MEET ME AT CURVY EXPO

I’m too excited to write a proper intro, so I’ll just dive right into it! On May 14th, I will be attending my first ever blogger meet and greet (begin happy dance, now)! The fantastic team behind the first ever Curvy Expo have extended an invite for me to join a group of fellow curvy fashion bloggers as part of their event’s meet and greet.

This one day event is all about celebrating our curves, and I’m absolutely honored to be among the inspiring women in attendance. In addition to the meet and greet, there will be exhibitors, fashion shows, guests speakers, and lots of fun to be had! How much fun, you ask? Check out my video below for my top 5 reasons why you should attend Curvy Expo.

For more info or to buy your tickets, visit www.curvyexpo.com. And don’t forget to say hi to me if you see me at the event!

THE MUSIC OF QUEEN: A ROCK & SYMPHONIC SPECTACULAR

If you take a glance at my record collection, you’ll notice I have a pretty eclectic roster of music: 70% classic rock, 20% classical, 9% indie, and 1% other (the “other” is comprised of Merry Christmas Sesame Street and my mother’s original copy of the Sound Of Music soundtrack). Most people are surprised by my musical choices, but they’re not so surprising once you know a little more about my musical history…

My dad was a radio DJ in college during the mid-seventies. I grew up listening to the likes of Supertramp, Chicago, Elton John,  and The Who, and would often dance around the living room to the tunes of Led Zeppelin, while my dad told me stories of the local bands he used to interview, like Max Webster (also in my record collection). After recognizing my love for music, my mom then enrolled me into piano lessons at the age of eight, and I made my way up through the Conservatory Of Music. Although I still have the odd dance around the living room and now only play piano occasionally, my love for classic rock and classical music has not changed. It has grown along with me, and now I make every effort to see the bands I was once too young to see.

So when I stumbled across a contest held by Turn The Record Over to see The Music Of Queen: A Rock & Symphonic Spectacular, I entered every e-ballot possible. One of my all-time favourite musical groups + the entire Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony? Yes, please!  The show was dancing-in-the-aisles fantastic, and the performers did every Queen song justice. There is still a perma smile on my face, and my voice is hoarse from singing along to every word. If you get a change to see this show in your town or city, GO! Drop all your plans, get yourself a seat, and be prepared for a fun evening that even Freddie Mercury would be proud of.

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SPARK SESSIONS 2015

Spark Sessions was started from a desire to “create a space where like-minded bloggers and influencers could get together for a weekend of learning, networking, and fun.” The theme of this year’s workshop was “Beyond The Blog – An Outlook On Social Influence”, and was full of inspiring influencers from across the social map.

The conference has been on my radar for quite some time, so I was thrilled that I was going to be able to attend this year. One of the universal themes from every speaker’s presentation at the workshop was positive encouragement. It’s all about showing your fellow influencers some love! Leaving a comment on their blog…giving them a ❤ on Instagram…retweeting something they’ve posted…you get the idea.

Although I am new to the game of personal blogging (I blog a lot for work), I’ve been on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for a while now. Most of my interactions on these platforms have been pure randomness, but after this workshop, I am beyond excited about what my future on social media looks like.

If you are a blogger in the fashion or beauty industry, or just a new blogger looking for some advice on how to make a splash in this social world, be sure to check out the next Spark Sessions. Until then, I thought I’d open up this post as a place to show some love and encouragement. Feel free to share your blog or social handles in the comments below and I’ll be sure to check you out!

Where to find me: Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Periscope | Polyvore