DIY Sorority Rugs

Last Christmas, I made these rugs for my two friends, one in ADPi and one in DG. I got the inspiration from a Pinterest post about making rugs out of old T-shirts. These rugs are 3'x2' and each one took around a three days to complete. I spent around $15 on each, this includes the rug pad and the fabric. These can be made with any design or just with school or sorority colors placed at random.

What you will need:

Gridded non-slip rug pad in your preferred size (I bought mine by the yard at Joann's)

A minimum of 5 yards of fabric (for 3'x2', more if larger)

Starting with your rug pad, draw on whatever pattern you would like (if you want a pattern). Next, cut the fabric into 1 inch wide and 2-2 1/2 inch long pieces. Finally, loop each fabric piece through the rug pad one by one. The method to make these is very simple, but can be time consuming.

Tips: I started outline of the pattern, filled it in, and then did the back ground. Also, try to place the fabric evenly through out the rug so no one area is more filled in than another. I tried to make sure I had enough fabric for every space, but this is not necessary.
 

Above: front and back photos of the ADPi Lion. The back almost looked better than the front.

Below: Delta Gamma anchor. The fabric that I used was so soft! I love the final texture.

These rugs make great personal gifts and are very unique. Have fun and play around with colors and then relax on your new rug :)

Glass Painting

I have recently become interested in glass painting and decided to try my hand with painting a plate inspired by the Lilly Pulitzer Sorority TriDelta sorority print. I bought the plate and paint, Folk Art Enamel, at Wal*Mart for just a few dollars. The hardest part was working backwards in the colors since I painted it on the bottom of the plate, so starting with the embellishments first and doing the background last. It took a few days, but I am so pleased with how it turned out. 

Any sort of glass objects can be painted, from cups to ornaments to piggy banks, so have fun with it. Since they can be easily customized, painted glass pieces make great gifts.

DIY Sorority Letter Keepsake Trays

Last year, I created these keepsake trays for my two best friends who are in Alpha Delta Pi and Delta Gamma. This year, I made a Tridelta one for myself, which is pictured below. These are super easy to make and very cheap. I think I paid about $5 in supplies for each and they took around an hour. You can add embellishments, like the anchor I did for DG, or even do fraternity letters. 

You will need:

A Tray- I bought clear ones from Target, $3, that already had three slots, but really any divided tray would work.

Paper- I used regular scrapbook paper in the respective sorority colors.

Tracing paper (tissue paper works, too) or stencil

Mod-Podge

Paintbrush

Pencil 

Starting with your the paper that you will use for the letters, trace off or stencil your respective greek letters and cut them out. The slots in this tray are about 3''x 3'', so I cut my letters a bit smaller. 

Next, trace and cut out the background squares. You will want to cut them just a bit smaller than the slots so that the paper fits in the bottom. 

Finally, use the paintbrush to apply Mod-Podge to the bottom of the tray. Place the background paper in the bottom, add a layer of Mod-Podge, then place your letter and embellishments in the order you want. Finish with two or three top coats of Mod-Podge.

Here are the first two that I made. The anchor took a bit of work, but it came out perfect.

Daily Inspiration

      Awhile back, I found this quote on Kushandwizdom's tumbler. I think that this really rings true, especially during your years in college. Everyone you meet has their own story and things that make them unique. Sometimes, we get so tied up in appearances or other aspects of a person, that we forget that they are, in fact, a person. Also remember, you have something special to offer the world that makes you amazing <3

Chevron Made Easy

Shut The Font Door!

Move over Martha Stewart, who ever thought of this is a crafting genius. This has to be the  easiest way to tape off a chevron pattern for craft projects. Cut a piece of card board the length of your canvas and then cut the number of peaks and valleys you would like. Using a ruler, I would mark off even spaces between your stripes before you tape it off so that you don't have to worry about moving the tape later if they aren't spaced evenly.

Reblogged from Here via Pinterest

So, it's true, I'm a lip balm addict. I have a lot of real-estate in the lip region of my face and always seem to end up with chapped lips. I try to keep a tube of balm on hand at all times, but sometimes I over use it, which tends to make things worse. A few months ago, I read a rave review for Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil. I have used their bee's wax lip balm before and liked it, so I decided to try this one when I saw it at the drug store. It was a little expensive, about $3 as compared to Chapstick brand balms, but I quickly found out that it was worth it! The texture is silky smooth and it smells awesome. I can use it on my lips all day with out any symptoms of over use and my lips are still smooth the next day. As with all Burt's Bees products, this lip balm is 100% natural and even has a bit of a red tent to it for a very natural look. I highly recommend this  product and hope you will give it a try.

You can purchase Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil at any drugstore that carries Burt's Bees products or buy it Here. Also, be sure to visit Burt's Bees Website to view their entire lip balm and product line.

Out On The Lake

I went on a photo outing with my dad on Lake Guntersville the other day. He has a great collection of Nikon camera equipment that I get to play with. Here is one of my favorites from that trip--

Lake Guntersville and the city of Guntersville has a number of great tourist and shopping destinations to ofter and is one of my favorite cities in Alabama. If you would like more information or to plan a visit, follow the link Here

Daily Inspiration

This Chanel necklace is one of my favorites for many reasons. Statement pieces and gold seem to be in this season and, c'mon, when is Chanel not in. The heavy chain can add a little edge to any outfit, especially florals and babydoll tops. Embellishments, like rhinestones, charms, and solid color gems, can help pull together colors or add an eye catching "pop" to a monochromatic outfit (Hint hint-- mint green on black and white!). I've seen a few great pieces in stores lately in a number of price ranges. Four of my favorites are below for you to enjoy--

Love them? Get Them! J.Crew Necklace J.Crew Bracelet Forever 21 Necklace Nasty Gal Nacklace

So, I can't post the photo of my Chanel necklace without giving it's amazing backstory. No, I'm not some super rich girl who just goes and buys Chanel jewelry out of the case on a whim. A few years ago I visited Italy with a tour group. My aunt, uncle, and cousin were on the trip as well and at the end of the trip, they decided to stay a few extra days in Rome in an elite hotel in the heart of the city. As my cousin unfolded the couch in the hotel room, out dropped this necklace. Ok, Ok, it's actually a belt, I think, but I've never worn it as such. After they returned, my aunt gave it to me as a gift since she knew it was exactly my taste. Is it real? I think so. It has a stamp and a serial number on the clasp. Would I care if it were fake? No Way! I love this necklace and feel like a rockstar wearing it.

Hope you enjoyed this daily inspiration. Have any tips or ticks for wearing chain jewelry? I'd love to hear from you! E-mail me and I'll get your tip posted here for other readers!

Nasty Gal- Awkward Name, Fabulous Clothing

I found Nasty Gal about two years ago and have been a dedicated fan ever since. Awkward name, I know, and I still feel uncomfortable saying it out loud, but I'm crazy about their clothes. They carry some of the most interesting and fashion forward clothing on the internet. Would I wear everything? No, but I like to pretend like I could pull it off! They carry new and vintage items from a number of different brands as well as exclusives and a house line called By Nasty Gal. Their quality is quite nice. The prices really aren't bad and most things are affordable. Their sales are always good and you can generally find most sizes on sale (XS goes fast BTW). Nasty Gal also has a blog and a monthly LookBook full of great outfit ideas.

I only have one item purchased from Nasty Gal, but it has become my trademark going-out dress.

This is the dress♥♥♥

Shop Nasty Gal

I highly recommend this site and hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 

Back On The Blog!

Hey guys!

Wow! I haven't posted here in almost a year, but hopefully I will be posting more. I updated the blog and I'm very happy with the new layout. I did all myself, so if there are any issues, let me know and I'll try to fix them ("try" being the operative word here).

This past year has been huge for me!
♥ I completed my seconded year at Oxford College of Emory University
♥ I earned an Associate of the Arts degree
♥ I can now tell people I'm working on my second degree at Emory (Confused? Click Me)
♥ I joined a sorority! I'm a Delta Delta Delta!
♥ I have a bunch of new DIY projects to post
♥ I started glass painting and taught myself to crochet

I have two big trips coming up soon, too! I'm SO excited! I will post more about those in the coming weeks- stay tuned!