initiation and installation

This weekend my sister in law and I had the unique opportunity to be a part of a chapter's installation.  It is such a joy to welcome new members and to see them find out more about our sisterhood.  It's even better to go through ritual with my sister in law by my side!  The icing on the cake is that the new chapter is at the school where I earned my graduate degree and where the rest of my family earned their undergraduate degrees.  We love ECU, and we love Phi Mu (and Alpha Delta Pi)!  I hope that the chapter continues to grow and thrive and that we all live our ritual every day.

Homecoming 2013

This weekend is homecoming, so yesterday I headed back "home" for a quick stop with my pal Aubree.  First, we caught up with some of our sorority sisters at the house.  It was great to see everyone I know and to meet the younger girls in my "family"!

We could not believe how spacious our old room seems now that only three people live in it!  The house looked great, and I enjoyed seeing how the girls have their rooms decorated.  It was such a unique experience to live in a sorority house, and I'm so glad I did it!  I would absolutely recommend living in-house. There's a limited time when you can live with forty other girls in a multimillion dollar house with a chef downstairs for less money than anywhere else in your college town.  Most importantly, living in-house was a character building experience that taught me about living with people who have many different backgrounds and personalities.

Ray Ban Original Wayfarer Classic // Moon & Lola acrylic Stanford monogram stud earrings // HMD Ralph Lauren sweater from Mom // Polo Ralph Lauren shirt // Essie Bahama Mama // Joe's jeans // Frye pull on Billy boot

We strolled around town and took it all in.  It was nice to relive our college days a little bit, and I am so thankful for the precious time I lived there and the lasting friendships I have gained in my sorority sisters.  

hot game day suggestion

It's after Labor Day but still hot as fire outside, and you're going to a football game.  Here's my take on what to wear.  Of course, this works best if you're cheering on the pirates or the deacs, but it would be easy to adapt.  Wear a red tank if you're a wolfpack fan or a navy skirt and white or light blue top for the heels.  

Ray Ban aviators // Moon and Lola Stanford earrings // necklace I made // hand me down top from Mom // American Apparel skirt // Michael Kors small Layton watch // HMD bracelet from Granny // HMD ring from Mom // Essie Bottle Service // HMD Dooney & Bourke bag from B's mom // Sam Edelman Alvin flat

What's your favorite game day outfit for hot weather?  What about when it turns cool?

cornhole boards

About a year ago, I won a wonderful giveaway--a set of SC Cornhole Games boards from Southern Weddings magazine!  Somehow I missed that the cornhole set was supposed to be for your wedding, but they sent two plain white boards and my color choice of weather-resistant bags right to my house.  You can see the post announcing the winners here.  I changed up the designs slightly, but still I ended up with something pretty similar to what I wrote about in my giveaway entry.  

The light blue board is for Carolina, and the quatrefoil shape represents my sorority, painted in one of our colors, rose.  I couldn't convince my mom to freehand my monogram on the board, but she did create stencils for me.  

I painted my home state in gold on purple, for East Carolina.  When I found these paint colors after looking and looking at many colors, I knew they were just right.  

Here is a basic step-by-step process:
1. Get prepared by picking out and purchasing paint colors and brushes.  I used a few different sizes of brushes and also rollers.  I think high gloss paints look best for this project, but I was more concerned about finding the right color than the right finish, so mine were different levels of gloss.
2. Paint several coats of the base colors.  Doing a final coat with a roller will make it look much smoother.
3. Create stencils for your designs.  I found images on my computer and projected them onto my tv, much like for my cooler project.  I actually used interfacing (for sewing) to make stencils because it is somewhat transparent but also sturdy.  I taped a close-to-size piece of interfacing to the screen, traced using a permanent marker, then cut out the shape.  I used painter's tape to attach the interfacing to my tv and to the boards.  It peeled off of the interfacing easily when I moved it so I could trace every part of the edge.  I used pencil to trace the stencils onto the boards.
4. Paint several coats of each layer of your designs.  I painted carefully around the edges of the designs then filled in the inside, several times each.
5. Seal the paint if you're brave.  I purchased a spray sealer that I still have not used because I have heard that it may puddle or bubble up on top of the paint.  I haven't used my boards very roughly, either, though, so I am not sure how much they would get scratched with use.



Have you painted your own cornhole boards?  Any cornhole playing tips?  I am terrible at the game but am mostly concerned about having the prettiest boards.

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