on its side can also provide charming and practical solutions.

Turn a rattan basket onto its side to create a cute shelf. nyrs.info

Mason jars mounted to reclaimed wood make the perfect storage place for small hygiene items. | shelterness.com

Finally, don’t neglect your linen closet. Use judgment in discarding faded, ratty towels and keep the nice ones. Clear all clutter. Also, take advantage of the vertical space inside the linen closet door by adding a wire rack shelving unit or even a hanging shoe bag to store extra toiletry items.

Add wire shelving to the inside of your linen closet door to take advantage of wasted space. | coupons.com

THE BEDROOM:

The bedroom is another space where we need more storage.

First, take advantage of furniture that does double-duty. A bed that has storage underneath makes smart use of wasted space under the bed. It looks far more stylish than pushing plastic storage boxes under there!

Use the vertical space under your bed by choosing a storage bed. | bedszone.co.uk

A trundle bed adds storage or a place for an overnight guest to sleep. | roomstogokids.com

Add vertical storage inside your closet using a number of sneaky tricks. Double or triple your vertical shoe storage space by using shoe racks. You can build one or purchase them at your local superstore. Or, add hanging shoe bags to the back of your closet door. Personally, I went with a very sturdy shoe rack because I have so many shoes. It’s an issue.

Hanging shoe racks are great for storing almost anything!

Add a shoe shelf to your master closet to add shoe storage space

These clear hanging shoe racks are also fantastic for organizing small items like scarves, jewelry, or even lingerie. Because they are clear it’s easy to select your items and return things to the correct place.

Also, it may be worth stealing one of the bathroom storage ideas…add a shelf above the bedroom door and put pretty baskets up to hold less-used items out of sight but neatly stored.

KITCHEN:

Of course, the kitchen is an area of special concern for all of us! However, I am going to skip a long discussion. Instead, I am sharing the link to a recent post by Peculiar Erhis who did an in-depth look at how to maximize storage space in a small kitchen.

In fact, after reading Peculiar’s post, I decided to use one of her suggestions and hang some things inside the kitchen cabinet doors. I opened the cabinet door…only to find that somebody before me had already added some hooks to hang things on. I had truly overlooked it for the three years that I lived here!

Derp!

HOME OFFICE:

The home office is an area that collects considerable clutter in many home. This is my Achilles Heel. Therefore, I saved this space for last.

While I don’t actually have an office, I have a corner of a room with my desk. Because I have very little storage space it becomes an unsightly mess. In fact, when I’m expecting guests I normally throw everything in a box and hide it. I usually can’t find whatever random papers I’m looking for later when I try to.

This is something I am currently working on. I don’t have a closet and have my grandmother’s small-ish antique desk that I refinished, so I don’t want to purchase a larger one. The desk is in the corner of my living room. I do need to take advantage of vertical space, either under the printer or up the wall. Any suggestions ya’ll?

Anyways, here are some home office ideas that I am mulling over:

This small home office nook is well-organized. | lushome.com

Adding shelving above the desk adds vertical spce in a small home office.|lushome.com

In fact, a printer cart that adds file storage makes the most of this tiny piece of furniture.

Indeed, this is an organized home office. | woohome.com

In using any of these suggestions, remember to keep an eye open for unused space. However, keep it clean looking not cluttered. Group together like objects, use neat looking baskets, and make sure it remains pleasing to the eye. After all, you want your space organized and liveable.

Create Quick and Easy Vertical Storage Space In Your Home Today we are going to look at how you can create quick and easy vertical storage space in your home.

#apartment living #closet organization #organizing the closet #Small Space Living #small space storage #storage

0 notes