Wheels + Dollbaby Challenge: Update #1

My new challenge for 2012 is to finish the zine I'm creating, Magazine Love. Here's the lowdown...

In early January, I posted "Hello 2012!" on this blog, in which I outlined my goals for the year, including the Wheels + Dollbaby Challenge. The Challenge is aimed at spurring me on to finish and launch Magazine Love, which I started late last year. Once this happens, I've promised myself free reign of the delectable Wheels & Dollbaby online store.

At this stage, I've finished 16 out of 25 double pages of the zine, so I'm getting towards the pointy end. Of course, I could just purge the last 9 pages and call it a day, but I really want to create a quality zine, something I would enjoy reading (and hopefully you will too!). I'm not quite satisfied with it yet. Today I got through the pages in the Zines section, so I'm gradually getting there!

So, here's the remaining pages I need to complete to meet the challenge:

• Sporty and Zen
• Fashion and Alternative
• Letters
• Reuse, Recycle
• Giftwrapping
• Gift Tags
• Gift Baskets

I'll update you as I cross them off. Not long now!

Any advice to help motivate me? I'm all ears. : )

The 2am Update

Why am I writing this at 2am?

Two reasons:

1. I've been sleeping off a killer headache all day (no, not self-inflicted from a hangover or anything -- I'm a good girl!); and
2. I drank a Coke to perk myself up at 4pm and therefore am wide awake now. No fairsies!

The upside of this is that I can share my recent writing-related exploits with you. Project Zine is going ahead well. A bit of back story... For those of you who haven't heard, I've recently fallen in love with independent zines, cute A5-sized booklets put together by rather cool individuals. (To see why I find them so delightful, head to the little Facebook gallery I've compiled of my girliest faves here.)

So, I'm making one myself for magazine-lovers, and plan to sell it on Etsy and zine "distros" (small DIY shops). First, I must finish it and hooray, hooray, I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. It's rather slow going compiling it, but I gotta say I'm having a blast! The picture above is of a new double page in a section on making your own magazine-themed gift baskets. How could I resist recommending a Sex and the City version? You like?

All going well, I'm hoping to launch the zine in early December. I absolutely cannot wait! : )

In other news, my 12-month hiatus from my desk job at Consumer Affairs is coming to a close and it's crunch time for deciding if I'll return in 2012 or continue freelancing and office temping instead. My old manager Steve called on Tuesday and I'll call him back tomorrow. I think I know my decision, but it depends on what he says too.

That's all for now. Hope you're all having a super-exciting, fun week! xx

Crazy-Busy Week!

Here's another snapshot of the zine called Magazine Love I'm creating (view the first sneak peek here). I'll be beavering away on it in between my five separate jobs I'll be working this week -- yes that's right, FIVE!

Apart from the office temp job I've been doing the past two months on Thursdays and Fridays, I'll be a typist at a private boys' school on Monday and Tuesday, be taking minutes for an annual general meeting Tuesday night, writing an article for a health magazine and completing my first copywriting job. Phew! Oh, and did I mention I have either a dancing class, a party or other social engagement every night this week? Yikes. I'm really not that much of a social butterfly. I'm may have to mainline caffeine to survive.

As for my zine, I'm trying to create my fantasy booklet of everything magazine devotees like me will enjoy -- a quiz, recommendations for the best glossies you might not already read, movies about magazines and much, much more. I'd love to hear your suggestions -- you never know, they might just make it into the finished product. Actually, there's a really good chance they will. So suggest away!

I'll keep you posted on my hectic week. In between shots of espresso.

xx
Becks

Becks and the City Magazine Love Zine COMING SOON!

Hey, sorry for giving you the silent treatment since Friday. I've been working on a very special project...

Eagle-eyed Becks and the City followers will have noticed I've recently fallen hard for zines (handmade booklets of quirkiness) and posted my top picks in a Facebook gallery. They're just so likeable, kind of the cuter younger cousin of glossy magazines, and I've been busy constructing one all about their older relatives. : )

So here's a little sneak peek just for you!

You like?