2024 Shawnee Cave Total Solar Eclipse Festival (April 5-8, 2024)

We pulled off the most incredible 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Festival at the Shawnee Cave Amphitheater last weekend and everyone is still buzzing about the festivities! We threw one heck of a good party and we have several more festivals planned for the remainder of 2024. We had the time of out lives, to say the least :) Below, I curated some of my graphics and family fun moments throughout the event. If you would like to see more of our traditional photos covering the past weekend, please visit us on Instagram or Facebook.

Above, my poster design which inspired the event t-shirts. Below, Travis and I at the Shawnee Cave.

Me and the venue owner, Alexis. Look at our shirts!!!

We had such a fantastic lineup and we made sure to personally thank each and every one of the bands for their incredible talents and hard work.

Above, we had great success with our Grateful Dead inspired graphics I made, which were completely inspired by one of our headliners, Terrapin Flyer Band - a 20+ year Grateful Dead tribute band from Chicago, IL. They played Sunday and Monday, April 7-8, and the second day (the day of the eclipse), they completely rocked the stage and played before and after the 202 Total Solar Eclipse! Below is my poster singed by every band member. What an unforgettable experience.

Below, one of the most successful and entertaining aspects of the festival was our Eclipse Eve Late Night Dance Party (another fun graphic I tested out for this one)! Midwest Music Supply’s lights and sound production got to test out their new lighting setups and it went over flawlessly! This was the great beginning to festival season.

For more information about upcoming Cave shows, visit www.ShawneeCave.fun!

Below, a great view from the Eagle’s Nest at the Shawnee Cave!

Shawnee Cave Amphitheater Venue Owners, Shane and Alexis Wade.

Travis looking fly in eclipse glasses & my t-shirt design!

Travis has been getting his setlists signed for decades :)

Frank & Gandolph

Travis shot the most amazing eclipse progression photos!

I just love this man so very much :) He was a huge support throughout the entire weekend and leading up to the festival.

Most of the photos here are just fun family pics, but if you would like to see what I have been sharing on the Shawnee Cave socials, visit them on Facebook and Instagram! Until next time, friends!

Passion Defined - Rémy Refined (Event Recap)

Last week, I was invited to a concert in St. Louis by Rémy Martin! The event was held at Hollywood Casino Amphitheater (formerly called Riverport Amphitheatre). There was a HUGE crowd, and everyone was having a great time. I was put on a list to do a Meet & Greet with Jhene Aiko, who opened for Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa on The High Road Tour, as well as helped Rémy Martin promote their mentorship sweepstakes. 

I waited in line to meet the woman of the hour, and she was super sweet and very personable. She's so beautiful!!! I even scored an awesome photo with her! What a unique experience this was. A special thanks to SoFabRocks for connecting me with this awesome brand, talented artist, and fun experience. 

Also, if you didn't get a chance to check out my Rémy Martin Watermelon Cocktail Cooler Recipe, you can find that blog post, here. Until next time, cheers, friends!

A Summer Boho Makeup Idea For Music Festivals #playbeautifully with e.l.f.

Summer festivals are in full swing, and I am so incredibly inspired by the makeup trends and clothing styles. I am beyond happy that the boho look has lasted this long, and I hope it's here to stay for a long time. I wanted to share a few makeup items that I would definitely recommend taking to your next music festival, or wearing to your next concert! 

The Makeup Featured In This Post Includes:

Cream Eyeliner in Teal Tease 

Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Celebration and Toast

Lip Balm with SPF 15 Sunscreen in Nude

Lip Lacquer in Purple

Hypershine Lip Gloss in Vixen

---

My favorite items were these three lip colors, and they're all around $3.00 - the perfect price for trying out a new color to see if it's something you are going to wear more than once. 

The lip lacquer, in purple had TONS of color to it, and I know that purple lips have been so popular this summer. The middle one, the hypershine gloss, in vixen, was also very bright, in a good way, and very flattering with just about any makeup look. The SPF 15 lip sunscreen, although the color is nude, I loved the hint of color, and light shimmer (not glittery, luckily), and I also really like the fact that this has SPF. It's incredibly smooth and creamy, making me think that this would be perfect for any time you head out this summer. 

---

I am constantly inspired by all of the amazing, boho fashion and makeup ideas I find on Pinterest on a daily basis! I created a Pinterest Board, called Music Festival & Concert Fashion, where I keep track of all of my finds! 

Below, you can see how lovely the Lip Balm with SPF 15 looks! I can see this color (nude) looking great on so many skin tones. And, this won't make it look like you're wearing a ton of makeup. Just enhance your natural beauty, and also protect your lips - they're so sensitive that they deserve a bit of protection! 

My Week In Images

We had a really fun time this past week and a half (give or take). We went to Louisville and St. Louis for two Mike Gordon concerts, stayed in great hotels, and drank our fair share of Bloody Mary's and Tequila Drinks :) I'd say that's a good start to "summer" if I do say so myself! 

We used to travel to way more shows a few years ago than we do now. When Bobby and I first met in 2005 (yes, this year marked TEN years, and I'm so happy!!), we used to go to concerts every weekend or two, mostly in St. Louis and Chicago. We would see bands like Widespread Panic (75+ shows!), and lots of bluegrass shoes, and attend lots of festivals every summer. 

We have been going to far less concerts lately. The music scene here in Carbondale just isn't anything that is sparking my fancy. We used to get a few good bands through the area (mostly bluegrass), playing at out favorite venue in town, The Hangar 9, but it seems like the better the music, the smaller the crowd. It's sad to see less than ten people attending a concert, I'm sure it would be hard to survive on ticket sales when there's no one there! 

It's also harder now to leave the dogs home with a friend watching them, with Lily not in her best health, and we do realize how expensive it gets to see a show for just one night. The hotel can easily be $100 + Tickets + Drinks = $$OUCH! So, now that we do these shows less often, they are even more special! 

A SHOW + BRUNCH IN LOUISVILLE, KY

The Mercury Ballroom in Louisville was a great place to see a show! 

Gordo Show was rockin'!!! So much fun!

We stayed right next to the Mercury Ballroom at The Hilton Garden Hotel The rooms were incredibly nice.

We brunched at Wild Eggs in Louisville before we went home, their Bloody Mary was not super strong, but really really good. Hot Chocolate (below) was good, too!

The second best waffle ever, second only to the Passion Pie Cafe, in Truth or Consequences, NM. 

ON TO ST. LOUIS

A couple of nights later, we headed to St. Louis to see the boys again! We stayed in the hotel right next to the venue, where the band also stayed, which is always cool. The Moonrise Hotel is also dog (and cat) friendly, and so we decided to bring the dogs along for some fun.

See, our dogs LOVE the Moonrise Hotel!

Round TWO, We had a little fun mixing drinks for ourselves before the show at The Pageant. 

The Pageant is a place where we have been many times. It's usually PACKED beyond belief, which makes is hard for a short girl like myself to see the stage if we want to dance in the GA area, in front of the stage. But, we were pleasantly surprised to see the place less than half-full. This was one of the first times I have ever been able to get up to almost front row for my favorite band, ever! They put on such a good show, and the vibe of the crowd was also great, also not always the case.

After the show, I visited the merch table and met the band. I even chilled with them for a bit, an experience I will never forget! The poster from STL was one of the best we have seen for Gordo, also, and were super happy to pick up two copies of the poster, and had Mike sign the poster that wasn't already up in the room :) Wow, what a fun night. 

AND MY BROTHER GRADUATED...

My brother also graduated high school and I am SO proud of him! He also turned 18 yesterday! Time flies...FAST

It was nice to spend time back home last weekend. Springfield (IL) has grown quite a bit. Their downtown area is much nicer than it was when we lived there about 10 years ago, and there are more small businesses downtown than there used to be. My mom visited the Farmer's Market, Urban Sassafras, Vintage Pop and the connected antique furniture stores, and Shabby Shack - a shop with hand painted furniture. We had a great time and I will post about those fun businesses soon! 

What To Wear To A Music Festival

Summer is fast approaching, and many music festivals already have tickets on sale, and initial lineups announced. If you are lucky enough to be attending a music festival or two this year, here are a few fashionable suggestions. I always tend to go for more boho styles, and have been to about 20+ festivals, and hundreds of concerts.  Also, for TONS of inspirations, check out my Pinterest Board called Music Festival and Concert Fashion. 

SUN PROTECTION / HATS / SUNGLASSES

Hats are a MUST if you're going to be out in the sun all day. They not only protect your beautiful face, but they help keep your hair tamed while you are camping. You may even want to bring some dry shampoo, in case a shower isn't as easy to find as expected. Make sure you bring a good SPF, too!! Make sure you drink plenty of water (in addition to whatever else you drink!!), stay in the shade when possible, and try to avoid heat exhaustion and sunburn, as it will completely ruin your festival experience.

FOOTWEAR

I always opt for flat shoes, with some padding or support if possible, whether they are sandals, sneakers, or boots. The benefit to closed toe shoes would be that you can wear ankle socks underneath them. I like to wear something with some cushion - YOU WILL BE WALKING AND DANCING A LOT! I do think it's fun to go a bit dressier in style, rather than your oldest kicks, as shoes can make or break an outfit. Just know that whatever shoes you wear will get dusty and dirty, so don't bring your nicest shoes, or ones that you can't replace. And, make sure they are versatile for whatever outfits you create. I love the idea of embellishing your own boots, too! 

OUTFIT INSPIRATIONS

If you're wondering what to pack for a festival, make sure you bring clothes that are comfortable, good for the weather, and feel free to show a little bit of skin! The majority of the girls there will be, so let loose and have fun with your outfits! Bring a few bikini tops, band shirt, tank tops, kimonos, distressed denim shorts, skirts, and lots of fun, boho jewelry and hair accessories. 

ACCESSORIES / JEWELRY / PURSES

Pile on the bracelets, long necklaces, ankle bracelets, rings, flower crowns, headbands, and metallic temporary tattoos. These types of accessories can really make an ordinary outfit jump into the boho realm in no time! Also a little body paint may be fun if you are talented with a brush. Make sure you don't get any crazy tan lines/marks though :) A backpack purse or a bag with a  long strap is also great, so your hands can stay free while dancing your heart out! 

Well, I hope you've enjoyed some of my Festival Inspirations! Check out MY PINS for tons more inspiration!