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Play Pretend Project

@playpretendproject

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Play Pretend Project is a magazine and creative multimedia practice by @samgselle. Play along!

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Play Pretend Project, 3rd draft ~ A creative practice by Samantha Giselle @samgselle

Play Pretend Project is a magazine born out of my need to express multiple interests in cycles/seasons as it's what comes most naturally to me. I've always struggled to stick to just one thing and I also felt a need to compartmentalize my passions and interests bc it just felt extremely uncomfortable for me to mix so many different versions of myself in one same place, such as my personal instagram account for example, so I often found myself creating a new instagram account for every single new niche interest I had, which was very unsustainable. The magazine format allows me to explore multiple worlds while still containing it all in one place. This is how Play Pretend Project is born.

The name Play Pretend Project comes from the idea that we need to allow ourselves to relax and imagine beyond learned limits. As we grow older, our ability to let our imagination run wild and to feel something beyond what our current neuropathways are familiar with becomes harder and harder because we have made a habit of thinking "realistically". My intention with Play Pretend Project is for it to be a space to play again, to relax, to imagine beyond what we're used to, to have fun and to create without guilt, and I invite you to #playalong.

I have been toying with this concept since around 2018. This has been in the planning stages for a long time, partly due to not having found the best format for it to have structure and be sustainable until now, but mostly due to perfectionism. Today I take a wiggly trembling but determined step forward and release my 3rd rough draft as my way of "making it exist first and perfecting it later". by @playpretendproject

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19 days ago

Play Pretend Project, 2nd draft ~ A creative practice by Samantha Giselle @samgselle

Play Pretend Project is a magazine born out of my need to express multiple interests in cycles/seasons as it's what comes most naturally to me. I've always struggled to stick to just one thing and I also felt a need to compartmentalize my passions and interests bc it just felt extremely uncomfortable for me to mix so many different versions of myself in one same place, such as my personal instagram account for example, so I often found myself creating a new instagram account for every single new niche interest I had, which was very unsustainable. The magazine format allows me to explore multiple worlds while still containing it all in one place. This is how Play Pretend Project is born.

The name Play Pretend Project comes from the idea that we need to allow ourselves to relax and imagine beyond learned limits. As we grow older, our ability to let our imagination run wild and to feel something beyond what our current neuropathways are familiar with becomes harder and harder because we have made a habit of thinking "realistically". My intention with Play Pretend Project is for it to be a space to play again, to relax, to imagine beyond what we're used to, to have fun and to create without guilt, and I invite you to #playalong.

I have been toying with this concept since around 2018. This has been in the planning stages for a long time, partly due to not having found the best format for it to have structure and be sustainable until now, but mostly due to perfectionism. Today I take a wiggly trembling but determined step forward and release my 2nd rough draft as my way of "making it exist first and perfecting it later". by @playpretendproject

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20 days ago

Play Pretend Project, 1st draft ~ A creative practice by Samantha Giselle @samgselle

Play Pretend Project is a magazine born out of my need to express multiple interests in cycles/seasons as it's what comes most naturally to me. I've always struggled to stick to just one thing and I also felt a need to compartmentalize my passions and interests bc it just felt extremely uncomfortable for me to mix so many different versions of myself in one same place, such as my personal instagram account for example, so I often found myself creating a new instagram account for every single new niche interest I had, which was very unsustainable. The magazine format allows me to explore multiple worlds while still containing it all in one place. This is how Play Pretend Project is born.

The name Play Pretend Project comes from the idea that we need to allow ourselves to relax and imagine beyond learned limits. As we grow older, our ability to let our imagination run wild and to feel something beyond what our current neuropathways are familiar with becomes harder and harder because we have made a habit of thinking "realistically". My intention with Play Pretend Project is for it to be a space to play again, to relax, to imagine beyond what we're used to, to have fun and to create without guilt, and I invite you to #playalong.

I have been toying with this concept since around 2018. This has been in the planning stages for a long time, partly due to not having found the best format for it to have structure and be sustainable until now, but mostly due to perfectionism. Today I take a wiggly trembling but determined step forward and release my 1st rough draft as my way of "making it exist first and perfecting it later".

note: don't know why it says AI content on top of the post 👎🏼 this was made entirely on Canva by yours truly. by @playpretendproject

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23 days ago

I felt like I was eating sand

so I found myself at the grocery store at the protein shakes isle looking up top protein shake on tiktok when I suddenly felt the ethereal presence of a beautiful cool girl standing next to me, also looking at the protein shakes, so I ask her: beautiful cool girl, do you know about protein shakes/which one do you recommend? she tells me she buys this flamingo one (Fitmingo?) and she really likes the vanilla and mocha flavours. I trusted her with my entire soul bc why wouldn't I? so I grabbed my flamingo mocha protein shake powder magic and I said thank you beautiful cool girl, thank you for everything. we kissed each other's foreheads and went about our separate ways.

The next morning I tried this Fitmingo Flamingo Falafel Floot Pingu protein powder shake in my coffee and...it was not bad, not bad at all. it did kind of taste like sand. but other than that, very drinkable.

I still, however, would like to learn more about other protein shake options and compare so, I welcome all your notes, reviews, and recommendations! thank you, I will update you on this journey to find my fav protein shakes and in the meantime I send You a kiss on your forehead as well, xoxo - @samgselle

#playpretendproject #magazine #playalong

SAY IT WITH ME WE ARE STRONG & HEALTHY YES WE ARE by @playpretendproject

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10 days ago

If you're anything like @samgselle, you feel the mildest cool breeze and immediately go curate your Autumn/Halloween music playlist and start the hunt from ancient archives to the newest stuff for the creepiest, eeriest, spookiest, coziest fall/halloween vibe type movies and TV shows you can find.

Well, many may or may not know of Twin Peaks (1990), a tv series directed by David Lynch. this guy had his STYLE alright...

I tried to watch Twin Peaks last October in 2025. I got into Twin Peaks bc I had stills saved on Pinterest before I even knew where they were from. What drew me to it primarily was the visual aesthetic and vibes of it all and the ethereal and nostalgic 80s sound. However..........I found myself 2 episodes in and I couldn't do it. HEAR ME OUT- not bc it wasn't good, but bc it was TOO good. I don't think people have experienced true creepy/eerie until they have watched Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks is a nightmare in the best way. Or at least a fever dream. I got weirded tf out ok! It's not an easy watch. but that's what makes it the perfect October / Halloween experience.

This year I am being brave and giving Twin Peaks another chance. I am committed to finishing it and coming out completely creeped out at the other side! bc that is the true October spirit. and I can't resist a liminal eerie nostalgic 80s vibe man.

PLAY PRETEND PROJECT: let's play pretend that we are Twin Peaks characters. Go through your camera roll and find photos that could be from Twin Peaks like we did here. Think waterfalls, pine trees, fog, gloomy dark cloudy days, a hot cup of joe and a cherry/strawberry/raspberry pie or even a jelly sandwich will do! don't forget to tag us @playpretendproject ☕️

#playpretendproject #magazine #October2026 #twinpeakstvshow #fallvibes by @playpretendproject

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8 days ago

Play Pretend Project is a magazine and creative multimedia practice by Samantha Giselle ( @samgselle ). Play along! by @playpretendproject

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8 days ago