The Best of 2013

Can you believe that today is the last day of 2013? I can't. I mean, it feels like just yesterday I was getting ready to venture off to my best friends house where we would celebrate New Year's Eve in  2012 with a pool party. It's funny to think though, how many things have changed; to think about the ups and the downs of the year, the good times and the bad, and the things that have shaped me into the person I am today. 

Seeing as this is the last day of the year, I thought I'd share with you some of my personal highlights and what made 2013 great for me:

1.  Having my debutante ball- I absolutely loved being a part of such a unique and special night where I got to dress up and feel fabulous!

2. Being a Red Cross Youth Ambassador- It was eye opening upholding the position of Youth Ambassador for blood donations in my school, and it made me realise the urgency for blood donors in today' s society which I was quite unaware of. 

3. Hosting Australia's Biggest Morning Tea- Who doesn't love some tea and scones for a good cause? I can tell you that the morning tea was a success as not only was it raising money for Cancer Council Australia, but it also enabled family and friends to enjoy their morning with lots of mingling as well as some tea and coffee, and not to mention I ended up raising over $200!

4. Family Photo Shoot- As a family, we all united for some family portraits and were also able to have individual portraits taken. I really enjoyed the experience of getting my hair and makeup done and having my outfit coordinated and re-wearing my year 10 formal dress for my individual shot.

5. Staying in the City for Easter- Spending time with my family is something I love doing, especially when we get the chance to have a break and spend time somewhere different. Staying in the city was a great experience as we had the chance to go shopping, catch a ferry to Williamstown and walk around Melbourne like tourists for a change.

I hope everyone has an safe and enjoyable new year and please don't forget to leave a comment and mention the highlights of 2013 for you.

All the best,

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

7 Things I Loved About December

Seeing as the end of December is creeping up on us all, I thought I would share with you the seven things I loved about this month, whether it be things that I did, places I visited, or items that I bought, I will share seven of them with you and hope to continue this for every month that I continue blogging.

1. Finishing school- The beginning of December meant for me that school was finally over and it was finally time to sit back and relax (for a little bit anyway), without feeling guilty. 

2. Discovering True Blood- You know that feeling when you have nothing to watch and desperately need a new television series to be glued to? Well True Blood was that television series for me, and to say that it was good was an understatement which can be seen in the fact that I watched all six seasons within two weeks. I have to say though, I am looking forward to the last season which will be out in late 2014. 

3. Constantly spending time with other people- December is not the quietest of months, well not for me anyway. Every weekend I found myself out and about visiting family and friends whether it be for birthdays or Christmas parties, it never ended, which I enjoyed as I love spending time with family and friends and not to mention the food that usually comes with it.

4. Getting an SLR camera- I really enjoy taking photos of all sorts of things, and especially because I chose to study media next year, I really liked the idea of having my own SLR camera, and now that I do I find that I'm forever looking for new and unique things to photograph. 

5. The Jan/ Feb 2014 issue of Frankie- As mentioned above I am studying media next year at school and also aspire to be a journalist, so receiving such a quirky and inspiring magazine for Christmas from Mum (Thanks Mum) was quite convenient and special in a sense. Being a newbie to Frankie, there is so much to love about it including it's fascinating articles that present quite unusual and peculiar views and insights, the art found on the cover as well as being printed on many pages and not to mention the simplistic layout of each page. I can assure you that I am not going to be a one time reader of the magazine!

6. Christmas- By now you should all know that around Christmas time, I am in my element as I love the carols, the lights, the decorations and the food that comes with it. This Christmas was no exception to that as I had such a beautiful day surrounded by such amazing family, and to be completely honest, I'm quite sad that it's already over. 

7. The sales that follow Christmas- Two words, retail therapy. Some people love football, some love music, well my love lies with shopping. I am a sucker when it comes to sales and recently I have bought a few lovely items that I've had my eye on for a while now on sale including a cute sweater from Manning Cartell that was reduced... bargain!

Let me know what you're favourite things were this December,

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

Food, food and food.

I never thought I would say this, yet blog it, but the day has come where I am sick of eating. That's right, I am sick of all sorts of food. 

Since Christmas Eve, I have eaten enough food to feed the five thousand, well at least it feels like it anyway. Whether it be the five course meal I had on Christmas day, or the three plates of Indian food I ate tonight at an Indian Buffet Restaurant, I can assure you I have eaten so much food that my body is in a state of constant fullness and I have found that because of this I barely get that hungry anymore.  

While I once imagined that endless amounts of good food would be satisfying, reaching the maximum point of fullness every day for four days has made me appreciate my normal, dull eating routine that I can't wait to get back to. 

Healthy eating I willingly meet with you again,

Chelsea Elizabeth xx 

Christmas Gifts that I Love

Aloha! How is everyone? Today I have been enjoying the fact that I have a quiet day ahead of me, compared to the hectic days that have passed, and am looking forward to just sitting back and relaxing, but before I chill out completely, I thought I would share with you my favourite Christmas gifts that I was lucky to receive, and I will include where each item is from as best as I can. 

Over the past few days I was fortunate enough to receive many presents that I love but here are a few that I thought I would share with you.

Above:

Knowing me well, my brother bought me all of Chris Lilley's television series including Summer Heights High, Angry Boys, We Can Be Heroes and Ja'mie: Private School Girl DVDs (top left), which I cannot wait to begin watching. These DVDs can be found at JB- HI FI and most department stores.

My Nanna bought me the Lady Gaga Fame perfume (top middle) which is quite interesting in the sense that it appears to be black but goes on clear, and not to mention it smells great!

Every year, my Aunty buys me a cute candle and this year she bought me a Kimmidoll Vanilla Orchid Scented Soy Candle (top right) to add to my collection. 

In case you don't know, I am obsessed with pyjamas and love buying them from Peter Alexander, and knowing this my Nanna bought me a cute Paris themed Nightie from Peter Alexander (bottom right) and also gave me the matching dressing gown. 

Another beautiful gift I received was a cute gold necklace from my neighbour which has my name on it and a little star beside it.

Last but not least, my parents got me some white classic Windsor Smith platform sandals which I love. I have the black patent pair and wear them with nearly every outfit I own not only because they are fashionable and go with everything, but also because they're amazingly comfortable, so now that I have the white pair I can mix it up a bit and still have blister- less feet! 

Other gifts I received that aren't in the collage included chocolates (yummy), day spa vouchers and a cute clutch from Collette. 

Let me know what your favourite Christmas gifts were,

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

Merry Christmas!

I know I'm a day late for most, but I thought I'd wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas, and I hope your day was well spent and that you enjoyed every moment just as I did. As you may have gathered from previous posts on the blog, I am a big fan of Christmas time which is partly the reason I haven't been blogging for the last few days. I have enjoyed the days leading up to Christmas a lot as I have been watching my favourite Christmas movies (The Polar Express and Home Alone 2) as well as listening to my favourite Christmas carols, and I must admit, now that it's over I feel a little emptier. The year goes so fast, but for myself, Christmas time seems to fly by, which makes me even more motivated to ensure I spend it wisely and enjoy every second. I'm currently putting together a post with all of my favourite presents that I will share with you soon, but for now I'd like to once again wish you a merry Christmas.

Chelsea Elizabeth xx 

Dear Exercise...

Dear exercise,

I haven't missed you that much during our break; in fact, I have loved every minute of spending endless mornings and nights lazily watching television and reading without the worries of preparing to move off my couch. I guess everyone goes their separate ways sometimes, but as much as I dislike the idea of you, it's time for me to get back up off the couch and stop watching True Blood for an hour. I think it's finally time for us to reunite. 

Goodbye to the slothful me,

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

My name is Chelsea and I'm addicted to television...

Hola! It has been five days or so since my last post, mainly due to the fact that I am addicted to a television show; specifically True Blood. You see, I never thought I would be the type of person to spend their whole day watching television but somehow, by having all of the episodes and all seasons available of True Blood, I have. I'm currently up to the fourth season meaning that I've spent about 36 hours watching the previous season (such a waste of time but not at the same time), but I'm nearly done and when I am, I'll be free (but I'll still miss seeing Eric's beautiful face). 

Let me know what television shows you enjoy or are addicted to,

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

Enjoying the Here and Now

Good evening fellow bloggers,

How is everyone going? Today I thought I'd pose a contemplate-able question; why are we not able to enjoy things in the moment? Now, let me clarify what I mean. Why is it that when we are at a concert, at a party, or at a celebration we video every second, take a photo of every single little detail, yet fail to enjoy ourselves and live in the here and now? I find it quite strange that society has come to this. Yes, we are blessed to have technology in the sense that we have digital proof of our past, but do we really use the twenty videos we took at the One Direction concert that distracted us from watching the actual thing as we had to navigate the camera to the right angle and zoom it in correctly? 

From a personal perspective, I rarely look back on videos I take at concerts, and now I ask myself and all those like me, why do we do this? Why can't we just absorb ourselves in the current minute instead of worrying about the videos and photos? I think it's important to remember that we must make the most of our life here on earth, and that while having photographs and videos to look back on is great, I don't believe we need every minor detail of our happenings, but instead just a few snaps here and there. So the next time you're at a debutante ball, concert, celebration or any other event, try it out and simply immerse yourself in the details minus the cameras and video cameras, simply rely on yourself. 

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

Five Reason's I Love Christmas!

It has been too long, well it feels like it anyway. It has been a crazy week for me actually as I had a three day school excursion from Thursday to Saturday and then my family and friends annual Christmas party on Saturday night which didn't finish until the early hours of Sunday morning. Moving on, I thought today I would talk to you all about something I love; Christmas (16 days to go), and here's why:


1. It is socially acceptable to listen to Christmas Carols.

I am a huge fan of Christmas carols; from the classic carols such as Wham's 'Last Christmas' to the quite recent ones like Ariana Grande's 'Snow In California' and Justin Bieber's 'Mistletoe', hence why I love the days leading up until Christmas. I find that Christmas carols are so soothing to listen to as well as so sweet and joyful, and I wish they were played all year round!

2. Driving around the streets to look at people's Christmas lights.

I absolutely love seeing that people have decorated their homes with Christmas lights it's such a beautiful thing and instantly makes me feel happy. The fact that you know people have put such hard efforts into decorating their place makes you appreciate their work and makes you feel that Christmas is near.

3. Sending and receiving Christmas cards.

I cannot go without sending Christmas cards at this time of year it is a must! I love hand writing letters and sending them out, mainly because it is something I hardly do, and it just feels so traditional and old fashioned in a good way, and not to mention the cute cards that you can find!

4. Television shows have their own Christmas specials.

One of my favourite parts of Christmas is watching movies set in the time of Advent as well as television shows. I must say every Christmas Eve it is a tradition for my Mum, brother and I to watch The Polar Express and Home Alone movies, and for myself, I have to watch the O.C's Christmukkah episodes (I love that Seth is as enthusiastic about Christmas as I am) as well as the Gossip Girl episodes set in Advent, it's a must!

5. Everyone unites with love and generosity.

Christmas is a time where everyone unites despite their differences; and also a time when people give to those less fortunate. If you have never done so or even if you have, I encourage you to donate a gift to a charity that gives gifts to the children and families that cannot afford to do so, as it is so rewarding knowing that a child will have a present to open on Christmas morning because of your generosity.

As much as I love Christmas, I feel that I should acknowledge that for some, it's a very difficult time of the year. For those who have lost loved ones, Christmas can truthfully be quite depressing and lonely, so I believe it is important to keep those people in your thoughts and prayers, as well as those less fortunate and are unable to provide for their families or for themselves financially and therefore are unable to celebrate this time of year.

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

    

The Biebs!

Hey there!                                
Last night I was lucky enough to go and see Justin Bieber live at Rod Laver Arena along with my younger brother who had never been to a concert before. Now, I know what you're probably thinking; Justin Bieber, how lame! Well, I can assure you the concert was the opposite of lame, it was quite amazing. 

The opening act of the concert was Cody Simpson who performed really well and I especially loved his performance of iYiYi and Pretty Brown Eyes... Following Cody was a small break where I got to meet the lovely Brock Jays from the Australian band What About Tonight which was really cool as Brock was super nice and took photos with a few of us. My friend (who I had met up with) and I then rushed back to our seats as Justin was going to be on stage within ten or so minutes. In the meantime a guy in the crowd began dancing crazily and the whole arena was cheering him on until he got told off by security as he danced up and down the aisles. It was quite entertaining, until Justin appeared on stage anyway. Justin opened the concert with his song All Around The World from the Believe album and it was amazing! From an entertainment perspective, his overall performance throughout the concert was truly sensational and worth every penny! It was great to see that there are still performers who can sing, dance and play various instruments, and not to mention extremely good- looking. 

Enjoy your day,

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

Summer Playlist

Howdy!

Today a miracle has occurred because for once Melbourne is doing it's job and it's weather is actually reflecting the current season which is SUMMER! I LOVE IT! Today I spent my afternoon with some friends and we ended up making the most delicious dessert; brownies in a mug. Yes it may sound strange but it sure tasted amazing... Anyway, we then tanned outside in the glowing sun and watched the clouds float by and it was then that I decided the time had come to make a summer playlist. I thought I'd share the songs I added to the list and would like to warn you before you take a look that my music taste is all over the place. 

Ain't It Fun- Paramore
American Girl- Bonnie McKee
Closer- Tegan and Sara
Come & Get It- Selena Gomez
Everybody- Justice Crew
Hey Brother- Avicii
Homecoming- Kanye West
I Love It- Icona Pop
Lithium- Nirvana
Pumpin Blood- NONONO
Super Bass- Nicki Minaj 
We Can't Stop- Miley Cyrus
The Wire- Haim
212- Azealia Banks
Dark Horse- Katy Perry 
Demons- Imagine Dragons
Bound 2- Kanye West
If I Lose Myself- One Republic

Hope everyone is enjoying their Summer (well those who are in Summer anyway),

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

What to Do, What to Do?

Hello there, 

I'm currently planted on the sofa and have been for the past three hours, except now my dad has turned on the television and is watching a documentary on marine life which is talking about the intelligence of seals. Now, before you become increasingly jealous of my current situation (who wouldn't be, seals are awesome), I'll explain the real reason I am blogging. 

As you may or may not know I have indeed finished school for 2013 (applause). I feel almost lost with all the spare time I have. What should I do with my life now that I have no due homework? Being my nerdy self, I have spent my afternoon researching some courses for journalism at universities in Melbourne which made me question the pressure young people are under to figure out their career pathways. I know there's no way to remove this burden, but I just feel that finding yourself is something education alone cannot bring. I think that in order to know what you truly love, you need to experience the world through travelling, reading, writing and learning as a whole. You see, when I realised I liked the idea of being journalist and hoped to one day pursue it, my inspiration was sourced from figures such as Tavi Gevinson and Australia's Allison Langdon. Only through these writers was I motivated to not only write, but incorporate and express myself through words. I do hope that I can achieve this dream of mine, but I know there is a possibility for things to change and move to a different direction.  In fact, according to bizcommunity.com, an indiviudal will "change [their] career five to seven times in their lifetime", which I feel can be attributed to the substantial pressure young people are under to study the right subjects which will lead them to their career. Furthermore, before you feel stressed and confused, remember that the best way to gather an idea of what you want to do for a living is to experience the world, and always know that your career defines you, so choose wisely.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think about the pressure young people are under to make such a life- changing decision.

Chelsea Elizabeth xx