Mantle Decorating...Like My Momma

First, PSA: If you go to UVA and have not gotten a ticket for Concert for a Cure, come to the lawn and buy one today (plus, I'll be there from 12-1). Seriously, do it. So many a capella groups...it's gonna be great. Anyways, back to the blog...

I'm ready for Fall, y'all. No seriously, I just need more pumpkin, cinnamon, sweaters, and duck boots in my life right now. Can you make that happen? Great, thanks.

But seriously, I love Fall so much and these last few days have been such a tease compared to the weather for the next few. Well, that can't stop me from enjoying my free Pumpkin Spice Latte today (thank you gold card!) or decorating for Fall. I know this is a total mom thing to do, and several of my friends have already pointed out that this is further proof that I am my Momma's daughter. Regardless, I have decorated the mantle in my room for the season and all I have left to do is to find a cute dish to store my candy corn in!

Decorating a mantle can be a bit daunting, especially on a college girl's budget. I am lucky enough to have gotten a fabulous mirror from my Momma that she wasn't using and it fills the big space above it perfectly. The nice thing about the mirror is that it can stay there year-round and go with whatever theme I put on the mantle.

How to decorate a mantle on a budget in 5 easy steps:

1) get a space-eater piece

This can be a mirror (like mine; similar) or even a framed poster/print that you like. Just get something to take up the space above the mantle so that your decorations don't look strangely small.

2) get elements that aren't seasonal

I got apothecary jars (thank you for the term, Kathy!) from Home Goods for $12 a piece. These are perfect no matter what time of year. For now I have them filled with pine cones for Fall and I am going to add some fake snow to the mix for Winter. This $24 investment will get me through years of use.

3) pictures!

This is another element of my Momma shining through me, but I love having pictures on display. I've moved on from the corkboard displays of a dorm room to frames now, but the same idea stands. It gives a nice personal touch to the display, plus frames can add great architectural elements and varied sizes.

4) Fireplace Flowers

This probably only applies to us college girls who have fireplaces that aren't usable, but I love this look. I didn't just want to stare at an empty fireplace and these flowers that were on sale at Michael's were perfect. I just got a couple of bunches of their seasonal flowers to throw in there and will probably switch to poinsettas for the Winter.

5) Go to Michaels and/or Home Goods

I got the pumpkin on the ground at Home Goods and the mantle elements are from Michael's. Their home line is currently 60% off so I scored the pumpkins, roosters (again...influence of my Momma) and flowers at a great price. The fall leaves behind everything just make the bland whiteness of the mantle a little less boring and helps to make my smaller decorations look bigger against such a big part of the wall.

Other mantles I love (thank you Pinterest):

why didn't I think to monogram my mantle? 

Have you started decorating for Fall?

xoxo,
SSP

Sweaters and Shorts

Fall is here! ...at least for a couple of days. I love fall fashion and everything that it brings, but early fall is always hard to dress for. Personally, I love sweaters and shorts. It's the perfect transition outfit for those chilly mornings and warm afternoons. These outfits are also helpful for you summer lovers who are not ready to part with hot weather and summer whites...baby steps, y'all. 

sweater set 2 by sugarsnappearls

Sweater / J.Crew chino shorts / J.Crew patent leather flat shoes / Longchamp tote bag / Tory Burch golden bracelet / Tory Burch bracelet

sweater shorts 1 by sugarsnappearls

H&M angora sweater, $32 / J.Crew j. crew shorts / Rocket Dog shoes / 3.1 Phillip Lim tote / Adia Kibur necklace

Who else is ready for fall? I decorated my mantle last night and I already have some candy corn...sorry not sorry ;) 

xoxo,

SSP

College Commitments

"The secret of happiness is: Find something more important than you are and dedicate your life to it."

-Daniel Dennett

Have you ever heard that it is better to stretch 6 inches wide and 2 feet deep than it is to stretch 2 feet wide and 6 inches deep? Well, that is the jist of what my high school counselors and other mentors have always told me. It makes sense, why be barely involved in a dozen things when you can really delve into 3-4? 

I believe that college is both one of the best opportunities to explore what interests you, and the final chance to do so before the responsibility of the real world comes crashing down post-graduation...okay, that might have been a bit dramatic but you get the idea. 

Do what you love and love what you do. Don't do something because it will bolster your resume...if you hate it that will show and it will affect you in other ways. Yesterday I had 4 classes and 3 discussions and all I could think about was how excited I was for my Relay for Life meeting that night. And guess what? After my meeting I went to the Chi Omega house and spent another hour brainstorming with one of my sisters about Relay. I love Relay and I love working on things for the organization no matter how exhausted I am.

lovely Chi Omegas take Relay (indoors because of dumb rain...)

It isn't too late to get involved. Write down a list of things you love and look at flyers around campus/grounds. Ask friends what they do and stop and talk to people who are tabling. Just find something and get involved now. You will find that as you pursue a passion, it motivates you to achieve. I believe in hard work, but I also believe that without passion, hard work is just an empty shell with little reward to show. 

This should translate into other aspects of your life. Pick a major that inspires you, that is why I study Foreign Affairs! Find a summer position that exposes you to an interest. I am so lucky to be a fellow of The Perfect Game Foundation. I got to work on an amazing internship this summer and while working 2 jobs plus an internship sounds crazy to some, it wasn't for me because I reveled in the time I got to spend working for a sports-related company.

Pick a passion and pursue it. It sounds so simple, yet it took me 20+ years to really understand it.

xoxo,
SSP

P.S. for all my Hokies out there, Ut Prosim might be the phrase with the single biggest impact on me throughout my life. I guess you really do bleed maroon and orange once you touch that Hokie Stone...

Rowdy Redneck and Sorority Socials

So I should be reading or doing my spanish homework right now...but I wanted to blog and decided that was more important, so, you're welcome ;)
First off...HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to (one of) my little(s), Emily. I adore you and I am so happy that I got you as a little! Who knew that my first owl pal would become one of my favorite Chi Omegas!
Anyways, back to blogging! This weekend was so much fun. Chi Omega had our first date function of the year...the infamous Rowdy Redneck! We kick off the year with this d-func every year and it was a blast. I took one of the Chi O transfers and we had so much fun. I loved everyone's costumes and it was great to get to see everyone. 
Having so much fun got me thinking about other date function themes so I went on a bit of a pinterest binge and here are some of my favorites that I think everyone should suggest as a mixer/dfunc theme in the future! Hope y'alls weeks are off to a great start!

 

other social/date function ideas:

woodstock!

 

"noah's ark" (left) "you are what you drink" (right)

"dynamic duos" (left) "nursery rhymes" (right)

What is the best social/date function theme you've been to?

xoxo,

SSP

Game Day: Girls in Pearls

Who is ready to watch UVA trounce get annihilated by Oregon today? Well, if you want to watch it and you aren't in Charlottesville...it'll be on ESPN2.
I love college football. The tailgates, the hype, the fashion, and the fans. Admittedly, the game isn't a big deal at UVA but we get to dress cute and tailgate on the lawn, which is a plus. We're a notoriously preppy school (apparently credited with making duck boots popular?) and for football games it's "Girls in Pearls, Guys in Ties." Dressing for these early games is pretty easy because it just involves throwing on your Jack Rogers or cowboy boots, a sun dress, and pearls. I'll do a post about cold weather games later...but it is just too nice out today to think about stuff like that.

Sundress

I think I might actually be wearing a skirt to today's game, but still, same idea. A google search for game day dresses will result in several websites with adorable school spirit outfits. Some of the sites even separate the dresses by school color which is an awesome time saver. 

Boots

I love wearing my cowboy boots because they're sturdy and I am not worried about getting them trashed while I stand on the hill at the game. Plus, sundresses and cowboy boots go together like peas and carrots!

Jack Rogers

For those days where it's just too hot to wear your cowboy boots, or if you want to show off that new pedicure, Jacks are the way to go. Like the game day dresses, you can easily find these in almost every school color and they even sell college and sorority themed ones specifically!

Crossbody bag

I wish I'd had the forethought to buy a monogrammed bag for football games. I have my coral one, but obviously that doesn't go with my school's colors. Any crossbody will do, its just nice to have somewhere to keep your keys, phone, school ID, and a bit of cash.

Pearls

Naturally...you need these! Freshwater pearls are more than affordable if you find the right vendor. There are always glass pearls too if you're on a tight (college) budget. The advantage of the pearls is that you can literally change your outfit 60 times and they will still go perfectly with what you're wearing!

Sunglasses

Prevent those crows feet! Get some sunglasses so that you can actually enjoy the game...a lot more fun than squinting! Oh, and don't forget your croakies! Seriously, I don't care if you don't like how they look. A pair of sunglasses on croakies trumps a busted pair on the ground any day!

Again, I know that different schools have different dress codes. At tech we just wore a VT shirt and shorts...I loved that simple look plus seeing everyone in maroon and orange made the stadium look awesome! Also, just throwing this video clip of the greatest game I've ever attended in here...seriously, I still have dreams about this game. 

Happy Game Day!

xoxo,
SSP

Fall Essentials: Kicking it Off

I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but I have kind of been in the process of a closet overhaul since high school. It wasn't that I had bad style back then...I've been preppy since the day I was born (yeah, I did have the embarrassing denim skirt and popped polo phase...who didn't?), but I sometimes bought cheap, trendy pieces that sat in my closet making it look infinitely more full than it was. 
From now on, I am all about the reusable, multi-outfit essentials (plus the occasional fun piece...they're necessary). I decided to share some of my favorite additions for fall, even if it is still hot outside...but it's okay because the Pumpkin Spice Latte is backkkkk!

Factory Accordion Pleat Mini

I did not buy this in every color...okay maybe I did. Whatever, I am in love with this skirt. It is a great wool blend that is perfect for chilly fall and winter days. I am debating returning the gray one because it feels a little "Catholic School Girl Uniform" to me, but they really are the best. Skirts that sit higher on me tend to be more flattering and I just love the way these fit.  The skirt doesn't have a lot of give and I wanted it to look a bit more A-line so I went with the 6 instead of the 4. (this skirt order was a fiasco for me and I literally ended up with 16 of them....you probably think I am kidding, but I'm not)

Penny Loafers

Okay, I love these and while I don't have them, I am desperate for a pair. I don't know if I prefer the darker burgundy or tan, but they're a great shoe. The advantage of these is that they're more substantial than a flat, but can easily be worn with a skirt too...perfect for those of you trying to cram a wardrobe into a dorm room. My desire for these may also stem from my love of Nancy Drew books when I was younger when I read them all (in numerical order because I can't deal with reading books out of order).

Ponte Pants and Leggings

Ponte is basically a gift from God. I'm serious, if you haven't tried these leggings yet, do it now. They're so comfortable and much more substantial than leggings (great for girls like me who have a butt!). I got the J. Crew Gigi Pant, but they're a bit long so I need to get them hemmed (also order a size down!). I also ordered the C. Wonder Jodhpur Legging in their (awesome) labor day sale in navy. I figured a Navy legging was good for me to have, plus I love the patch on the inside of the leg...cute detail!

Fall Coats

I didn't get much use of these my freshman year at Virginia Tech since it goes straight to winter with that wind chill, but I got so much use out of my LL Bean Barn Coat last year. While I'd love a Barbour, there is no way my budget will allow for that expense until I graduate and get a big girl job. I also picked up a cute J. Crew jacket (similar) in their August sale and am really excited to have it to add to my fall wardrobe. 

Button-ups and Popovers

I love button-ups and have started to develop quite the collection. They're perfect for jeans, skirts, or any bottom you pair them with. They add an effortless level of completion to any outfit. Popovers are also great, I got my first one recently and I am thinking of adding more. They're a little less formal and perfect to pair with leggings.

I'll do a couple more fall essential posts in the coming weeks...I just couldn't wait to share some of my favorites! What are your staple fall pieces?

xoxo,
SSP

Back To School Resolutions

Oh right...I blog. Sorryyyyy for my absence but life has been crazy busy. There is just something about the first week of class that demands you to have no free time and as many coffee dates and meetings as humanly possible. Seriously, my little and I were texting about getting lunch and she went to one place four times since classes have started...craziness!
Anyways, this hectic schedule got me thinking. Being involved is great and I totally encourage everyone to do it. I actually am working on a new outlook this year. Obviously my transition to UVA was tough and I didn't throw myself into the experience as much as I wished I had and now I am aiming to make up for lost time. 
Get involved, meet people, develop relationships, take classes you are interested in and love college. I realize that sentence sounds simple, but until you don't work on it, you really have no appreciation for how crucial those steps are.

First day of my 3rd Year!!!

yeah, roomie and I match...casual

I am planning to be busier, more active, and happier this year. I believe in New Year's Resolutions, but I also believe that resolutions are a personal thing that can come around at any time. This year I am making a couple for myself based on the academic calendar and I encourage everyone to do the same:

Sugar Snap Pearls' Resolutions:

Raise $1000 for Relay for Life

Run 2 half-marathons (messed up feet are a no-go for the full thing)

Give back to the community through service

Learn conversational Spanish

Become more fiscally responsible

Blog 4x a week...yay

Get my class reading done ahead of time

Make a firm academic/future plan

Finish decorating the apartment!!!

What are your school year resolutions?

xoxo,

SSP