Forget “New Year, New Me” and Try a New Mindset

We’ve seen it all over social media. I swear, everyone and their dog has tweeted “new year, new me.”

Well, unless you undergo extensive plastic surgery and somehow get all new chromosomes, a new you is pretty impossible. At the end of the day, it’s not you who is changing in your attempts to become the “ideal you” when attempting your New Years Resolutions. So, save the tweet and go do something about it by changing your mindset.

Everyone always talks about their New Years Resolutions – and by the line of people waiting to sign up for a gym membership this morning, I can tell people are jumping on the bandwagon of starting this “new them.” Want to know the difference between the people who will last a week at the gym and will last until 2016? Who changed their mindset and who did not.

I don’t believe in creating a new me, but instead creating a list of new journeys I want to take on and embrace the journeys of the year ahead. I don’t believe in needing a “new me,” but a new mindset to help me accomplish what I want to.

Change your mindset that it is okay to say goodbye to what is unnecessary. Want to keep all the drama and B-S of 2014 in the past? Delete all your text messages. Purge all those unneeded, and unwanted, cell phone contacts first.

Before today, I had over 500 contacts. In reality, do I need my lab partner from ninth grade biology, that random girl my little and I met one night and swore we were going to be best friends with, or that total random from the club? Nope. Delete, delete, and definite delete.

Now, I will make it a habit to delete my text messages on the regular and delete contacts when they are unnecessary. To continue on with this changed mindset, I am also donating all clothes that I haven’t worn in over a year from my closet.

Change your mindset that is okay to indulge, whether it be in the kitchen or in the wallet – you work your hardest, so you deserve a splurge once in a while! Want to work towards your dream body? Realize that most of working out is a mindset in itself. First off, you need to workout. Go to the gym, find a workout class that you love, or find a Pinterest workout that you can do right at home (check out my “Fitness Finds” Pinterest board for ideas). Second you need to eat healthy. However, it seems that when people make it a New Years Resolution to loose weight, they quickly put all their worth on the number the scale says. You are more than this number, so if you want to eat that doughnut or piece of chocolate- go for it. If you’ve been working hard in the gym and in the kitchen, that one piece of junk food isn’t going to deter you completely from your goals.

For me, I love going to workout classes, like Zumba and kickboxing, and keep them interesting by going with friends and sorority sisters. I also try to eat healthy, especially since my body acts funky if I do not thanks to not having a gall bladder. However, I let myself know that it’s okay to eat that cupcake. The thing is, I’ve learned to know that my will power will never not let me eat the cupcake. I can plan to eat like a Victoria’s Secret model all I want, but put a red velvet cupcake in my vision and I am D-O-N-E. However, I’ve learned that it’s okay to indulge. One just needs to know that there is a limit – eat the dessert three times a week, or even have one day of eating whatever you want. It’s when you start to eat whatever you want everyday that you’ve changed the indulgence into a habit, and you’ve lost that mindset.

Change your mindset that you need to live in the moment, but still plan ahead. Make it your mindset to find a happy medium between the two. Yes, I do plan ahead when it comes to events and my planner. However, everyday can become a shopping spree – and that is not thinking ahead. I’m not a Chrisley, so I can’t just swipe a credit card and call it a day. I need to think about the future when it comes to my spending habits.

For me, my biggest mindset in 2015 is focusing on my wallet. I relate a little too much to “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” something my bank account isn’t always a fan of. I’ve downloaded apps to keep myself on track with my paychecks and put myself on a budget. (Gosh, I hate that “b” word). I turn 21 soon, so I know I’m going to want to go on a lot more adventures then. So do I truly need that shirt that I just have to have? Do I really need to get a fourth coffee this week from Dunkin? Do I really need to get that newest beauty product that I’m going to try once and then dump into a drawer? No, no, and no. I’m changing my mindset of finding a happy medium, so when I’m 21 in 2 months I can have the experiences I really want!

What are some mindsets that you want to work on during 2015? Comment below and let me know!

Remember to embrace the journey that is 2015 because life won’t sparkle unless you do!

4Jan2015

Hello, 2015! I’m Coming for You!

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy New Year, my sparkling readers!

With 2015 already underway, I’ve been writing down many, many post ideas in my Victoria Secret notepad. As with life, you learn more and more with blogging as the time goes by. With almost a year and a half under my belt, I can safely say that these ideas are some of my best yet. It’s time for “Sparkle and Shine” to become your go to guide, to all things to help your life sparkle! That means more beauty posts, fashion posts (I have my first Outfit of the Day post planned out), and more. I’m on a mission to not only have my life sparkle, but to help add some sparkle to yours!

2015 is already starting out on the right foot for me, adding a lot of sparkle to my life! In 2014, I received the amazing opportunity to earn a contract with the one and only Seventeen as a member of their Social Club. For years, I have scrolled through the pages of the magazine learning about beauty hints, fashion go-tos and faux pas, and more. Now, it was my turn to learn more and help decide on beauty picks, fashion picks, and more for the glossy pages of the magazine. At the end of the year, the magazine asked me to renew my contract! I am too lucky to start this new year working for my favorite magazine yet again.

Also, If you haven’t already noticed, “Sparkle and Shine” got a makeover. New year, new you is the mantra all over CVS, which I am constantly staring at as I stock the newest beauty products. Well, it’s new year, new blog, too! I chugged a medium iced caramel swirl with skim one night, downloaded Photoshop, and went to town teaching myself the ins and outs of the Adobe program. As the hours ticked by, I ended the six hour night with a new header, new background, new meet me photo, and a new signature! The concept that “Life won’t sparkle unless you do,” readers, is still threaded throughout the new layout.

2015 is going to sparkle – for you and me! Stay with me in on the wild ride!

31Dec2014

Spending My Last Day of 2014 with Some Goodies from Seventeen Magazine

by sparkleandshinesami

This is a post on behalf of my contractual membership with “Seventeen Magazine” for the Seventeen Magazine Social Club.

Happy last day of 2014, readers! It’s officially page 365 in the 365 page book of 2014. Starting tomorrow, we are starting a new book – blank and ready for a fresh start.

Prior to ringing in the new year at work (save the champagne for next year when I’m 21), I’m spending my last day home – relaxing with some goodies that I received from Seventeen Magazine, as a part of my Holiday Sample Box.

1. Clean and Clear: Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub

One of my biggest beauty must haves is always making sure my face is washed and feels fresh and clean! I’ve been using Murad routinely, since Seventeen sent it to me months ago. I started using this Clean and Clear product and it truly does leave my face feeling clean. The scrub has a cooling sensation, so I can actually feel it going deep down into my pores and getting rid of dirt. Plus, it leaves my skin looking radiant!

2. New York City Color Proof Twistable Intense Lip

After being a biker chick for Halloween, I’ve realized I loved myself with a red lip! I always thought it would be too daring for me, but it turns out it wasn’t! This New York City lip is super easy to use – just twist, glide, and boom! you had that instant color on your lips! With Roosevelt Island Red, I”m looking forward to doing looks like this pin and this pin!

3. Blistex Ultra-Rich Hydrating Lip Balm

Move over Eos, I have a new lip balm I will be using! This new Blistex has a dual layer of extra hydration for smooth, healthy lips. My lips get so chapped during the winter, that this new Blistex is doing just the trick to keep them smooth and hydrated. Just because I’ll be in my work uniform and won’t be kissing anyone at midnight, it doesn’t mean I can’t have the smoothest of lips tonight!

4. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

I’m relaxing in my Tiffany box bedroom, in my new cupcake pajamas, reading my advanced copy of “All the Bright Places” by Jennifer Niven. I look forward every break to getting to spend time in my comfy bed reading a good book – and this was just the book I was looking for! The heart wrenching love story focuses on two love birds (or a love Finch and a flower, I could say), who meet in an unlikely place – at the top of their school’s bell tower, contemplating to jump. What happens next as the two continue a journey together of wandering left me laughing, crying, and everything in between. It is a must- read!

Enjoy your last day of 2014 tonight, my sparkling readers! Remember, tomorrow starts page 1 of a new book – make sure to write a good one!

20Dec2014

Sami’s Holiday Guide: Craft Your Own Canvas

by sparkleandshinesami

So you waited until last minute to get all your Christmas gifts and it’s already the Saturday before – now what?

Well, this time, readers, is for you to break out your paint brush and craft gifts from the heart. Avoid the craziness of the malls and mile long lines by crafting. A personal favorite gift of mine to craft are canvases!

Here are some canvas ideas from myself, a fellow Alpha Delta Pi sister from Florida State University, and some Pinterest faves that are on my Crafting Queen Pinterest Board to make.

Here is the canvas I made for my little for Christmas:

Over the summer, I got in touch with Madie, a fellow ADPi sister who had an Etsy shop. She took a break from her Etsy shop recently, but by visiting the page, you can sign up to receive an e-mail for when she returns! Here are two of Madie’s canvases, that I have hanging in my dorm room at school:

And for more ideas, here are some of my favorite canvases that I have recently pinned:

Hope that these examples can help inspire you for any last minute gifts.

Happy crafting!

18Dec2014

Sami’s Holiday Guide: Simply Monogram iPhone Case

by sparkleandshinesami

This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Someone please tell me how Christmas is one week away and for all of you readers who celebrate Hannakuah, you are already celebrating! I feel like I was just starting my Black Friday shopping list and now I’m baking cookies for Christmas Eve and wrapping gifts.

Now let’s be honest, most of us are still getting our last minute gifts. Look no further because Simply Monogram, from Etsy, has the perfect gift.

It’s 2014 – almost everyone has a smart phone. More importantly, a large number of these people have dropped their phone and shattered their screen. (I know I’m not the only guilty one). Well, Simply Monogram has the perfect protective cases with your monogram on it.

The Etsy shop sent me this full wrap case and I have never been more satisfied with a phone case!

Whether you love chevron, glitter, stripes, or flowers, Simply Monogram has all the designs that you could imagine.

The site offers over 300 items for iPhone 4s, iPhone 5s, and iPhone 6s. They even offer cases for your iPads. Don’t own an Apple product? If you have a Galaxy, they have cases, too!

The site has over 25,000 reviews – all positive – so you know that you can trust both me, as well as these other users, that these phones will be well worth the price.

As if you needed another reason to purchase a case from Simply Monogram, I have a coupon code just for you! Enter SIMPLY10OFF at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase.

Now head on over and purchase a phone case for whoever is left on your shopping list – or even for yourself.

1Dec2014

Sami’s Holiday Guide: Reasons Why I Love You Mason Jar

by sparkleandshinesami

As the total sorority girl that I am, I love to craft gifts for people.

Crafting is a great way to make a personal gift for someone who love, while expressing yourself. I also find it as a great stress reliever.

For Amber, as most of you know is my little diamond, I recently crafted a mason jar to hold all of the reasons I love her and she is the perfect little for me!

Tell your best friend, your big, your little, your boyfriend/girlfriend, your parents, anyone how much you love them with this mason jar craft.

Supplies for this craft include a mason jar, decorate flower or what you chose to place on the top, ribbon, hot glue, Popsicle sticks, and decorative letters.

Here’s how:

Glue decorative ribbon onto a plain piece of ribbon. I used white and rhinestone to go with the color scheme I was using for the mason jar.

Make sure you hot glue so it stays together for longer, verses Elmer’s glue. This craft is going to require a lot of hot glue, so make sure you have enough hot glue sticks!

You need to then continue the prep work by decorating the lid of the mason jar.

I bought a flower from the headband section of Joann’s. For the decorative piece of top, you can truly explore the craft store – even items you already have around your house or dorm room. You want this piece to be something pretty and truly draws your eye to the craft when completed.

Hot glue the bottom of the decorative piece to stick onto the lid.

Firmly press the decorative piece onto the mason jar’s lid. You want to make sure it stays!

Then, hot glue the back of your ribbon to hot glue it around the now completed lid.

Now, it is time to start decorating the mason jar itself. On the jar, write whatever you want to label it! Label it as “Why I Love You,” “Reasons I Love You,” or whatever else your heart desires. I went with “Reasons Your Big Loves You” on Amber’s mason jar. To make it easier for myself, I pulled all the letters off of the sticker sheet first.

Then, I put hot glue on the back of the letters….
…and then I stuck them onto the jar!

Now, it is time to get sentimental! On Popsicle sticks, write all of the reasons why you love that person! It was Amber’s 20th birthday, so I wrote 20 different reasons as to why she is the perfect little for me. Here are some examples, as I wrote them on with a Sharpie marker (in blue, notice, to continue with the color scheme):

And ta-da, my sparkling readers, it’s done!

If you make the Reason I Love You mason jar, tell me about it in the comments below.

Happy crafting and happy holiday season!

24Nov2014

Sami’s Holiday Guide: Treat Holiday Cards

by sparkleandshinesami

Hello, readers!

In about one month it’ll be Christmas Eve – which means that the next 30 days will be filled with shopping trips, crafting, and online shopping to make sure that you have the perfect presents for friends and loved ones for the holiday season.

However, with daily life stressors – this can become rather hard. This is why I am stepping in and creating Sami’s Holiday Guide to help you all find the perfect gifts, crafts, and more for this holiday season!

In the first installment of Sami’s Holiday Guide, check out the perfect place to make all of your holiday cards – Treat.

Treat is a subcategory of Shutterfly, the popular photo gift site. Treat offers a variety of different options for your holiday cards this season. You can shop by certain recipient for your holiday card, such as grandparents. The site also offers a variety of photo or non-photo cards for different holiday occasions. The new feature, the card multiplier, allows you to make a personalized card and then duplicate the card for multiple recipients. Treat prides itself on being personal, convenient, and helpful.

I worked with Treat recently – and can gladly say that the site truly is personal, convenient, and helpful.

Four of the most important people in my life have birthdays within weeks of each other – my mom, my big, my little, and my best friend. I worked with Treat to personalize birthday cards for each of them. Check them out!

My mom’s card:

My big’s card:

My little’s card:

My best friend’s card:

As you can see, the cards came out absolutely amazing! They all loved their cards – they add a much more sentimental touch than any card I could have bought at a Hallmark store. More importantly, I loved the quality of each card. Plus, they came in super quick.

I don’t think I’ll ever buy a card from a site other than Treat, including my holiday cards! Stop by the site to place your order for holiday cards and stay with “Sparkle and Shine” to see what else will be added to the gift guide!

12Nov2014

Thanks to Kate, get 15% off Serengetee!

by sparkleandshinesami

I’ve got a hump day treat for you, readers! You can get 15% off your purchase from Serengetee!

One of my very good friends since freshman year, Kate, is a a rep for Serengetee. As an avid Sparkle and Shine fan, she knows how much you all love discounts and deals. So, Kate was able to explain a little bit more about the site and give you all a 15% off deal!

Here’s what Kate had to say….

Serengetee was started in 2012 by a group of friends after traveling the world on Semester at Sea. Their goal is to connect people to the globe through fabric while giving back to the communities that inspire and create the fabrics. Each fabric is teamed up with a different cause located in the region that fabric came from. As a result, Serengetee is supporting local fabric makers and causes in their communities!

Serengetee sells pocket tees, hats, backpacks, shorts and more! The fabrics support 32 causes by giving back 5% of each purchase. Causes are all around the world spreading across Africa, Asia, Central, South, and North America, Europe, and the South Pacific. Some of the most popular are The DAR Project, Reef Check, Generosity Water, Whole Planet Foundation, and Soles4Souls. Celebrities Tyler Posey, Jimmy Tatro, the guys of The Buried life, and Living on One have teamed up with Serengetee to create fabrics and pair them with their favorite causes.

As a rep, I help spread Serengetee awareness on campus by posting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Along with that I wear their shirts, create other promotions and get to offer everyone 15% off their purchases throughout my time as a rep.

All you have to do is follow the link and use the code when you check out: http://fbuy.me/bj3q_

And BOOM! 15% OFF YOUR PURCHASE!

By wearing Serengetee, you’re wearing the world and changing the world.

With the holiday season coming up, what a perfect way to give cute gifts and make a difference. Thanks for the 15% off, Kate!

11Nov2014

Bringing my Pinterest Board to Life: CINDERELLA WEDDING XO

by sparkleandshinesami

Ask me how I spend my (rare) spare time and I will tell you one place: Pinterest.

Since I shared my first pinning adventure with you all, over a year ago, I have found everything I have ever needed on this site – from what I make my best friends for their birthdays, my favorite quotes that I set my phone’s lock screen to, and get ideas for every one of my bulletin boards as an RA. So, I decided to start a new group of posts entitled “Bringing My Pinterest Board to Life.”

So come jump inside my brain and my Pinterest Board, entitled “CINDERELLA WEDDING XO,” to learn all about my future wedding.

Like many other little girls, I have always dreamed about my wedding day. The big, white wedding dress, the beautiful church, and every other moment of the most special day of my life. Every other girl I know has know been able to transform this once day dream into a Pinterest broard filled with every detail she imagined from a young age.

Check out some of my favorite details. If you like them for your own wedding board, check out the pink “PIN HERE!” on each photo.

PIN HERE!

So one way that I want my Cinderella wedding to really come to life is by having a horse drawn carriage. I love this pin because of how the carriage is decorated with flowers and lights.

PIN HERE!

Pinterest offers a variety of different photo shoot ideas and this is one that I absolutely love! I would change it up, however, and do it on my actual wedding day, with my bridesmaids in their bridesmaids dresses (which will be Cinderella blue, of course) and me in my wedding gown.

PIN HERE!

One of my favorite parts of the Pinterest wedding section is all of the ways it allows you to honor a deceased loved one. This pin encompasses two details I would want to honor my deceased father at my wedding. First, I would want to have my something blue be a piece of a blue shirt of his, cut out in the shape of a heart, sewn in right where my heart is. Then, on my bouquet, would feature a photo of him, my two great grandmas, and my grandma. Danielle Jonas did this as a way to remember her loved ones at her wedding and it’s become very popular ever since! Plus, I would have my Alpha Delta Pi pin on the bouquet, just like this pin shows:

PIN HERE!

PIN HERE!

Based on the way I need caffeine now, I can’t imagine how much I will need pumping through my veins many, many years from now on my wedding day! According to Pinterest, if you go to Starbucks and tell them it’s your wedding – you get a free coffee! That’s definitely an opportunity I won’t be passing up! Some other fun wedding hacks I found on Pinterest include mailing an invitation to the President to receive a congratulatory letter from him and the First Lady (or Her and the First Man, possibly by the time I get married!) or send an invitiation to Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse to receive an autographed “just married” button.

PIN HERE!

My dream is to have a full wedding party – including a flower girl and ring barrier! I would love for my flower girl to have a big, puffy dress like this gorgeous one shown above.

PIN HERE!

To continue to stick with the Cinderella theme, I love these customized dress hangers! They would be so cute to have to keep my wedding dress on, as well as ones for my my bridesmaids – each one saying Bridesmaid in the wire script!

PIN HERE!

For those who are actually getting married soon, Pinterest offers a variety of different helpful ways to plan your wedding, including budgeting, how tos, and so much more! This pin shows how to plan a wedding in 17 simple steps, including statistics and ideas to help you create your own dream day. Pinterest also offers a variety of other helpful information, such as the hidden cost of a wedding, the official list of who pays for what, and ten things to do the night before your wedding.

Now it looks like I’m only missing one key part…. THE BOY…whoops!

Well, until then, I have my perfect Pinterest board to help me put together the big day-even though it isn’t for many more years (don’t worry, mom).

4Nov2014

Top Instagrams of the Month: October 2014

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy November, readers!

I can’t believe it’s already November. Now that Halloween has come and gone, it’s time to start listening to Christmas music, pinning possible crafts to make for gifts on Pinterest, and thinking about all the turkey I’ll be eating on Thanksgiving! Aggressive? I’m sure. But it’s about to start the most exciting time of the year.

Don’t get me wrong, I love October. I love the start of falling, the pumpkin picking, the apple picking, and over sized sweaters with leggings. This October was super busy – based on my Instagram, you can see all about my Halloween shenanigans, prep for my semi formal, ADPi events, apple picking, and other fall activities. But which got the most likes? Let’s check it out!

The photo of mine with the most likes was from my sorority event called “Bowties and ADPis.” My best friend Ben and I got down and derby at the event, playing croquet, drinking lemonade, and other outdoor games.

Life is just so sweet – just like cotton candy! One of my best friends has his own cotton candy company! He helped another one of our best friends run a cotton candy event, so I decided to step in, too, and make some delicious cotton candy! Yum!

Going off the first photo, to celebrate “Bowties and ADPis” my chapter and I ordered super cute tank tops! Here my little diamond, Amber, and I showed ours off. I could not have planned the event if it wasn’t for Amber’s help!

November is going to be an exciting month, too! I’ve already posted a picture from my semi formal, School of Communications Honor Society induction ceremony, and from ADPi’s King of Diamonds philanthropy event! Stay up to date with my month of November by following me on Instagram.

In the meantime, see what Instagram pictures got the most likes in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, and September!

Hope you all have a great November, readers! Keep sparkling!