I made a magazine and sold it

 As if I have not gone on about it enough, in case you were not bombarded on social media, this is the magazine I made. Boy has it been a whirl wind of a journey and I have enjoyed it all of the way. It is eventually kicking in all that I have achieved and that I can be proud of myself. All of the amazing readers have let me know how inspired they are and how much they love the magazine. When this happens, I could not be happier that people let me know how much it meant to them. The magazine has inspired everyone in all different kinds of ways and I have loved hearing about it. Not only that but amazing readers have gone and posted about Juniper on their social media meaning that their followers hear about the magazine too. People have messaged the magazine Instagram telling me that they saw the magazine in Baths Magalleria magazine shop which blew my mind.

 The aim: 

Juniper aims to inspire and motivate creativity inside young minds. The publication is driven by creative freedom and the inspiration around them. It aims to showcase new artists, writers and everyday talented people. Juniper is more than just a magazine it is a place to inspire and drive people to do what they love. 

Someone said something to me the other day that stuck with me ‘we need more woman like you who aren’t afraid to talk about what it is like as a female in business and if you want something, you have to go out and get it.' That is exactly what I did. At first, I made the magazine for me and my university course as that is something I have always wanted to do. In hopes I could share these amazing contributors’ talent; in order to inspire creativity within. Of course I could not have done It without the contributors and being able to work together creating shoots and sharing their amazing work could not make me prouder. However I never realised I would be here selling it, if that would even be possible, if anyone would ever want to read it. Something I had to do was back and believe in myself which takes courage and strength. I have always believed in others and people I know when I may not even believe in myself. 

The self-publication industry can be seen as ‘dying’ because everything is online, which can make it even more competitive and difficult to enter. Yet I adore having something physical in my hand or on my shelf whilst being able to flick through the pages of something I love. Not to mention print is an incredibly expensive thing meaning it would be impossible to break even. I did not set out to make money, but I did not want to break my own bank in the process. Although that did not stop me there, I recreated the whole magazine into an A5 size (originally A4 size) and had to cut some things out in order to bring costs down to make it affordable for many. It took months of me going into the document every day, even when it had been finished for months, constantly changing and tweaking small things until I was completely happy with it. It is still hard for me to look at without seeing things I would change (really need to stop being so hard on myself). 

Now for the cheesy part to empower some drive within. If you are thinking of doing something, but something is stopping you, do it. You will not get anywhere or know where you could be until you try. You will not get anywhere if once you are knocked down, you don't get back up. Sometimes you cannot see where something will go or see an easy way, however the best things are never easy. Something that is worth it, is worth putting all the effort you have in, even when things go wrong. If you set your mind to something, you will achieve it or something better will come along. You are amazing and can achieve more than you know. 

Feel free to check out the instagram for more information, inside contents and leaks of issue 01 @juniper_magazine_or to even purchase issue 01. 

5 deadline top tips

 Are you currently drowning in university deadlines or any academic pressures and workloads? Have no fear I am here with these motivational tips as I am currently inspired by Beyoncé’s Netflix documentary ‘homecoming’. She is a true queen who has achieved a great deal for herself in order to empower other women. 

 Never leave it to Last Minute 

If you are doing a coursework-based degree and definitely if you are doing a fashion degree, you will always have non-stop work. It is far better to keep on track and be doing work every single day, to keep inspired and passionate about your work, not only that but it will always be non-stop. Therefore, you will never be able to complete it to the best standard if you leave it too last minute. From my experience I had to leave several days before my deadline to allow for printing time as they can take up too 48 hours and then there may be an issue with the end product. In third year I was doing work from 10am in the morning till 9/10pm at night, with breaks of course. 

Stay Motivated 

Whether you work best getting up early and getting stuck in or like to eat something, go for a walk and do something you love before you start. Figure out what works best for you to ensure you will be productive. The way I normally work is to sit in a room alone, to prevent any possible distraction. However that can become repetitive and mixing it up helps creativity, for example working with friends, going into uni, sitting in the library or a coffee shop. Therefore you won’t be dragged down by the same boring schedule every day. 

Be Inspired 

A truly important thing in life is to be inspired by what you do. Especially in third year, make sure you do something you love, and it is exactly what you are interested in. When you are working on a module everyday it is important you make it your own and it is something you are passionate about. For example your dissertation really should be something you have a strong interest in as you will be researching the topic for months and need a two sided conversation on the matter. A way to get through uni even when it gets rough, is to remember why you it is worth the thousands of pounds debt and that deep down you love what you chose to do. 

STRESS

Anyone who cares about uni, will get stressed at some point even if it impacts everyone differently. It is important you look after yourself and take into consideration your mental health as uni can be hard. It can be so easy to become overworked and ill, so you will need to learn how to pace yourself and too survive the stress. There are different strategies to dealing with stress. Taking breaks is really important when you get stuck in a rut or need a mental rest where you can leave the house for fresh air, eat, binge watch or exercise to increase endorphins and positivity for the mind.

Yoga will relax your mind as well as the body, equally the body can spasm and become tight when stress takes place. Knowing when to stop is essential to wind down and be able to sleep at night. I personally cannot pull off all-nighters anymore as I really need sleep to function, not only that but anything I produce after 11pm will be utter shit. Baths are essential for feeling better health wise, taking deep breaths, attempting to clear the mind and staying calm. The calm and headspace app can also help to clear your mind and steady the breathing if you suffer from panic attacks. 

Being Chill

No one should ever have to go through work and no play. You’re young and deserve to have some fun, blow off some steam and forget about your worries. Make time to see your friends chill out or go mad and get drunk, enjoy your life and make sure you have a social life. A great motivation is rewarding yourself after completing a certain amount of work, knowing you can do something you love once its done. 

Headband // Topshop
Dress // Mint Velvet
Jumper // Pretty Little Thing
Bag // Topshop
Boots // Topshop 

There's already too many bloggers, so you can't be a blogger as well

The blogger industry has taken a storm for the new generation to express a whole new creativity in a way that they love. ‘Do a job you love, and you never have to work a day in your life’. And it has begun, so many people are creative and when you love something, it doesn’t feel like work. Which is why I think so many people want to do it. I am no way in suggesting the whole creative industry of blogging, YouTube and Instagram isn’t hard work. You will have to put all of your time and effort into it (not speaking from experience). However it isn’t a boring office job where you have to sit at that desk all day or a highly demanding stressful job. 

I have to admit, you can see the appeal and why so many creative new millennials do not want to be stuck at a job they hate, when they can start blogging or a YouTube channel. It can be degrading trying to make it in the creative world as it is so competitive, there is always fashion intern jobs where you have to work for free just to get your foot in the door. Working a twelve-hour day with no wage, running around London just to complete the tasks given. Only to hope you did a better job than the other interns and they will offer you a position. Or of course you can go down the university route, but you will also rack up thousands of pounds worth of debt. 

We can only assume Youtubers earn a fair amount as every youtuber is different and it all can depend. However when they flash their new cars, house tours and designer item hauls. We can assume they must be doing alright. Anyone my age can be doing forty hours a week and still barely afford to move out of their parents’ home. For a start there is no boss telling you what to do, as you are your own boss. It will mean you need to be self-motivated and passionate to pursue your own targets, however it has paid off for many bloggers out there. Even if it started out as a hobby, people have made careers out of it, bossing it, having fancy brunches and fun throughout the day. Can it get much better than that?

The new generation are doing it right, as most kids are addicted to YouTube, hoping to become a youtuber themselves. Having aspirations at such a young age is great and to be self-motivated to learn how to use adobe is splendid. Now more and more people want in and all you need is dedication and 100,000+ followers on social media. It can’t be that hard right? Yet it is harder than it looks, it takes time as it is a full-time career after all. 

So is there room for more bloggers? I believe there is, there is a vast number of brands out there expanding their budgets for advertising through social media, as it reaches such a vast audience in the most effective way. After all if anyone thought like that, no one would ever make it. There is always more than one person going for the same job as you. If any clothing company or designer thought like that, we wouldn’t have all the options we do. People succeed because they put the work in and deserve it, no matter how hard or long it takes. 

To conclude, do what you want to do, even if other people are doing it, as long as it makes you happy. People are doing thousands of the same jobs because more than one person will be interested in the same thing. There shouldn’t be a fear of copying or that you won’t make it since everyone is different and has their own style. I am sure there are so many similar scenarios in the world, where there are several people at a job interview going for that one job. There will always be someone out there, that is a little bit better than you or has a slight advantage over you. However as long as you don’t squash anyone down to get ahead and remain yourself, that will be recognised. You can only do it for yourself. If someone ever tells you that you can’t, just remember they do not know what you are capable of, only you know that.  

I believe in doing what you want to do, even if there are so many other people doing it. Your individuality and personality will stand out as no one is the same. 

Love Tishhlah x

Jacket // H&M
Jumper // H&M
Skirt // New Look
Boots // Miss Pap
Necklace // Tiffany

The Drama in Halls

 The prospect of moving out finally at eighteen excited me and I was more than ready for it. Even though I did not know what to expect, I knew I would be living in the heart of Birmingham with four other girls. I was excited to start a new adventure of new experiences, doing something I am passionate about at university and meeting new people. Everyone tells you that uni is the best years of your life and you will never forget them. If I had to sum up the first year, it would be eventful that’s for sure. In the beginning it was amazing, the girls were full of life and up for anything which I loved. If there is a time where I will say yes to anyone, it is when I’m drunk and we went out a lot. It was thrilling yet exciting and no matter how many of us got into the taxi, it was always £2 each. I managed to get into a situation where I walked with strangers in the middle of the night in Birmingham to a club. It was not worth saving the £2, after sobering up and freezing my tits off, not to mention how dangerous it was. 

However living with four other girls isn’t always easy. When you move out, you discover that people live very differently to you and some are used to others clearing up for them. Which means it is not always fun and games when you wake up every morning to a disgusting mess, you quickly become fed up of tidying up after everyone else. Therefore the mess, smell, dirt, smoke, dishes will be there for days. Not only that but when you are tight for money it becomes very frustrating when people constantly steal your food and rely on you to buy the needed supplies. 

It got to the point where our nights out were so wild, the sofa had been ripped up, the fridge was drawn all over, stalls broken, curtains pulled down, the constant stench of smoke and things missing from our kitchen meant our deposit was well and truly gone. Not only that but you’d walk into the kitchen to grab a drink and there would be strange men in our kitchen getting up to no good. 

 The chaos began when girls created drama by speaking behind one another’s backs, twisting words and dividing up the flat up. The stress of university and deadlines, a shit hole of a flat, 8 bin bags piled up in the corner, maggots in our kitchen, did start to get too me. However when you live with these girls and see them every day you hardly want to fall out and create a toxic environment. Although unfortunately that did happen. Very awkward and horrible fights began with unkind words thrown about, quickly became distressing. Not to mention walking into a kitchen filled with people who you are unsure if they are your friends, trying to cook dinner at 7pm hoping someone hasn’t stolen your pasta sauce whilst people are snorting coke off the kitchen side meant I developed a crippling severe type of anxiety. When I turned down a night out, I would be kept up with screaming drunks until 12am (when we left for a night out) to then them storming in down the hallway banging on my door at 4am, turning on the drum and base and the overwhelming stench of weed started to become less and less fun. The all nighters and pressure to keep up with the deadlines along with being constantly tired from my ME/CFS was a struggle.

It is fair to say I felt as if I didn’t want to be there at all. You may think I have exaggerated or inflated my experience, believe me I wish I had, however this is everything I went through. The point of me sharing this story is for you to understand, you probably didn’t have it that bad and hey if you had it worse, you made it through.

Love Tishhlah x

Passing my Theory and £60 later in Superdrug..

Yes I am 22 years old and I still haven’t learnt to drive however I believe that is okay. I have started now and I recently passed my theory test which was pleasantly surprising as I could have studied a lot harder. I felt as if I have been filling my brain with education all of my life just so I can memorise things for a test, so I wasn’t very motivated. I went from school to university and didn’t think I needed to drive (if I am honest it does scare me). However I am on track and drive around in my little car with an adults supervision of course and I am planning to take my test soon. 

Since moving back to the middle of the countryside I have had to rely on taxis, buses and my lovely parents. Some people have reservations from living independently at uni to moving back in with their parents. However my parents are far too nice to me, giving me total freedom, a free place to live along with lots of lovely free food, so I am very grateful for everything they do for me. Not only that but I have always been an animal lover and love my cat eternally, since spending everyday with her to then moving out it was an adjustment. Even though we say nothing to each other, she does keep me company and make me very happy. Equally having so many different breeds of cute dogs in our house makes me very happy and I honestly believe they have helped so much with my mental health. From shaking, sickness, migraines and feeling an overwhelming constant illness at the thought of leaving the house. It can be very hard to talk about my anxiety as I have no idea what brings it on, why it happens and there is no cure. However I am finally feeling better (fingers crossed) completely happy and loving my new job. I couldn’t recommend hugging a snuggly pup that loves you, enough. 

I fully indulged in Superdrug and grabbed some bits after finding out I passed and got slightly carried away. I mean, who doesn’t do that? I picked up some products I normally use; the Revolution foundation stick in the shade F3 I love using it as a base and feel it prepares my skin for my foundation and blends well over my primer. The 0 extra fair Collection concealer is the one, it lightens up my eyes over my foundation and is completely worth the price. The L’oreal perfect match concealer is one I’ve found that blends so well into my skin and covers up any spots or blemishes I may have. However I also chose to pick up the Barry M all night long foundation as I have been looking for a new full coverage foundation at a low end price. Equally the Tresemme hair mask was on offer and I decided to pick it up as its sulphate free which isn’t great for the hair. 

The Lee Stafford hair growth serum is a favourite of mine and my hair type can always need extra nourishment in order for it to be in good condition. I do not believe it speeds up the hair growing process, yet has the right formula for healthy hair. John Frieda Frizz ease mist is a new product I have been trying before I leave the house, I like to spritz my hair to look healthy and less frizzy after it has been brushed and I am loving it so far. I have recently gotten into hair styling and started curling my hair, so I picked up the tresemme care and protect spray before I use heat on my hair. Afterwards I use the vo5 extra hold hair spray which I haven’t found to sticky or greasy for my hair. Equally I thought I would test out the cheap collection lash lengthening mascara as a base or to de clump my everyday mascara. 

Lastly I purchased two new lip colours from the Rouge Velvet collection by Bourjois as I already own some different shades and love the formula. It can last all day without being drying and the shades are beautiful. Therefore I decided to pick up a peachy nude in the shade 01, and a muted plum colour in the shade 19. 

Revolution stick foundation 

Collection extra fair concealer

L’oreal true match vanilla concealer 

Tresemme colour hair mask

Barry M all night long Foundation 

Lee Stafford hair growth serum

Collection lengthening mascara 

Barry M molten metal nail paint 

Tresemme heat defence spray

John Frieda frizz ease glossing mist

Bourjois rouge velvet nude 01 lipstick

Bourjois rouge velvet lipstick

Love Tishhlah x