Top 3 Instagrams of the Month: February 2015

Happy March, readers!

I am so happy that it is finally March because it is now my birthday month! In just a few short days, I will be able to celebrate the day I have been looking forward to my whole life: becoming 21.

Source

March holds so many exciting opportunities for me! I have my twenty first birthday on the 15th, my super sweet twenty first open bar birthday party with one of my best friends on the 28th, my sorority formal on the 21st, and being able to relax during spring break. On Friday, I go home for spring break and all I can think about is laying in my Breakfast at Tiffany’s inspired bedroom, curled up drinking some tea, and reading Dirty Rush, Total Sorority Move‘s newest book that they just sent me in the mail.

Looking forward to all these great times ahead, makes me look back to all the great times I had in February. On my Instagram, I chronicled all that I had done. These are the posts that had received the most likes out of all of my February adventures.

In honor of World Cancer Day on February 4th, I honored my favorite guardian angel who taught me how to wink (but didn’t teach me you can’t exactly wink in photos). I hope that one day a time comes that other daddy’s little girls do not have to loose their number one man to cancer.

My love of journalism continues to grow each and everyday. This semester, I was selected to do the weather for our school’s news station. You can watch the episode here. More importantly, stay tuned for some exciting news about my involvement in the news department for Q30!

For the past two years, I have kept my Alpha Delta Pi letters on my front because I knew I can count on my sisters to have my back. Two years ago in February, I ran home to the organization that completely changed for the better. Deep in my heart, I love my ADPi.

Continue to follow all of my adventures, especially as I enter into the life of being a legal adult, on Instagram or check out January’s Top Instagram pictures!

27Jun2014

Awesome Recruitment Picture Ideas {Guest Post}

by sparkleandshinesami

This guest post is courtesy of A Greek Concept. Amy Furrow is the owner of A Greek Concept an online retailer of licensed Greek merchandise. She’s got drive, heart, and passion – something Greek life is all about. From Sorority picture frames, tote bags, and jewelry, as well as Fraternity coolers, glassware, and travel accessories; A Greek Concept is filled to the brim with options for every Sorority sister or Fraternity brother. In today’s guest post the company talks about taking awesome photos for recruitment!

Taking an original photo is quite the challenge! Add 20+ people to the mix and it is a mind-blowing feat! Every year pledge classes take an outstanding amount of pictures together – and every year at sorority recruitment the same question is asked: “what should our pose be?” Although every sorority has standard poses, every once in a while you need something AWESOME to make your pledge class stand out… something that represents you! Here are a couple of awesome recruitment picture ideas to get you thinking of creative ways to pose!

Big Heart

I mean… it speaks for itself on how fabulous this pose is! I love [get it?] the way each girl gets her own space and window to shine in, but together you comprise a bigger purpose!

Chapter Letters

Why not take the heart image from above but make your letters together instead? A creative way to also let the world know exactly who you are, this pose unites each pledge to the common cause! Strut those letters proud.

Headshots

Instead of making it the largest picture of all time by including head-to-toe of each person, why not pose your pic of just faces? It lets those smiles shine bright, and be the major standout factor of the picture.

Elementary Style

Although done separately and meshed together to make it one photo, this idea gives each pledge opportunity to express her personality! Being silly or serious grants the picture of your pledge class a fun, elementary school vibe unlike any other.

Running

I. adore. this. picture. How much fun is this? ALL of the fun. It gives your picture movement and life, while still accurately representing your class! An added piece? I bet you’ve never seen a pledge class do a running pic [other than the photo I just showed you]. This means you’ll be unique and stand out in a crowd of pledge pictures!

Laughing

The individuality of a laughing pic gives each girl her own style, while having a unified goal as well! It’s the best of both worlds when it comes to standing out and fitting in. Plus, it is a fairly accurate picture of what life is like with your crazy, fellow pledges.

On Top of the World

That’s right – rooftop! How spectacular to have your pledge class photo framed on a rooftop, OR shot from the ground as you stand on the roof or balcony of your house. I simply love how on top of the world this makes a pledge class look!

Shot from Above

A bonus of this shot is that everybody looks good from an above angle! Lots of skinny minnies for this picture.

Balloon Love

What a superb shot of your colors in balloons! This way you get more than just pretty faces – a whole display of who you are! Added color always helps makes a photo better, and will only add pizazz to your pledge class pics.

It can be quite the toss-up of what to choose for poses. I suggest always asking for input from pledges, while having a few good poses in your back pocket for use if things go downhill fast!

Remember, you can also get ready for recruitment by purchasing some beautiful recruitment jewelry! Head on over to The Collegiate Standard and use coupon code SAMI10 to get 10% off your purchase.

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!

2Mar2014

Top 3 Instagrams of the Month: February 2014

by sparkleandshinesami

Hello, readers!

It’s officially March a.k.a. my birthday month! WOOHOO!

Last month, you may remember how I introduced the post saying I will be starting the monthly tradition of sharing my Instagram posts with the most likes. Well, if you don’t, you can check out January’s top Instagram posts here and keep reading to find out what February’s most liked photos were!

So my first Instagram with the most likes was in honor of my guardian angel, my father, on World Cancer Day. February 4 was World Cancer Day, as well as the 3 years and 8 months since my father passed away. I couldn’t help but to dedicate a post to my hero on this day explaining not only the importance of having him in my life, but the importance of finding a cure.

My second post with the most Instagram likes was during my Alpha Delta Pi District Leadership Conference. Alea, is currently our chapter’s president. Prior to becoming our sister prez, she was the Director of Social Enrichment, which is what I currently am. I am so honored to follow in Alea’s shoes as the Director of Social Enrichment for the Theta Theta chapter and plan on living up to those big shoes to fill in the next year, since she did such an incredible job.

My third Instagram post with the most likes was when I pinned my little diamond, Amber, with her own pin for the first time. It is Alpha Delta Pi tradition that little diamond’s wear their big diamond’s pin until they get their own. Two chapters ago, Amber finally got her own pin. I was honored to pin her with her own pin!

Don’t want to wait for the beginning of each month to see the Instagram pictures with the most likes, then follow me on Instagram!

Enjoy your Sunday readers!

2Feb2014

Top 3 Instagrams of the Month: January 2014

by sparkleandshinesami

Happy Superbowl Sunday, readers!

So as much as I would prefer to be watching the game with my BFFS, eating some buffalo wings, and relaxing, I am in the library slaving away over homework.

One of my goals of the new year is to keep improving my blog activity and let you all get to know me more! I don’t want to just be a person who posts about her sorority, things she likes, and whatnot. Which is why, starting today I will sharing with you all my top 3 Instagram posts of each month! This way, you can get an inside look at my world and see what I’m doing besides blogging and living in the library.

So here they are – the top 3 Instagrams of January of 2014!

So my Instagram with the most likes featured fabulous hair bow I received from Bowtique by Jacqueline. I love rocking my hair bow and ADPi spirit! To learn more about the bow, you can read my review here.

The second top Instagram of January was from my friend’s sisters Sweet Sixteen! Kate, on my left, and Tori, on my right, and I had a great time! We spent the night dancing around and singing! Highlight of the night? Belting out “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips at the end. You can check out more pictures from Anna’s Sweet Sixteen in a previous Monday Must here.

Last, but certainly not least, featured me with my friends on our first night going out for spring semester here at Quinnipiac! It’s so bittersweet coming back to school because as much as I miss my family, it is so awesome to see my friends. To read the first Monday Musts of my first week back, check it out here. (PS, don’t worry, readers, I didn’t actually go out to a party in Uggs – I was just struggling deciding what shoes to wear and everyone else was all ready for pictures. I just grabbed the first shoes I had available, but ended up wearing boots for the night).

If you want to stay more up to date on my Instagram, you can follow me!

Otherwise, be on the lookout each month to see which of my Instagram posts received the most likes.

19Aug2013

Dorm Room Decor DIY: Photo Collages

by sparkleandshinesami

As I get ready to move back into school on Tuesday, my inner decorating diva is coming out. Since I am now going to be living in a double instead of a quad at Quinnipiac, I have much more room to decorate. My love for photos, life long preservatives of memories, was very obvious to anyone who stepped into my room last year due to my large cork board and surrounding open space being covered with photos. Since I have more space to decorate this year, I decided that I wanted to do something a little bit different than just a cork board of photos to decorate (besides hang up my abundance of One Direction posters and Alpha Delta Pi crafts, of course).

I went to Walmart and for less than ten dollars I was able to get a large 16 inches by 20 inches photo frame to put the photos in. I then went to CVS, who was having a sale for fifteen cent photos with your CVS Card, to print out photos. Once I had the frame and the photos, I was able to start putting it all together!

The reason I got this frame was because it said that it was easy to undo the glass and it really was! After taking off the plastic, I was very easily able to snap the glass out of the frame. It took enough muscle to know that it wouldn’t just easily fall out, but not enough muscle that I was going to need a screwdriver or any other tool. In fact, there were no screws on the frame at all!

With the glass popped out, I turned over the cardboard to reveal the black side. Then, I took all my photos and started stategically laying them out on the board. It wasn’t an easy task to fit the pictures in- I had to see what could lay where, which meant some photos would overlap, and sometimes find pictures that were zoomed out farther to sit in between photos where there was not a lot of room. It wasn’t a long process, but the perfectionist in me wanted to make sure that it was absolutely perfect.

No glue was even required because I just snapped the glass back in, just as easily as it snapped out. Another perk of not using glue is that I can reuses this frame as time goes on for my dorm room decor. As time passes, I will want to swap in new photos. To do so, all I will have to do is snap the glass out, remove the photo, then snap the glass in. Super easy!

Overall, this quick and easy DIY took me about 15 minutes and will preserve my memories a lot better than just pinning them up!

I love the way the frame came out and I can’t wait to hang it in my room on Tuesday!