My Pretty Little Liars & Chasing Life Party

by sparkleandshinesami

My contract with Seventeen Magazine, as a member of Seventeen Magazine’s Seventeen Social Club, helped me land a once in a lifetime opportunity.

To kick off the “Pretty Little Liars” season premiere last night and the premiere of ABC Family’s new show “Chasing Life,” Seventeen Magazine and ABC Family sent me promotional goodies for myself and some friends. To celebrate the premiere of the shows and the awesome goodies, I hosted a Pretty Little Liars/Chasing Life premiere party (#PLLChasingLifeParty).

My friends (starting from left to the right, in the back) Jenny, Kathleen, Jenna, Lawlah, Allie, Julia, and Vanessa came over to celebrate to start of the premiere with all of our amazing goodies!

Some of the goodies ABC Family sent for our #PLLChasingLifeParty were orange Chasing Life bags! They were super cute and the right size to keep some of the other goodies ABC Family sent us in.

We had so much fun with the other promotional goodies – such as the beach balls, “Pretty Little Liars” and “Chasing Life” mini posters, and ABC Family summer season lineup fans.

Coasters featuring ABC Family’s summer shows were also included. They were perfect to put our drinks on…..

…and to keep the “Pretty Little Liars” fun going during the commercial breaks!

ABC Family also included a WATCH ABC Family flyer and “Pretty Little Liars” season 4 DVD coupons.

As a party host for ABC Family, through Seventeen Magazine, I tweeted some of the pictures above. The official ABC Family Pretty Little Liars twitter account and official ABC Family Chasing Life twitter account retweeted me twice. Now, images of my friends and I at our #PLLChasingLifeParty have over 100 likes each, over 20 retweets each, and I’ve gained a bunch of new followers.

Whenever people tweet at me asking how I received all these awesome goodies for my friends and I, I just tell them that I’m lucky enough to be working with Seventeen Magazine thanks to “Sparkle and Shine.”

Thanks ABC Family and Seventeen Magazine for this opportunity!

P.S. readers, The Collegiate Standard is still offering 10% off with coupon code SAMI10. Head on over to get your shopping on while the coupon is still available!

9Jun2014

My Monday Musts

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy Monday, readers!

Hope you all had a sparkling and shining week! I know I say every week is crazy and hectic, but this past week seemed to have take the cake for busiest week of summer yet.

I spent Monday in Pennsylvania with some of my college best friends. We went hiking to a water fall, stuffed our faces in Chinese food, and caught up on what we’ve missed in each other’s lives for the month we’ve been apart. Though we use the GroupMe app everyday to stay in touch, it was so nice to finally get to be together!

This past week held a lot of exciting opportunities for Sparkle and Shine. Two of them will be explained in this week’s Monday Musts. Before we jump into them, I just want to remind you about my partnership with The Collegiate Standard! Use coupon code SAMI10 to get 10% off your purchase! Plus, money from your purchase will go towards whatever Greek organization you made your purchase for. You can read more about it in yesterday’s blog post.

Now that you’ve read about The Collegiate Standard – and made a purchase – it’s time for you to read what made it onto this week’s Monday Musts!

1. I’m now a Makeoverly Expert!

Makeoverly is first EVER online Q&A magazine for beauty and fashion. Ask your question and fashion and beauty bloggers, make up artists, journalists, and others experts answer your questions. After checking out Sparkle and Shine, Makeoverly decided that I would make for a good expert. Head on over to the site and ask any fashion or beauty question you may have, then have it answered by myself and other experts!

2. I’m now a member of 20 Something Bloggers

Have you noticed that new badge on the side saying “I’m a Member of 20 Something Bloggers” yet? Well, go check it out because I am now a member! The application based blogging network accepted me this week to connect with other 20 something year old bloggers from around the web. I’ve only been in this network for a few days, but I’ve already learned that there are so many great opportunities! I can’t wait to see what else 20SB will bring for Sparkle and Shine!

3. “Toxic” By Sara Shephard

This past week Sara Shephard release the 15th novel in the “Pretty Little Liars” novel series, which happens to be the second to last novel in the series! It’s summertime in Rosewood and the police believe that it’s been weeks since they put to end murderous A’s reign of terror. However, the Liars know that the real A is still out there and that nothing in Rosewood will ever be the same while A is still on the loose. While dealing with A, Hannah is offered the role of a lifetime in a movie about her own life. Aria’s artwork goes viral. Spencer starts an antibullying blog, but things don’t seem to go as positive for her as Sparkle and Shine has been doing for me. Finally, Emily ends up doing whatever it takes to reconnect with her one true love – even if that means ending up behind bars. While all the girls are all wrapped up in their own lives, they must remember A will stop at nothing to bring them down. I’m so excited to start the novel and continue on with my PLL obsession!

And that Pretty Little Liars obsession of mine can continue – with the start of the newest season on ABC Family premiering tomorrow! ABC Family, Seventeen Magazine, and Sparkle and Shine has partnered up to host a Pretty Little Liars viewing party. Nine of my friends and I will be celebrating the premiere of the newest season at my house tomorrow night with fun goodies from ABC Family – just another perk of the Seventeen Magazine Social Club!

Tune into Pretty Little Liars tomorrow night, have an amazing week, and keep sparkling!

8Jun2014

Set YOUR Collegiate Standard This Summer

by sparkleandshinesami

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

I’ve been home from college for about a month now and there is nothing I miss more than my Alpha Delta Pi sisters. I miss everything from doing ritual with them to impromptu diner runs and hour long heart to hearts to sharing clothes for the perfect weekend outfit. My sisters truly live for me each and every day.

Thanks to Collegiate Standard, these ladies won’t to be too far away from my heart because I will be wearing my letters, proudly, on a necklace!

The lavaliere features a Swaroski Clear Crystal with sterling silver letters and a sterling silver chain. To see the exact one featured here, you can check it out HERE on the Collegiate Standard website!

After reading this, does The Collegiate Standard ring a bell to you, readers? Well, they’ve worked with Sparkle and Shine before. Just like in that post, The Collegiate Standard and I are working together to help YOU set your own collegiate standard this summer.

Sorority girls spend a lot of money – between dues and daily Starbucks trips, money seems to disappear in the blink of an eye. That’s why Collegiate Standard and I are giving you the coupon code SAMI10 to save 10% off your entire purchase! That 10% saved just may be your next Mocha Frappachino!

The Collegiate Standard offers rings, necklaces, and other pieces of jewelry for not only sorority women, but fraternity men. Being a member of a Greek organization means wearing your letters with pride, so whether you are male or female, you can wear your letters with pride thanks to The Collegiate Standard!

Now head on over to The Collegiate Standard, enter coupon code SAMI10 at the end of check out, and wear your beautiful officially Greek Licensed jewelry with pride!

PLUS, did I mention you’ll be getting free shipping AND money from your purchase will go towards the Greek organization your piece of jewelry is purchased for. Now head on over there now!

2Jun2014

My Monday Musts

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy Monday, readers!

I hope you’ve all had a fabulous week and had time to relax yesterday and check out yesterday’s post about my Top Instagrams of May. I will be continuing on with my adventures today by going to visit one of my college best friends with a few of our other best friends! It hasn’t even been a full month, but I am missing my best friends from college so much. I can’t wait to reunite with them later today, go hiking, laugh until we cry, and post many Instagram pictures.

But more about that will be shared with you in next week’s Monday Musts,

Here is this week’s Monday Musts!

1. Neighbors

What could get better than Zac Efron and Dave Franco starring in a movie together as frat guys? Mixing in Seth Rogan’s humor! I finally got to go see “Neighbors” and it was was so good! Between a shirtless Efron and plenty of fraternity stereotypes to make anyone in Greek life laugh, it was the perfect movie to go see with my best friend. It’s impossible for Seth Rogan to not be funny, and this film continues to prove that! In the film, labeled “family vs. frat,” the frat bros of the fictional fraternity Delta Psi Beta move in next door to recently married parents and their young baby. Soon, the neighbors have staged a war with each other. Will the family move out or will the hard partying frat be shut down? Find out by going to your local theater and checking out the film!

2. Little Problems Relaunched

I recently posted about my relationships with my big diamond, Katherine, and little diamond, Amber, while telling you about the Twitter account and shop Little Problems. I’ve have gotten closer to the company’s founder, while bonding over our love for being proud sorority women. To continue to share our love for being in a sorority, I want to let all you other sorority women know that they have relaunched! They have a brand new logo (equipped with chevron, a sorority girl’s favorite print) and great new products in their store. Make sure you go check out the site HERE ASAP.

3. “We Were Liars”

Now that I’ve officially finished the White Girl Problems series (which you can find out more about HERE and HERE), I have to start a new book to read. Now that Memorial Day has happened, I officially can consider it summer – which means spending lazy days floating in the pool and reading. While searching through my Nook of books recommended for me, I came across “We Were Liars,” which was reviewed to be as amazing as “The Fault in Our Stars” a.k.a. the greatest novel to ever exist! I recently downloaded it and already can’t put it down! I can’t wait to see what happens next in the twist and turning plot line of the life of Cadence Sinclair.

And now I’m off to Pennsylvania – sunglasses, Victoria’s Secret duffel and Michael Kors flip flops in tow to go reunite with Alyssa, Megan, and Kathleen!

Enjoy the rest of your week, readers! Keep sparkling!

1Jun2014

Top 3 Instagrams of the Month: May 2014

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy June, readers!

Those April showers brought more than just May flowers, it brought you my monthly edition of Top 3 Instagrams of the month!

May wasn’t as busy for me – once I finished tackling finals, I came home for the summer and immediately started working 40 hour work weeks. Though I haven’t been having much time as I would have wanted to spend blogging so far, don’t worry, readers! Now that I have a handle on how my schedule is going to be, I’ve already been filling my Lilly planner with post ideas and publishing dates.

Now, enough about the blog, check out my May Instagrams with the top likes!

On May 15, 1851 Alpha Delta Pi became the first sorority on the scene! I celebrated my love for the first and finest sorority by posting a picture of my chapter by posting a picture of my beautiful Theta Theta sisters and I on May 15! The photo was taken outside on our lovely quad during our Diamond Dash philanthropy event. The greatest decision I have made while being in college has been joining a sorority. I couldn’t be more thankful for our founders who created ADPi 163 years ado and I couldn’t be more blessed to live out the ritual those women created as an Alpha Delta Pi sister.

The most exciting event that occurred during May was my trip to the New York City Makeup Show with my little diamond, Amber, courtesty of press for Seventeen Magazine! In the post, which you can read HERE, Amber and I traveled to New York City to learn about makeup from some of the best in the business! Going to the makeup show, and getting to experience it with my little diamond, is just one of the many perks having a contract with Seventeen Magazine has given me!

The Instagram with the third most likes for May was a collage of some of the highlights from my second semester of sophomore year at Quinnipiac. Second semester of sophomore year held many great achievements – I was appointed the Director of Social Enrichment for my sorority, became my school’s weather girl for our news station, gained a contract with Seventeen Magazine, officially became an adult by turning 20, completed my second ever Relay for Life in honor of my father, made Dean’s List for the fourth time in a row, and just so much more. The laughs, the memories, and the friendships made during this semester will live long in my heart. It was quite a semester for the books!!

I can’t wait to see what the month of June will have for me – and what Instagram pictures I will be flooding your feed with. You can check out my top Instagrams from January, February, March, and April or follow me on Instagram to stay up to date on my life.

Enjoy June!

27May2014

Find out WHO is Unfollowing you on Twitter & Instagram!

by sparkleandshinesami

Hope you all had a sparkling Memorial Day weekend – hopefully it even included some delicious desserts, like these!

A few days ago, I was complaining to my friend Megan about how I noticed someone had unfollowed me on Instagram (yes, the true social media addict that I am noticed that someone had unfollowed me). I then continued to say that out of my hundreds of followers, I had no idea who it was and how mad I was that I couldn’t tell who it is.

Then, she introduced me to the wonderful world of InstaFollow.

When first downloading the free app, you must log into your Instagram account. From there, you can see who you follow that does not follow you back, as well as who follows you that you don’t follow. Whether you have so many followers you just can’t keep track of them all, or if you are (sort of) obsessed with your following to followers ratio, this app will help you out. Each time you log onto the app after your initial download, you will be able to see what new followers you have gained and who has unfollowed you.

Megan then told me that there is app that will do the same thing, but for your Twitter followers! This app is called FindUnfollow.

Just like with InstaFollow, you will have to first log into your Twitter account with the app. Then, start checking who has unfollowed you, what followers you have gained, and more! From the app, you can follow and unfollow people, as well.

So, social media addicts, why don’t you check out who is actually following you on Instagram and Twitter…

23May2014

Add Festivity to Your Memorial Day BBQs

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Not only is the season for white jeans and pool parties, but it’s the weekend to show off your American pride! How better to do so then by bringing some festive desserts to your Memorial Day Weekend barbecues?

Patriotic Cake | Red, White, and Blue Strawberries | Memorial Day Pretzel Sticks | Cheesecake Stars | American Flag Cookie Platter

Don’t they all look supper yummy?

Happy baking and enjoy the weekend!

21May2014

“Big May Know Best, but Little Always Gets What She Wants”

by sparkleandshinesami

This is a sponsored post, however, all opinions are my own.

One of the hardest parts about being home for summer from college is how much I miss my sorority sisters, especially my big diamond sister, Katherine, and my little diamond sister, Amber!

My big and little diamond sisters mean the world to me. They are my best friends, my biggest support system, and two of the girls who I know will be standing next to me, as bridesmaids, on my wedding day.

They are the two girls I always want to go out with on the weekends….

They are the two always supporting me – just like in this picture, right after I was announced as our chapter’s new social chair…

They are the two that I am with at every philanthropy event, like at our King of Diamond’s event…

They are my rocks and my biggest support system, as you can see here at Relay for Life….

I can always be silly with them….

Because at the end of the day, they are the greatest thing to happen to me since I came to Quinnipiac University…

For any of you sorority women who understand the bond between a big and little sister, you may be experience #LittleProblems.

Don’t worry, because there is just a store – and Twitter account – to help you!

Little Problems is all about promoting the incredible bond between a big and little sister / a big diamond and little diamond sister, being a proud Greek woman, and supporting your sisters, and supporting your letters.

The shop features decals, bows, and koozies, while the Twitter account, started in May 2012, offers a variety of tweets than any sorority woman can relate to.

When purchasing from the store, orders are processed within 24 hours of placement and then are shipped out on either Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. Shipping, for all products, is $3.0o. All sales are final and the site will also design custom koozies! For more information, you can check out the FAQ page here.

Do you know what it’s like to be a proud sorority women with such a close bond? If so, then you have to check out Little Problems to show off your pride!

19May2014

My Monday Musts

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy Monday, readers!

Hope you all had an amazing week. For any recent college graduates, congratulations!

This week has been pretty exciting for “Sparkle and Shine.”

First off, I reached my 100th post about my Instagram the photos Buzzfeed has told me not to. You can read that post here. I can’t believe that I have reached 100 posts and all that has come in these few months of blogging. Thank you so much for reading “Sparkle and Shine” – I wouldn’t be able to get where I am, without all of you amazing readers!

Also, I decided to use some of my new photo editing skills and change the banner! What do you think?

To continue to stay up to date on all these amazing happenings on “Sparkle and Shine,” make sure you like the Sparkle and Shine Facebook page HERE.

Now stay up to date by checking out this week’s Monday Musts!

1. “Psychos”

Last Monday, in My Monday Musts, I told you about the book I couldn’t put down – “White Girl Problems.” I finished following the fictional author of the book through her first journey, prior to having to go to rehab for a $200,000 shopping meltdown in Barney’s. Now, I’m starting the second novel by Babe, “Psychos,” which follows her as she tackles life after rehab. Only on page 100, I’ve already laughed hysterically more times than I can count. Sometimes it’s good to read about a “Psycho,” have a laugh, and realize that these white girl problems may sound very similar to yours. If you need me during any of my spare time this week, I’ll be reading this novel!

2. Alpha Delta Pi Founders Day

My sorority celebrated 163 years of being the first and the finest on May 15th. On May 15th, 1851 our founders created our secret society, which would ultimately end up changing my life by joining and the lives of many other women around the country. To honor the day our six sisters started Alpha Delta Pi, we celebrate Founders Day. Since it’s the summertime, my Theta Theta sisters and I are scattered throughout the U.S. in our home states. However, based on the amazing bond that we share thanks to our ritual, our memories, and so much more, we were still able to celebrate how thankful we are for our founders.

3. The “Legally Blonde” soundtrack

Earlier this week, I was feeling some throwbacks and girl empowerment – what better than the “Legally Blonde” movie soundtrack? Elle Woods was able to tackle any obstacle thrown her way with perfect hair, so why can’t I?! I decided to blast the soundtrack, courtesy of YouTube, and belt out all the songs in the shower. Starting with the perfect happiness song “Perfect Day” to the perfect empowerment song “Watch Me Shine.” After singing along, I walked away from the concert I just put on in the shower feeling ready to tackle anything. It’s my new go-to song list and recommend it to all of you, readers!

Now I’m off to work to start the week. Reason I’m in such a good mood? Because I ended my long Sunday with a FaceTime date with my little diamond, Amber! I’m missing my college best friends so it’s always great to FaceTime to catch up!

Have an amazing week, readers! Keep sparkling!

16May2014

Spice Up YOUR Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

by sparkleandshinesami

Yesterday was National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and ever since then I have been craving chocolate chip cookies. So, I did what any other girl craving a chocolate chip cookie would do – I went on Pinterest to find a cookie recipe and discovered so much more!

Though no one can bake chocolate chip cookies like Grandma can, Pinterest sure has plenty of ways to spice up the normal chocolate chip cookie recipe with different ways to bake them, different ingredients, and much more.

Don’t worry about trying to find these different recipes, I found them for you!

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies | Milky Way Chocolate Chip Cookies | Cookie Cake |

Snickers Chocolate Chip Cookies

Now get into the kitchen and start baking these delicious cookies! Nothing will make for a better midnight snack tonight then some of these delicious cookies.

Happy baking!