Hollywood Hump Day Treat

Hey, hey my perfect readers!

I don’t know about you, but I am so glad it’s finally Wednesday! Tomorrow is my first day off this week and I have so many blogging activities on my to-do list that I am super pumped about and can’t wait to share with you all. Plus, I’ll finally be able to catch up on Big Brother because I’m an episode behind.

As you know, on Wednesdays I share with you my work from my internship at TheCelebrityCafe.com, where I am #blessed to share with you all entertainment and celebrity news.

Did you know that my idol LC is adding another exciting task to her resume? Plus my favorite tot Riley Curry is back in another viral sensation! Have you seen it yet? Check out all this and more right below:

‘Teen Mom OG’ star Catelynn Lowell celebrates bridal shower, 7/21/2015

Bethenny Frankel posts bare butt on Instagram amid dating rumors, 7/16/2015

Lauren Conrad to release party planning book in 2016, 7/16/2015

Source: Tumblr

Scott Disick cancels second club appearance after Kourtney Kardashian split, 7/16/2015

Rita Ora has split with rapper boyfriend, the two will ‘stay friends’, 7/22/2015

Kylie Jenner adds high school graduate to her resume, 7/22/2015

Riley Curry whips into turning three-years-old (Video), 7/21/2015

Make sure to follow me on Twitter to stay timely with your entertainment updates.

I wonder what is going to happen this week in Hollywood….stay tuned for next week’s Hollywood Hump Day Treat and I will fill you in!

20Jul2015

My Monday Musts

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy, happy Monday readers!

So today’s Monday Musts are going to be super short because I’m running out the door for work. When I could have been working on this week’s post, I decided to start editing my first ever vlog!

My heart starts pounding every time I say that word and relate it back to Sparkle and Shine. I mean, two years ago I started this blog and now I’m taking on the video blogging world. I’ve watched YouTuber after YouTuber deciding what I want to do and how I want to do it. So last night I finally sat down, opened up Windows Movie Maker, and started editing together clips, sound bites, and pictures.

I still have a little left to finish up so I can post about my Tim McGraw concert vlog, but until then, check out this super cute Instagram from this past Friday when I reunited with my BFFs. And of course, make sure to follow me on Twitter so you can see when the vlog finally does get published!

Until then!

17Jul2015

Happy 2nd birthday, Sparkle and Shine!

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me! Happy birthday Sparkle and Shine! Happy birthday to me!

Happy Friday, readers!

And what a great Friday it is! Not only am I reuniting with three of my best friends for a Tim McGraw concert, I am celebrating Sparkle and Shine’s second birthday!

Two years ago today, I opened up my laptop and made a WordPress.com account. I called myself “Sparkle and Shine” and took to sharing beauty tips, fashion ideas, and more. I created “My Monday Musts,” which has evolved over time to include what I am loving this week and what I’m up to in my personal life, and “Hollywood Hump Day Treat” was born to share the work from internship. My e-mail account filled with companies asking me to promote them and Seventeen Magazine offering me a contract for their Seventeen Social Club. My Twitter account and Instagram account have reached over 1,000 followers and hundreds follow my blog.

Ask me if I ever thought I would be able to say that and my answer would be absolutely not. I assumed I would more likely be able to say that I walked on the moon than I could say that I had become a successful lifestyle blogger.

Now that I’ve reached my two year blogiversary, what does this mean for this upcoming year?

So, so, so much!!

First off, I wouldn’t have been able to get to where I am without all of you! So to celebrate Sparkle and Shine, I need to celebrate you. I really hope you’re following me on Instagram because on the 26th, I’ll be giving away a Tory Burch Kerrington Square tote that retails at $295 with some of my favorite fellow bloggers! The giveaway will be a loop giveaway, which means that you must follow and like all of the participants. When the post goes live on the 26th, all the details will be explained in the caption of the photo. So fun!!

As for Sparkle and Shine itself, I plan on continuing with more fashion posts and even try and break into vlogging! I’ve seen so many of my fellow Her Campus Blogging Network members break into video blogging and I think that it is something that I would find myself having a blast while doing. I haven’t worked out the details of doing this, but over the course of this next year, be on the look out for Sparkle and Shine branching out from word-form and adding videos to YouTube.

Until then, check out the awesome photo shoot I had to celebrate the big second blogiversary!

Get the look:

Dress: Forever21 – You may recognize this dress from my 21st birthday open bar! I bought this dress at an outlet mall and have never been able to find it online, so here is a similar one. | Wedges: Steve Madden’s Madden Girl – DSW has sold out, so similar. | Bangle: Victoria’s Secret – They’re not available online, but many people are selling them on Poshmark. | Earrings: Deb Stores – Since buying these (I’ve had them for months – here they are in an Instagram picture from almost a year ago!), the store has gone out of business. However, Charming Charlie’s has a similar pair.

Here’s to seeing what the next year has in store for Sparkle and Shine!

15Jul2015

Hollywood Hump Day Treat

by sparkleandshinesami

What’s up, readers?!

So it’s the mid-point of the week and unless you’re new around here, you know that it’s time for this week’s edition of the Hollywood Hump Day Treat!
Thanks to my internship with TheCelebrityCafe.com, I get to share entertainment and celebrity news with the world. To make sure all of you get to hear what’s going on in once place, I decided to put it all in one weekly post for you.

Soon you’ll be able to find out what it’s like to date which One Direction hunk thanks to an ex’s tell-all memoir? And what controversy has Teen Mom OG star Farrah Abraham started now? Find out all this – and more – right below:

Kendall Jenner faces negative feedback on Instagram for Fendi campaign, 7/14/2015

Farrah Abraham admits six-year-old daughter is insecure, 7/14/2015

Harry Styles’ ex Caroline Flack releasing a tell-all book with details of their relationship, 7/14/2015

Taylor Swift named honorary Victoria’s Secret Angel by models, 7/14/2015

Source: PerezHilton.com

Dylan and Cole Sprouse pull prank at NYU graduation, accept each other’s diplmoas, 6/30/2015

Taylor Swift buys Dublin concert tickets for fan after missing a London concert, 6/30/2015

Big Sean opens up for the first time since Ariana Grande break-up in April, 6/30/2015

Make sure to follow me on Twitter to stay timely with your entertainment updates.

I wonder what is going to happen this week in Hollywood….stay tuned for next week’s Hollywood Hump Day Treat and I will fill you in!

13Jul2015

Cause darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream

by sparkleandshinesami

Hey readers!

So, I decided to switch it up this week and let you know more about in me in a way other than My Monday Musts! While recently browsing through the blog of fellow Her Campus blogger, Brittany of Southern Soul, I came across her answers to the 1989 tag post.

Now, I’ve never seen this tagged post before. So when I saw it yesterday morning, I just knew that I had to do it! It combined my sixteen year old self’s Facebook note obsession, where all the answers had extraaa letttters for no reasonnnn (glad I got passed the phrase or blogging would be a pain in the butt for me to write and for you to read!) and love for Taylor Swift!

I didn’t get tickets for her 1989 concert, though I did see her RED Tour two years ago today and had floor seats to her Speak Now tour. I even got a hug from her during the Speak Now tour, which was probably the greatest moment of my life! So I thought to honor the legendary T Swift’s 1989 tour, I would participate in this tag instead!

(psssst – Before you continue to read, make sure you follow me on Instagram! Brittany and I are in the process of planning something super cool for our Instagram followers and will correlate with Sparkle and Shine’s second blogiversary!)

Image from Red Tour

1. WELCOME TO NEW YORK

If you could live in any city, which would it be and why?

I’ve always, always, always been obsessed with L.A. My tumblr is filled with pictures of there and I often set my background to different palm tree backgrounds of L.A. I find online. I just think that Los Angeles would have the most amazing vibe and I really want to spend sometime out there exploring one day!

2. BLANK SPACE

What is something that everyone thinks is true about you but is actually false?

Hmmm…to be honest, I don’t really know. After a little time thinking, the only thing that I could come up with is that maybe people think I’m not fun because I’m an RA? Which is totally not true! I know that answer is lame, but I seriously don’t know what to put!

3. STYLE

What is one item in your closet that makes you feel unstoppable?

My favorite pair of black wedges from Steve Madden! I wear them to go out dancing, to meetings, and so many other places since they are just classic black wedges. I’ve rocked so many different events and occasions in those wedges, so when I put them on, I feel like a totally bad you-know-what and am ready to conquer anything!

4. OUT OF THE WOODS

What is one thing that you’re afraid of?

I actually have a really big fear of thunderstorms…. and when it happens at night and the power goes out, I might get so scared I could cry.

5. ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS STAY

Who is someone you wish was still in your life?

I’m a big believer in everything happens for a reason and all that jazz. So, I truly think that people come and go into your life for a reason, no matter how big or small. So, I can honestly say that I am so happy with who I have in my life right now and wouldn’t change it for a thing. Seriously though, no ragrets.

Source: Warner Bros. Entertainment Official Tumblr

6. SHAKE IT OFF

What is something you have had to shake off?

This kind of goes against number two in a way, but what other people think! I honestly believe that everyone – especially around my age – care, or at least think, about what other people think of them. I think high school and college students are often encompassed by gossip and what others have to say. However,there comes a time in your life when you need to just shake off what the say. Say like queen T-Swizzle says, haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate!

7. I WISH YOU WOULD

What is something you’d like to happen right now?

I wish I had enough time right now to accomplish everything I need to do on my to-do list AND have enough time to binge watch Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix!!

8. BAD BLOOD

Have you ever had someone stab you in the back?

I’m not going to lie – of course, I have. Hasn’t everyone?

9. WILDEST DREAMS

What would you like to be remembered for?

I want to be remembered for working hard and doing so with class and respect. I want people to feel like I was nice and respected them. One of Taylor’s quotes really sums up the legacy I want to leave behind. She says, “No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”

10. HOW YOU GET THE GIRL

What is your favourite pick-up line?

” I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?”

In the 8th grade my friend and I Googled pick up lines and I just always found that one to be funny. Though I’ve never used it, I think I would give my number to a boy who used it on me! Wink, wink!

11. THIS LOVE

What is something you got back that you never thought you would?

I mean, when I was little my dog used to run out of our house and then sit outside our neighbors house a few yards away and wait for us. He always waited for us to come and get him, so that was really nice.

(Can you tell I had no idea what to write?)

12. I KNOW PLACES

Where is one place you always feel safe?

With my mom! My mom is my rock and she always makes me feel safe and happy.

13. CLEAN

What is an important lesson you have learned in life, and how did you learn it?

I’ve learned in life that you need to play the cards that you are dealt in life. My mom and I always said this since my daddy passed and it means that you can’t change what happens in your life. Sometimes sucky things happen and you need to keep rolling with the punches!

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed answers the questions!!

9Jul2015

Welcome my sorority sister, Lianna, to the blogging world!

by sparkleandshinesami

Hey, readers!

A little over a week ago, I introduced you all to my sorority sister Tori and her Chloe + Isabel shop.

Well, Tori isn’t the only ADPi sister of mine who is being super cool this summer! It seems as though my school’s chapter of Alpha Delta Pi is continuing to reach for the stars, because our sister Lianna has started her own blog, Chic Freak.

(OMG, How white girl am I apple picking in a flannel?!)

I’m so proud of her for starting her own fashion and lifestyle blog!

Check out what Lianna had to say about herself, our friendship, and Chic Freak:

Hello beautiful Sparkle and Shine readers!

My name is Lianna Regina, I’m 19 and from Monroe, Connecticut. Not only am I Sami’s sorority sister in the Theta Theta chapter of Alpha Delta Pi, I am the owner of the blog Chic Freak. Fashion has always been my top priority, and I probably shouldn’t be admitting this but it may have been my number one focus in high school.

I currently attend Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT and am majoring in Public Relations with a double minor in music and management. I had the pleasure of meeting Sami in the bathroom the week after recruitment with her asking “You’re in ADPi right?” It was the start of a wonderful, definitely never dull, friendship.

Starting a blog was something I always wanted to do. I tried endless times, but could never find something to write about that I was truly passionate about. Recently I was sick and didn’t want to sit in bed doing nothing all day, so I found that it was a perfect opportunity. I am just getting the hang of it and am very proud of every single post I write.

My blog is mainly about what I’m obsessing that day, which is usually what I’m wearing or something exciting that happened that day. I try to keep the common theme as fashion or something new and exciting that I think would be appealing to my readers. As time goes on, I hope to see my blog grow as I get into more of a routine. I feel that by running this blog, I am expanding my horizons in building a future for myself.

I hope you enjoy my blog!

I love seeing my friends jump into the blogging world. I have really found myself, found such a confidence, and have been able to show the world who I am thanks to Sparkle and Shine. I would love for everyone, especially my friends and my sorority sisters, to find the same happiness that I did.

Now, go make Lianna and I both happy by visiting her blog!

PS. Did you realize this post was coming because of yesterday’s Instagram post? If not, make sure you follow my Instagram to stay up-to-date on all things Sparkle and Shine!

8Jul2015

Buh-bye, Timehop!

by sparkleandshinesami

Source: Tumblr

Happy Wednesday, readers!

So, I don’t have a Hollywood Hump Day Treat for you this week because of the holiday and then a 24 hour mini vaca to Great Wolf Lodge. Instead, I decided to explain to you all why I decided to delete the popular app, Timehop, and why it’s made my life better.

Like most of my friends, when I had the app, I would check it when I woke up in the morning. It was a part of my daily morning phone ritual – check my messages, e-mail, Twitter, Instagram, horoscope, and then Timehop.

I would open up the app to see a variety of different posts – tweets of Taylor Swift songs about boys whose names I don’t even remember, Facebook statuses about hanging out with friends I don’t really talk to anymore, Instagram posts of exciting adventures, and so much more.

Without realizing it, I was then setting my day up for either greatness or failure.

If in the past I was doing something exciting and now I was just lounging around on Netflix or at work, I would think that I should be doing something more with my life; that an average day was not good enough based on what had happened in the past.

If something sad or negative would pop up on my Timehop, I would then think about it for the entire day. I would start thinking about that moment or event, thinking about how it affected me today, etc. and not enjoy the day in front of me. A day that I would never get back would go wasted on a silly memory from Timehop.

Most of these posts were from years ago, when I was a completely different person. It wasn’t until I deleted the app that I realized this.

Sami from five years ago, just like most people from five years ago, is more mature, more confident, and has a different outlook on life compared to then.

Ultimately, I was living in the past and not the present.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a time machine. I can’t go back and change how something went and I can’t go into the future to see how one day will affect the next. What I do have is today, something I am lucky to have and most of us take for granted.

So, I deleted Timehop as a promise to myself to live each day in the present and not worry about what happened 365 days ago.

Do you still use Timehop? Comment below and let me know!

PLUS – make sure you’ve checked out my updated social media links on the sidebar and throw me a follow!

1Jul2015

Hollywood Hump Day Treat

by sparkleandshinesami

Hello, readers, and happy Wednesday!

Lots has happened this week in the world of entertainment and celebrity news. Thanks to my internship at TheCelebrityCafe.com, I am able to bring the news right to you!

Which reality TV star got married this weekend? Who beat out Beyonce and Jay Z as Forbes’ highest earning celebrity couple? Find all that out – and more – right below:

John Luke Robertson from ‘Duck Dynasty’ marries Christian camp sweetheart, 6/29/2015

Teresa Giudice praises same-sex marriage via tweet from prison , 6/29/2015

Source: RealityTVGifs.Tumblr.com

Stephen Curry, wife Ayesha expecting a baby girl!, 6/28/2015

Kendall Jenner passes big sister Kim Kardashian with most-liked Instagram picture, 6/27/2015

Kendall and Kylie Jenner launch a surprise website, 6/27/2015

Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez spotted on dinner date in L.A., 6/27/2015

Top 10 celebrity tweets to honor Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage, 6/26/2015

Kylie Jenner and Tyga make red carpet debut together in Cannes, 6/26/2015

Taylor Swift, Calvin Harris named highest-earning celebrity couple of 2015, 6/26/2015

ABC Family recasts Jake T. Austin’s role of Jesus on ‘The Fosters’, 6/23/2015

Make sure to follow me on Twitter to stay timely with your entertainment updates.

I wonder what is going to happen this week in Hollywood….stay tuned for next week’s Hollywood Hump Day Treat and I will fill you in!

30Jun2015

Must Have Fourth of July Accessories

by sparkleandshinesami

Readers, someone please tell me how the Fourth of July is this weekend already!!

My best friend, Julia, and I will be going to a local carnival with fireworks, food trucks, and more with some of our other friends. As the day keeps getting closer and closer, I think I am sending Julia about 50 texts (no exaggeration) a day, asking her what she is wearing and that we need to go shopping ASAP.

Here’s the thing, I don’t have many red, white, and blue colored attire. I don’t have a typical tank top with an American flag printed onto it or faded denim shorts that have stars and stripes on them. Instead of spending a ton of money to get a new wardrobe, I decided it would be best to look into different accessories to add to my wardrobe. It’ll not only be much cheaper, but there is a wide variety of potential out there for new additions to my closet!

Check out the different accessories, ranging in different prices and from different stores:

American Flag Dream Catcher Earrings | American Flag Infinity Scarf | Americana Triple Charm Necklace

American Flag Sequin Fanny Pack | American Leaf Earrings

What are you wearing for the Fourth of July? Comment below and let me know!!

29Jun2015

My Monday Musts

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy Monday, readers!

I can’t believe this is the last Monday Must of June already and I’ve already been home for an entire month from school… which means I am a few months closer to becoming a senior in college.

Woah, okay now before I freak myself out too much thinking about the end of my undergrad college days, I still have many more days to focus on Sparkle and Shine in my blogging headquarters.

Some of the plans got rushed to a quick halt yesterday – first my sunburn started to peel, then it started to rain, and then the camera that my mom and I (yes, my mom is the fabulous official photographer for Sparkle and Shine in the summertime) use for our pictures was not working properly. So before heading off to celebrate a friend’s 21st birthday yesterday, we tried to take some fabulous outfit of the day pictures, but that quickly headed to a halt.

So be on the lookout for some fabulous outfit posts in July and even a celebration for my blog’s second year anniversary on July 17!

My blog turns two the same day I am at a Tim McGraw concert, so I’m guessing July is going to be a good, good month for me. I am confident that it will be a good month for you, too, readers.

You are going to make July sparkle and shine just by being you!!