chĂ e issue V
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magazine
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summer 2020
the self love club
ChĂ e Magazine Issue 5 Cover Image Chelsea-Lee Bastable & Hannah Kairuz Editors Emma Jenkins Chelsea-Lee Bastable Hannah Kairuz Internal Contributors Abbey Philpott, Alana Naumovski, Ash McAlpine, Chelsea Wood, Danielle Godsen, Samantha Fownes External Contributors Abbey Philpott, Chelsea Wood, Grace Gollasch, Tyneesha Williams, Nishta Gupta. Designers Hannah Kairuz Chelsea-Lee Bastable
Marketing/Advertising Hannah Kairuz
https://chaemedia.wixsite.com/chae chae.media@outlook.com
All Rights Reserved
a student magazine | for students, by students
editors note The self love club - come and join us! This issue is all about self love, empowerment and knowing you are enough just the way you are. This was an important topic for the chàe team to capture because we want our audience to feel the best they can at all times. This issue includes yummy recipes, little activities you can do and also really helpful content! Everyone is unique and beautiful in their own ways - we want you to know that different is beautiful. We have so many talented and strong women who are in the chàe team and I think this is a very special issue meant to empower both them and you. We all have are low days, so if you are feeling a little down have a read of this issue and join our family! So please enjoy what the team has in store for you. Emma and the chàe team xx
contents
24
12
6
20
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FEATURED
RECIPES
6
boss lady movie list
choc banana mug cake
20
my journey to self-care
10
apricot chicken bowl
21
spring wardrobe diy
12
sweet potato, spinach, ricotta and lentil lasagne
41
book club is the new nightclub
14
simple choc banana muffins
42
finding my self-love through books
24
LIFESTYLE
STUDENT INSIGHTS
self-care night routine
15
abbey philpott
35
are you allowed to cry?
17
grace gollasch
37
tyneesha williams
38
chelsea wood
40
nishta gupta
43
poetry
28
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boss lady movie list danielle godden
How to be a boss lady - From the comfort of your own bed! These films will get anyone feeling like a bossy yet classy and a little bit sassy, all from the comfort of your own bed. Enjoy these movies and embrace that boss feeling!
1
legally blonde
(2001) This cult classic hit follows fashionable sorority queen, Elle Woods, on her journey to get into Harvard law (Like it's hard?) to win back the man of her dreams. Reese Witherspoon gives an amazing performance whilst also showing women everywhere that looks, and men, don’t define you or your actions. This movie will leave you feeling inspired and ready to tackle just about any challenge life has to throw at you. Remember you can get anywhere in life with two simple steps and that is the Bend and Snap.
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2
little women
(2019) The newest adaption of Little Women is a masterpiece as it follows the lives of the 4 March girls trying to navigate life, portrayed through a series of flashbacks. This movie has an all-star cast with names such as Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Laura Dern and Timothee Chalamet (swoon). This is the perfect movie to have a girls night in with! This movie will confuse you at first (I know it definitely did for me) but the message is so important! It’s a great film to discuss with your gal pals, definitely worth checking out!
3 wild
(2014) Reese is back on the list with another amazing performance in ‘Wild’, this movie covers everything from self-discovery to forgiveness and healing. This movie is based on a true story of Cheryl Strayed, a woman who hiked a 1800km trek up the Pacific Crest Trail solo in order to heal from her personal tragedy. This is a trigger warning as this movie does deal with some heavy themes such as drug use, depression and sex. This movie will leave you feeling shocked, empowered and in awe of just how much people can handle.
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4
hidden figures
(2016) This movie portrays the real-life struggles of a team of female African American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. This is their story of struggle and triumph for basic human rights within the NASA Headquarters. Hidden Figures is extremely important in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement, as it depicts the cruel injustices African American Men and Women have had to deal with for centuries, and it is time for a change. This movie will leave you feeling educated, aware, like you need to change the world.
5 the blind side
(2009) The Blind side is based on the real-life events of the former NFL player Michael Oher and the Touhy Family. The amazing performance given by Quinton Aaron and Sandra Bullock will leave you with all the feels (Definitely have a tissue box at the ready for this one). This feel good movie will leave you wanting a hug and to be thankful for all the small things in life.
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6
the other woman
(2014) This rom com has all the good stuff in it, if you’re looking for an easy laughable movie for your night in, we’ve got you covered. This movie has an all-star cast with names such as Cameron Diaz (The ultimate boss lady), Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Nicki Minaj. Curl up in bed with a good snack and laugh the night away watching 3 boss ladies get the ultimate revenge on a cheater. This movie will leave you feeling empowered, happy and ready to tackle the day (or a good night's sleep).
And lastly the ultimate boss lady movie…
7
like A boss
(2020) The description is in the title. This feel good rom-com will leave you laughing hysterically and wanting more of the dynamic duo that is Mia Carter and Mel Paige as they struggle to navigate their work-life relationship. With another all-star cast starring Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne Salma Hayek and Jennifer Coolidge, you are in for an amazing night with these actresses. This movie will leave you feeling like all of those drunk business ideas you have with your BFF are an amazing idea and that you’re ready to be your own Boss Lady.
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my journey to self-love emma jenkins This year has been challenging for all of us. For myself, I found to change a tough thing to accept, and finding how to love myself again has been a journey. One that I didn't ever intend to be as hard as it has been. Every year we live, we go through our own ups and downs, and I know for many this year it was full of that. I have always looked at myself in the worst light, I can never say a nice thing about how I look or naturally how I am, I always want to change something. II wanted to make a change within this, something small to start off with like saying something nice about myself. Even if it was my hair looks nice today or not wearing makeup because my skin was looking good that day. That little change has helped me over the months to grow into accepting how I look. I started going to the gym a bit more over the last couple of months so I could change the things I wasn't happy with, it took a big step at the beginning but today I am happy. I hide behind makeup because for me that is something I love but also use to cover my insecurities. I can't go to work without wearing makeup, or even the gym sometimes because I am so scared of judgement. Now I am trying to take a few makeup products away from my routine so that I can just start liking my face the way it naturally is. This helped my confidence a lot, but it was a hard adjustment. Of course, I still have things about myself that I wish I could change or the insecurities that won’t leave me, but I just have to accept that this is how my body is. I have always been very self-conscious about my tummy, and it was only a few weeks ago where I glanced over to see myself in the mirror. I saw my mind playing tricks with my body; I thought my tummy was twice its size when, in reality, I had actually made so much progress with my body. Today, I can truthfully say that yes I am on my way to fully love myself again. I just have a few more steps to overcoming my fear of acceptance. My friends who are always with me and the ones who come with me to the gym have made some of my insecurities fly away. The journey takes time, but I know in my heart that at the end of the road I will be happy again and be willing to say with the biggest smile on my face, that I love body. It really is a mental challenge, everyone has their own insecurities but everyone is beautiful in their own ways. I don't know how long I have yet to go, but I am going at a pace that works for me. If you are struggling, just know you are so strong and you are not alone in this.
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spring wardrobe diy samantha fownes
Do you ever just look at your wardrobe and think “I just need a new wardrobe”? Unfortunately that is an expensive pastime and a big problem for our environment. Did you know fast fashion is the second biggest polluter in the world—second only to oil? Lucky for you I am going to show you how you can shake up your current wardrobe at home for a much more affordable price tag. Let's talk denim! Everyone has something denim in their wardrobe- a jacket, shorts, jeans, skirts, overalls and more but how can you make last seasons denim timeless. You can paint on them! My favourite brand of acrylic paint is Jo Sonja which has a brand textile medium. This brand can be a little bit more expensive so feel free to find other brands! All you need is a paint with a smooth consistency. Any brand textile medium is also okay but just consider they might have different mixing ratios and care instructions, so keep an eye out for that.
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what you will need A permanent marker or fabric marker Jo Sonja Acrylic paint Jo sonja Textile medium Paint brushes Iron Small tubs (or shot glasses)
instructions:
1. Take your old denim clothing and wash it! - who wants to work with a dirty canvas! 2. Simply take your marker, outlining your idea onto the denim. If you are stuck for ideas, just head on over to pinterest for some inspiration as they have so much content. If you aren’t a confident artist then you can make a stencil with paper and a printer too! 3. Then take a white paint and mix it with textile medium in an approximate 2:1 ratio. It is better to have too much medium than not enough! Proceed to go over your design area or outline with the paint, the white is used as an undercoat to make other colours pop! 4. After the white undercoat dries, you are able to mix your other colours with the textile medium, remembering the 2:1 ratio. For this, I tend to use plastic shot glasses to mix my colours, from here you are ready to paint your design on. 5. Once you are happy with your design leave it to dry for 24hrs then use an iron on dry setting to heat press the design. Keep the iron on until the colours shift slightly. You can then leave to cool overnight 6. Finally you are good to go! To wash I use a gentle machine wash or hand wash and I dry them inside to keep the colours at their brightest.
book club is the new night club ash mcalpine
In our millennial generation the thought of a book club can often procure up images of baby boomers sitting around with a cup of tea discussing details of Pride and the Prejudice. Surprisingly however, a book club can actually become a great edition to your wellbeing. Recently I made the decision to join one. The main principle of loving language being my primary intention. During pandemic times obviously, things are a bit different and that’s ok. Meetings are online and discussion threads are on Facebook but its purpose still holds. I had myself prepped and ready for classical literature or even Shakespeare because to my acute knowledge that’s what book clubs were all about. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn the books we would be reading were contemporary and well, good novels. Now you can say I told you so (if you already knew about these book clubs.) I don’t think I would ever have considered joining a book club if not for Ms Rona demanding her audience. So, to me spending my nights reading ‘Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine’ replaces the night club remarkably. It gives me a chance to engage with fellow literacy lovers without judgement and with absolutely honesty. Who doesn’t want to spend their evenings expanding their mind and discussing literacy discourses. In this new era that we seem to have adapted to, it’s cool to learn a language, play an instrument, paint a picture and join a book club. Ms Rona has forced us to expand our minds and broaden our horizons as the realm of social distancing monopolises our lives.
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self-care night routine danielle godden
Taking time to recharge is so important not only for your mental and physical health, but it’s important that you have some alone time to process the week that has been. In this article I’m going to be guiding you to a perfect night in, in 5 easy steps!
Taking time to relax and de-stress from the day before beginning your perfect night in! To begin with it is important to reflect on the day’s events. Take the necessary time to process everything that has happened in the day and reflect on what’s happened. This step is important, as it allows your mind to catch up with the craziness of everyday life, allowing you to properly comprehend and process the day’s events. Hot Tip: I find music extremely soothing, give it a try!
Bath Time! (with bath bombs obviously) The next step is hygiene. Having a shower or bath can work wonders for the mental and physical health of a person. Having a steaming hot shower or bath not only leaves you smelling fresh, but it also allows your muscles to relax and recover from the day’s events.
Nightly Skincare Routine Your skin is so important, and you should do everything you can to take care of it, especially after a long day. If you are an avid make-up wearer this is especially crucial for you as makeup and sweat can cause clogged pores resulting in redness, irritation and breakouts. A skincare brand that I’ve found works the best for my sensitive skin is GO-TO by Zoe Foster Blake. GO-TO is Australian Made and Owned (not sponsored, I wish). These products are amazing and affordable! GO-TO uses all-natural ingredients which help you to replenish and rehydrate your skin. You will not be disappointed I assure you! Hot Tip: In order to have healthy looking skin it’s important to stay hydrated too, so make sure you drink plenty of water!
Reading These days it takes a lot for us to disconnect and put the phones down, as our mobile devices are such a huge part of our entertainment for everyday life. However, disconnecting can be so therapeutic, similar to reading. When you pick up a book you are diving into a new world, reading allows you to escape reality, even if it’s only just for a little while. I know this isn’t for everyone and it takes a lot to drag one’s eyes away from the endless black hole that is Tik Tok and Social Media. But it’s definitely worth a shot! These are some of my recommendations for a good page turner: The Book Ninja by Ali Berg & Michelle Kalus· Where the Crawdads Sing by Della Owens· Women Don’t Owe You Pretty by Florence Given
Sleep And lastly, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep. As cliché as this might be it really is important to get at least 8hrs of sleep per day. Sleeping is ultimately the best way to recover and recharge for the brand-new day that awaits you. Your body will definitely thank you for it and it will also help you to improve your overall mental and physical health!
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are are you you allowed allowed to to cry? cry? chelsea-lee bastable
Something I have been taught in order to maintain a positive lens on life has been to realise that being sad can look like a lot of different things. Some days your sad can look like sitting alone in your room listening to music, sometimes your sad can look like a small smile. Sad can look like a long nap and sometimes sad can look like a cry. This is why it is okay to cry. Just like how your anger can look different ways, like yelling or silence, your sad has many different faces. I was taught that crying is just one of those appearances that sad, anger or happiness has, which does not make you weak. You are strong no matter if you shed a few tears or if you ball your eyes out. Crying is natural, as everyone says. But have you realised that if we weren’t meant to cry then we wouldn’t have tear ducts? If we weren’t meant to cry when we’re sad or happy or angry, then why are we able to? It's just the same as realising why would we breathe if we didn’t need to? Why would we eat if we didn’t need to? Why would we laugh if we didn’t need to? Just the same as exercising, crying for a period of time releases endorphins which make you feel better. Along with these chemicals is oxytocin. This chemical is why you sometimes feel ‘numb’ after crying, it is actually the chemical that releases calmness for a still well-being. So, if I haven't convinced you yet, not only does your sad look like different things, crying wouldn’t exist or happen if we didn't need to! It releases feel-good chemicals similar to when you go on a long run after you have a long cry. So don’t feel scared to cry. Don’t feel scared to let go. It is healthy and good for you and it only gets worse when you bottle your tears up.
Therefore: be happy. And cry, Whenever you feel it coming. chàe | 17
let yourself cry because if we were not meant to cry, we wouldn't have tear ducts. if we were not meant to be happy we wouldn't have a smile.
recipes recipes recipes chelsea wood
choc banana mug cake Serves: 1 Mug
ingredients ½ banana, mashed 1 egg 2-3 tbsp milk of choice 1 tsp pure maple syrup ¼ cup almond meal ½ cup tsp baking powder Sprinkle of dark choc chips
method 1. Whisk the mashed banana and egg into microwave safe mug 2. When combined add almond milk and maple syrup, then mix together 3. Add all dry ingredients then combine 4. Sprinkle choc chips on top 5. Microwave for 1.30 minutes on high 6. Serve with chopped banana and dark choc chips on top chàe | 20
apricot chicken bowls Serves: 4 small dinner bowls
ingredients 4 - 5 chicken thigh fillets (remove excess fat) 1 cup chicken stock 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 x 400g can apricot halves in juice (low sugar) 2 tbsp French onion soup mix 1 small brown onion, diced 1 garlic clove, sliced Salt and pepper (to taste) Olive oil
method 1. In a large pot or fry pan, heat olive oil on medium to high heat. Add chicken thigh to the pan and lightly brown, coating the chicken with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. 2. Add onion and garlic to the pot and stir for 2 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add apricot halves and allow to cook for 5 minutes. 3. Add tomatoes, chicken stock and french onion soup powder to the pan. Add chicken thigh and bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer. Add a lid and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. 4. Remove lid, stir and allow the mixture to thicken for 10 minutes (you may need to add some water here) 5. Remove chicken and shred using two forks. Pour apricot sauce over the top of the chicken and mix through. Add as much as you think you need to coat the chicken. 6. Serve with rice and broccoli. chĂ e | 21
finding my self-love through books alana naumovski
When I think of self-love and books, the first thought is reading the books YOU love to read. What I mean is that if you love high fantasy, then read high fantasy. If you love sappy, teen romance novels (like me) then read them. If you love reading manga or comics, then read them. We constantly feel pressure or judged – or I know that I do – if we read books or genres outside the norm, or books that aren’t currently popular, or by the most popular authors. You need to read what makes you happy. If you want to try and explore new genres and books, then I will be your hype-woman. If you try it out and end up not liking them, I’ll still be your hype-woman. For me, I absolutely love fantasy - both young adult and high fantasy, cute teen-romance novels and anything to do with mythology. I would say 90% of the books I own fall under those two genres, and the other 10% is my soft spot for crime thriller novels and Jane Austen. I can’t tell you the amount of times that I have bought or borrowed a popular book and couldn’t get past the first few chapters and feel guilty about it. But, after a year in the bookstagram game, I learned that it’s alright to love the books and genres that I do, that make me happy, even if it’s reading Percy Jackson for the 1000th time. At least, to me, that’s self-love. So, in that spirit, I’m about to share/recommend a few books, new and old, that I have loved and make me happy every time I read them.
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Noah's Law Ok, ok, this is one of my absolute favourite books of all time that isn’t fantasy. I read it for the first time when I was about 11 years old, and now at 20 I still read it. It was my first introduction to “crime” and investigation novels (since I wasn’t allowed to read crime thrillers back then), and I instantly fell in love with it. Long-story-short, it’s about a kid called Noah who got expelled from school and as punishment he is sentenced to spending his summer holidays at his aunt’s law-firm doing admin jobs. And once there, he gets to know a bit about this one case where a man’s wife was killed in a botched robbery job, and something doesn’t seem to add up, so Noah decides to investigate the crime himself.
Autobiography
This was one of my most enjoyable 2020 reads. I hadn’t previously read a lot of LGBTQIA+ books, but a bookstagram friend recommended this one to me as part of my pride month reads, and I could not thank her more! This one was so sweet, and I loved both the characters Tanner and Sebastian, and the fact that it centres around a class where you have to write a book in just four months.I will be honest and say that in the beginning the storyline did feel a bit ‘meh’ and like it was a bit generic, but not enough to make me put it down, and I’m so glad that I didn’t. Would totally recommend this one if you want to explore more LGBTQIA+ themed books.
Midnight Sun
All I have to say, is that if you LOVE crime thriller novels and HAVEN’T read a Jo Nesbo book, definitely go and try them out!I started reading Jo Nesbo books in about 2017, and let’s just say that Scandinavian crime fiction is one of my new fave genres, and Jo Nesbo one of my new favourite authors. To say the least, I don’t have a copy of all his books, but when I do, I am going to have to do some serious bookshelf re-organisation.
The Snowden Files
TI am a major sucker for anything conspiracy-theory/government secrets related, especially ones that are actually true. I had been meaning to read this book for a while and had just never got around to it. Then I listened to the Edward Snowden episode of the Joe Rogan podcast, and, well…I just went right down to the bookstore and bought this. It was so interesting to learn about his story as one of the most well-known Whistle-blowers out of the US, and even more interesting about the way in which he discovered the mass surveillance program in the US. This is 10/10 worth it if this is right up your alley.
The Kiss Qoutient
I laughed so much after reading this awesome rom-com contemporary romance novel. I had been gifted this one by a bookstagram friend and it was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. I’ve recently been getting into and reading more contemporary romance novels (i.e. not teen romance novels featuring high school-aged characters).One thing I loved most about this book is an ownvoices novel, featuring a main character with Asperger’s, which is not something you see quite often in books. It was definitely refreshing. One thing to look out for though, is it does feature quite a lot of steamy scenes, but the author explores the importance of consent which I think is amazing.
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Listen— Does your heart flow with the rhythm of the tides? Does it soar with wings above mountain tops high? Does it waltz through fields with floral scents? Or does it rest in meadows while the sun slowly sets? Listen to its pace and dance in time.
Do you question the leaves for falling, Or do you let them fall? Do you question the buds for blooming, Or do you let them bloom? Trust your journey like you trust the seasons.
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I started to look deeper, And I saw my body for what it truly was— A landscape of mountain peaks And sandy shores, And fields after fields of flowers. Between each bump and crack and valley, Which I had always struggled to love, Ran a river of pure gold. And only then, when I stopped focusing on the brokenness, Did I learn to love the wild and growing landscape of my sacred form
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You are wildly beautiful And wonderfully loved.
Underneath the curves of the wooden blinds A plethora of sun pooled beneath those lines, A shadow, An outline, Is all it took, To know you had a proper look. A melody swims in and out my ears As i eagerly wait for them to appear, The way they walk, The way they run, All before them are quietly stunned. Of all the fragility, In little Italy, None could ever be more than The breaking solidity, Trapped in captivity, Of those little worn-out vans.
A scattered scene as I watch it play, All the seats are taken. The curtains sigh at some delay I questions why it would not stay But she continues to portray A smile all too vacant. If only somehow now she’d know, That even I am shaken. The scenes that play all too slow Those masks don't even begin to show The strength behind them deep - although, I know i’m not mistaken.
student insights
seeker and maker abbey philpott Hey! I'm Abbey, a first year Communications and Media / Journalism student, as well as the creator behind @seekerandmaker on Instagram. Seeker and Maker was created to be a place of beauty and light, where we can all be reminded of the precious moments in life, the blessing of nature and the importance of accepting the seasons life brings. I create content for Seeker and Maker using my own poetic pieces and photography, which I then digitally edit on Lightroom and Photoshop to create little snippets of beauty. This account started years ago as a place to share my poetry, but once I started to work on it this semester for my BCM114 Digital Artefact it has transformed into a platform where I have been able to experiment creatively and develop my own artistic style. My works focus on love, the journey of life and the deep connection that humanity has to nature. I have just started to offer custom poems for people who are willing to share a special story with me and it is an honour to hear snippets of peoples lives and create beauty from their journey. If Seeker and Maker has only one purpose, it would be to remind people that the world is a beautiful place, if you take the time to notice the wonder of the everyday.
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wollongong women grace gollasch My name is Grace Gollasch and this semester I started Wollongong Women - an Instagram page dedicated to showcasing local female-run businesses with a goal of creating a space for women to connect and collaborate. “Wollongong Women is a space for Illawarra, South Coast and Sydney women to come together, connect and collaborate. We encourage local female-run businesses to use this platform as a way to support, uplift, inspire and encourage each other. Through our Wollongong Woman Series, Business registry, social media platforms, and blog, Wollongong Women aims to be the go-to space for all local ladies. “ I started this platform as I noticed there was a lack of online places for women in business in the Illawarra to connect. This page has grown extremely fast and I’ve been so pleased with the positive feedback and connections that have come from this page so far. So far Wollongong Women has: Over 1000 followers on Instagram A Facebook group of almost 100 members which is used to coordinate meetups, giveaways and share information about each other's businesses. An upcoming website which features a business registry of over 40 local female-run businesses, interviews and feature stories with local women, and a blog. An upcoming newsletter that will be sent to a growing mailing list (so far has 50 subscribers) and will include the latest updates, blog posts and discounts. I plan to host a number of events for women in the area to connect, share ideas and collaborate in order to foster a community of inspirational businesswomen.
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oddly specific playlists tyneesha williams Hi everybody, I’m Tyneesha! I run an Instagram account by the name of ‘Oddly Specific Playlists’! Basically, I take anonymous confessions or requests and use them as inspiration to create curated Spotify playlists, which I then advertise on the Instagram account. It started out as a Digital Artefact project to run for the semester. I genuinely didn’t think the idea would have any sort of audience traction, but out of the project ideas I had, it was the one that I knew would most interest me. So I went out on a limb - and I’d say it’s paid off! I’ve always used music as an emotional outlet. I’m very well practised in finding songs that are suited exactly to whatever I’m dealing with in my personal life - that be positive or negative. My personal Spotify account has a playlist for every possible situation. So, I figured - if I was going to do it for myself anyway, might as well share! It’s a combination of my love for music and my adoration for an honest, raw human vulnerability that led me to this project. It’s an exercise in empathy as much as one of selfinterest. I hoped to create an online space for music-lovers such as myself to find joy in a time where we are unable to access the sense of community found in a mosh or concert crowd. Moreover, I hope that my followers find some level of comfort and enjoyment in the playlists that I put together for them. I do everything I can to cater to my users’ preferences - I’m constantly requesting feedback and testing new things out - so send in a request, follow my Spotify playlists and Instagram account, kick back and enjoy the tunes!
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lifestyle gurus chelsea wood @life_stylegurus Hi, I’m Chelsea, the Content Director at Lifestyle Gurus! We are a foodie-based Instagram page with a focus on healthy food that is delicious. We started our journey as four friends who all had a passion for health and fitness and sharing healthy tips and recipes with each other. We were also sending in our favourite (and delicious) recipes that we wanted to try and our go-to’s to our group chat but they were getting lost amidst the other advice and gossip that is typically sent to your main girls chat. We created the page to help people find a healthy relationship with food as the impression is that healthy food can not be good on the taste buds. We wanted to completely smash this myth by showing people that you can definitely have the best of both worlds. We have since evolved and now share recipes, workouts, healthy product reviews, what we eat in a day, and so much more! We are all so passionate in spreading accurate and positive information when it comes to our recipes, so you won’t ever feel guilty or judged for eating your favourite foods. And you also won’t find any of that nasty calorie tracking! Eating healthy without doing the thinking – you can’t go wrong! We really want to help everyone be their best selves and live their best lives. I mean who doesn’t want to eat yummy food (it’s just a bonus that it’s healthy!) We would love to see you there!
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sweet potato, spinach, ricotta and lentil lasagne
Ingredients: - 2 x 400g canned lentils - 1 big sweet potato, diced - 1 onion - 1 tbs garlic - 1 x 450g can tomato soup - ½ cup vegetable stock - 1 tsp beef stock powder - 500g ricotta - 120 g fresh spinach - 1 box lasagne sheets - Optional: grated cheese for topping Method: 1. Cook onion and garlic in a pan until brown 2. Add sweet potato, lentils, tomato soup, vegetable stock, and beef stock and let simmer (covered) for 20 mins or until sweet potato is soft 3. In a lasagne dish, layer lasagne sheet, mixture, spinach, and ricotta until all of the mixture is used 4. Cook for 30mins at 180 degrees Celsius or until the top is brown and knife slides through easily
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simple choc banana muffins
Ingredients: - 1 ¾ cup plain flour - 1 tsp baking powder - ½ tsp salt - 2 eggs - ½ cup melted coconut oil (or olive oil) - ½ cup honey (or maple syrup) - ¼ cup milk of choice (or Greek yoghurt) - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 2-3 ripe bananas (mashed) - ½ cup dark choc chips Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius 2. Grease or line a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside 3. In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside 4. In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, honey, milk, and vanilla for 1-2 mins 5. Stir in bananas, flour mixture and choc chips 6. Pour batter into muffin pan 7. Cook for 20 mins or until toothpick inserted comes out clean 8. Let cool for 10 mins before serving
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nishta gupta photography nishta gupta I’m Nishta, I primarily work as a portrait photographer within my artistic practice. It is one of my greatest joys to spend an hour with someone and capture their portrait, learning more about them in the process. People are inevitably awkward and stiff at first during the photoshoot, intimidated by the camera’s intrusive gaze. But slowly, they become more comfortable in the space between themselves, me, and the camera. It's a beautiful thing to witness. I believe self-love is inherent to portrait photography, as a person's ease with their own body is seamlessly translated into the final images. You can't Photoshop in a genuine smile or relaxed demeanour. I always try to make photoshoots an enjoyable experience for us both, making terrible jokes and hyping them up like they're Gigi Hadid ("You slay queen!"). The best images are often the most unexpected; an in-between moment of movement, a laugh caught off guard. Creating images that show off an individual's vibrant personality and selflove is simply bliss for me.
Website: nishtaguptaphoto.com Instagram: nishtaguptaphoto Facebook: Nishta Gupta Photography chàe | 43
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