Interviews - Inspired Living SA

{Confessions of a Blogger} Chantelle from Cocktails and Memories

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.

Be Inspired, Blogging, Interviews

{Confessions of a Blogger} Charlotte from The Stilettomum

Charlotte from The Stilettomum…

Today on Confessions of a Blogger we meet Charlotte from the Stilettomum. I remember connecting with Charlotte from the Stilettomum, on social media, shortly after I started blogging in 2010, which is actually the same year she started!

Hi I’m Charlotte and I’m the brain behind The Stilettomum. I blog about everything and anything. My moto is taking on life, love and parenting one stiletto clad step at a time. I finally married the love of my life on 27 December 2014. We have 2 children, Amandalynn age 8 and Lorelai age 5. We stay in Brackenfell in the Western Cape. From 8 -1 daily I am a Personal Assistant to Advocates at the High Court and in the afternoons I am a typical soccer mom.

When did you start your blogging journey and why? I started my blogging journey in March 2010 after I returned to work after maternity leave. I had two reasons for starting the blog, my first was that for my eldest daughter I scrapbooked almost every day of her life, but now with two children I knew I would not have the time and I felt I needed to capture the life of both my children equally. My second reason was because I wanted to say so much about my journey the parenting forums was not really the place. I started out my first blog as Scaredmom for 2 years before I was transformed to The Stilettomum.
Do you blog full time or do you have a 9 – 5 as well? As I mentioned in my intro I work half day. After 10 years of working very long hours I finally landed a half day job which enabled me to do more of my first love, being a partly stay at home mom. I pick the kids up from school, give them lunch, drive them to their activities and this also gives me the time to be more involved with their schools. I am THAT mom, the one who has made sure that she has a seat on almost every school committee and knows more or less everything that goes on at school.

Tell us about your space on the interwebs and what you blog about? I blog over at The Stilettomum (www.thestilettomum.wordpress.com) my catch phrase pretty much sums up what I blog about “Taking on life, love and parenting one stiletto clad step at a time”. Parenting is my main focus and I have blogged about pretty much everything that goes with that. At a stage there was a lot of Maintenance and custody post on my blog as that was what my life revolved around and I hoped by speaking up and sharing that more people with keep fighting for the rights of their children. Currently the blog is more about me and how I handle parenting and its challenges than anything else.
Being a blogger is not easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? My motivation are the people who follow me, I don’t mean as in the amount of people who follow me, but when I meet someone that I didn’t know followed my blog and they tell me how they have read my blog and they think I am brave and strong for all that I have been through and how my honesty give them courage.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? To keep being honest. I have looked around at the other “successful” parenting blogs and I see a lot of sunshine and daisies. I want to be a success, but I want more than anything to be honest as my blog is after all for my children. It’s hard not to get sucked up in the madness of it all.
What do you love most about being a blogger? The events are my favourite. For me it’s like being invited to a celebrity VIP event as some of the bloggers I have been following for years and meeting them is like meeting Sarah Jessica Parker in person and she knows who you are.
Do you have any blog related or social media pet peeves? Sub tweeting. Yes I have been guilty of this, but when groups of people subtweet about one person, it kills me. I want to rip them all a new one, but I step back and switch off.
What has your journey as a blogger taught you? Has it changed you in anyway? Blogging has helped me find my voice. I think the name of my first blog Scaredmom sort of explains where I was in my life when I started, 5 years later I have learnt to be confident in the decisions I make and that I am in control of my won happiness. It has also changed my life in a way I could have never imagined. I use to live in a bubble and with blogging I have met so many new people, some of them are now very good IRL friends and it has opened so many doors for me as I have been able to work with so many awesome brands.
If you have to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom you impart? Be honest. Be kind, be open and be honest. Decide what kind of blog you want to have and work towards it. Find 2 or 3 blogs that you like and would like to be like when you grow up, mimic the way they do things, follow their example.
In three words tell me what blogging means to you: Freedom, life, memories

Thanks to Charlotte from The Stilettomum for sharing a bit more about her life and blogging journey with us! You looked absolutely gorgeous on your big day! If you would like to find out more about Charlotte and connect with her – pop over here:

Blog Link: The Stiletto Mum https://thestilettomum.wordpress.com/

Facebook: The Stiletto Mum https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stilettomum/181973921888836

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thestilettomum

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thestilettomum/

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.

Be Inspired, Blogging, Interviews

{Confessions of a Blogger} Sarah from Mascara and Mimosas

Sarah from Mascara and Mimosas…

On today’s Confessions of a Blogger we meet the lovely Sarah from Mascara and Mimosas. I really love these interviews and find it so interesting, getting to know more about the “blogger” behind “the blog” – I hope you do too!

Hello my name is Sarah and I have a beauty and lifestyle blog called Mascara and Mimosas. I am closer to 30 than 25 years old and live in Johannesburg with my husband. I have been in the beauty industry for 10 years now and it truly is my passion!

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? I started my blog in December 2014 purely for fun and as a hobby. I’m always buying new products or trying out new salons and spas and thought it would be a fun idea to share my experiences with other product hoarders and treatment junkies.
Do you blog fulltime or do you have a 9-5 as well? I wish I blogged fulltime! I have a 9-5 that I am fortunate enough to love, so really, I have the best of both worlds.

Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? Mascara and Mimosas really is my little haven and is so special to me. On it, you will find some products and places I have found and loved and my thoughts on some of the hypes that are trending. Every now and then I will throw some décor or foodie posts into the mix to keep things interesting – variety is the spice of life after all!

Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? I love blogging and to me that is enough. I enjoy everything from conceptualising a post, to taking the photos and reading the comments that follow – it really does make my heart skip a beat.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Definitely comparison! Comparison to other blogs or even to other social media accounts – as the familiar saying goes “comparison is the thief of joy”. When I find myself spiraling, I just remind myself that I’m still a newbie and so with every post and photo, I’m learning.
What do you love most about being a blogger? This was something completely unexpected for me, but there is such a great sense of community between bloggers and I love that I am a part of that now as well. There are such amazing South African blogs and the bloggers that I have had the opportunity to chat to have all been lovely and inspiring.
Do you have any blog related or social media pet peeves? {things that other bloggers or social media peeps do, that really annoy you} Hmmmm…not that I can think of off the top of my head.
What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? Starting my blog actually took a lot of courage for me – it meant that I was really putting myself out there which is really scary! Blogging has kicked me right out of my comfort zone which has been very rewarding.

If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Well, I consider myself a newbie blogger so I will pass on the same advice that Chereen from For The Beauty Of It gave to me “I think my biggest piece of advice would be to keep doing and writing about what you love, and not to compare yourself or your blog with others” This little pearl of wisdom really helped put things into perspective for me.
In three words tell me what blogging means to you – Passionate, creative, informative

Thanks to Sarah from Mascara and Mimosas for sharing a bit more about her life and blogging journey with us! I completely agree with Chereen, write about things you are passionate about and yes it is very important not to compare yourself with others! You can find out more about Sarah and connect with her here:

Blog link: www.mascaraandmimosas.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mascara-and-Mimosas/528064667330870
Instagram: @mascara_and_mimosas

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.

Be Inspired, Blogging, Interviews

{Confessions of a Blogger} Jeannette from Whisky of the Week

Jeannette from Whiskey of the Week…

Hello everyone it is time to meet another local blogger on Confessions of a Blogger! I will be bringing you these interviews every two weeks so please look out for them! Today we meet Jeannette from Whisky of the Week. Truth be told, I am not much of a whisky drinker, much prefer wine but I am always keen to discover new things!

My name is Jeannette, and I am one part of the ‘Whisky of the Week’ blog. Me and my husband, John, blog about our love for whisky and pairing whisky and food. Every Friday afternoon we taste a new whisky and blog about our impressions – hence ‘Whisky of the Week’. We live in Centurion and collect Single Malt whisky from around the world. To date we have collected whisky from 21 different countries. There are more than 40 countries that make whisky, so we still have a bit to go in completing our collection. We have a 4 year old daughter and a busy boxer dog. In addition to whisky, I love clothes, handbags and traveling. Many weekends you will also find all 3 of us out hiking somewhere in Gauteng.

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? We started the Whisky of the Week blog during 2013 as a place where we could capture our tasting notes on the interesting whiskies that we tried. We collect whisky from around the world and wanted to capture our journey and learning’s about all the different world whiskies. We also wanted to create a platform where we could interact with other whisky enthusiasts. For me personally, I wanted to add a female voice to what appears to be a male dominated sector. For a lot of people, whisky seems to still be a male drink, but it is actually perfect for woman. It is a more sophisticated drink with many different nuances in the nose and taste.

Do you blog fulltime or do you have a regular 9-5 as well? The blog was started when I was working full time in a corporate environment. At the end of 2013, I decided to become a full time blogger and a stay at home mom. Now writing, researching and testing whisky food pairings for the blog takes up most all my free time.

Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? The blog grew out of our shared passion for Single Malt whiskies. For the last 3 years, virtually every Friday afternoon, you find us in our whisky room tasting a whisky. Our small private routine became our blog when we started to capture our tasting notes in a blog format. We also write about our travels to whisky destinations, blog about whisky and cheese pairings and every now and again write a blog about cooking with whisky. During summer we make time to test different kinds of cocktail ideas and sometimes our results are turned into a blog post. For Valentines Day we played around with pink whisky based cocktails and had lots of fun testing a variety of pink cocktail combinations.

You run a niche blog, what made you decide to pick this topic? Whisky has been our shared passion and we spend a fair amount of time weekly chatting and reading about whisky. It was therefore only natural to start our blog on whisky. It is something that we do as a team, each focusing on our individual strengths. John has an amazing palate, far better than mine and can pick up the whisky notes far better than me. I am getting better at the tasting portion, but my strength lies in being structured. I blog, keep track of all our whiskies, tasting schedules and tasting notes and get to experiment in the kitchen with the whisky food pairings. We have not found many whisky blogs in South Africa and even less South African female whisky bloggers, so this blog allows me a creative space to make whisky more accessible to woman.

Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? Our Friday routine is something that we do together as a couple and has become a ritual in our house. Because this is integrated with our lifestyle, blogging about it is easy to keep going. We have lots of fun with the whisky as we cook, bake and try different whisky food pairing. Some whisky food pairings work, some don’t, but we always have lots of fun trying them out. We also structure our tasting schedule in advance. This ensures that we keep on tasting new whiskies and don’t repeat whiskies we have tasted before. The feedback that we have received from the whisky community, not only in SA but also around the world, has been instrumental in keeping us motivated.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Because I blog in such a niche space, there was no blogging network where I could naturally fit into. There are a lot of technical aspects to blogging – and these aspects are not easy to learn. Much of the technical aspects I have had to teach myself, and that has been quite difficult.
What do you love most about being a blogger? We have got to know fellow whisky lovers from not only South Africa but also Europe and America. It has allowed us to learn about new whiskies and countries that make whisky. We have also been able to interact with some amazing whisky brands both locally and internationally.
If you had to choose a favourite social media platform, what would it be and why? Twitter is the social media platform where we have the most interaction with other whisky enthusiasts. Most of the brands have twitter accounts and we have been able to track down interesting whiskies and get to know great people. Personally for me, Instagram. I love clothes,make up and food and just love looking at the beautiful inspiration that is posted by some very talented SA and international bloggers.
What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? Blogging has allowed me to create a space where I can express one of my passions. It has allowed me to explore the more creative side of myself, which got lost after many years in a corporate environment. It made me look at the world around me in a different way. Now I can’t walk past a food shop without wandering in to see if there is any interesting cheese or chocolate for a whisky food pairing.
If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Blog about something that you are passionate about. Blog for yourself and not for anyone else. Stay true to what you are good at. Don’t take blogging and the interweb too seriously. Just have fun.

Thanks Jeannette from Whisky of the Week, for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! I have certainly learned a thing or two about whisky by reading your blog! You can find out more about Jeannette from Whisky of the Week and connect with her here:

Blog link: http://whiskyoftheweek.co.uk/

Twitter: @whiskyoftheweek

Instagram: Jeannette_Wentzel

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.

Be Inspired, Blogging, Interviews

{Confessions of a Blogger} Megan from The Authentic Girl

Megan from the Authentic Girl…

Hi lovely readers it is time for Confessions of a Blogger again! Today I would like to introduce you to the lovely Megan from The Authentic Girl. A girl after my own heart, who as well as blogging, loves Cape Town and Instagram 🙂

Hello everyone. My name is Megan Richards and I am from the beautiful city, Cape Town. I am 28 years old and work full time in the Human Resources field. I want to live my life to the fullest and go on as many adventures as I possibly can.

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? My blogging journey started last year in May. I always wanted to start a blog, but had no idea how to. Impulsively, I booked myself on a workshop (which is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made) and the rest is history. From there, I had some direction on how to go about it. I started my blog, The Authentic Girl because I wanted a platform to express my views and share some of my favourite things.

Do you blog fulltime or do you have a regular 9-5 as well? I have a full time job and blog in my spare time. If I could, I would be a full time blogger.
Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? The Authentic Girl is my lifestyle blog. I share honest articles/reviews on events, wellness and culture. I believe we strive towards having a balanced mind, body and soul and the articles are related to that equilibrium. I am especially passionate about wellness as I lost 13kgs. I shared my story, hoping that it would inspire someone. I also enjoy adventuring around Cape Town and share positive (yes we need more goods news people) articles relating to it!
Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? I love what I do! I’m passionate about my blog and therefore I am willing to put in the extra hours (even if my bed is calling). I try and live a healthy lifestyle, this keeps me motivated and at my optimal best.

How important do you think it is to have a niche blog? A niche blog (that you are passionate about) almost automatically builds credibility and you will have a better connection with your readers/audience. That is very important, find something you enjoy, share it with your audience but add your own flare to it. That will be your niche.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Definitely the technical side. If you are not used to the technical side, it can be challenging but I’m getting the hang of it, slowly but surely. It would be great if there were a network of South African bloggers. Most of the networks are international and it is challenging to meet/work with them.
What do you love most about being a blogger? You develop an eye for meaningful things and you tend to live a more intentional life. I’m always meeting more people which pushes me out of my comfort zone (as I am an introvert). You get to create a “happy space” for yourself and your readers, where you share things you like.

If you had to choose a favourite social media platform, what would it be and why? Instagram. I love Instagram, it gives you a platform to be creative and engage with your audience.
What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? Well I’ve only started blogging last year but one of the main lessons it has taught me is too stay humble. It’s also important to give people real and thought provoking reviews.
If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Be consistent and don’t be afraid to start your own blog. Its hard work but the rewards are great. Try not to focus on the number of follows you have, rather try and produce great/creative content.

Thanks Megan for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! You can find out more about Megan from The Authentic Girl and connect with her here:

Blog link: www.theauthenticgirl.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theauthenticgirl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/theauthenticgirl

Instagram: http://instagram.com/theauthenticgirl

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.