POESY- “The art or practice of composing poems”- Interview and Collaboration

(Photograph was taken by @chelseabrimstinphotography. If you guys have not checked out her work and page yet I highly recommend it, she is so talented and gifted!)

Hello my beauts and welcome back to my blogging channel! Hi, hello, my name is Alyssa and I am so glad you chose to pop by and say hi! I have been blogging for several years now and absolutely love my hobby with a passion. I would not change it for the world. One piece of advice I would offer my viewers is to find something that keeps you busy and that you enjoy doing. It honestly took me a while to find out what my hobby was, but once I found it, I have never been happier. One thing that makes me absolutely adore my hobby, even more, is interviewing individuals from different communities. I thought of the idea a while back and literally thought to myself, “there are so many people from around the world with beautifully hidden talents, I would love to talk about them on my channel and show them off“.  I know for a fact if I had a hidden talent and a blogger reached out to me and wanted to write about me I would be caught off guard but in a good way! So, that is when I decided to reach out to different people, ones who inspire me a lot, ones who are beautiful souls inside and out, and ones who deserve to share their story with others around the world.  There is one lady in particular that has stood out to me over the past few months. Not going to lie, I do not watch too many television shows or series, I always end up missing an episode and I get far behind. I decided to watch a new television series called, “The Launch”, which looked very interesting to me, as I love singing shows (secretly wishing I could sing myself).  This show helps undiscovered artists shape the creation of new releases with the help of producers and songwriters.

(Photograph was taken by @chelseabrimstinphotograph)

While watching “The Launch“, one girl on the show caught my attention. She had a very unique and beautiful look to her. Not only was she stunning, but her voice was out of this world. Her voice is the type of voice that makes you stop what you are doing and just listen giving you goosebumps all over your body. Her voice has so much power, meaning, and feeling behind it. I think this is what I specifically look for when it comes to singers if they actually have the feeling and power of their voice when they are singing.  This lady, being only 23 years old, caught my attention right off the bat and I was rooting for her throughout her whole journey on The Launch. I am honoured and pleased to announce and share that I will be interviewing none other than “POESY” herself.

I remember clear as day, I was in the car with my mom and was in the parking lot of a grocery store. To let you beauts all know I do have two Instagram accounts at the moment, one was for my blogging account, but I decided to just use my main Instagram account from now on. I received a notification on my old account that someone just started following me. I didn’t think it was a huge big deal until I saw who it was that had followed me. It was none other than POESY herself, and I was in awe. I called my mom in the grocery store as I was just waiting in the car and told her the news, that POESY  and I were actually chatting back and forth, having a conversation. I asked POESY if she would be interested in being featured on my blogging channel discussing her music career and Launch experience. POESY was more than happy to be featured on my channel, and I was literally on cloud 9. How was this happening? I informed my mom of the news and she was ecstatic for me as she was a huge fan of POESY herself as well. Right away we played “Soldier of Love” and started dancing and belting it out. I will never forget that day and the amount of happiness that flooded my body. One thought that entered my mind when chatting with POESY was how down to earth she was.

(Photograph was taken by @chelseabrimstinphotography)

POESY was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia.   She had lived on the east coast for a while,  and then eventually her family relocated to Ontario. Like myself, she watches too many Youtube Vlogs, and her bookshelf is colour coded to look like a rainbow. POESY was always kind of a musical child, as she started taking piano when she was 5 years old. POESY states, “I was never nervous to sing in front of people, which now seems kind of ironic because I grew up a very shy kid. The first time I remember falling in love with singing was when I was 9 years old and sang at my grandparents 40th anniversary party. My parents thought it would be cute if I performed something, even though I’d never really done it before, and since the party took place around Christmas time, I sang a Christmas song called ‘the Gift’. It was originally performed by Aselin Debison (who is also from Nova Scotia), and I remember thinking, “When I’m a teenager, I’m going to be a singer just like her.” After that, I just kind of got obsessed and singing just became a part of who I am. It’s weird to think of a time when I didn’t do it”.  I could not agree more with what you had said POESY! That is just like me when it comes to my blogging, it is hard to think of a time when I was not blogging. I feel like blogging has always been a part of me, just like your singing!

I then went on to ask POESY what her basic interests and hobbies were. POESY shares that outside of music, she really loves cooking. POESY explains, “The fanciest meal I used to be able to make was pre-packaged tortellini, but after a became (mostly) vegetarian a few years ago, I think it motivated me to become more creative and find ways to make veggies and beans taste just as good as meat. I also really love yoga – I’m still very much a beginner and definitely have a lot to learn, but it really helps me get into a calm headspace when things get hectic”. I love this. I have always wanted to try something new such as yoga as I have heard it’s extremely peaceful, calming and relaxing. This would especially be beneficial when times get really hectic especially since I struggle with anxiety!

(Photograph was taken by @chelseabrimstinphotography) – How adorable is she though?!

POESY has been playing the piano for almost 18 years now (really wish I could play the piano!). I absolutely love hearing someone play the piano since I do not play any musical instruments. Now that I am dating someone who knows how to play the trumpet and piano, it’s so beautiful and peaceful hearing him play!  POESY also knows how to play some basic guitar which is awesome! She writes a lot of the guitar because she doesn’t understand where the scales are, so it allows her to get out of her head, and just write based on feeling rather than what key it’s in. After wanting to get to know a bit about POESY and her story, I wanted to get into some deeper questions that I know you beauts are dying to find out. I wanted to know more about POESY’s music career and how she got to where she is today. I wanted to know what her biggest challenge was to get to where she is today. POESY states, “the biggest challenge to getting here was honestly probably just surrendering and putting my whole self into this career. I had known I wanted to do music for over half my life, but I had always been too scared to jump in and commit 100% of my time to it. Now that I am, it’s definitely a lot of work and comes with a host of new stresses, but they’re good ones – the kind that motivates you to go after what you really want and challenge you to be better. And it’s so worth it. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been”.  I just wanted to say I am so proud of you POESY for putting yourself out there and showing the world your beautiful talent, you should be so proud of yourself because I am!

(Photograph was taken by @chelseabrimstinphotography)

Who was your biggest supporter? I’m very lucky to have always had parents who were very supportive of my artistic pursuits. From driving me to gigs to investing in my piano lessons, they’ve always been there telling me what you dream is possible. I also have an amazing core group of friends and a wonderful girlfriend who has always told me that what I’m doing is worth it. I know that not everyone who has big dreams is as fortunate as I’ve been in the support department, which is why a big part of my music’s message is to follow your heart because I’d love to be able to be that support for someone else”.  I completely agree I think it is so important to have parents, family and friends who care about you and support you 100%. I absolutely love your message POESY, you have such a genuine heart and I have not even met you yet! You can just tell, and this is rare to find. 

One question I like ask individuals is if they could go back and change the clock, would they change anything, or would they have done something differently? Often I sit back and wonder about this question personally, and there are some things I wish could have done differently for sure. Then again, you learn from your mistakes, and that is life. POESY explains, “I’m very proud of every decision I’ve made throughout my career – and while I guess I could say, “I wish I had started pursuing things more professionally sooner,” if I had, I wouldn’t have experienced the life-changing moments and struggles that made me into the person I am today. The only thing I might’ve done is taken some dance classes as a kid so I was more graceful on stage”.  I completely agree with you POESY, I wish I would have taken my blogging a little more seriously at the beginning as well, that way maybe I could’ve been further along at this point. But hey, you live and you learn! You are still young, beautiful and have your whole life ahead of you!

(Photograph was taken by @chelseabrimstinphotography)

“…I get most of my clothes from thrift shops, and I think I always will to some extent. 
I love putting on pieces of fabric and imagine they’ve been through all kinds of adventures, both sad and happy. Maybe they’ve been on a plane halfway around the world, maybe they’ve witnessed someone fall in love, maybe they’ve been stained with tears, maybe they’ve been pulled tightly to keep someone warm. Maybe they were someone’s go to companion on a good night out, or maybe they were the dreaded ugly piece at the back of the wardrobe that someone’s Aunt Freida improperly gifted. Or maybe they were none of that and just a piece of clothing. 
Either way, I like imaging. It makes me feel like we’re all a little more connected to one another, like maybe one day I’ll stumble across something that belonged to one of you. The piece I’m wearing in these photos must have seen some wonderful stuff because I can’t help but feel magical in it “- POESY

(Photograph was taken by @chelseabrimstinphotography)

One of the biggest questions that I wanted to ask POESY and was very curious about was how she had got involved with “The Launch“. Also, what was her experience like on there as well. What an amazing opportunity! POESY shares, “I got involved with the Launch about a year ago when I was contacted by a member of their A&R team. They mentioned the opportunity to me and encouraged me to submit an application. I recorded a quick video of me strumming Zombie by the Cranberries in my bedroom and a few months later, I was on a VIA rail train to Toronto to film the Launch. The whole experience was very positive, welcoming, and nurturing. I had never been involved with television before (or really any kind of large-scale musical showcase) so I didn’t know what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of support and care I received on set from everyone. They felt like family and I left feeling like I’d just had the most unbelievable few days of my life” Wow! What an incredible experience POESY, you must be so proud of yourself! I know I am so proud of you, and I know that thousands of other people are proud of you as well! You are an inspiration to so many people, and I can not thank you enough for that!

Do you write your own lyrics, if so, what inspires you? “Yes! While I didn’t write Soldier of Love, because of the nature of the show, I do write all my other material and am in the process of writing a lot right now. I’m inspired by all sorts of things in life – namely, my own experiences or those of my family and friends. I’m definitely a proponent of ‘write what you know’, but I also like sprinkling in references to literature, poems, history, and mythology because I’m an English major and occasionally like to use my degree”.

What was one piece of advice someone gave you in regards to your music and singing career? “The best piece of advice someone gave me was to step away from the piano and be a full-fledged performer. A lot of the musical personas I look up to a lot (Freddie Mercury, Florence Welch, Lady GaGa) have a huge presence on stage and I think, while I always aspired to that, I never really felt like it was something I could exhibit myself. Sometimes all it takes is one person giving you permission to become something bigger than yourself to push you to grow into the artist you were meant to be. In short, don’t limit yourself and be open to doing things outside of your comfort zone because the payoff will be huge”. Wow, after reading this POESY I stepped back from my computer and took in everything you just said. I love how you emphasize not to limit yourself, and to push yourself out of your comfort zone. I feel like a lot of people can relate to this, and take this in. I, myself, have had some big opportunities come my way, for example interviewing you, and my anxiety does get heightened because it is a big opportunity for me, I do not want to mess up! I love the advice you share, it truly means a lot coming from someone so successful such as yourself. I know a lot of people will be able to relate to this for sure.

(Photograph was taken by @chelseabrimstinphotography)

Often, if we are starting something new we do not know where to even start or how to go about something. I wanted to know if POESY had any words of advice to someone who was just starting out in the music industry. POESY states, “Write a list of reasons why you love music. Why it makes you happy. Why it makes your heart sing. Think long and hard about it and get as specific as you can. Then hang it up or save it on a computer somewhere where you can easily see it. Anytime you make a decision about your career or come across a setback, remind yourself of why you love what you’re doing. It’s very easy in this industry to lose sight of why you started this journey in the first place, so being really concretely sure about why you love and want to do this will make it easier to both push ahead in hard times and take a moment to relish a good time”.  Thank you so much for the words of advice and wisdom POESY! I highly agree with what you are saying. I think it is so important to remind ourselves why we start something, and why we love it. I could not agree more with the “hanging it up” somewhere in your house to see. I think just waking up in the morning and seeing this will help brighten your day.

“…Cupcakes, spring days and sly smiles because hey, things might just be turning around”- POESY

Another question that I love asking individuals who I am interviewing is where do they see themselves 5 years from now. POESY explains, “I see myself as being an artist who is lucky enough to have a music career that can take them all over the world. I really want to travel and see as much as I can. I’ll be almost 30 so hopefully, I won’t be too stressed out. By that point, I’d also like to have two recorded and released albums under my belt.  I’ll have a tiny little dog that comes on tour with me, have the time to celebrate the highs and lows with my friends and family, and maybe be working on my first book”.  That is amazing POESY, and I wish you nothing but the best in your endeavours. You truly are going places, I have a good feeling about this! Just don’t forget this little old blogger when you are really famous! haha! I am praying for you, and wish you well!

Did you always know you wanted to become a singer? “Yes! I remember doing a school project in the 4th grade where you had to research what you wanted to be when you grew up. Mine was on a black bristol board complete with a red Hollywood-style curtain pulled back on either side to reveal the gold letters that read: “Singer”. I remember even then, my teachers were hesitant about the 9-year-old who claimed she was going to win Grammys and perform all over the world one day, but I always knew it in my heart”. I truly believe that this is going to be you one-day POESY, you got this, and you have a lot of people who are rooting for you like myself. You are so talented and you can do anything you set your mind to!

One question that I was really looking forward to hearing from POESY was geared towards her eating disorder. As you beauts know I personally suffer from an eating disorder myself, so I can relate and it really hit home for me reading her Instagram post on “Bell Let’s Talk Day”. POESY released a video explaining that one of her songs is in relation to her eating disorder and came out to share. I had to ask POESY about it, and if she had a message to those who may be suffering, like myself, at this time. POESY shares, “I feel like I’m not the best example of this. I denied my eating disorder for a really long time because the struggle I was experiencing felt more comforting than pushing myself to recover. Recovery was really hard, and I consider myself to still be working on it. I think it only really started getting better when I made the choice to choose a fully happy and healthy life, free from the grips of my disorder. I unfollowed every Instagram account that made me feel bad about my body and replaced them with people who were also in the recovery/body positivity community so that I saw inspiring messages from people going through the same thing as me every day. That made me feel a lot less alone. I also started to get into cooking, so that I found a creative way to enjoy food again. And most importantly, I opened up to people in my life and told them what I was experiencing. Once people around me knew, we were able to work together to find ways to make sure I was continuing to work towards a life where I felt comfortable in my own skin. The best message I can give to someone who is struggling right now is that recovery is hard; it’s more than being able to eat ice cream whenever you want or having pizza just because. It’s a choice that you make every day – it’s a process. And it’s okay to not be perfect at it every day. There may be times, even years after, where you still have bad body image days. But eventually, those will be farther and fewer in between and you will feel like yourself again. It might be a slightly different you than you knew before, but it will be beautiful and strong and so worth it”.  I want to personally thank you for your beautiful message to those who may be struggling. It is hard. It’s a very hard process, and it is nowhere near easy. I am on the road to recovery now, but getting there and admitting I really need help was not easy. I love how you unfollowed some Instagram accounts that made you feel bad about your body, and I think this step will help me greatly. I think following some more accounts which shed body positivity will help me on my road to recovery. I know it was not probably easy for you to share this with the world on, “Bell Let’s Talk Day”, but I truly want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing this. Not only are you expressing that it is okay to get help and not be okay, but you are being a positive role model for thousands of people from around the world like myself, and I can not thank you enough for that. You are beautiful.

“…Be who you are, love who you love, and shine as bright as you freaking can, no matter what that looks like, because you are wildly special”- POESY

Before I end this interview with the beautiful and talented POESY I would love to give a shout out and acknowledge the gorgeous pictures that I had shared in this blog post. Although I do not know the photographer personally, she has a gift and talent that is exceptional.  I absolutely love photography and I am always intrigued by the type of photography artists choose to do, and by far this is amazing and beautiful work. I highly recommend checking out POESY’s beautiful girlfriend’s work over on Instagram at “@chelseabrimstinphotography“. I would absolutely love to maybe book a photography session with her one time, that would be amazing. She is from Toronto Ontario, which I am super excited about! Keep up the fantastic work Chelsea Brimstin, you are going places just like your girlfriend POESY. Keep on shining! Beautiful work!

“…she made me realize that to love someone is to fall in love with their whole soul before you even realize it’s happening”- POESY

I want to personally take the time to thank the beautiful POESY for allowing me to collaborate with her and agreeing to be interviewed. I can not get over how amazing and talented you are, you are such a beautiful soul inside and out. You really are going places, and I will not forget the day you responded back to my message on Instagram! (me dancing full out in the car singing Soldier of Love with Mom cranked up). I love how down to earth you are, you were my favourite singer on “The Launch” and I wish you nothing but the best for your future endeavours. You completely made my day! Keep on being you, keep offering your beautiful words of advice and wisdom to many others around the world.  You truly are one of a kind and an inspiration to thousands of individuals such as myself. Keep on shining, and enjoy your wonderful journey. I can not wait to see you on May 11th at The Zoetic in Hamilton Ontario. Of course, I had to get VIP seats to see you, and I am counting down the days! Maybe I will even get the chance to meet you as well, who even knows! That would be a surreal experience! Love you POESY! I hope you beauts enjoyed this blog collaboration and interview with POESY. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and support her music journey! Much love xo.

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My Collaboration with “Jealous Youth”

Hello my beauts, and welcome back to my blogging channel! I am so glad you are here and decided to pop by and say hello! I have been busy with my new puppy Winnie, and have been visiting my parents home for a bit now off and on. I absolutely love visiting my parents and sisters in the country, gives me some space away from the city that’s for sure! I recently have been collaborating with a clothing company that I found on Instagram called, “Jealous Youth”, and I instantly fell in love with their unique clothing line!  I came into contact with designer Elijah Mckenna, who has been obsessed with music and art for as long as he can remember.

Elijah states, “my obsession with music resulted in attending many concerts throughout my life and even performing in multiple Punk and Metal bands throughout my short time I have spent on this Earth. It is safe to assume that the hundreds of concerts I have attended led to the purchasing of many t-shirts from my favourite bands. Those many t-shirts inspired me to eventually pursue a graphic design career of my own in hopes of showcasing my art to the world through one of the best mediums available. Jealous Youth is an independent graphic design and apparel company based out of North San Diego County, California. It was founded in 2014 and focuses on providing limited, small-batch apparel and other various forms of printed merchandise. And by “limited,” I mean that once a certain design sells out, it’s gone for good. I have no intention of printing any of my designs a second time.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always held an affinity towards hand-made products. It makes the item I just purchased much more special knowing that the artist them self-has touched it and channelled every ounce of love and passion they possess into the art they created. It makes it even more valuable to me when the item was created in limited quantities because that way I know that I have one of very few of its kind in the entire world. Since day one, I’ve wanted to convey this love I have for limited-run art pieces through these unique Jealous Youth designs that I enjoy making more than anything.

As of July 27, 2017, every Jealous Youth product will have a handwritten, hand-numbered, and signed tag attached to it. This will pass on my own personal value I hold for each piece to you, my valued customer. Each item has its own “Collector Number,” which is the specific number given to that item out of however many of them were made in that variation. You may choose to hold on to your tag as a “proof of purchase” or for sentimental value if you wish. It will not offend me if you throw it away like you would any other shirt tag. I will NEVER reprint any of my designs a second time. This way, it is confirmed that you own a unique piece of art that not many other human beings will possess and that will never be recreated. With that in mind, you are buying something so much more than just a t-shirt or a coozie. You are buying a limited edition, handmade work of art that holds personal value to me, and hopefully, in turn, to you as well.

I hope this has helped explain what “Jealous Youth” truly is and what it means to me. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have regarding your product, your order, or anything else that may come to mind. I am a human being, like yourself, and love conversations about art and creativity of all kinds. Thank you to everyone who has purchased a Jealous Youth shirt in the last three years that this company has existed. And an even BIGGER thank you to those who have purchased anything of mine within the year of 2017, which is technically my first year of legitimate business. You have helped me grow as a person and expand this company more than you could ever comprehend”.

When I received my package, I was more than excited to open it and see what was inside! I received my ” Always Cool women’s Tank Top” which retails for “$15.00-$17.00”. I honestly do not think I own anything that is yellow, and I was really intrigued by it! I absolutely love the design and how bright it is, it’s fun and playful!

I also received another t-shirt which was the “Outer World (Women’s T-shirt) which retails in store for $10.00. I love the design on this shirt as well, it’s very simple but can be paired with a ton of different outfits. I love it! I also received a coozie which is the ” Always Cool Drink Coozie” which retails for $3.00 online as well as a couple of cute stickers which are the “Lonely Grave Sticker Set” (Limited Halloween Edition), and that retails for $5.00.

Elijah was super nice and extremely down to earth when communicating with him and reaching out to him in regards to collaborating with his company.  I absolutely love his Instagram page and clothing line, it is extremely unique and caught my attention that’s for sure! Be sure to spread some love over on his Instagram page at “Jealousyouth”. Thank you so much for allowing me to collaborate with you and your company! I absolutely love the products. Also be sure you are subscribed to my channel and follow my other social media accounts located on my home page! Take care.

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My Collaboration with Vichy Canada

My Collaboration with Vichy Canada


Hello my beauts, thank you for stopping by and welcome to my channel! So as you all are aware skincare is so important and having a proper routine helps out so much. I have always been really bad when it came to skincare, and really just did not care so much about my skin. My skin is super sensitive so I really have not found any proper products that have worked for me lately. My skin is acne prone, unfortunately, and I tend to break out all along my chin area as well as around my mouth which is super annoying!! I am always on the hunt for new skincare products! I have had the wonderful opportunity and I am so grateful that Vichy Canada allowed me to partner up with their beautiful company and collaborate with them. I have always admired Vichy Canada for the longest time and knew I had to reach out to them. They were such lovely people to get in touch with and I could tell right away they were very welcoming.  I had messaged them on Instagram, and they sent my request to their PR agency. Within a couple of hours, Vichy Canada had sent me an email asking for my mailing address and so forth. It only took a couple of days until I received a box with 4 beautiful full-size products in it to review and share with you beauts. I am not going to lie this is the first time I have ever tried Vichy before, and I am beyond impressed with the results. I have tested out all of the products for you guys, and have been using them for a couple of days now. I am already seeing results when it comes to my face and how much my acne has gone down, it’s incredible. Not going to lie I was a little hesitant when I received the products because they are not scent free and my face is extremely sensitive. To my surprise and amazement, my face has not broken out once and it has completely calmed my acne 100%. I am going to review some products from the new Idealia Line for you beauts, and can not wait to share my results with you beauts!


First, I am going to discuss with you beauts the new “Smoothness & Glow- Energizing Cream” which has Blueberry Polyphenois and Fermented Black Tea Extract in it as well. This cream is for sensitive skin which is amazing and was exactly what I needed. It creates a long-lasting glow, evens complexion, refines pores, and smooths lines. This cream is for dry skin and is a 24-hour moisturizer. This cream is also non-greasy and non-sticky not to mention it smells absolutely amazing. This cream retails for $39.99, and I highly recommend trying it out for yourself if you are looking for an incredible day-time cream. I apply this after I cleansed my face in the morning and before I apply my makeup application.


Next, I have to show you guys this wonderful product that Vichy Canada has to offer. Again, it is for sensitive skin, it’s like Vichy Canada knew me exactly down to a T.  This product is called the “Idealia Eyes, Eye Contour Idealizer Care“, which helps transform skin quality, and colour around the eye contour. This cream helps reduce the look of dark circles, illuminates shadows, and smooths the look of fine lines and skin texture. After 4 weeks, it reduces 21% of the appearance of dark circles, 23% of signs of fatigue, and 25% of fine lines. This was a clinical study that included 29 women within 4 weeks. The cream includes a smoothing applicator and has a fresh hydrating texture. I have only been using this product for almost a week now and it literally feels so soft on my skin, I love it. I will let you beauts know after the 4 weeks is up and how I think of the products. This product retails for $39.95.

Thirdly, I am going to talk to you beauts about the amazing “Idealia Peeling” product which is the radiance activating night peeling care. This is probably my most favourite product out of the 4 of them, I absolutely love it. You apply this product during your nighttime skin care routine and apply it to your face with a cotton pad. After applying this product to your face, do not rinse it off. All of these products smell unbelievably good, and my skin feels so fresh after using them.  I have noticed a difference in my face after using this product, as my face looks glowy and beautiful when I wake up in the morning.  This product retails for $39.95, and I highly highly recommend trying this out for yourself, you will not be disappointed whatsoever.


I absolutely love this last product that I am going to tell you beauts about.This is called the “Spa-Shower Gel-Cream” from the Idealia collection.  This product includes Vichy Thermal Spa Water, is rich in 15 minerals, and includes shea butter and white clay. This gel-cream provides lasting comfort, hydrates and softens the skin. Beauts, literally no joke, my skin felt so amazing and soft after getting out of the shower, I was in awe. Again, this is for sensitive skin which was amazing for me. I absolutely love this gel-cream and just use a loofa to apply it all over my body and then rinse it off. I am for sure going to keep using this in my shower routine to wash my body,  it smells heavenly.  This product retails for $16.95. I highly recommend trying this out as well!

I just want to personally thank Vichy Canada for being so kind and generous and sending me 4 beautiful products of theirs to try out and review for you beauts. I literally have no negative comments to say about the new Idealia line, as I absolutely adore the smell and how the products are on my skin. I have super sensitive skin and these products worked amazingly for my skin-type 100% I use these products every night before I go to bed and when I wake up in the morning. Come and show Vichy Canada some love on their Instagram page at “VichyCanada”, and be sure to let me know if you beauts tried out their new Idealia Line! Also be sure to follow my other social media accounts for more blog posts to come in the near future! Take care, much love xo.

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My Collaboration with Garnier Canada

My Collaboration with Garnier Canada

Hello my beauts, and welcome to my channel if you are new! My name is Alyssa and I am a beauty, lifestyle and fashion blogger. I absolutely love my hobby with a passion and a dream of mine is for my blog to take off one day and to be noticed would be wonderful. I recently reached out to Garnier Canada in hope that I may have a slight chance they would reply and to my amazement, they responded via email which was amazing. I always have loved Garnier products and have nothing but good things to say about them. I always always use their shampoos and conditioners and absolutely adore them, they smell amazing! Garnier Canada was generous enough to send me some of their products to review and try out which was super nice of them! Everything came in a cute package with tissue paper… adorable. Also, I was greeted by a personalized card which I always adore reading, I think packages that have cards are more personalized and really mean so much! So, shall we get started on this collaboration or what?!

First thing I received in my package were three sheet face masks. The first was a blue one which was called the “Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask“. This apparently is a new mask, and it is a super hydrating mask which provides deep moisture for instantly softer, more radiant skin. This mask has pomegranate extract and hyaluronic acid in it. Basically, you take the mask out of the package and want to ensure you have a freshly cleaned face. You then want to put the mask on and while it’s on, take off the blue film and dispose of it. Next, you are going to press the mask so it is firmly on your face. Making sure your face is completely covered, you are then going to leave this on for 15 minutes.  After the 15 minutes is up, gently take off the mask and rub in the excess product that is left over on your face in a circular motion. I really enjoyed these face masks completely. They left my face feeling really smooth, and moisturized which was awesome! The second face mask that I used was the  “Super Hydrating Mask Mattifying” which deeply hydrates,  balances skin and visibly reduces pores. This mask is made with green tea and hyaluronic acid which is incredible. It was extremely hydrating and I would for sure purchase this again by far! This mask is for normal to combination skin. Lastly, which was my favourite mask, it was the “Super Hydrating Mask Soothing” and this mask deep hydrates, comforts and soothes the skin. This mask is made with Chamomille and hyaluronic acid and is meant for dry to sensitive skin. I have extremely sensitive skin so I knew right away that I would love this product for sure, I am always looking for products to help my acne prone skin. I think this mask was my absolute favourite. I would highly recommend checking out these products for yourself, they are great when you have sleepovers with your friends and what not! You can purchase these for $2.94 at Walmart.

I absolutely love these facial wipes and was so excited to see some in my Garnier gift bag. I have never tried these before until recently, and I am always looking for new makeup wipes to try out. These makeup wipes are called, “Makeup Removing Micellar Wipes with Argan oil“. These wipes are n all-in-1 for long wear makeup, which helps cleanse and smooth the skin. There are 25 wipes that are included, and these wipes really do help get my makeup off.  They are super gentle on my skin and get every piece of makeup off without having to rub harshly.  I am going to be purchasing some more as soon as I run  out!!


Next, I am going to share with you guys this amazing New Moisture Bomb “Antioxidant  Super Moisturizer” for all skin types lotion. This moisturizer helps the skin with hydration and protects it against daily aggressors for healthier-looking skin. This moisturizer has Goji Berry, hyaluronic acid and antioxidant complex in it. I am always looking for a soft and gentle moisturizer especially for my face to use, and I am in love with this one! This lotion has a non-greasy formula with vitamins C &E in it. You can use this moisturizer on your face and as well as on your neck.


Next, in my goody bag, I received “Garnier Fructis Clean & Fresh fortifying conditioner and shampoo”, with grapefruit in it! I absolutely love anything that is fruity or has grapefruit in it, so they must know me well! I tried out both of these shampoos and conditioners and absolutely fell in love. My hair was shiny and felt super soft, and I am extremely picky when it comes to these type of things! These products are for normal hair, and refreshes and energizes my hair. These products are gentle enough for everyday use, and I know they are going to last me a long time! You can purchase these for $6.77 at Walmart which is amazing. I highly recommend going to check these out, I just want to keep smelling my hair!

I want to give a big thank you to Garnier Canada for sending me this very generous goody bag filled with tons of treats and products to try out. I absolutely love Garnier products as they are so gentle on my skin and hair and smell amazing. I highly recommend following them on Instagram if you have not already at “GarnierCan”, and give their page a peek! If you beauts do try out some of these products, be sure to let me know what you think of them and which ones you tried out! Be sure to follow my blogging channel if you have not already and check out my other social media sites located on my home page or upcoming blog posts in the near future! Thanks again Garnier Canada, Take care.

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The meaning behind ” It’s the Little Things in Life that Matter “

The meaning behind ” It’s the Little Things in Life that Matter “


Hello, beauts and happy Saturday! It’s finally fall and I couldn’t be any more excited that it’s finally here. Fall is my favourite season in the whole world, I just love everything about it! From being super cozy , to pumpkins, to plaid and to blanket scarves … it’s just perfect. So I have been pondering and wondering what blog post to do this weekend for you beauts and it came to my attention that I have never shared with you the reason and meaning behind my blogging name! When starting out with blogging, I had to think of a name for my blog and trust me it was super hard. I sat there thinking and thinking and wondering what I was going to name it because I wanted something that screams ” me ” and is something I valued and treasured. Then it hit me. Honestly, I am a very happy go lucky individual and often the littlest things make me happy. I thought ” hey … it’s honestly the little things in life that matter in the world “. It could be looking forward to that coffee in the morning in your favourite mug that makes your morning. It could be throwing on your favourite cozy PJs before you go and watch an amazing romantic movie before bed. It could be receiving a ” good morning beautiful ” text from your significant other. It could be receiving that support from your mom before writing a final for your class. It’s honestly the little things in life that matter.


I used to take things for granted. I thought that everyone was privileged like I was, that everyone got things like I did and was blessed with certain outcomes. But that wasn’t the case . When my stepmom got into a horrible car accident a year ago everything changed. The fact that she was an innocent bystander and passed away two times on the operating table was unimaginable. I really thought to myself “ wow, how could this have happened ?! “. This could have been me. So now at night, I hug my boyfriend a little bit tighter, I make sure I say I love you to my parents through a text, I check in on my sisters every now in then cause you never know. These things are so little yet they matter because you never know if you are going to have a tomorrow. I truly stand by my name even more now and am so grateful for a today let alone a tomorrow if it comes.  I am so blessed to be here, to be alive and I cherish every moment I get being here on earth. I am thankful and proud.

“…enjoy the little things”


I am so thankful to have so many supportive people in my life and never thought my blog would have taken off like it did today. I never thought I would have been given so many opportunities to collaborate and meet so many beautiful kind people. I love reaching out to people to know their stories and their background information. That’s why I chose to start interviewing people. I love hearing about their talents and their amazing careers and goals. It’s the little things that matter in life. So make sure you thank those who are supportive in your life. Tell those you care about how much you love them. Hug those who need a hug and laugh a ton when things are messing up. Just laugh it off. Be happy and proud you’re here that you get to experience new things in life and treasure the great memories you have. Remember, it’s the little things in life that matter in this world.


Be sure to check out my other social media accounts located on my homepage and subscribe to my blogging channel for more upcoming blog posts to come in the near future. Thanks again for all your love and support! xo

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Collaboration with “theboxingmongoose!”

Collaboration with “theboxingmongoose!”


“Cute little things that pack a punch ” 

Hey my beauts , hope you all are doing well! As you may know, I recently started doing blog collaborations with individuals from literally all around the world! I absolutely love doing these and I am glad I started! Why I didn’t start doing this sooner I have no idea but I get so meet so many kind-hearted individuals who are absolutely amazing. One person, in particular, was Amy!  Amy learned how to knit when she was nine, but did not start making hats until her teen years.

Amy sent me these wonderful hats she made by hand which are absolutely breath taking and you can tell she put a lot of work into them that’s for sure ! Fall is coming and you know what that means? One word. Beanies . I absolutely live for beanies and when I saw that Amy made them I had to reach out to her! She made me these two amazing beanies, one in white the other in grey. First I am going to show you guys the grey hat, this one is called “The Maxine Wavy Rib Slouch Hat” and you can get it on Amy’s Etsy shop for $25.52, which is an amazing deal considering the hat you get and the quality!


I absolutely love this one and if I had to pick a favourite out of the two it would definitely be this one for sure! I would pair this hat with a plaid shirt and some rippedjeans!!



Ah September, you are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul “




The second hat that I am going to show you guys that the lovely Amy made for me is called “The Lejla Chunky Cable Slouch Hat” which retails for $25.52 in her store. Again another deal! Guys this hat is super cute and I find it looks cute with a more preppy outfit! I paired it with some ripped jeans a plain black shirt and some boots.




I absolutely love this hat with a classy scarf, it looks absolutely adorable and would for sure wear this in the fall along with the other hat! Be sure to check out Amy’s store located in the link within her bio on Instagram at ” theboxingmongoose”, and check out her wide selection of homemade hats! So beautiful.



I wanted to thank Amy again for the collaboration! What a kind soul, and she was so pleasurable to work with, always upbeat! Make sure you go share her some love on Instagram!


Be sure to follow my other social media accounts located on my homepage for upcoming blog posts! Thanks again beauts and Amy!

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Dear Anxious Girl Afraid to Ask for Help

Dear Anxious Girl Afraid to Ask for Help



Hey my beauts , hope you all are having a wonderful week so far ! I keep forgetting it’s a four day week so pretty much have been confused all week as to what day it is , living on the edge a little bit. As you guys know , I have been doing more inspiring stories lately just because I see people each day who would use a little pick me up here and there. I really enjoy writing these types of blog posts , you can actually find more of the ones that I have completed early on, maybe last year on my blogging page ? I have recently gotten back into the swing of it and some of you have really enjoyed these types of posts. This one is for those who are anxious to admit that something needs to change, that “I” need help and are too afraid to ask for it. 


Dear anxious girl afraid to ask for help,

I’ve been there. In fact, some days I am still there. It’s probably one of the hardest things to admit to yourself , to literally sit down and say out loud ” I need help”. I have been in your shoes. I have been where you are all through university, struggling and trying to hide that I had a few dark secrets. It’s pretty easy to hide things that you don’t want to face , trust me , anxiety and I have been playing this game for years . But finally , I did it. Enough was enough. Sure I could’ve  taken that bottle of Tylenol that was spilled all over my bed, sure I could’ve locked my door so my roommate didn’t have to burst in, and sure I could’ve been silent on the phone with my mom. But what would this all have solved? Would this have made life easier, better ? No. In fact , that would have made me selfish and bitter towards life. There’s way too much to live for , I didn’t want anxiety taking that away from me . He wasn’t going to take that away from me . It’s okay to ask for help anxious girl. I was that anxious girl too . 


I know what you’re thinking, ” what will others think of me?“. Your true friends, the ones who hold your hair back when your puking after too much vodka, the ones who let you cry on their shoulder and the ones who encourage you to smile will understand. But what about the rest of the world you may ask? What about them. I bet you they have their own problems going on , maybe even worse than yours. My therapist once told me , ” don’t let anxiety take over your life, it’s okay to admit that changes need to take place“. That is exactly why I participated in a group that took place every Wednesday evening. That is why I would tense up before 6 o’clock hit. And that is why I would be exhausted coming home around 8 o’clock that day. Mentally exhausted because I pushed myself. I admitted to the internet, friends and family , but most importantly to myself that I needed help. And I am okay. Sure I may get anxious here and there, I may have to miss work once a month to see a therapist, I may have to take 3 mandatory pills a day for my anxiety , but I am okay.

Dear anxious girl afraid to ask for help, 

I know you will be okay too . If you need me I am here to talk to. I know you’re scared and I was too. In fact anxious girl, I strongly encourage you to get that help you need today. Don’t let your problems or underlying issues drag behind you all your life. That is no place to live. That’s not living, that is simply getting by. I don’t want you to just get by, I want you to laugh uncontrollably until you pee your pants, I want you to be cheering on your sisters at their talent show , I want you to love life.  At one point I didn’t love life, but admitting I need that help was one of the biggest accomplishments I have ever made. Now that I have asked for help, I am more comfortable asking for help when it comes to other things. When it comes to my eating habits I am getting the help , and guess what. I am okay. I know you can do this , it takes two seconds out of your day to finally listen to yourself. Friends have always told you you’re a good listener right? I heard you’re very good at it, so show me. Show me you can do this and show yourself you can do this . 

My names Alyssa Hotrum, I am 23 years old . I have underlying eating disorders and am diagnosed with general anxiety as well as social anxiety . I admitted this to myself, can you ?

My blogging Journey; All about my Blogging Channel 

My blogging Journey; All about my Blogging Channel 

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Hey  gorgeous beauts ! How has your day been so far ? It is so rainy and muggy I hate it but that is what you get when it comes to April ! “‘April showers bring May flowers!”. If this weather is going to look prettier in May I am down for it , even though that means suffering while I am inside . But what can you do ! Today I waned to share with you guys all about my blogging lifestyle , how I write my blogs , the 411, how I get my photographs and all that fun stuff ! If there was a blog that shared all this information with me when I was first starting out I would have been on cloud 9!  I literally would of had it made ! Instead, I mostly figured everything out on my own with trial and error ! That’s how ya learn right ? I made a post a couple years ago on my blogging journey and why I chose to start blogging . If you guys want to check that out it’s a little ways back in my previous blogs. This post is going to be a more up to date one and I am excited to share with you guys all my secrets! So shall we get down to business or what?! 

WordPress

I never really knew much about blogs when I first started out as I was never really much of a writer personally. I hated writing essays and just hated making time for them. The idea of writing about something that interests me such as beauty, makeup and life related topics really got me wanting to blog. I personally don’t know if there are any other good blogging sites but I decided to give WordPress a try ever since seeing ” Christina Gooding’s”‘blogging channel. I decided to give it a quick peak and was blown away at how much amazing content she had on there . I loved the idea of being able to freely express yourself , and literally designing your own page . So if it wasn’t for her , I probably never would have gotten started on blogging. I pulled up WordPress and I was so overwhelmed with everything . I didn’t even know where to start!  I had no idea what to call my site and literally sat there for hours pondering. I thought to myself , ” what interests me ?”, and that’s when it came to me , “‘the little things “. I decided to name my site “it’s the little things in life that matter”, simply because that is what I always believed in. I don’t think life is about giant surprises and expecting things. It’s that quick kiss before your boyfriend goes to work , that tight hug when you say goodbye to your little sisters or mom’s amazing homemade pizza . Having a site labelled that could mean endless opportunities to different topics that I could share. So now that I had that down pat, it was all about creating the format and layout for my blog. I knew right away that I wanted to discuss beauty related topics 100% but changed my initial thought of ” beauty blogger” to ” beauty related topics and life advice“. Being a generally quiet person, I have never really gotten the chance to speak my mind and share my views on things. Now having a blogging site allows me to share my thoughts and opinions about life related topics. I was generally pleased with the content I was going to be focusing on within this blog. I also wanted to keep my blog very open when discussing topics. It’s pretty much what inspires me that certain week whether it be a makeup look or a life event, and I will start writing away.  With my layout I wanted to keep it very simple , I did not want anything complicated or hard to follow. I then started writing my first blog once I had a layout down pat .  I uploaded my first blog post ever on August 8, 2015 I believe , quite a ways back! Obviously I was very new with blogging and had a more younger mindset I believe too.


( also had some dark hair happening!) 

I was very interested in beauty products at the time and was not really into the whole lifestyle topics at first. When I first wrote my first “life advice “ blog post , it was on ” 5 things I wish I would’ve known earlier”, and I literally thought , “hey, I really enjoyed writing that and sharing my life views on this”. That was when I knew I had the right content on my blog.

I kind of left blogging for a little bit at one period of my life just because I was not really inspired at the time and did not know exactly what to blog about. One thing about being a blogger is you have to be inspired and want to actually write a blog. If you are simply forcing yourself , you won’t enjoy it , it will seem more like a chore as opposed to a hobby or career. I eventually came back into blogging not too long ago , probably about two months ago maybe , and just was inspired all at once to continue to blog about more things.  Once I started back up again , I received comments from family members stating that ” I had talent and this was my calling“. That really surprised me. Usually I do not think too highly of myself so having someone say something so nice like that gave me the boost of confidence that I needed to hear.  I then thought, ” wow okay I can do this and I actually enjoy doing this… maybe I can get somewhere”. That was when friends of mine would reach out stating that they enjoy reading my blogs or even friends of friends who I had no idea read them … I was flattered! And now here we are today! As I started to take blogging more serious these days , I started being more consistent with my blogs as well. Back then I would post once a week then once a month. Now I keep it weekly and try to write whenever I am inspired to do so. The other day I recently changed the layout of my blog and purchased it for $66.00, which is not bad at all ! I wanted something that was going to be different and look more professional. I then chose and made a cute logo for my channel. My signature phrase is ” much love xo “, this has just always stuck with me ever since I can remember.  I think it’s catchy and it’s personalized as well. Same goes for the word ” beauts” who I refer to you beautiful people by . I have always loved this word for some reason and it just stuck as well.  So I decided to create my logo instead of always writing out ” much love xo”, it is now changed to :


Which I think looks super cute and suites my personality well. I made this logo with the app called , “LogoMaker” and it was literally super easy to make . I am also happy that I have incorporated the social media icons on my homepage now so I do not have to take the time to keep writing it out , kind of gets tiring not going to lie ! So now you beauts can find my other social media accounts located there.



Photography

One of my most favourite parts about completing a blog is my photography and pictures located within in . I am so fortunate to have a best friend who is an amazing photographer , her name is Katherine Steele “ksteelephotography” and you can find her on Instagram at “Katherine Steele”. A lot of my more professional pictures come from Katherine which I adore.  What a gem. 


She literally tells me what to do and sets me all up I love it. Usually I bring a change of clothes for the sessions just to spice things up a bit . For the session above , I wanted a more ” chill” atmosphere but as for the one below , I wanted more sophisticated ( both of these were shot one after the other).


Recently , probably three months ago a beautiful soul posted an item on Kijiji that changed my life forever… not even exaggerating! I bought mutself a ” diva ring light “,  which helps brighten up my pictures and helps them look more professional. For every single one of my pictures that I take by myself I will always use my ring light. I find that I can not go back without one now that I have tried this method. My pictures always look so professional and flattering that I am in love over my own pictures… conceited bitch much ? Just kidding! 


Editing

When it comes to editing I literally take it very seriously . Even my boyfriend will say to me “you take hours editing“, I know ! That’s because I need my pictures to look perfect and presentable on my blog. Does that mean I edit the shit out them taking away my wrinkles and freckles ? Absolutely not. I do not alter how I look in my photos , I simply add a filter or words into my pictures . Some of the wonderful apps that I use on a daily basis include:

  • Photo editor
  • MOLDIV
  • BeFunky
  • InstaSize
  • Font candy
  • Boomerang

Those are probably my ” go to ” apps that I love using for my picture when it comes to editing them . I usually use the photo editor for some of the stickers in my photos , and the MOLDIV for the texts within my pictures . I have been really loving bomerang lately as well so I have been starting to get the hang of that lately!  When it comes to filters , I usually use the ones the Instagram provides. I absolutely love ” slumber ” and “crema“, I think the colours look absolutely gorgeous on my photographs.

Inspiration

What usually inspires me to write my content can be a number of things . When it comes to my life advice , usually something happened that triggers my thoughts and gears towards a blog. Some examples from the top of my head include : my letter to my bully , I was bullied in high school quite badly and my younger sisters were being bullied at the time . This influenced me to write a post geared towards bullying and what I have to say to my bully. Another one was ” dear 16 year old self “, my sisters were having a tough time in school mind you they were only in elementary school but I wanted them to know the ins and outs what my 16 year old self did and what I want them to know about in high school. I love the life related articles because I am so influenced strongly by things around me . When it comes to makeup tutorials it could be a night out where I was playing around with a palette that inspired me to do a post . Or even Pinterest is excellent for different ideas for tutorials. I have to be in the mood for makeup which I usually am 99% of the time! I then play around with my palettes and see which looks I can create! I am usually inspired by things around me and that’s where a majority of my blogs come from. I like to be down to earth in my blog posts and extremely honest. With my social anxiety mini blog series I was 110% real with you guys and was actually hesitant to write them in the first place. I was not sure what kind of feedback I would get , but I thought to myself “I wish someone would have posted these treatment session groups at the time when I was considering therapy”.  I want my advice to help someone , even if it’s just one person. My aim in my blogs is to inspire people to be themselves and to try new things.


Blogging vs YouTube ? 

I have been told several times now to consider starting a YouTube channel. I have thought about this a million times trust me I just don’t have the proper equipment for it at the moment. I know some people are going to say just use your phone or you’re fine ! I am a perfectionist when it comes to my channel and I know I will get down on myself if I personally think my videos are not that great of quality. Also I do no know how I would be in front of the camera. I know for a fact I would not feel comfortable vlogging…. hey guys give me a break it’s been 1 week out of group therapy.  I would always wonder who’s watching or what other people are thinking which sucks but that is just how I am ! Maybe one day I will try YouTube but for now , I am Sticking to WordPress and blogging. I like to be behind the computer and have my personal space.

I would highly recommend that those who are slightly interested in blogging to try it out for yourselves ! That is exactly what I did and look at where I am today ! I also want to take the time to thank my followers for reading my blogs you guys have no idea how much that means to me ! Thank you so much ! I have wrote over 70 blog posts and still continue to keep on writing! I hope you guys enjoyed this post , be sure to follow my other social media accounts located on my home page !

Have a great rest of your week! 

The Blonde Traveller; views from Chantel Dow

The Blonde Traveller; views from Chantel Dow

Processed with MOLDIV


Hello everyone! I hope you all are having a fabulous week so far. I know this week is going to seem longer for me since it’s consisting of long hours, unfortunately, wah! However, what is getting me through this week is some blogging as I have a few other projects on the go for my blogs. I have been absolutely obsessed lately with collaborations and interviewing individuals on my blog channel. It’s such a neat experience to have the opportunity to get to know others on a more personal level, especially people I have never actually met before which is amazing.  I love the reaction I get when I reach out to people, and they are flattered that they have inspired someone,  it is such a powerful feeling that I wouldn’t trade for the world. I am blessed that a lot of people follow my blog channel and actually take the time to read my blogs, so flattering.  But anywho beauts, speaking of long weeks, wouldn’t it be nice to go on vacation? Wouldn’t it be nice to leave that stress behind, enjoy the warmth of the sun rays, swim in the ocean, collect shells and just relax in paradise? To get away would be so unreal, your worries would literally disappear. Imagine being surrounded by Kangaroos even, or seeing such beautiful landscapes. One girl, in particular, has had the opportunity of a life time and got to make all her dreams come true.  Not very often does someone get to travel to places such as South Africa, and spend 8 months there taking in the beautiful culture. I had the absolute pleasure to collaborate with the beautiful Chantel Dow, in regards to her travels and experiences around the world.

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“…I hope everyone gets hyped by the idea of travel. It’s a big part of my life and if I can spread the joy and information than I’ve done what I can!”- Chantel

There’s not doubt Chantel is a “go-getter” or a “risk-taker”, as one may call it. Reading through her answers I thought, “wow this girl really loves life and literally lives life to it’s fullest”.  I met Chantel through some of my friends and I have to say she is such a down to earth girl. One thing though that surprised me about her, was that I never knew she loved to travel, at least not until I crept her Instagram, sorry Chantel! I was overwhelmed with so many beautiful sceneries and pictures that took my breath away! As Chantel states, “ I don’t know how people can just live and stay in one place. I honestly didn’t think that was normal. I thought, well if it’s a free world than I should be able to go anywhere and everywhere”. I never actually thought of this before, but when you sit back and take in her statement you literally think, “wow is she ever right”. The world is such a big place, and there are so many places that you can explore.

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I had so many questions to ask Chantel about travelling because honest to god, I hardly ever travel but I am so jealous of people that get to embrace other parts of the beautiful world. Chantel has always loved travelling, as she was always fascinated in Geography class when it came down to discussing different parts of the world. I wanted to know the basics first before jumping into the more “in depth” questions. Chantel explains, “my first travel was to the Dominican Republic and I was 18. After that, I went away every year. DR again, then Mexico and Cuba. I starting thinking the week vacations weren’t enough. There were so many places I wanted to go. I decided to explore my own country first. I drove cross country to beautiful British Columbia. I drove through the US as it was a lot faster drive. I spent 2 months there. I saw the beauty of the mountains and I knew I had to see more”. I got so excited reading her response to this because it really was so interesting to me, and knowing this was the second question which was awesome, tons more to go!

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I know that a lot of people have bucket lists, and some people have certain destinations on their list where they would like to visit next. I had asked Chantel what was the next place she had at the very top of her bucket list. Chantel states, “the destination I cannot wait to explore next is Australia. Mostly for the climate, landscapes, and Kangaroos 😝 When I have a travel buddy I ultimately want to travel to India. I want to learn about their culture!”. I hear you about Australia, I have always always wanted to go there and see new things, especially those kangaroos!  It’s always a blessing learning different cultures, especially since Canada is so multicultural, this would benefit you greatly Chantel! Chantel goes on to explain that she has been to the most common vacation spots such as Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico. She suggests that, “if you have time to stop in Montana I would recommend it. Beautiful place. Most recently I spent 8 months in South Africa”. 


One question that popped right into my mind that I knew I had to ask Chantel was if she had ever went back packing before. I head this was a thing, but always wondered if she had tried it! Chantel states, “I technically wouldn’t call what I did backpacking. We did have a car, but driving up the coast we travelled for two weeks. Staying in hostels or a tent. We were so inland that we were 2 hours off roads. Driving on dirt paths you are surrounded by roaming cows, horses, goats etc. It wasn’t possible to travel hostel to hostel by foot. (I mean unless you wanted to walk for hours haha)”.  That’s crazy! Two hours off roads, I would for sure not survive this travel shenanigans! I would need my boat load of makeup, my straightener, my comfy bed and my beauty sleep! Thank goodness Chantel can explore this world for me! haha! I think I am too much of a drama and diva queen to travel a lot, although I wish I was not like that!

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What is one thing you cannot travel without? I cannot travel without my St. Christopher necklace. Its believed to bring safety and good wishes to travellers, so that is important to me. It makes me believe I’m not alone when travelling. I also never leave without a letter from my best friend. She writes the most beautiful letters and I’ve never travelled with out one from her”.   I absolutely love this, I think that is so beautiful! You know you have a true best friend when they write you amazing heart felt letters, those are the ones you keep forever.

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I know this was a more personal and intimate question that I was not sure if I should ask or not.Chantel stated, “when I travel for vacation I’ve gone for one week at a time. When I went to South Africa I went for 3 months then I went back for another 5 months. The more time you have, the more you can explore. I definitely will be back, because even in 8 months’ total, there is so much more still to see and do”. If I am thinking it I am sure you beauts are thinking of it too that’s for sure! How can Chantel afford the expenses for her trips? She explains, “to afford travelling I work non-stop. I always had a full-time job as a Pharmacy Assistant, which pays decent money. I also had a serving job on the side before I went to South Africa. That was for my first 3 months in SA. When I came home at Christmas I worked steady for 3 months AND sold my car, to return for another 5 months. When I went to British Columbia I worked at a local Pharmacy part-time to have a continuous cash flow. In the future when I travel to Australia I’ll be working as a Nanny. This allows you to have a place to stay, travel, explore and make money. I also learned while road tripping up the coast of SA that many people who backpack, do light work for hostels in which they either get free room and board or get a small payment”. Literally, talk about dedication. Chantel is such a hard worker when it comes to saving up for her trips as she discussed up above. I was mind blown when she stated about her car, but that comes to show you how much travel means to this beautiful soul! Everyone has a passion, but it takes a special kind of person to do what Chantel as done.

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I know what you beauts are all thinking, what the heck Chantel! Do you see what I mean by  her being a risk-taker? I would never in a million years have done bungee jumping, but kudos to her for crossing this off her bucket list! Chantel explains, “most definitely the craziest thing I’ve done on vacation was Bungee Jumping. It was in Tsitsikamma, South Africa. It’s the highest Bridge Bungee in the world. A 216 Metre jump. Second would be learning how to surf. That may not sound crazy, but the waves can be your worst nightmare! Once you learn, and you’re on the backline, sitting and waiting for the next wave, you really see how calm and quiet the ocean is, nature’s beauty first hand. Also, I visited some lions at a sanctuary! EEK! :D”. 216 Metre jump…. no thank YOU! I think I would mostly be afraid of my stomach having that falling feeling because that is why I am not a huge fan of rollercoasters! Learning how to surf would be extremely neat that’s for sure! I have always wondered what it would be like to surf! I think what would scare me the most would be what was underneath me. I am so much like my mom it’s not even funny… thanks Joanne!  I have also seen way-way WAY too many movies where my mind would just go for a spin!

Processed with MOLDIVWhat is the best piece of advice you have for someone who just has started out travelling or wants to begin this adventure? The best advice I have is to have ALL THE FACTS! Safety is big when travelling, especially when your travelling alone. Yes, it’s spontaneous to find somewhere random to stay, but I would advise you have a decent plan before you set off on your journeys. I was always well prepared, and I am so thankful for that. Travelling can be exhausting and chaotic especially if you’re not prepared. Knowing you have a place to stay, relieves a lot of the stress you may carry while travelling abroad”.

“I encourage everyone to see the world! Where ever in the world that may be! Work hard and always give back. ONE WORLD – ONE LOVE”- Chantel

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One fear that I would have travelling would be travelling alone or completely by myself, and some people actually have the guts to do that! I wanted to know if Chantel had a travel buddy or if she went solo. Chantel states, “when I have travelled to vacation destinations I have always travelled with friends or family. But when I travelled to South Africa, my big trip I went Solo. When you volunteer, you stay with people from all over the world so once you settle in you don’t feel like your travelling alone. When I travelled up the coast of South Africa I road tripped with a friend!”.  Wow! Props to you Chantel for going solo on your big trip, that is amazing. Only certain kinds of people could do that as it requires a lot of independence and courage! I, unfortunately, would not be one of those people who could go by themselves, I think I would panic or something! That is unreal that Chantel can do that, I am still mind blown.

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If you had to pick a country that has the friendliest people, which one would you pick? “I have yet to really know where the friendliest people are. Being Bias ill say Canada. As I know it the best! Everywhere I have been, people have been so welcoming. The human race is beautiful when you see the good in everyone and everything”.  I absolutely could not agree more. I think that everyone is beautiful in their own unique ways, and everyone has a lot to offer in this world. Unfortunately, some people do not give others the time of day, but the people who do..you are beautiful.

I further got into discussing which places Chantel loved the best and which places… well… not so much. Chantel explains, “my favourite place to travel SO FAR is South Africa. The reason being, I could see the most beautiful places during a road trip up the Wild Coast (South East SA). I met amazing people and could accomplish a goal I’ve always wanted. I volunteered with children in hospitals, preschools, after school programs and at surf out reach program. Going to another country, its not just for you. We are all human, one world. So, if you can make a difference, I believe its our duty to try if we have the means to do so”. Chantel also goes on to explain, “I haven’t been anywhere I didn’t enjoy, and that’s the honest truth. Maybe the time will come, but I usually make the most of my time travelling, it’s easier to enjoy when you see the good in places”.

Processed with MOLDIVAre you going to continue to keep on travelling throughout your life? Or is this only a phase? I do plan on continuous travel for my life. I know I want to settle down at some point and have a family, but a suburban life doesn’t appeal to me. When I have kids, I want to show them the world. I want them to see how other people live in other countries. I think if it’s possible, we should all be cultured and aware of what’s going on in the world. See things we couldn’t see if we had stayed in one place forever”. I could not agree more Chantel, I think people should strive for this positive mindset. There is so much in this world, so much prejudice and so much racism, people do not fully understand that it is okay to be different, to have different coloured skin, to live in different cultures.  It’s okay to speak another language and live halfway across the world. I think if more people had such an open mind like Chantel, the world would be a more equal place. 

Lastly, I was interested to know if Chantel had any big plans for the future or any travels in the near future. Chantel shares, “yes, I do have plans for travel in the future. I’ll be working over seas at the end of this year 2017 in Australia as a Nanny. I am so excited for this opportunity and I’ve already started planning. I’ll be gone for a minimum of 6 months, but most likely I’ll stay for a year!”. What an amazing opportunity Chantel! I am a nanny now and you are going to absolutely love it, especially working with a family in Australia. You will be able to cross this off your bucket list, and that’s unreal! You have to be sure to keep me updated on how your position goes as a nanny, as I wish you nothing but the best!

I would like to thank Chantel Dow for collaborating with me on this blog post based on her travels. It was super exciting getting the ins and out of all the places she has been and the adventures she has been on. Be sure to follow her social media accounts to keep updated with her busy life!:

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Chantels.pointofview – personal IG

Pointofview.travelblog – in the works travel blog IG

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Much love xo.

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“Driven by Creativity”, the motivation and dedication of Katie Marie.

“Driven by Creativity”, the motivation and dedication of Katie Marie.

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(Huge shoutout to @delavie_photography for capturing this unreal photograph of Katie! Be sure to check out her page for more beautiful and stunning photographs!)

Hello my beauts, I am on a roll this weekend!  love just blogging away on weekends,that is when I have the most time. I can literally sit with a cup of tea, not rush, and just type away expressing my thoughts and feelings towards you beauts! I absolutely have loved recently collaborating with different people. If I spot something that I find might benefit and interest you beauts, I will for sure reach out to that individual and ask right away if they would not mind collaborating with me on a blog! The most recent one I had just finished was Alexandra Del Bello, be sure to check her out, her work is unreal. Shall we jump into day’s blog post? So I know for me personally, I have such a hard time with self-motivation. I have gotten a bit better, don’t get me wrong, but I find this is always a tough subject to discuss. If my boyfriend says to be after a long days work, “can we please do the laundry tonight?”, chances are I am probably going to hard bail on that one by far. I feel that some days a lot of people, myself included, need that extra boost of motivation to get up and just get er done! There is one person in particular that comes to mind when I think of motivation and determination. She is such a “go-getter” as she calls herself, and I am sure many people incuding myself can see that from a mile away! Can you guess who I am going to collab on today? The beautiful Katie Silva of course! Honestly guys, I can say I have never personally met Katie before, but I had admired her posts on Instagram for months now…. is that creepy? Anywho, fan girl crushing over here. What attracted me to her account was her beauty-related material. I absolutely love makeup guys, you know me. When I saw that Katie was so involved in beauty-related material I was stoked. I love following people and getting more advice/information on that kind of stuff. I was stunned by how flawless she did her makeup and the looks she came up with! I had the pleasure to ask Katie some questions in regards to her life.  This interview is going to discuss topics in relation to beauty, Youtube, her Jewelry line, and her photography business… phew… how do you do it Katie?! Let’s get into it!

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The first question I wanted to ask Katie right off the bat was pretty simple, it was based on her motivation. I had asked Katie if she had always been a motivated person all her life? Katie states, ” Most definitely! I’ve always been a go-getter my entire life. If there’s something I have in mind or a goal I want to achieve, I push myself beyond limits and make sure nothing prevents me from getting to where I want to be. Of course – just like everyone else, I have my “off days”. Self-healing days as I like to call them! Where I’m just not inspired, not motivated, and feel down in the dumps. But I remind myself that this too shall pass – and it happens to the best of us. 
As long as you remained focused and find something you are truly passionate about, you will be able to stay motivated even through the hardships!”. I absolutely love this. I know it is completely normal to have your down days which is understandable…. everyone gets them! Having the motivation and positive thoughts to say “hey it’s okay to have your down day, tomorow will be better“, is so crucial to living a healthy lifestyle.

I know that some days if I am super stressed out, that’s when my bad days start creeping from around the corner. Stress and me do not get along. I am always interested to see how other peoples’ lives are, especially if they are living a pretty hectic life like Katie herself. Katie explains, “ I just keep my goals in mind and try to focus on them. Think of it this way – if you are at work and you keep looking at the clock, your day will draaaag on. But on days that you are uncontrollably busy, don’t you find the day flies by? The more you keep yourself busy, the less you will think of the negative. I apply the same motive to my lifestyle! Be goal oriented and cut the self-pity. Don’t overanalyze the what-if’s and move past the obstacles.  Also… lots… and LOTS… of caffeine…”. Amen Katie Amen, I think we all need a Katie in our lives to help us get through the day, don’t you think?! Honestly seeing and hearing about how other’s handle those busy days and stress is so interesting. Hearing those coping mechanisms surely motivates me to use them more, and literally not look at the clock as much on those boring days at work!

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“…everything happens for a reason”

On the topic of motivation and determination, I wanted to ask Katie if she had any specific words of motivation that help her to keep on going. Katie explains, “It’s not the hand that you’re dealt with, it’s how you play your cards.” Yes, this is a lyric taken from a Ludacris verse. LOL. But it is by far, my all-time favourite quote. Whatever life may throw at you, there’s always two ways of looking at it. The more you victimize yourself, the more you will lack motivation and give up. If you think about the positives in a negative situation, you will maintain focus and it might even give you that extra drive that you need to succeed. ALWAYS keep in mind, “everything happens for a reason” and trust that the journey will lead you exactly where you need to be!”

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Beauty

Aside from her strong self-motivation, this has brought her into all kinds of fun things, one of the topics being beauty. I had known for a fact that Katie was into makeup and applying makeup. There were specific questions that I was extremely interested about, and wanted to get into further detail! When did you start getting into beauty? “It mainly started back in grade 7. I, unfortunately, came down with a horrible case of chicken pox, so bad they classified it as “the worst case of shingles they have ever seen”, which NO 13 year old should ever have to go through haha. At the time, it left a lot of temporary scars on my face once the singles ran its course. I became really self-conscious and I remember my mom took me to the drug store and bought me my first concealer/foundation duo to try and hide the scars so I could go out in public again. To this day – I haven’t left my house without makeup lol. Yes, the scars are completely 100% faded and not a hint of anything is left on my skin, but over the years it’s become a security blanket for me. Only recently, about a few years ago, did I really start learning about applying makeup properly and developed a new found appreciation for the art of makeup. I guess you could say I accidentally got into beauty, but it has basically become a part of me”.  It’s a good thing you got those chicken pox then eh Katie? That is so crazy how she accidently got into beauty, but now is such an inspiration for beauty towards others.

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Going off of the topic of beauty, I know that Katie has attended multiple beauty events as seen on her Instagram page. I had a high curiosity for this, and wanted to touch more base with these events!  Are there any beauty events that you have gone to? So many to date, I don’t even know where to begin! I have to thank Dave Lackie for the unbelievable experiences I’ve had so far. I met Dave through one of his luxury giveaways that I won. We started talking and he was really intrigued by my beauty channel/blog at the time. I ended up getting invited to one of his VIP events and from there we formed the most unbelievable friendship! I started going to every Dave Lackie VIP event and I have met the WORLDS most AMAZING people and formed life-long friendships from attending the events. We like to call ourselves “dave’s babes”, haha! I’ve met some of the top high-end beauty company CEO’s (Clarins, Theirry Mugler, Shiseido, YSL, Givenchy among many others) and learnt so much about their amazing products. I am forever grateful for my experiences, and if it wasn’t for my full-time job, I would be attending lotsssss more!”. What an unbelievable experience Katie! It would be such an inspiration to have met some of the people that she has, and to think it was from a giveaway blows me away.  I think we all need some of her luck passed onto us, I know I sure need some! I love hearing about this kind of stuff, especially when it comes to beauty-related material.

image2 (24)I know that you have a Youtube channel, “Katie Silva; Makeup by Katie Marie”, did you always want to start a Youtube channel? “Youtube was another thing I kind of stumbled into. When I was doing makeup applications, a few people had brought up the idea to me. I love computer programming (a bit of a nerd, yes.) and I love putting together clips and creating videos. It comes natural to me and that was the most exciting part for me – designing them! Lol. I was a nervous wreck the first time I uploaded a video, I don’t think I slept for 3 days haha. But once you overcome the first few uploads, it actually becomes quite enjoyable! If you are thinking of making a youtube channel – please be prepared to have some serious negative backlash and bullying. Some comments were just downright rude, but it’s actually given me so much self-confidence and thickened my backbone in ways I never thought imaginable. At first, I was worried about what people would think of me – but after a few negative responses I started thinking, screw you guys, I like who I am, I am comfortable in my skin, and this is who Katie is. Like it or not, your opinion is irrelevant. And once I accepted this new mentality, my ENTIRE life changed for the better. I stopped fearing negative consequences and suddenly my anxiety vanished. I stopped doing youtube videos because to be honest, I just don’t have the time. It takes weeks and longggg hours to film, edit, and put together videos and it was starting to interfere with my full-time career, so I had to stop. I might get back into it down the road – who knows!”

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Aside from Youtube, I did know that Katie was accepting clients to do their makeup application for a while now. I wanted to go a bit more into depth with this topic. I know that previously you were accepting makeup clients to do their makeup application, what made you stop and did you enjoy doing this? “To be quite honest, this was yet another thing I accidentally got into. One of my best friends had asked me to do her makeup for her birthday, I was a bit hesitant because I had never done anyone’s makeup before, but I gave it a go anyways. She posted a photo of the final result and my phone just blew up. I had so many inquiries and people wanting to book appointments that it sort of turned itself into a business. After doing it for a few months, I realized I wasn’t happy, and this wasn’t something I wanted to do in my life. It was more of a hassle and felt like a task rather than something I enjoy doing. I think because makeup is something I’ve carried as a burden my whole life, it just wasn’t giving me the satisfaction most makeup artists have. I started getting into photography (my lifelong passion) and I can’t even describe the happiness it gave me. I stopped offering makeup applications to focus on my government career, and start building my own photography business. It has been the best decision I’ve made yet!”. 

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Photography

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Moving onto the next subject I wanted to get into with you guys, photography! I had known that Katie had recently gotten back into photography and now has her own business, “Katie Marie Photography”. I thought of a few questions I would like to ask Katie in relation to her business! One of the main questions I had for Katie was if she had always been interested in photography. “Yes. Yes. Yes! My entire life. ANYONE who knows me knows I always have a camera in my hands. I’m always taking pictures of anything and everything, and I looooove to edit photos. I’ve always owned DSLR’s, I’ve had Canon, Nikon, and now Sony. I guess the main reason I didn’t get into it professionally was fear of building a solid career (it can be an unstable industry at first), and I also never took the time to really teach myself how to use a DSLR properly. Let me tell you – it is not easy to learn. There are so many things you need to know when it comes to photography and it always kind of freaked me out. At the time I just wasn’t ready to invest my energy into it.  

 I finally decided to follow my passion and really learn the art of photographing people. It came natural to me and I picked it up in no time. Again, I took some test shots of friends, and the inquiries just started pouring in. Fast forward to not even a year later and I’ve booked weddings, taken on hundreds of clients, opened my own studio space, collaborated with some of the best photographers/videographers in the business, and I am booked solid for the next 6 months with shoots. This is my forever happy place and not a day goes by where my photography and business isn’t consuming my mind. And I love every second of it!” .

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It really takes a special kind of person to gather the courage and start your own business, it really is not an easy thing to do. I completely look up to and admire Katie for taking this huge leap and just going for it. Literally, what was the harm and look where it has gotten her! Unbelievable.  You have to just go for it, and that’s what she did. What made you want to start your own business? It is in my blood – literally! Both of my parents are entrepreneurs and own their own businesses. I am basically a clone of my father. He works for the government full time and runs a DJ business on the side. I also work for the government and run my businesses on the side as well. It must be a Silva thing, haha! I am not one to succumb to societal norms, and I find it hard to stay in a job that doesn’t fulfil me. Being my own boss is the only solution to happiness for me. I love helping people, I love LOVE LOVE creating, and I get to do both of those in running a business. The skills I’ve learnt through my full time job have taught me to be a professional, successful business woman. And now I get to enjoy the best of both worlds!

Recently, I requested to switch from full time in my government job, to part-time, so I can have more time for my photography business. I am over the moon and so completely content with the blessings I’ve received this year. I started a new position with the City in the Mental Health and Street Outreach program, and also the Alcohol Drug and Gambling Services Division. This position is amazing. It brings me such happiness as well, knowing I can help make a difference in the lives of those struggling with Mental Health and Addictions. Mental Health is very important to me, and I’m ecstatic that I am working in this specific department. I help people in both my government job and photography business, both which fill my heart with happiness. It really is amazing, and I am so humbled and blessed to be where I am”.

I absolutely love this, mental health plays an important part in my life, so I am very proud that you are working in that field! You are doing so well for yourself, and for sure going far in life!

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I know we are all dying to know more about Katie’s photography business because I know I sure was! I asked Katie about all the ins and outs of her business as well as the packages that she has to offer. Katie states, “The list is definitely too long to type, it basically just depends on the type of photography they are looking for! If my client has a certain idea in mind that doesn’t fit my normal packages, I am always open to discuss special requests! You can find my prices on my website, and for wedding packages, I usually prefer an in-person consultation as each wedding is unique, and different services may be requested! www.katiemariephotography.ca“. You guys know what to do! Give her website a peak and I know for sure you will not be disappointed whatsoever that’s a given. The pictures she captures are absolutely gorgeous and I know for sure I will be booking an appointment soon!

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What photo shoots do you specialize in? Many different types! It all depends on the type of photography they are inquiring about. I provide services for basically anything you can think of. Newborn, Maternity, First Birthday, Cake Smash, Family, Engagement, Wedding, Portrait, Boudoir – you name it! I have custom packages geared towards each style of photo shoot. I find a lot of my clients become “clients for life” as they progress in life. I’ve had maternity shoots that have turned into newborns, engagements, weddings – all of life’s beautiful special moments. When you find a great family photographer, clients tend to stick with them. I want to be as open as I can to any idea and style of photography, so I can assist them in any way possible!”

Jewelry

 Not only does Katie have her own Youtube Channel, and photography business, she also has created her own jewelry line…. GUYS… literally perfection. I can not emphasize how jealous I am of her motivation and dedication in life, she literally just keeps going on and on. I love it. I jumped straight into asking Katie about her Jewelry line because quite frankly, I am interested in purchasing some soon!

What made you want to create, “Sacred Lotus Jewelry”? Anxiety! I’ve suffered with anxiety my whole life. It is just something I’ve learnt to accept and learnt to maintain and control naturally. I am always open to new ways of personal aid, and I stumbled across essential oils. I really enjoyed the benefits they gave me (specifically lavender oil) as I felt they really helped calm me down throughout the day. I wanted to create something that allowed me to diffuse my essential oils on the go, and still be fashionable at the same time haha. In government agencies, we actually have policies that prevent us from wearing perfume or having any scented products in the office. Therefore, a diffuser is out of the question lol. With essential oil jewelry, it isn’t overpowering at all. I rub a bit into the lava beads in the morning and only I can smell it throughout the day. Whenever I need a little stress reliever – I just sniff the beads! You really can’t smell anything unless you are wearing the bracelet – so it’s perfect for an office environment that restricts scents. Again, I love helping people, and these bracelets have helped so many people in the same boat as me”. I hear ya girl, anxiety is a bitch and I suffer from it myself so I know where you are coming from. I think is was such an amazing and fabulous idea to start! I know a lot of people would benefit greatly from this line since mental health is becoming more popular and people are more open about it. I think this is great.  I also think the idea of the bracelets are amazing, who would’ve thought of that!? That’s right... Katie Silva!

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(Guys, how cute is this packaging, though?!)

Are you still making the jewelry? What types of jewelry do you sell? Not at the moment. I do have a bunch pre-made that I sell, and I occasionally will set up a vendor table at bazaars, but I just don’t have the time to continue running my online shop. Once I dove into photography that became my main priority. I found myself falling behind on orders and just not being able to complete them in time to ship out. I will still take the occasional pick-up order, but I invest all of my free time into photography now. I sell essential oil diffuser bracelets – and you can find them here! www.instagram.com/sacredlotusjewelry “. You know what to do beauts, give er a peak!

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So I know what you guys are thinking, how much are these cute bracelets, because sure as hell I wanted to know! Katie states, “Roughly $10-30 range. I don’t have any bracelets that are over $30. If you are picking them up in person, I usually just sell them for $20! Again, it depends on the style of bracelet and gemstone used, some are more pricey than others. But I try to keep them as affordable as possible!”.

Future Plans and Goals

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After interviewing Katie, I came up with some last questions based out of curiosity. I was very curious to see if Katie had any future plans later on in life, or some long term goals. Katie explains, “I’m happy to say that I’ve finally reached a point in my life where my current short term goals have been met. It’s taken me many years, lots of stress and obstacles, and an exceptional amount of hard work to be able to say that – but I am happy with where I am.
Of course, I always have goals in mind. Moving forward my next goal is to grow my photography business and let it blossom into something unbelievably amazing. I’ve come very far in a short period of time and I anticipate this is going to be the best year yet – photography wise! I’ve opened my own little studio, gained the most amazing clientele, stepped my gear up, and found my true calling. Now I just need to master my skills and keep bettering myself and my art. I plan on taking it to a whole new level and collaborating with many other creative individuals throughout the course of the year. Aside from that, I am just trusting the journey”. 

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@delavie_photography

Lastly, to conclude this collab with the beautiful Katie Silva, I decided to ask one more main question. That question was, now what? Where do you want your journey to take you?  “I really want the journey to excel to places unimaginable. I want to take my creative ventures to the next level and surpass my expectations of myself. This year, I am going to try and focus on my inner self more. Career wise – I am always striving to meet my goals. It’s time I take a step back and focus on my mental wellbeing, and get myself into a better state of mind. Sometimes I need to remind myself to stop, and smell the roses J ..and to stop being such a workaholic and not let life pass me by.

I want to help my fellow colleagues as well. I’ve gotten to where I need to be, and now it is my duty to help those around me. I do have a lot of knowledge in many aspects and if an insight into my life can help at least ONE person, then that makes the journey all worthwhile”. 

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Thank you so much Katie for collaborating with me on this blog post! I had such a great time writing this up and getting to know you on a more personal level. I am sure a lot of people benefited from this post, admiring your motivation and dedication in life. You have inspired a lot of people, including myself, to follow your dreams and just go for it! I hope you beauts enjoyed this post! Be sure to follow Katie’s social media accounts to check her out:

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ALSO, be sure to follow my social media accounts to stay updated with the newest blogs!

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Much love xo.

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