Chantelle from Cocktails and Memories

I hope you have all had a wonderful Easter and those of you still on holiday, are enjoying the break! It is Confessions of a Blogger time again and today we meet Chantelle from Cocktails and Memories. Chantelle is definitely a blogger after my own heart, with a passion for photography, wine and travel – among other things!

Hello world! I am Chantelle & I am a lifestyle blogger over at Cocktails and Memories. I am a passionate, talkative 35 year old living it up in the city; eating, laughing and exploring. By day I am a marketing manager, by night I am a wine drinking series-buff, an avid reader & a chronic wander luster with an unnatural obsession with One Direction. I am also a wannabe photographer and wish I could pursue it full time. I harbor a secret dream of being a full-time blogger & photographer.

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? I entered the cyber world in 2006; many years ago before blogging was a “thing” I started the blog as an anonymous writer, to get my un-edited thoughts out there, without the risk of offending anybody. Somewhere it became less of a personal journal for venting and evolved into a journal chronicling my life and the special people in it. I find writing very therapeutic and my blog will be an online journal which will be accessible to future generations in 5, 10 years’ time; a testament to how we lived and a visual feast of what my world was like.

If you are not blogging where will we find you? You will find me spending time with my boyfriend or friends, at a movie or out to dinner (building up my Zomato status) I am also on a mission to have a picnic in as many spots as I can, so a sunny spot on some grass is a safe bet too. I like to use any opportunity I can to use my camera, and I love exploring Johannesburg and the surrounds as much as possible.

Tell us a little about your space on the internet and what you blog about? I have no dress or make-up sense, so I am a lifestyle blogger. I blog about the travels I have been lucky enough to embark on, adventures I get up to in Jozi & abroad as well as any other random things that pop into my head from time to time.
What do you think makes a blog successful? Keeping your identity. With so many blogs out there, nobody wants to read a clone of another one. I am not in a competition to out-do another blogger, I find that tends to be the case so many times that blogs end up becoming a recurring loop of the same products and events.

Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? The hope that I will inspire readers to want to explore the world around them and beyond. A fulfilled life is a happy life.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Lack of time. Having a full time job with long hours is difficult. I really struggle to find the time to blog.
What do you love most about being a blogger? Our sense of community. We all like pretty things. Our blog is our pretty place on the internet; our virtual lounge where we invite readers to sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and visit a while as we share our tales. We regale each other of our adventures, we share a laugh as we recount the happy moments and we commiserate together during the challenging or sad times.

What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? I have learnt that it is really important to remain positive. When writing about a problem you may have, nobody wants a “Woe is me” attitude. When you change your mindset, you become a happier person. Blogging has also taught me that it is very important to set schedules for myself, I can very quickly let deadlines run away from me and I need to be as disciplined in my personal life as I am in my work life.
What are your top 5 SA blogs? Purple Lips and Perfect Smiles (http://purplelipsandperfectsmiles.blogspot.com/), Vanilla Blonde (http://www.vanillablonde.co.za/), Tables & Thyme (http://tablesandthyme.co.za/), Meghan Silva’s Blog (http://meghansilva.blogspot.com/), Becoming You (http://www.becomingyou.co.za/)
If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Make a schedule for your posts. Never use pixelated images. Comment on blogs you read (something I am trying to do more of!). Remain true to yourself, blog about what you choose, not what you think others want to read. Most of all, enjoy it.

Thanks to Chantelle from Cocktails and Memories, for sharing a bit more about her life and blogging journey with us! I definitely think it is important to leave comments on blogs we read – something I am also trying to be better at!

If you would like to find out more about Chantelle and connect with her – pop over here:

Blog link: www.cocktailsandmemories.co.za

Twitter: @CocktailMemory

Instagram: Chantellelr

Zomato: @JhbPrincess

If you would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger or would like to see a blogger featured here, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below.