Syndromes and Projects

It's called can't-make-a-decent-face-syndrome.

Wow, I've become terrible at this blogging thing haven't I! What can I say, lack of motivation, no time, stressed life with studies, trying to perfect Literature essays(Literally the ONLY class I enjoy) and trying to stop drowning in math(one of the many subjects I can't seem to bear). Just drowning in studies and thinking about college admissions that start from January. Scary!

Well, let's talk about that 'lack of motivation' bit. I'ts not that I'm not motivated to be creative, I just feel that blogging doesn't quite make the right fit for me, or I believe so. InshaAllah I'm leaving on Sunday for a Turkey trip with my friends, and I can't wait to document every bit of the experience! You'll be getting loads of pictures from that trip, I assure you. Beyond excited.
But after that I'm going to be shifting my creative focuses. I've got something very exciting planned for this winter(including Halloween) and that is to publish (a possibly online) zine(I guess that just makes it an online magazine for teenage girls?). I'd love for any one of you to help me out and drop me an email(mana.insha@gmail.com) about the topic and if you would like to contribute! You can contribute in ANY way possible, you can write an article, poetry, a story, submit a photo spread that adheres to the theme(Winter/Halloween/Spookfest), create illustrations, comics, collages or art, whatever you want! Just drop me a message !

Here are the muses that can act as guidelines to what I'm looking for. I already have a few friends who are willing to contribute, so this project is progressing! I'll definitely be sharing that progress as soon as I get to Turkey and start working on related photoshoots in the hotel room!

MUSES:
SPOOKFEST CONTRIBUTIONS AND CURATIONS:
Music playlists, lorde, gothic music, teen witches, potions and spells, harry potter, best horror movie compilations, american horror story, thumping bass, power of music, underground freaks party, DIY snow Queen, rocky horror picture show, silence, voodoo dolls, spooky halloween plus winter inspired beauty and fashion, smoky eyes, glitter nails, enchantment, bringing spooky winter vibes to your bedroom etc.

I will also be creating a Flickr account, and really working on my photography. Will be glad to hear from you all!

Creating blog content you're proud of

Now obviously, I’m not an expert at blogging. I blog on and off, and I’m not too good at it. I ramble on a bit too much, put some random, edited pictures and call that a post at times. But I’ve been thinking, and I’ve been thinking hard of how I can create blog content that I’m actually really proud of. And I wanted this post to be original and not a copy of the related posts other bloggers put up. Again, I’m a beginner blogger and an amateur, but I came up with some solutions to creative ruts and boring posts that I’m SO eager to try out myself! (and hopefully I will)

1)      Okay so first of all, I think all these tips will revolve around the main idea, and that idea is to:

BLOG ABOUT THINGS YOU’D WANT TO READ.

There are many blogs out there, and of many kinds. There are arts and crafts blogs like p.s I made this and Thanks I made it, there are blogs revolving around organizing and homes like I Heart Organizing, there are fashion and editorial blogs like Style Rookie, Calure Villade and Sugar and Spice and then there are those lifestyle blogs that include everything, my absolute favourite being A Beautiful Mess.

So here is the thing and the beauty of blogging:

You can blog about absolutely anything you want. You can create the kind of content you’d wish to see more of in other blogs yourself. What you don’t see or find, you create yourself. Look at your blog as someone else’s, go through it and ask yourself, did you enjoy that post? Or were the pictures of random objects from the bloggers home boring you? Seriously, create content that you as a reader would love to read, things that you would bookmark, or pin on one of your Pinterest boards.

2)      Now this is where this post becomes very interesting, well at least for me(see? Already applying rule no.

APPLY YOUTUBE LOGIC TO YOUR BLOG POSTS.

Who over here loves vlogs? Makeup tutorials? Various DIY videos? Room, dorm and apartment tours? AGAIN, VLOGS? I bet many of you do. My favourite vlogger and Youtuber generally, is Zoella. I. love. Her. I started watching some of her vlogs, and I loved them. I really liked her homeware hauls, they’re probably my absolute favourite videos by her, although she only has two up. I’m a TEENAGER but she makes me want to get Mason Jar mugs, ‘milk bottle’..um bottles, pinstriped straws and pretty mugs and glasses. I also loved her Little Ways to change up your life lifestyle inspiration video a little too much.

Apart from Zoe, I like Bethany Mota’s videos, and I like a great number of them, like her Morning/Night routines for different seasons, her different DIY’s for different situations like school and backyard summer parties and UGH I  JUST LOVE EVERYTHING OKAY?

SO ANYWAY, coming back to the point, I’m going to start creating the kind of content I enjoy WATCHING on YouTube over here at TWPJ. That means, school life posts, many many DIY’s, Interesting ‘lifestyle’ hauls, Lifestyle posts, room tours, themed look books, everyday routines, how to’s etc. Blog like you’re a famous vlogger. Or maybe actually start a vlog…whatever floats your boat!

3)      This is something my mom says to me when she finds me brainstorming randomly for teenage start up business ideas:

LOOK FOR A GAP IN THE MARKET. 

Which is something that has given me MANY, actually feasible start up ideas but I’m going to work on them after my senior year is over. But this piece of advice as got me thinking on how it can be implemented for blogging. What kind of content is really hard for you to find or what kind of content does not even exist? If you’ve noticed the gap, the missing something on internet blogs, surely other bloggers have sensed this gap as well. Can’t find a really good high school life blog? Not a college website, but a blog by a teenage student herself and how she combats everyday problems, aces her tests, does cute DIY back-to-school projects? OWN that blog.

So, here are my tips for blogging better and I sure hope I start implementing these ideas myself!

First proper shoot: Mareyah

This is my gorgeous friend Mareyah. I asked her if she could model for me so I could take some portraits of her, she agreed and that's exactly what we did a couple of weeks ago, at her house. I'm an amateur photographer but I really would like to improve and that's why I need practice. I wanted to take pictures of Mareyah in her own room, an environment she is comfortable in. I wanted her room, her favourite things to be the props. I wanted to capture who she is as a person through those 'props'. I wanted her pictures to scream out 'THIS IS DEFINITELY MAREYAH'S TERRITORY'.

Mareyah is a beautiful girl inside and out. She is smart, she is very strongly opinionated, she is pretty, she is different and among some of her talents is that she writes really, really well. I loved taking pictures of her that evening, talking to her, dancing with her and playing out her favourite songs to get her in the mood to be photographed. 

I'm not gone

  I'm not lost. Well okay, maybe just a little lost. School started and it has been stressing me out more than I thought it would be. I mean I was supposed to be in control of this situation, having fun as a senior! I think I'm slowly turning into a perfectionist when it comes to academics,  but that isn't helping with the procastination.
Every friday I'm out till late at night. Constant plans with friends. Saturdays are supposed to be study days but sleep calls out my name and so does Instagram. Oh, and movies. Sundays are supposed to be relaxing, creative, reflective days but instead I'm rushing about trying to get all my coursework covered.
I'm a mess.
And I was about to give up on blogging because I need to get those A's and A*'s but is that really the life I want? No. Blogging means a lot to me. It helps me open up about things, get my mind a bit organized and stay creative. I've got a couple posts planned out, easy ones that don't require a whole lot of time, but I will try to post regularly. I also took some portraits of my best friend, and although they didn't turn out too good, practice helps and I realized how much I love being behind the lens. I'm not giving up.

Pictures of me taken by the beautiful Laiqa.

Rain Rain, never go away

I love good weather. I love cloudy but still sort of sunny days, gentle breezes and rain. Even if it's just slightly drizzling every morning I'm happy. It rained after a VERY long time here in Karachi, and although I missed actually seeing the rain, I had a very pleasant day. There was no electricity because of the rain but it didn't matter because of the breezes blowing and the smell of wet dirt has always been a favourite.
I sat in the balcony in the morning in my pajamas with the camera, a notebook and a pen. I took pictures of the glorious morning, did some writing and some crafting. I covered an old notebook with some photo printing paper and a really pretty picture I cut out of a magazine. The blank white strip is a label, I just don't know what to write on it yet. Maybe 'Ideas'? 'Inspiration'? I don't know yet.
When school starts I will officially be a senior. School and 02 sounds extremely stressful and trust me, I've spent a lot of time stressing about it. But why not enjoy these few days and relax and then start prepping for school after Eid?
Also I'll be running around like crazy when school starts, with all the classes, carpooling for endless tuitions and then coming home and studying. But I'll try to make coming home a more relaxing experience. I'm imagining coming back home to an incredible weather, walking into my home and slipping into some leggings and a thin sweatshirt and fuzzy slippers or flip flops, making myself some tea or coffee. Or maybe I'd go for some desi home clothes like a simple patterned boat neck kameez with a white shalwar, both vintagey soft. I'd make the tea or coffee into my room while listening to the pitter patter of the rain. I'd tie my curtains back, light a few candles or insence sticks or maybe essential oils in an oil burner, whatever I'm feeling that particular day. I'd get cozy in blankets, sip on my beverage, do some writing, reply to emails and blog. I'd then take a nice shower, get into comfy pajamas and go to sleep while burying myself in duvets and blankets.
That sounds so relaxing right now.
How do you guys like enjoying the rainy season? What do you like to do? 

Cosmic Vomit, Loners and Rock'nRoll

LOUD, LIGHTS AND LIFE.

Inspired, inspired

 Listen to: 'Saturday Saturday'and 'Emotional Fool' by the Hindi movie 'Humpty Sharma ki Dulhaniya'

So I have been REALLY inspired since the past few days. I've been writing and doodling my ideas furiously, and I'm really excited about them! They're on muses, fashion, DIY and back-to-school stuff. They're mostly lists and messed up thoughts that aren't very organized. And I love that. I thought I'd put up pictures of my doodles and my lists and hopefully they'll inspire you too.

OLD SCHOOL

Friendship and charm bracelets

folders and planners

stacks of books

group studying at diners

cokes in glass bottles

brownies

banana splits

dresses

sweatshirts

sweatshirts paired with skirts

ugly sweaters

vintage secrets box

headphones

journals

oxfords

varsity jackets

copies with stickers

FALL VIBES

daisy chains

comfy sweaters

delicate gold chains

fall leaf collecting

DIY botanical press

journaling fall vibes

diner booths

baking cakes

oxfords

pretty vintage mugs

coffee

flavoured tea(cinnamon? lavender?)

sandwiches

painting

house parties with waffles, streamers and loud music

STYLE

gold chains

oxfords

peach dress punked up with kohled eyes and combat boots

snuggly sweaters

sweatshirts

lacy, soft, white dresses and tops

ear piercings

straight, blue jeans and plan black t-shirt

skirts

sexy black lace

temporary tattoos

vintage floral dresses

pastels(sea foamy mint green and cotton candy pink)

vintage varsity jackets

flower crowns

tiaras

pretty dresses

sexy vintage slips

patched leather jacket

gold body chains

jumpsuits

two piece suit with top and skirt

LIFESTYLE

embroidered pillowcases

patchwork quilts

art journals

mice exposure prints

school spirit and hard work

playlists

making art

postcards, letters, photo prints, journals

studying-library days

getting film developed

rose gardens

candles

teenage bedrooms

evenings being danced away

birthdays with cake, candles, dancing and dressing like an angsty, gothic bride(creepy)

smoke bombs

rung

Bollywood dance classes

DIY

black and white picture prints on wall

wall word banners

revamped sneakers

constellations revolving lamp

fake flowers garland

flower crowns

paper crowns

WORDS

Emotional fool

Wild heart

This is the end

FRAGILE

Walk away

girl gang underground

GET INSPIRED.

xo