I’ve been having a wonderful time this fall with a great combination of touring (playing shows), interviews, radio appearances, studio time, and writing new music!

We’ve had some really great full band shows lately. It feels like as a band we’ve found a sweet spot where everyone is having a great time and the show sounds fantastic. Our most recent show was at the Midland Cultural Centre, and the venue was wonderful. The soundcheck was so simple and the hospitality of the venue was everything an artist could ask for!

I also played a few brand new songs that I just recorded for a concept EP that will be coming out, and they went over so well! These songs that are coming out are songs that I’ve been working on for a while and I feel that together they tell a story. It didn’t start out that way, but as they were written they all seemed to be friends in some way.

It’s always great when the songs that you write mean something to other people. I also got a lovely message the morning after the show. An audience member was telling me that the song Earthquake really spoke to her and something she was going through. That’s something I hope all my songs can do, and it’s great to find out they helped someone!

I had a great time in Midland and I’m looking forward to coming back soon! If you were there, thanks for coming! Which song did you like best?

As a style icon for Ivory Closet, an online boutique that sells women’s clothing and accessories, I received these Adel Amor Cosmetics to try out for a sponsored post!

The Satin Lipstick from Adel Amor was definitely my favorite item.

The blush I have on in the photos is the Baked Blush in Posey from Adel Amor and it’s very pigmented!

This meant that I didn’t have to use a lot to get results. I love that, because it’s buildable from day to evening wear.  This color was such a great shade of pink.  I felt like while it worked for me, and I’m quite pale, it would also look divine on darker skintones.

The final product I tried was the Illuminating Pen from Adel Amor.

Playing the Stockey Centre this summer in Muskoka was such a great time!

In September I found out I had won their battle of the bands and was invited back to play again.The theatre is so beautiful, it’s acoustics are unbelievable. We got to the venue for soundcheck and then had some time to kill before the show started.

The view at this theatre was incredible and the green room had a walk out to the patio overlooking the lake. We did lots of radio interviews for this show and the lead up was all very exciting. The show was a magical experience and the sound quality was amazing! It’s always incredible when everything comes together during a song or even a whole show.

When everybody nails their part in the song it’s such an incredible feeling.   The audience is loving it, energy is pulsing back and forth between the stage and the audience; that is what music is about! After shows like this one, it reminds me that music is a shared experience.  Music brings people together; it’s something we can all share.

Autumn is such a wonderful season, especially for touring!

One of my favorite things about Autumn is the crunch of leaves under your feet once they have fallen.  The air has gotten cool and crisp and made them all crunchy! I love taking drives during this time of year with a hot apple cider to see all the color on the trees! Touring on this weekend took us through Northern Ontario which has spectacular fall foliage.  That means being on the road touring, and driving between shows is even more lovely than usual!

I recently went on a weekend run of shows and headed up towards Ottawa to play some acoustic shows. While I love playing with my band; it’s big, full, and such an experience, I also love playing acoustic sets because of the freedom! I get to play more intimate venues and try out new songs. Driving through Ontario is a great experience because the changing colors of the trees is so beautiful!

I love playing in small towns, I get to meet people which I don’t always get to do at the bigger shows. Before I started touring so much I always heard from people how draining it can be. While I can see why people would say that, I find that at this point in my career I really love the travel between venues, meeting new fans, and seeing new places! It’s part of what I love most about music.

Not every gig, show, or set up is perfect, but music is a journey and I love it. Sometimes there’s glitches in equipment, sometimes you break a string, sometimes the venue has technical issues, but it makes every show unique! For most shows everything goes the way it’s supposed to, but it’s the rare cases that make me really appreciate all the good shows!

Not only do I love to travel but it’s also become a big part of my work and career.

It’s great to see new places and be meeting new people, but often people ask me “how do you do it?”  Mostly I smile, because to me, travel is such a big part of my life that I don’t really think about how sometimes it can be chaotic.

1. Take a deep breath.  Nothing feels as good as taking a few deep breaths to help ground you.

2. Give yourself a little break!  Sometimes a whole day to relax is more time than you have to spare, so even a half hour or 20 minutes to do a little meditation, go for a walk.  Even playing a game on your phone can recharge you when you feel overwhelmed!

3. Do something familiar. I like to watch my favorite vloggers on YouTube. It’s familiar and distracting all at once!  But maybe you like hiking or being outdoors.  Almost every city has a park nearby where you can stretch your legs and take in some nature.

4. Find something familiar – a drink you often enjoy at home, for me this would be earl grey tea or unsweetened iced tea. Or, if you can’t make your favorite meal or drink, find a spot that you know sells something you enjoy from home. Perhaps your favorite Starbucks beverage!

5. Bring home with you! A favorite perfume, a cozy sweater or blanket, or a piece of jewelry you can wear all the time.