Blog Journal by jessicasterland17

ISSUE ONE

BLOG JOURNAL SPRING/SUMMER

Cover Photo by Jessica Challoner-Sterland S/S14

BLOG JOURNAL

CONTRIBUTORS Editor; Jessica Challoner-Sterland

contributors & their blogs; Fiona- fifimcgee.co.uk Rachel- r-brown.blogspot.co.uk Philippa- cocoskies.com Hannah- hannahhayes.co.uk Nicola- nicolabrighton.bigcartel.com Georgia- allthingsgreyandbeautiful.blogspot.co.uk Cathryn- littlepaperswans.com Kitty & Nathan- searchingfortomorrow.com Jess- fawnandrose.com Helena- bellsfashion.blogspot.co.uk Rebecca- fromroses.co.uk Gee- fiveonecouture.blogspot.co.uk

A big thank-you to all the contributors within Blog Journal magazine, without you guys the magazine would not have been possible.

www.blogjournalmagazine.com

EDITORS LETTER

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very excited to welcome you to the first ever issue of Blog Journal, a magazine filled with an array of inspirational fashion, beauty and lifestyle bloggers, who i would firstly like to thank for all their contribution. Blog Journalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spring/Summer 14 issue is jam packed with interesting interviews, features and inspiring photographs that will be sure to get you excited for the warmer months. hope you enjoy!

Love, Jessica x

57 66

72 04

CONTENTS 08 10

Power of the blogger

Blog Journal meets Rachel Brown 16 20

The forgotten garden

Blog Journal loves Nicola Brighton 28

CocoSkies

All Things Grey and Beautiful

In the kitchen with little paper swans 44 52

Searching for tomorrow A little Adventure 56

Blog 70

Journal meets Fawn and Rose

Style Diaries- Bells Fashion 80

Street-style

From Roses

Beauty talk- Five One Couture 88

What Inspired me...

LOG JOURNALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Fawn and Rose

Beautiful handcrafted jewellery. perfect pastel tones to accessorise any spring wardrobe. check out their interview on p.66 www.fawnandrose.com

we at the blog journal are in love with these classically chic watches by olivia burton. styles which are suited to both day or evening. www.oliviaburton.com

Nicola Brighton A must for spring/ summer! nicola brightonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clutches will soon brighten up your wardrobe. check out her interview on p.26 nicolabrighton.bigcartel.com

Accessorize it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a perfect summers wardrobe without a pair of cute flip-flops we are loving these ones by accessorize

ISHLIST

www.accessorize.com

Margiela your home will be smelling summer fresh with this beautiful candel by Margiela. maisonmartinmargiela.com

words and illustration by Jessica Challoner-Sterland

Blogs have become such an integral part of today’s society. The fashion industry especially has witnessed an explosion of fashion bloggers on the front rows of catwalk shows across the world. Photographer Scott Schuman, founder of blog The Sartorialist, which started out as a passion to document his love of streetstyle. in order of ‘creating a two way dialogue about the world of fashion and its relationship to daily life.’ Shuman’s photographic style has become such an inspiration, globally. This has earnt him ad-campaigns for brands such as Burberry and DKNY jeans. Blogs are an ever-growing relatable source for anyone looking for inspiration or even something to aspire to.

We chat to Fiona, creator of lifestyle blog FiFi Mcgee, about her own blog and what she believes makes a good blog. Tell us a little about yourself and your blog? Well I’m Fiona, Fifi McGee is my pseudo-name for online affairs and I reside in the beautiful seaside town of Brighton. I use my blog as an avenue to practice writing, designing and engaging an audience - which as it happens is what I do for a living. I’m a marketing girl by day and market my personal brand by night. Fun times all round. To you, what makes a good blogger and why?

POWER OF THE BLOGGER Good question! First things first, I think the number of followers a blog has doesn’t make it any better than somebody with zero following. Many of the more mainstream blogs, considered to be the best in the UK have a lot of flaws. It’s all down to what your reader likes see and read that attracts large volumes. I think a good blogger is somebody who uses their blog for no financial gain, purely for a diary. Someone who blogs without incentive (i.e working with PRs for free products) and switches up their content so that posts aren’t purely photo, disclosure, review. That doesn’t mean I disagree with PR collaboration, I just think there’s a more honest way of exposing your favourite products. What draws you in to a good blog and why? 100% the photographs. Images are the first thing that attracts the eye when you open up a web page. I’m also super picky with layout. If a blog has tonnes of banners and adverts, it looks too busy and diverts my attention. I also love blogs that have a lot of personality so I can really get to know the writer. Why do you feel blogging has become of great importance, especially over the past few years? Probably down to the shift in advertising. Less people are acknowledging bill boards and magazine adverts and depending more on personal recommendation when they shop.

I think bloggers have that sense of trustworthiness adverts don’t. Blogs have become powerful tools especially within the fashion and beauty industry, would you say you gain more inspiration from blogs as opposed to magazines? Definitely. Magazines are a complete waste of money when you can hear real life reviews and see stunning pictures online at the click of a button, AND be a part of the community discussion (through blog comments etc) It’s clear to see that magazines have recognized how powerful and inspiring bloggers are, we now see them all over the pages. Do you feel blogging has become more influential than broadcast media? Definitely, broadcast media seems to be slowly dying out for a lot of young people. We’re a very image-focused, interactive generation. Blogs are much more accessible than radio shows and have a much higher level of engagement. Being a part of the blogging world, would you ever consider your blog being more than just a hobby? Blogging is much more than just a hobby. It’s being part of a community and meeting people across the world both online and in person. Visit fiona’s blog at www.fifimcgee.co.uk

BLOG JOURNAL MEETS RACHEL BROWN interview & photography by jessica challoner-sterland

Blog Journal magazine meets up with 22 year old Rachel Brown a student/ blogger/ assistant designer at pr company coffin on cake. We find out how she juggles the stresses of third year uni life with a dream career in the fashion industry. as well as finding out about her personal style and aspirations for the future... Tell us a little about yourself? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m 22 years old and I live in a little town in the south coast of england. I currently a student in my third year studying Fashion Media & Promotion. I also work, part time at a PR agency in shoreditch called Coffin on cake, as an in-house creative designer. At college I studied photography and digital art along side media and business studies, and always took up the opportunity to work to live briefs creating things from event invites for people I knew, to website graphics for start up companies.

Tell us about Coffin on cake? Coffin on Cakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fashion, sport and lifestyle PR Company based in Shoreditch, East London. They work with brands such as Quicksilver, Roxy, JuJu footwear, CAT, Surfdome, Alpine Stars, Saucony, Converse amongst a tonne of others. What is your job role within the company? Assistant designer What are your daily tasks? My tasks vary so much week to week and depends a lot on what events and projects they have on at the time. I can be working on simple tasks such as resizing and formatting images to send out to clients, creating books/portfolios of press coverage for clients as part of the monthly reports, up to bigger projects such as the branding, invites and posters for press days, and event invites for exclusive press events for the different brands. I think, getting to do such a variety of different work is the thing I love most about the job. 11

‘I’ve found that the more stressed i am, the more work I actually get done.’ How did you get this amazing position? I applied to Coffin for an internship back in January 2013, I interned from March until May that year but stayed in touch all the time when I finished, over that summer I did a few freelance jobs for them and went up to work on the press days. They then offered me the position to work a couple of days a week with the potential of more days after my degree. Is it difficult balancing this position with university? I’ve found it a lot easier than i thought i would although some days the work load gets a bit much but for once in my life i’ve found that the more stressed i am, the more work I actually get done, so having the constant momentum of work keeps me going. You enjoy graphics and have a knack for photography and all things technical; do you get to use these skills much within your job role? I was really lucky with my internship that I got a chance to prove my technical and creative ability and that was kind of the reason I got my permanent position so I get to use these sorts of skills every day.

Describe your creative style? Quite clean cut and minimal. I like white space and wood textures. That’s pretty much the only way I can explain it. Has Coffin allowed you to develop your creative skills? If so how? Yeah, so much. It’s meant I’ve got to work on some really exciting projects that I otherwise wouldn’t have got to do, and working so closely with the creative director, alex, has been so helpful, getting her experience and tips on new design techniques and problem solving on different projects. Tell us a little about the brands at Coffin? Which are your favourite and why? I’ve lost count of how many brands we have at the moment but here’s the ones I can list: Roxy, Quiksilver, Surfdome, Quay Eyeware, Happy Plugs, JuJu Footwear, CAT Footwear, Converse Bags & Accessories, Vivobarefoot, Yrstore, Alpinestars, Terrible Movement and Saucony. The whole reason I applied to Coffin is because of Roxy, I’ve always loved the brand and their values and the idea of being a roxy girl has been my dream since my early teens.

Describe your fashion style? I like really boxy clothes and always lean towards more androgynous styles and cuts. I live in denim and I never wear colour. My whole wardrobe consists of neutrals, black, grey, beige, white, a slightly lighter grey, brown, and leopard print… leopard print is a neutral. Since working at Coffin has it influenced or changed your style? I’ve become a bit more of a brand snob but It hasn’t really changed the things i wear, just made me a bit more conscious of where to find quality items. Favourite style icons at the moment? Right now, probably the olsens and erin wasson. This time of year I always crave summer boho styles. What have you achieved/gained from working at Coffin? Confidence, technical ability, a portfolio full of projects and the experience of working with awesome people for an awesome little company. What are your goals and aspirations for the future? Just to be happy. I’d love to travel and I’d like to establish myself as a known freelance designer but ultimately It just comes down to living a happy life that you’re proud of and working

‘Right now, probably the olsens and erin wasson. This time of year I always crave summer boho styles.’ Has coffin helped define those aspirations? It’s made me realise what I can do and what you can achieve when you work really hard and It’s opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities with the kind of work I want to do. Any advice you’d give to students juggling a dream job and university? Probably don’t let stress get to you. Easier said than done, I know. But nothings ever so important to get stressed and ill over, so just shrug it off and keep going and keep working really hard. You’re only human and you can only do your best. follow rachels blog at: r-brown.blogspot.co.uk

hard to get it.

interview by jessica challoner-sterland. art work by Philippa

COCOSKIES Illustrator Philippa, creator of art work blog Cocoskies, chats to blog journal about her inspiration for her illustrations, love of fashion sketches and her unexpected message from model cara delevingne. Tell us a little about yourself and your Cocoskies My name is Philippa and I’ve currently been running Cocoskies for about three years now. I’m currently study Psychology at University so I like to use the blog as a creative outlet when I need a little break from lab reports. It all began when I was child, I really enjoyed drawing from an early age and from then on I took up opportunities at school and college to facilitate this passion – the blog is really just an extension of this and a way to keep track of recent illustrations.

In terms of my artistic style, I think it can be quite difficult to describe actually. I really enjoy experimenting with different mediums, but on the whole I like to keep everything quite vibrant and detailed. At the moment I really like working with watercolours because you can’t always predict how the colours are going to run together. I think that the mistakes you decide to keep are what make your work unique, which you can’t always achieve if you strive for a perfect, polished image. What inspires your artwork? Wanderlust. My perpetual daydreaming of travelling to little islands surrounded by turquoise oceans and the anticipation of Summer is definitely a big contributor to keeping my artwork nice and bright.

How would you describe your artistic style? 17

Who inspires you creatively? There are so many amazing illustrators out there I adore, not just for their talent but their incredible work ethic. One of my favourite fashion illustrators of all time has to be David Downton, closely followed by Kelly Smith, Bec Winnel, and Danny Roberts – to name a few of a potentially endless list!

‘What inspired me to blog my work was the idea of being in charge of my own publication’

What inspired you to blog your artwork? What inspired me to blog my work was the idea of being in charge of my own publication. I like the idea of not just carefully selecting my own content, but also designing the layout in which it is all framed. Before I started blogging I used to occasionally design web layouts and graphics for fun so it all made perfect sense to combine these skills to create a platform for my artwork. I think I also just fancied my own little spot on the internet after religiously keeping up with so many other amazing blogs. Quite a few of your illustrations are fashion inspired, what is it about fashion illustration that you love? I like the fluidity of fashion, it is constantly evolving and it’s always nice to see young talented designers being propelled into the bigger picture. I think illustrating fashion can also be another form of showing your appreciation as well as of course bringing more exposure to new designs. 18

How would you describe your personal style? My personal style is a huge contrast to my art work style. I actually prefer the more muted tones in terms of clothes, normally sticking with my default palettes of navy blue, gray and black and adding a little pop of colour with a bright red lipstick.

Favourite trends of the moment and why? At the moment I’m really loving the Khaki Velocite jacket as well as green and purple tartan tailored trousers and shirts. I think these pieces are perfect for making that transition from Winter to Spring. What has been your most fun illustration to date? I think my most fun illustration to date was definitely a drawing I did of Cara Delevingne. Whilst I was completing the illustration I posted a few progress shots on my Instagram (as I do with all my art work) to which Cara actually post a very lovely comment and liked the picture. It was such a wonderful surprise, I never in a million years thought she would even see it, let alone comment on it. I think it’s fair to say I was a little bit star struck haha. What has been your most challenging illustration to date? My most challenging illustration was definitely this picture of an eye I drew. I wanted to challenge myself by making it as realistic as possible. Half way through it felt as if it wasn’t really going anywhere, but I kept persevering and was very happy with the final result. It taught me keep working on something no matter how stagnant progress seems. Has blogging your artwork, opened up any exciting collaborations or projects? If yes, what?

One of my favourite collaboration projects to date has been contributing illustrations to Aesthetic Magazine. It was originally created as a third year project by my friend Michelle over at Daisybutter. com. But has since then continued to grow and is now in its fourth issue. Future plans for Cocoskies? Once I’ve finished my final year at University in the Summer I would love to revive my little Etsy shop with some new prints and perhaps a few stationery products. We’ll see! I feel like I’ve had to put all of that on hold recently, so it would be great to have some free time to focus just on creating new artwork. see more of philippa’s art work at www.cocoskies.com 19

THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN Interview by jessica Challoner-sterland Photographs by hannah hayes

HANNAH HAYES

Hannah’s blog is filled with quirky antique and vintage finds, stories that are told through beautiful photography and picturesque locations. blog journal chats to hannah about all things fashion and her passion for vintage clothing.

Tell us a little about yourself and your blog? I’m currently working in education, and before that I was studying for a science degree, so my blog is sort of an outlet for my more creative side. It’s been through quite a few reincarnations over the years. It started out as ‘Hello Mr Fox’, then ‘Foxtail and Fern’ and now it’s simply named after me. Although the name has changed several times, the focus has always remained more or less the same. Mostly it’s about vintage clothing and knickknacks, with a little fashion and photography thrown in.

How long have you been blogging for? Since late 2008, so about five years. How would you describe your personal style? Vintage with a modern twist. What inspires your style? All sorts of things, from lucky charity shop finds to images from the latest catwalk shows. Street style and other bloggers inspire me too. Favourite designers and why? It changes from season to season, but I usually love the Dries Van Noten shows because his clothes are always so unique and I love the way he manages to combine styles from different eras so beautifully. Your top three places to shop and why? & Other Stories is my new favourite. I love that they use good quality fabrics and create these amazing pieces that are unlike anything else on the high street but they also don’t cost the earth. COS for similar reasons, and Topshop just because they sometimes produce some really great pieces for their Boutique and Unique lines. As far as the high street goes I have quite expensive taste, which is why I mostly shop second hand. Good quality is important to me. Favourite fashion decade and why? In terms of clothes, probably the

1920s. I love the decadence and shapes of that decade. You have a love of vintage, what is it about vintage items that you love? As I mentioned above, it’s mostly about the quality, but I also like being able to find pieces that are unique. Where are your favourite places to shop for vintage items? The usual places - car boots and charity shops (although it seems to be much tougher to get good pieces here!) and Etsy/eBay. Your blog is filled with beautiful photography and compositions, what inspires these ideas? Just the bits and bobs I have lying around mostly. In my years of collecting I’ve managed to amass a lot of vintage junk! There’s an audible collective sigh every time I come home from a car boot with more bags, but I can’t help it! Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time? I’ll probably be featuring on one of those TV programmes about hoarders! Ha! Hopefully I’ll still be blogging, and I’m also trying to teach myself some core web design skills at the moment, like HTML and CSS, so I’d like to be working in that sort of area. see more of Hannahs style at.. www.hannahhayes.co.uk

URNAL BLOG JO LOVES

NICOLA BRIGHTON

Interview by Jessica Challoner-Sterland Photos by Nicola Brighton

We are a little bit in love with the coulourful accessories of Nicola Brighton designs here at Blog Journal and have been lucky enough to chat to Nicola about her inspiration behind her designs and advice sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d give to aspiring designers. to purchase one of her bright designs visit nicolabrighton.bigcartel.com

Tell us a little about yourself and Nicola Brighton design? Nicola Brighton Design was formed in August 2013 after I finished university 3 months previously. Knowing how hard it is to get a job in the fashion industry, I decided to do my own thing. That way I can work to my own quirky style, and create fun exciting prints that not only I love but hopefully so do my fans! How long have you been designing for? Well I’ve done Art since school, but I only started specialising in Textile Design at college, where I then went on to study it at university, thats when i discovered I love designing digitally! So all in all probably about 6 years! What inspired you to design accessories? For my final major project at university I was inspired to create an high end silk scarf collection, then when i graduated I wanted to bring the same colourful designs to a more less high end market, so therefore clutch bags were a more financeable option. I love the freedom with accessories, I can make them as bright, colourful and patterned as possible, creating that perfect statement to an outfit. Your signature is the digital print, what is it you love about digital printing? I love the versatility of being able to combine lots of different

techniques! Experiementing with photography, textures, drawings, pattern and colour through Photoshop manipulation, giving a much cleaner, precise, digital finish. What is your inspiration behind your bold and bright prints? I came across a S/S 2014 trend on WGSN called ‘Next Nature’, which inspired me massively! I used this as my source to conduct further trend research, into rainforests, carnivals, spiritual imagery etc, to create the colourful bohemian vibe I was going for. I absolutely love pastel colours too this summer! Have your designs offered any exciting collaborations or opportunities? I have recently being approached my Company & Glamour magazine with the offer of advertising within their magazines, which is a great opportunity! What would be your advice for any graduate wanting to go into design? My advice would be dont get disheartened! It’s always going to be hard-work but as long as you believe in your designs and work hard you will start to see results. It’s so hard being a design graduate, up against the other thousands of creative people, constantly encouraged to do free internships etc But as long as you have something unique to offer and believe in your skills, just go for it and create! 27

ALL THINGS GREY AND BEAUTIFUL

Blog Journal embarks on a little adventure with fashion blogger, Georgia from All Things Grey and Beautiful. We chat to her about fashion, charity shopping and all things british! see more of georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vintage style and bargain finds at allthingsgreyandbeautiful.blogspot.co.uk

INTERVIEW & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA CHALLONER-STERLAND

tell us a little about yourself and your blog? I am currently studying a BA Honours in Fashion Media and Promotion and from this I want to continue my career in fashion writing. I started my blog over 2 years ago and I love to write about exhibitions I have been to, places I have explored, clothes I have bought and designers that interest me. describe your style? I have always loved vintage style and I am inspired by lots of different fashion eras. My favourite are the ‘60’s and ‘70s, but i’m a patchwork of decades really! I also love English style and heritage garments. Cabbages and Roses are one of my favourite fashion brands! where do you get your fashion inspiration from? My main inspiration simply comes from people watching and seeing what unique style I see on the streets. I love quirky places like The Lanes in Brighton and Brick Lane and Camden in London whats your favourite trend and why? Right now I love Chloe’s S/S collection. It’s 70’s boho and earthy colours with interesting textures. She always uses great texture in her garments and I love how everything flows!

what designers do you love and why? Chloe Sevigny, Stella McCartney, Yves St Laurent, Moschino and Vivienne Westwood. I love Yves St Laurent’s masculine tailoring, Vivienne Westwood’s outrageous and historical referencing to her clothing and Stella McCartney’s subtle femininity. favourite style icons, past and present? Twiggy, Audrey Hepburn, Alexa Chung and blogger Collage Vintage. favourite place to shop and why? H&M. It’s so reasonable for really pretty items. I also love shopping in charity shops for one off and unusual items. your blog is filled with vintage and secondhand buys, wheres your fave place to shop for these items? St Barnabas is my favourite charity shop! I also love British Heart Foundation and second hand shops down the Lanes in Brighton. one item of clothing or accessory that you cant live without? Black boots! There are so many different items I cant live without, but black boots are a necessity. whats currently on your wishlist? A pastel backpack!

CARDIGAN:PRIMARK SKIRT: H&M SANDALS:RIVER ISLAND BAG:H&M

COAT; VINTAGE SHIRT; CHARITY SHOP SKIRT; VINTAGE NECKLACE; MOSCHINO

COAT; SAME AS BEFORE JUMPER: H&M SHOES: PRIMARK

SHIRT: TO BE WORN AGAIN JUMPER: H&M SKIRT:H&M

IN THE KITCHEN WITH... LITTLE PAPER SWANS INTERVIEW BY JESSICA CHALLONER-STERLAND PHOTOS & RECIPES BY CATHRYN

Little paper swans is a mouthwatering food blog filled with delightful treats. blog journal chats to little paper swans creator Cathryn, who lets us in on a few helpful culinary tips and two of her tasty recipes. to try out more of her yummy bakes follow Cathryn’s blog at: littlepaperswans.com Tell us a little about yourself and your blog? My name’s Cathryn and I blog at Little Paper Swans. I’m 21 and I’m from the most easterly point in England. I work in as a retail supervisor in the day and spend the rest of my time as a freelance photographer and blogger. I started my blog as a new year’s resolution and I haven’t looked back since. Where did the name for your blog come from? The name Little Paper Swans came from the little origami my fiancé (then he was only my boyfriend, haha) made me. I had them hanging in my bedroom. When I decided to start my blog I went through a couple of names and then I finally settled on that.

What was your inspiration to start a food blog? Originally Little Paper Swans was a fashion blog with a bit of beauty thrown in, I was inspired by fashion blogs like LLYMLRS. I quickly realised that fashion wasn’t my sole love, it was a massive part of me but it wasn’t my only interest.I introduced recipe posts in the October of 2012 and they seemed to be a hit so I went from there. Now my blog is classed as a Lifestyle blog as I feature a bit of everything now. How long have you been blogging for? I’ve been blogging since January the 15th 2012. So it makes it just over two years. It’s been a whirlwind and I’ve loved every minute. What is that you love about food blogging? The thing I love about food blogging and in fact all blogging is the community. You can never feel lonely when there’s thousands of people who understand what you do and are just as passionate about blogging as you are. I also love eating the results haha!

Smarties cookie pops You will need: 350g plain flour 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda 1tsp baking powder 250g butter softened 300g caster sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 boxes Smarties Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. -Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda,baking powder and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl, then set a side. -Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. -Gradually beat in the sifted dry ingredients to form a stiff dough. -Roll the dough into15 balls, then place on greased baking drays, spaced well apart. -Press several Smarties into each ball, flattening the ball slightly. Insert the cake pop stick into the middle of the flattened mixture. -Bake for 15 minutes until pale golden brown. -Remove from the tray as soon as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got them out of the oven, otherwise they will stick and be ruined (I learnt this the hard way!). -Leave too cool completely and enjoy!

Chocolate & Peanut butter â&#x20AC;&#x153;Squaffinsâ&#x20AC;? You will need: 300g self-raising flour 1tsp baking powder 100g chocolate chips 175g crunchy peanut butter 120g soft brown sugar 2 eggs 200ml milk Preheat oven to 200C/

-Line a muffin tray with 12 cases. -In a bowl sift together the self-raising flour and baking powder. -Mix through the chocolate chips. -In a separate bowl mix the peanut butter, sugar, eggs and milk and mix until well combined. -Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined. -Divide the mixture between the 12 cases. -Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until well risen and firm to the touch. -Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.

Who inspired you to cook? My biggest inspiration to cook is my mum. She taught me everything I know and I owe an awful lot of her. Without her my blog wouldn’t exist as it does. I wouldn’t even know how to boil an egg. Earliest baking memory? My earliest baking memory is making fairy cakes with my mum. Every Sunday afternoon we would choose something different to bake. I would say I did this from the age of three up until I moved out last summer. Your favourite treat to bake and why? Cake. I don’t mind what kind as long as there’s no dried fruit in it. The reason why? There’s nothing better for your soul than a slice of cake and good cup of tea. What inspires your recipes? Pinterest, other blogs, recipe books and magazines. I see something and then adapt to make it my own. Who is your foodie hero and why? My mum. No one inspires me more. I can talk to her about food for ages and she’s just as passionate. I know that if blogs existed when she was my age she would have been doing the same thing, she’s considering setting up her own blog now. She is my number one fan and has supported me from the start.

What’s the best food photography tip you’ve learned in the past year? Good lighting is key. So is shooting in RAW. Shooting in RAW makes it so much easier to retouch photographs and good lighting makes any photo better. I always shoot near a window which always helps. And my biggest tip is practice. I look back on some of the first photographs on my blog and wondering what I was thinking. You get better over time. How many cookbooks do you own and which do you reach for the most often? In all honesty I’ve never counted but I imagine I’m well on my way to 50. The books I reach for the most often are old recipe books with classic recipes in (ie. Pastry, sponge cakes) Out of my newer recipe books I adore Rachel Khoo, the recipes, layouts and photography are everything you would want in a book. Any future plans for Little Paper Swans? This year I’ve already given my blog a bit of a re-design and I now have my own domain. My absolute dream for my blog is for it to turn into my full time job. I love doing it and to be able to make a living from doing something I love would just be incredible. I would also love to have my recipe book. But let’s see what the future holds.

SEARCHING FOR TOMORROW

INTERVIEW BY JESSICA CHALLONER-STERLAND PHOTOS BY KITTY & NATHAN

Blog Journal chats with the lovely creators behind, beautiful photography blog, Searching For Tomorow. Kitty and Nathan let us in on their inspirations behind their photo stories, allowing their viewers to be transported into their world of adventure, that captures the essence of joy and youthfulness...

Tell us a little about yourselves and your blog Searching For Tomorrow We’re Kitty & Nathan, a photographing, tea-drinking, slipper-wearing couple from London. We have a little black puppy called Florrie who makes us a little family. Searching for Tomorrow is where we blog pictures and stories; either fashion stories, portraits or more diary based entries about adventures. We enjoy most things and like to adventure lots. What inspired you to create your blog? It all started because Kitty is a photographer and Nathan is a web developer and they wanted to make a place where instead of just putting 1-2 shots on her portfolio site, Kitty could post the entire series or write little thoughts. Blogging became a bit addictive, it was like creating part of the Internet and being able to share all sorts of things. Now it’s a joint thing which is even more fun than before. Who inspires you? Authors, friends, family, songwriters; a combination of a lot of people sharing comforting words, What inspires you creatively? We go on a lot of walks and it’s usually those quiet hours away from the hustle and bustle of London life where we find ourselves discussing all sorts of ideas; whether or not they’re good ideas is questionable, but it gets the creative rivers flowing. Your blog is filled with captivating photography, where has been your favourite location to

That’s a hard question, but really thinking about it, I think it’d be one of the very first posts back in 2012 called “Summertime Lull”. It was shot in our corner of London on a blissfully warm summer’s night on a hill overlooking a frog pond. Have you ever had one of those seconds when your chest feels like its all warm and puffed up because you’re suddenly hit with a moment of contentedness for a reason you may not necessarily know? That’s what that location did, it’s home where we feel most at ease and that must be one of our favourite little places. Where would be your dream location? Somewhere beautifully quiet with pale evening skies and lots of lakes. I don’t think we’re quite sure of any one particular dream location yet, but Norway and Iceland are definitely on our imaginary list of dream places. All of your photographs take the viewer on a journey, what inspires these stories? That is one of the best things we’ve ever heard, thank-you! We are chuffed that they feel that way. Nothing in particular inspires the stories, it’s mostly about capturing the real moments between any poses and blinks. Trying to get lost in the shoot results in a lot of raw images. Some may argue there is something too unpolished in the raw, but for what we do and like to do, we’re okay with that. We just want to make relatable tales that the viewer can put their own personal twist on or conjure happy memories in them.

shoot? 47

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;And in the sunlit eve, she and her balloon drifted woodland bound. She liked to sit here and fall asleep to the sound of the cuckoosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

To you, what makes the best models and how do you direct them? Absolutely everyone! Everyone has an imagination to plant the story in, it’s just about rekindling the childlike creativity of believing you are what you’re being told you are. There is something different in everyone that makes them unique and photogenic in their own way. Your photo-shoot ‘Her Pastel Balloon’ particularly stood out and is beautifully shot. Tell us the story behind this shoot? It’s a tale of a girl who, like Peter Pan, never wanted to grow up. She kept on believing in that childhood magic where you can be a superhero rescuing people from pirates just from jumping around on cushions placed around your bedroom floor. Because she believed she could make little things happen, so she made herself a little balloon that she’d sometimes take outside to play with. To her it was about never letting the innocence go. A typical Sunday for you both would be? We try to keep every Sunday clear so we at least have 1 day off a week to recharge. Typically it’s a hushed start with tea in bed with a vinyl playing from the sitting room. We’ll put the lead on Florrie and go for a wander; that part is always the different part.

Sometimes we stick to the streets and admire the florists’ displays and grab a bite to eat somewhere. Other days we go further afield and prefer to get lost in the woods. It’s the one day we can “hide” from the World and just be us without feeling the burdens of work life seeping in. What advice would you give to any aspiring photographers? Be true to yourself and shoot the things that make you happy. As hard as it is, try to avoid comparing yourself to other photographers; your journey is supposed to be different. Have fun, smile behind the camera and enjoy every second. What does the future hold for Searching For Tomorrow? We’re not entirely sure, we’re going with the flow at the moment. We don’t want it to be big and impersonal, I don’t think we’d ever feel happy watching it evolve into something we didn’t recognise or could keep up with. Right now is where we feel happy with it; just a creative outlet for photos and stories combined - nothing big or loud - just a little corner of the web for anyone interested. Visit Kitty and Nathan’s inspiring blog at: searchingfortomorrow.com

A LITTLE ADVENTURE... ARUNDEL WORDS & PHOTOS BY JESSICA CHALLONER-STERLAND

Nestled in the heart of west sussex, surround by beautiful country landscapes and a charming castel, Arundel captures the essence of old and modern- day England,The beautiful countryside town witholds thousand of years of history and heritage. The streets of Arundel are filled with chic contemporary independent stores and boutiques, delightful tea rooms and a variety of bars, restaurants and pubs.

Castle chocolates 11 Tarrant St, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9DG This charming little confectionary is a definate must when visiting arundel. with a range of chocolates, sweets, fudge or if your looking for something a little more special why not indulge in their specialised truffles. theres something for everyone to choose from.

The Lavander house Garden 7 Tarrant Street, Arundel West Sussex, BN18 9DG a beautiful unique florist combined with homeware, this little boutique offers delightful homely treats and inspiration for interior design.

The Baytree 21 Tarrant St,Arundel, BN18 9DG The baytree is perfect if your looking for something a little more up-market, this quaint restaurant offers a full lunch and dinner menu specialising in contemporary European food. and if your looking to stay in arundel longer the baytree offers newly renovated rooms.

The Book Ferret 34 High Street, Arundel, BN18 9AB In need of a good read visit the book ferret An independent bookshop nestled in the heart of Arundel is filled with old world charm and the finest new books.

Tudor Rose Tea Rooms 49 High Street, Arundel BN18 9AG After wandering the historic streets of Arundel The tudor rose tearoom is the perfect place to stop off. This beautifully charming little tearoom offers a range of cakes and pastries as well as traditional lunches and main meals.

Arundel Castle Arundel isnt worth a visit without checking out its beautiful castle which is visible throughout the town. founded in 1067 this historic castle still witholds some of its period features. the castle is open during the spring and summer seasons for visitors to wonder around its beautiful rooms allowing you to transcend back in time. the Castel also occupies a a stately garden perfect for visiting on a beautiful summers day. 55

STREET-STYLE day four of London fashion week filled the cities streets with a burst of neon brights and pretty pastels. Outside Somerset House, An array of pink coats and jackets stood predominant among any other shades, from candyfloss pink to fluorescent fuchsia, saw them styled with tartans, florals and gingham. For those steering away from the powered brights, muted more refined tones were ever apparent. Pastels, beiges and grey skirts and shirts were combined with beautiful over-sized coats. Coloured totes and oversized clutches were seen as the staple accessories to finish off the look.

Words, photography and illustration by jessica challoner-sterland

BLOG JOURNAL MEETS FAWN AND ROSE INTERVIEW BY JESSICA CHALLONER-STERLAND PHOTOS BY JESS

Hand-crafted from wood, clay and metal. Fawn and Rose create modern trinkets ranging from necklaces, rings and bracelets. blog journal chats to jess; founder and creator of Fawn and Rose, to find out what inspires her jewellery and global success of the brand. Tell us a little about Fawn and Rose? Fawn and Rose is an independent jewellery brand committed to producing unique handmade accessories. How long have you been designing jewellery for? Since the summer of 2011 What inspired you to start making jewellery? I was struggling to find a necklace I liked in the high street stores, and decided to create my own. I’m a fan of simple designs, and I wanted something that affordable, but also of good quality. I decided to put a few pieces for sale online, and luckily they sold! It just sort of grew from there…

Not specifically, no. But I have always wanted to do something creative in life – I have a degree in Photography but wasn’t sure how to use apply it to a career, so I created a brand from scratch as a creative outlet, and now I can put my degree to good use! What does your design process consist of? Everything begins on paper, I’m old school like that. I sketch out designs and work out dimensions, then I transfer this to an illustrator programme where I get the designs ready for lasercutting. Once the shapes have been cut I sand, paint and finish with a varnish. Describe your jewellery style in three words Simple, modern, geometric. What inspires your designs? Lots of things! Sometimes I will look at a person’s outfit and imagine up a necklace for them, how it would hang, the colours that would complement them etc. I just try to pay attention to what is around me.

Have you always wanted to be a jewellery designer?

Have your designs offered any exciting opportunities? I am lucky enough to have my jewellery stocked in some awesome little shops all around the world, just through word of mouth. I’ve also been interviewed for several online and print publications, which is very flattering. Your jewellery is photographed beautifully on your website, do you so this yourself? Yes, all the photography is my own. How important is the image of your designs on your website? It’s extremely important. When people are shopping online, they can’t see or touch your pieces, they rely entirely on the image on their screen. Future plans for fawn and rose? To grow! I’d like to expand my list of stockists and continue

growing my online store, with the possibility of adding a physical retail presence in the (distant) future. -to purchase a fawn and rose design visit: fawnandrose.com and check out there blog at fawnandrose.com/blogs

STYLE DIARIES...

BELLS FASHION INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS BY JESSICA CHALLONER-STERLAND

Helena started off creating her blog for a university project, never did she expect half the success and recognition that she now has from her online fashion diary, Bells Fashion. blog journal chats to the lovely Helena about her blogging journey and the oppurtunities blogging has given her after just 3 years. Helenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quirky and bright style has inspired her followers and still continues to do so... tell us a little about yourself and bells fashion? I am a 22 year old fashion student and My blog consists of personal outfit posts as well as occasional street style and introducing new bloggers. what inspired you to start your blog and how long have you been blogging for? I started my blog for a uni project but I ended up enjoying it so much that I have carried it on ever since. I have now been blogging for nearly 3 years. Describe your current style in three words

Colourful, bold and eccentric. What inspires your style? I find a lot of inspiration from different eras such as the 70s and 90s which I discover through old films and magazines. I love the 70s especially because there was a lot of bright prints, faux fur and platforms which are all my favourite things. Who inspires your style? my main inspiration seems to come from blogs and tumblr as well as street style because I love seeing how everyday girls interpret trends. Where is your favourite place to shop? Charity shops and vintage shops because I love having unique pieces that no one else will have and them teaming it with either high street or independent designer pieces to bring it more up to date. Favourite fashion decade and why? The 1970s like I said before because people seemed to be really carefree and flamboyant which I love and find really inspiring.

T-shirt: topshop Trousers: lazy oaf Sunglasses: Beth Fray Flatforms: YRU

Two-piece: Loving youth kimono: vintage shoes: YRU

Dress: vintage sunglasses: H&M

Dresses: meadham kirchhoff for topshop flatforms: schuh sunglasses: quay Australia

Favourite designer of the moment? Meadham Kirchhoff and Jeremey scott as they create really crazy, fun clothes which I would buy myself if I had the money! What current piece could you not live without? My chunky black platform boots as they go with everything and are ridiculously comfortable. I don’t think I even own a pair of flat shoes anymore. Has blogging offered any exciting collaborations or projects? Yes, I am so grateful to have been given so many amazing opportunities such as, working with asos fashion finder to style up an item in different ways, and being an ambassador for missguided at London fashion week was a huge highlight of my blog life too. Has your style changed much over the years? Very much SO! I used to be less confident with experimentation and stuck to more simple yet grungy/ bohemian outfits but as I’ve got older I’ve cared less what people think and am much more daring with outfit choices. Whats currently on your fashion wishlist? The only thing I’m lusting after at the moment are sparkly pink miu miu sunglasses which I want to be made into reading glasses for ultimate sass.

Future plans for Bells Fashion? I just want to carry it on as a hobby, I don’t ever see me doing it full time as a job as I have so much else I want to do but I really enjoy blogging in my spare time. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? Hopefully still running my upcoming vintage clothing website, sassy world which launches very soon! check iut more of Helena’s style on her blog: bellsfashion.blogspot.co.uk

FROM ROSES

INTERVIEW & ILLUSTRATION BY JESSICA CHALLONER-STERLAND PHOTOS BY REBECCA

From Rose’s is a beauty blog filled with tempting beauty products that are ever more tempting through the beautifully composed photographs. We chat to the lovely From Rose’s founder and freelance photographer Rebecca, to get an insight on those irresitable girly treats, beauty faux pas and lots of handy beauty tips and tricks.For even more beauty reviews follow Rebecca’s blog: www.fromroses.co.uk Tell us a little about yourself and your blog?

My name is Rebecca I’m a 23 year old Freelance photographer & writer from Nottinghamshire. I run the blog From Roses which is a beauty and lifestyle website which has been running for three years now. What inspires you creatively? As a photography graduate I learnt to let things from everyday life inspire me and I continue the same method for my blog. I like to create concepts for posts instead of single product reviews.

What inspired you to create your blog? I had always had some sort of presence on the internet from the age of 15 in my Myspace days and then once I got to university I wanted to start a photography blog to track my work so that is how From Roses originally started. I then started to a Tumblr blog which I still use today to gather inspiration and found Emma’s blog Milkteef and saw that she had hopped over to Blogger and started a beauty & style blog and it looked like so much fun that I wanted to start my own. So then in a summer during uni terms whilst living in Devon and working in a bar I wanted something to fill my days so I started to post on what was my photography blog and the rest is history. What are your favourite go-to beauty products? By far my YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat or the Laura Mercier Silk Crème, my base is really important to me and then a blusher like the Stila Convertible Colours and a tinted lipbalm which will either be a Korres Lip Butter or the Burt’s Bees tinted balms. What products could you not live without? My exfoliating toners (the Clarins is my favourite) an

Origins moisturiser and the Dior Crème de Rose. Essential beauty tools Real Techniques expert face brush, Shu Uemeura eyelash curlers, bobby pins, barrel brush, Tangle Teezer, Tweezerman Tweezers. Favourite make-up look of the moment I am pretty awful at looking at Catwalk trends but my favourite make up look of all time is a cat eye and a red lip. Who influences/inspires your make-up ideas? Mainly other bloggers and what I see in my favourite magazines, I don’t like anything overdone so I like to keep to the basics of a neutral eye and a radiant base. Any beauty faux pas? Oh I have plenty, I brush my hair when it wet and my make brushes haven’t been washed in a couple of weeks. I am pretty rubbish with keeping up with clarifying face masks too I always forget to do them and I never know if I am creating the right colour palette for skin tone.

From Roses Beauty Tips -To cleanse your skin properly you need to wash it, wipes and micellar waters just don’t cut it. -Change your pillow cases regularly. -Try not to touch your face unless completely necessary to avoid spreading bacteria. -Let spots just run their course and keep them clean. -Tweeze your brows in the direction they naturally grow. -Moisturise and cleanse upwards to help circulation, don’t drag your skin downwards. -Keep your head high whilst applying mascara it helps with smudging. -Applying power in a downward motion (gently) will smooth over hairs on your face, I know we all have them lets be honest now. -An old dry toothbrush can be used to exfoliate your lips. -Don’t rub your wrists together when you apply perfume it breaks it down and it wont last as long on the skin. -Don’t tug at your eye area it is incredibly delicate. -Learn what suits your skin tone and face shape, bronzer isn’t for everybody. -Always make sure you have washed your hands before cleansing your face

Beauty Talk with

FIVE ONE COUTURE INTERVIEW BY JESSICA CHALLONER-STERLAND PHOTOS BY GEE

Filled with delightful little beauty treats. five one couture is a blog filled with relatable and helpful reviews. Blog journal talks to Gee from Five One Couture about make-up looks to 1950’s influence. Tell us a little about yourself and five one couture? I’m 21 years old and currently training to be a tattoo artist meaning that my blog is a perfect outlet for me to scribble down everything beauty related that I feel passionate about! Five One Couture started when I had multiple friends asking me what products I used to create my make up looks - I just thought, what easier way to show everyone than creating a blog to share my views and opinions. Since starting a couple of years ago, I’ve grown to love the blogging community and I can’t imagine my life without my little space on the internet, as extreme as that sounds! How long have you been blogging for? I’ve toyed with blogging for the last 5 years (Tumblr was a serious addiction in my teens!) but I’d say I’ve only been doing it properly for a 2 to 3 years. I’ve only recently, in the past 6 months, started to take it really seriously with pre-writing posts and photographing 3 or 4 products on my days off to schedule for

the week - you do feel a certain amount of pressure when you become aware of how many people are reading your blog! Five one couture shows your passion for beauty products, what inspired you to share this on your blog? I just wanted to share my passion for beauty products to help other girls out there choose what could work for them. The world of beauty is so vast and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start! I often found myself googling reviews on products, ending up girl’s blogs and being persuaded to buy the product - I find a bloggers opinion a lot more trustworthy than a magazine. I did this for so long that it dawned me I could do it too and help other ladies out especially as lot of beauty blogs focus on ‘natural’ beauty whereas I’m very much about embracing make up as a way to express yourself and have a bit of fun! Favourite beauty trends of the moment? I don’t actually tend to follow beauty trends, maybe a little controversial for someone who runs a beauty blog but my main interest lies in 1940’s/1950’s make up, bright lipstick and anything remotely pin-up style so I tend to focus my interest and research on those areas rather than what’s considered ‘in trend’ at the moment!

Three skincare tips you’d like to share with us? 1) Never EVER sleep with your make up on! I know, I know, we’ve all had one drink too many on a night out and just crawled into bed fully clothed and woken up 6 hours later wondering why we have eyelashes on our cheeks and lipstick on our pillows, but seriously, the havoc it plays on your skin is unmatched! I remember waking up one morning a few years ago after sleeping with my makeup on with multiple breakouts on my face and clogged up pores thinking ‘was it worth it?’ - It definitely wasn’t and I’ve never slept in my make up since. It is possible to remove make up after a few drinks, it’s just quite hard work... 2) Drink more water. My new years resolution this year was to drink at least 2 litres of water a day and I can proudly say I’ve stuck at it so far, and no area of my body has benefited more than my skin. My frequent breakouts have been halved, my skin looks and feels more hydrated and I’m a lot more confident about leaving the house without make up - a huge step for this full coverage foundation lover! 3) Wash your make up brushes every weekend! I know it’s a huge chore to most people (me included) but every time you use those brushes they pick up dirt and bacteria from your skin which then sits on top of your brush until the next time you use it. Washing your brushes with gentle soapy water 86

means you’re not transferring month old dirt onto your skin, meaning less breakouts, resulting in a clearer complexion. What is your daily skincare routine? I always feel that my skincare routine is pretty poor for a beauty blogger! In the mornings I wash my face with either the Origins ‘Never a Dull Moment’ scrub or Burt’s Bees Anti Blemish Solution to refresh my skin and remove any dead skin cells. Afterwards I use a light day moisturiser (Organic Surge do a lovely one that’s completely natural and free of parabens) and I’m good to go! At night I use whichever eye make up remover I’m currently using (I’m yet to find one I love!) followed by Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser to remove all remaining make up. Sometimes I’ll follow this with a night moisturiser if my skin is particularly dry but more often than not I leave it at that. Who influences/inspires your make-up ideas and why? My two main make up influences would be Idda Van Munster and Pin Up Doll Ashley Marie - both such beautiful ladies with flawless make up! They inspire me to keep going with the pin up look and have definitely helped me perfect that perfect cat flick eye liner! Oh, and who can fault Dita Von Teese’s make up? Flawless. See more of Gee’s beauty tips at fiveonecouture.blogspot.co.uk

Gee’s

Favourite Products I don’t have any ‘go to’ skin care products as I’m always trying out new ones to see what works best for me, but I can never fault a good face scrub and moisturiser. Also, anything without parabens and SLS a very long explanation as to what they are but they’re not good for anyone’s skin and if you can avoid them you should, my skin has been ten times better since I cut them out! As for make up, there are 3 items I will always love 1 - Rimmel’s Exaggerate eyeliner in Black. I’ve been repurchasing it for about 5 years now and I absolutely swear by it! 2 - A powder that I absolutely adore is Rimmel’s Stay Matte powder, perfect for keeping any shine at bay and definitely the best powder I’ve tried - better than MAC in my opinion! 3 - My favourite foundation is Revlon’s Colorstay foundation for combination - oily skin. It keeps skin matte all day, provides amazing coverage and it’s a high street foundation so won’t break the bank, always a bonus.

What inspired me....

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