This is the Start, of Something New

And there it is. 4 years. 2 schools. Endless memories.

Last month I graduated from the best school in the world, N.C. State. It's hard to imagine 4 years of college has already gone by. It felt like it was just yesterday I was a freshman looking forward to all that college life had to offer me. From joining a sorority, playing volleyball, making new friends, and having endless experiences; college was everything that I could have asked for and more.

But to those who say college is the 'best four years of your life', I understand where you're coming from. It's a time where you are tiptoeing into adulthood without any of the responsibilities. Your main job is going to school, and when you're not in class the world is your oyster. However, there is way more to life than 4 years of college.

Most of you are, what, 21 or 22 upon graduation? That means that 4/5th of your life is still left to be lived! That accounts for endless experiences and memories! The greatest things in life are still ahead: falling in love, getting married, starting a family, finding your passion, traveling the world. Many of these things that really weren't possible in college.

I am sad to leave this wonderful University, and I would be lying if I said I am happy to be leaving the college lifestyle. But I couldn't be more excited with what lies ahead. I know life will have its ups and downs but that is what will make it all worth while.

Our hearts ever hold you, N.C. State. But now it's time to figure out what the real world has to offer.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

A Night to Remember

I know you all are tired of hearing my apologies, but I am sincerely sorry. Blogging has been put off to the side for a little while simply because as school is coming to an end that means finals! I have been very busy studying for those as well as completing final projects and whatnot in all of my classes. But I promise to blog more during the summer when I have more free time!

I haven't done a Fashion Friday post in a while, but since school is coming to an end I figured I would finally post about my sororities formal that we had a couple of weeks ago!

The Dress

Let me tell you, finding this formal dress was a job in itself. I searched for the longest time to find a dress that was just right. I had been eyeing this one dress on Lulu's for a while but it was almost $200, which I simply could not justify spending for one event. So the search continued. It wasn't until my friend and I were shopping at one of my favorite malls in the area when we came across this prom store. Obviously being in college we had no need for a prom dress, but just for old times sake we decided to go in and look at the extravagant dresses. It wasn't until I wandered over to the sale rack and saw a couple gorgeous bridesmaid dresses. I just couldn't believe how simple and pretty they all were and most for under $100! So, being that the price was definitely right, I had to try them on. I liked them all but there was one that stole my heart. It was a long grey strapless number with a fake sash around the waist that tied in the back. It was beautiful and I couldn't have been happier with my choice, especially since it was only $75 (more than 1/2 of what my 'dream' dress would have cost). Also the color being a beautiful grey really complimented my pale skin tone.

The Accessories

This was probably the toughest part of my entire search after finding the perfect dress. What shoes and jewelry to wear. Given that my date was only slightly taller than me, I didn't feel completely comfortable wearing heels and towering over him. So I opted for my gold jacks. They were comfortable and you couldn't even see them under my dress anyways.

I wasn't sure at first on which jewelry I wanted to go with, given that the neckline of my dress definitely would have worked with a necklace. I decided to just go ahead and stick with earrings so that my dress could be the main attraction and nothing would distract from it. The earrings were difficult to decide on, but I ended up finding the perfect pair. They were a double teardrop mint color with gold hardware. Overall, I think it complimented the grey color very nicely and were perfect for a spring time formal!

(they are the earrings on the left from Francesca's)

The Night

Overall, I had a fabulous time with my date and my friends. It was the perfect ending to a great semester. Enjoy the following pictures from the evening!

 Until next time,

Casey Rose

Pieces Of My Soul

Soul Mate (noun): a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner

When we think of a soul mate we think of that one true love. The person that you are just destined to be with for eternity. Now, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a skeptic. For the longest time I questioned the existence of soul mates. My thought process was, 'How can you be meant for just one person in this entire world?' My philosophy has always been that there is never just one person you are meant to end up with. If you find a person you wouldn't mind hanging out with for the rest of your life and are mature enough to be able to work through problems, you can marry just about anyone. However, my thought process has since changed.

I think that everyone has that moment after graduating high school where you wonder if you'll ever find friends like the ones you had in high school in college. That's why when kids go off to college, for the first year they take breaks very seriously and look forward to going home and seeing their high school friends. As the years progress this anxiety of the approaching break becomes less and less appealing. You begin to fully immerse yourself in all that college has to offer and eventually find friends that are just as great, if not better, than the friends you have back home.

The scariest part though is finding those friends. People like to make the argument that by joining a sorority you are 'paying for friends'. However, once you join a sorority you begin to realize how wrong of a statement that is. Yes, there are dues that you have to pay but those dues go towards the organization as a whole and being able to fund all of the fun things our organization puts on for its members. This organization has given me something that none other could, a home away from home. Somewhere that I have found people who accept me for exactly who I am and women who I really have made a special bond with outside of the sorority connection.

Pi Phi is the perfect fit for me personality wise. I know that I would just not fit in the same in other sororities. Yes, I could find friends and connections in any sorority I may have joined but I know deep down inside this one was meant for me. Next year I will be living with my 3 best friends in my sorority. I am happy to say that these women have truly become my best friends. They are always there for me when I need it and know me better than anyone else. They are what make Pi Phi my home away from home. These are the people that you know you will be friends with forever.

This is exactly why my mind has changed in regards to the existence of soul mates. I think that when you think of that term you automatically assume that it needs to be in a romantic way. I would like to counter that and argue that perhaps anyone can be your soul mate - whether it be romantically or just through friendship. These women get me, unlike anyone else I have ever met. They truly care about me and are interested about my life. There is something to be said about someone who wants to hang out with you just as much as you want to hang out with them. I have found that in these women. And I know that due to the existence of those people you meet in your life that you are able to pick up right where you left off, as if no time has gone by whatsoever. They know you so well that they could practically read your mind if they needed to.

That to me, is a soul mate. Someone who you connect with in a way you may not be able to explain to others. In some ways it makes me worried about finding a man that I want to spend the rest of my life with on these terms. But then I think of my favorite Carrie Bradshaw quote and realize it doesn't matter, because I know I have found at least one person in this world who gets me - and that's all anybody ever needs.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Dance the Night Away

A few weeks ago we had my sorority's semi formal. It depends on where you go, but for my chapter girls normally wear short, fancy dresses. That really can be up to your interpretation. It can be a cute $20 dress you found from Forever21 or a couple hundred dollar dress from Nordstroms (my little wore her Jimmy Choo's that night if that tells you anything...). Either way girls love dressing up.

Since I ended up going with my ex-boyfriend I decided to buy a dress instead of borrowing one from one of my sisters closet. You've always got to look your best whenever you see an ex right? ;) So I decided to go out and search for something to wear.

My first stop was Francesca's. This is always where I go to first because of two reasons. One, I used to work there and the staff still knows me and my style and can pick out things that I would like without having to sift through all of the racks. Secondly, the shopping center where the store is located has a bunch of other boutiques in it that sell the exact same items. I'm not kidding. I remember one time I was on shift and we had this dress for sale that a customer came in and said she saw at another boutique in the center for double the price. So it is safe to say that Francesca's is one of the more wallet-friendly boutiques in the area.

I walked through the door and my old boss was working that day. I explained to her the event I was looking to find a dress for and she picked this number:

To say I instantly fell in love would be an understatement. It was just the right amount of sexy. It was a body-con dress, but it had a sheer overlay that hid the tight bottom of the dress. The overlay also had a slit that went all the way up to the waist of the dress to show the tight dress underneath. It also accentuated my favorite part of my body - my shoulders and arms. I was sold!

You can find the Benevento Maxi Dress at Francesca's for only $39.99

I decided to pair the dress with these heels. I got these for Christmas two years ago, my mom thought I was crazy to ask for them and that I would never wear them. I won't deny that they do not leave my closet that often, but they are beautiful and they do see daylight from time to time. For example, this night! It was the perfect pump. I love the thick heel because it makes the shoe easier to walk in and I always love to add something that 'pops' to my outfit. Since the dress was simple black and red, I figured I could spice it up with the heel.

  

The only place I found these Sarina Pumps from Steve Madden was on this site called Rakuten. The only size they have available is a 7. However, they appear from time to time on eBay; so if you are really in love, like I was, I would be patient and keep looking.

This picture is before the night when I got home and decided to try on the entire outfit together. You can't really tell from any of these pictures, but I decided to get some black teardrop earrings from Francesca's. I contemplated doing a necklace but decided I wanted to keep my neck clear and just accent the outfit with statement earrings.

I ended up strutting up and down the hall of my house showing everyone who was there exactly what I was going to be wearing that night. The overwhelming amount of approving declarations I received assured me that I had picked the right dress.

Here is my little and I at the venue!

And here we have my friends and I at the house before we left for the venue!

I ended up having a great night and got so many compliments on my dress! It really was worth going out and buying a new dress just for this occasion. And the great thing about this dress is that since it is State colors, I can wear it to just about anything formal I have to go to for my school.

So tell me, what is your perfect outfit for a 'night to remember'?

Until next time,

Casey Rose

A Change, A Challenge

Now that we're back with our regular postings, I'm so glad to welcome back 'Sorority Sunday's' to the blog. This week will be more of an informational post more than a fun one, sorry guys.

As you may have seen from my Thanksgiving post, I talked about my heartbreak with not getting slated as Chapter President for this upcoming exec. While it was a shock and it took me a very long time to get over, I was still offered a position on exec. I was offered the position of Vice President of Member Development (VPMD for short). VPMD isn't exactly what VPM was, but in terms of the ability to be creative with the position they are very similar.

VPMD is essentially the first 'Vice President' to the chapter. If the Chapter President is ever absent for any reason, the VPMD steps in to fill her place. She deals mostly with the chapters grades, making sure they chapter is doing their weekly study hours, and is concerned with the overall wellness of the chapter. This includes mental, physical, and emotional health. VPMD is the person that makes sure everyone is doing alright, keeping up with their school work but not getting too stressed out during the process.

While this will be a big change from VPM I am excited to take on the challenge. We officially get sworn in tomorrow at chapter and I am anxious but excited to see how this year is about to unfold. Our executive team is very different than it was last year and I am interested to see how we all work together. While I will miss everyone, I am excited to work with the new girls and excited to see, first hand, our chapter flourish and grow.

PPL&M

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Giving Thanks

In my opinion, Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays of the year. Not only is it a time to reconnect with family and friends that you may not have seen in a while, eat delicious food, and watch countless hours of dog shows and football games. Thanksgiving is a day centered around giving thanks for the things that you have in your life.

I would definitely classify my family as 'well off'. No, we aren't super rich, but we do live a very comfortable life style. Throughout the year I come across many different classes of people in my every day life. Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that I am forced to collect my memories from the past year and reflect on how good I really have it.

Sure there are times in your life where everything does not go according to your plan, but ultimately, and I believe this with all my heart, everything happens for a reason. All of your experiences shape you into the person you are meant to become.

So here goes, what I am the most thankful for this year...

1. My sorority - While there were ups and downs this year I am extremely thankful for the sorority I have become apart of. First off, I am thankful that my parents are able to afford such an organization. That in itself is not a cheap 'hobby'. I am also thankful that his year I was able to serve on my chapters executive board as the Vice President of Membership. Through the experiences that this position has presented to me has really made me grow as a person and helped guide me in the direction I want to take my life. I have learned that I love people, sure they get on your nerves sometimes, but overall I love the company people give. I never want a job that requires me to work alone, I love interacting with people and getting their ideas on things. I think everyone on this planet is special and has something unique to bring to the table. I have found through VPM that I want to work with people, whether that is being a full time mother or working in a business that allows me to be in contact with people on a daily basis. And also, the most important part of my sorority experience, I am most thankful for the friendships I have gained. If I had not joined this organization my life would be completely different than it is now. I would be friends with completely different people, and not saying that it would be a bad thing, but I am so thankful for the women I do have in my life. It's cliche to say that you join a sorority to find your bridesmaids, but that's exactly what I've found. A bridesmaid, to me, is a person who is one of your closest friends. Someone who has been with you through the ups and downs of life and always supports you no matter what. This is what I have found in this group of women, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
   
2. Volleyball - This sport has always been my biggest passion. I started playing at a young age and I never imagined the opportunities it would present me with. It was something that allowed me to meet my best friend. It gave me a constant, fun, work out routine throughout the past few years. And it now has given me my current job. I was the head coach for a local middle school this past season and I am now assistant coaching for a local club team this season. I am so thankful for this coaching opportunity, it has given me a job that I look forward to going to every day. Because as a wise man once said, "Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life."
   I also am thankful for all of my players. They may not know this, but they have helped me grow more than they could ever imagine. Coaching is such a different experience than playing, and it has actually made me a better player. It has also allowed me to sharpen my leadership skills and has taught me a whole bunch of patience. Those are things that are irreplaceable.
   
3. Heartbreaks - This one may seem odd at the start but bare with me. I am thankful for the biggest heartbreaks I have ever gone through. The first one this year was when my boyfriend and I broke up over the summer. While it was extremely hard, and it still is to this day, I am thankful for the experience. It has made me grow as a person, reflecting on that relationship and seeing how I can be a better girlfriend in the future. You learn something from every experience you go through and without that experience I would have most likely done the same thing with the next guy I dated. But I reflected, saw what needed work, and vowed to myself that I will be different the next go-around. I am also thankful for heartbreak because it means I found love. Not everyone can say they have experienced that and for me to have found it at such a young age, well I consider myself very lucky. Love opens your eyes in a very different way, something that is very hard to explain, but once you've felt it you know what I mean. 
   The second heart break I experienced this year was the loss of my dog, Rosey. She was the greatest dog in the world and losing her opened my eyes to how precious life is. We got her when I was in second grade and for me to be able to see her life progress from a puppy to an elderly dog and then transitioning to death is something not everyone gets to experience. 
   The last heartbreak I wish to share from this year is when I did not get my dream position of Chapter President. This is something new that I have not shared on this blog before. I have had my heart set on the position of Chapter President for a while now and when slating season came around for the new executive council, I was not slated. While this is extremely hard to get over and come to terms with, in fact I still am not completely over it, it has made me realize that I have a lot more growing to do. If I was ready, I would have gotten slated, but the fact that I wasn't proved to me that I have a lot more to work on. So, again everything is a learning experience, I will reflect on the reasons I did not get it and use that to better myself for future endeavors. The fact that I was even in the running to be considered for the position speaks volumes in itself and for that opportunity I am still very grateful.
   
4. My loved ones - I know everyone uses this one and it may seem super cliche, but I am so thankful for the people I have in my life. It is so hard to find true friends and I am so thankful that I have. They have been with me through the ups and the downs and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I honestly wouldn't be alive today without them. This may seem a little extreme but it's true. The same goes for my family. I have the most loving family I could have ever asked for. I have a mother and father would I could go to for anything and love me unconditionally. I have a great relationship with both of my brothers, something that not a lot of people can say they have. So thank you friends and family, for making my life even more worth while.

I could go on and on at all of the things in my life I am thankful for, but that would just be a nightmare to read. So for now those are my Top 4. I am truly blessed and wouldn't change anything in my life. I know not a lot of people can't say that and actually mean it.

Last, and most certainly not least, I am thankful for you! If you have gotten through this entire post I am so thankful :) It was a long one and I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to read what I have to say.

So, enough about me, what are you thankful for?

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Sisterly Love

Sister (noun): A girl or woman who shares a common ancestry, allegiance, character, or purpose with another or others, specifically

You can never underestimate the power of a sister. They are someone who will always be there for you. When you need to laugh, cry, or just someone to talk to - they're always there for you.

I have made some incredible friends this past year since joining Pi Phi and I can proudly call these women my sisters. While in the traditional sense we may not be blood related but we share a common allegiance, character, purpose, and believe it or not ancestry. Now ancestry may not be your common mom or dad but we do have founders and these founders have since caused this ripple affect in allowing me to call all of these women around the world sisters.

I never realized where I would find them either. My grandma is my sister. One that I will always cherish forever. I learned soon after my initiation that my aunt is a Pi Phi. It really is funny how many people I learn are Pi Phi's.

It was funny because we were in Panera Bread the other day discussing recruitment and this women comes up to our table and asks if we were Pi Phis (she must have seen the sticker on my laptop). Well she immediately reaches for my hand to give me a handshake, I was later embarrassed to find out she was giving me the secret handshake and I didn't even realize it...either way it was so cool to run into someone out and about who shared a similar past as me.

We may not be blood related but the knowledge that only us as sisters possess is incredible. It's amazing how much we share, our common interests, beliefs, it's hard to find that any place else.

Even though I did not grow up with any blood sisters, I am lucky because I get to call thousands of women across the world my sisters and I wouldn't have it any other way. So thank you Pi Phi, for filling my life with beautiful, successful women whom I look up to on a daily basis. I couldn't have asked for a better ancestry.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Ocean to Ocean

Hi! I realize I suck and that I haven't really posted on this blog in forever. Last weekend as you may or may not know I was in San Diego for a conference for Pi Phi. I was planning to keep this blog updated while I was there but there was no internet and any down time I had was dedicated to sleeping. So I will try and make it up here!

I had so much fun making new friends and learning lots to take back to my chapter when the fall comes around. I can't tell you exactly what we talked about, mainly because it would take up four pages, but the majority of the conference was dedicated to voting in the new Grand Council as well as different sessions that you could go to to focus on what is a main need for your chapter.

I went to a lot of the Recruitment sessions because our chapter is new and we still aren't totally awesome at recruiting. I learned so much and got so many ideas from different chapters. I even got to speak with someone from Alabama, who has a pledge class the size of our whole chapter...yeah seriously..., and just listening to the way she does things on a Greek heavy campus was so interesting and gave me lots of ideas to try out when I returned in the fall.

So my rant is over and even though I couldn't fill you in on everything, I hope the pictures that follow make up for it :)

Off to San Diego!

The pretty fountain behind the hotel

The view from my room - gorgeous

The pretty harbor with the San Diego Sky line

The $75 Rugby shirt I HAD to have.

The pretty letters for convention

Night one's dessert, so precious and so good!

Cookie Shine!

Philanthropy project on the last day

Throw what you know!

Sis Mullis, the cutest Pi Phi ever

Grand President being sworn in!

Before the Carnation Banquet - last night's dinner

The plane ride home :(

I hope you enjoyed a few pictures from the trip. I had an amazing time and want to go back!

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Arrow Obsession

When joining a sorority becoming a little bit obsessed with everything your organization stands for kind of comes with the territory. If you know anyone that is in Chi Omega, I guarantee they have tons of Owl paraphernalia in their life. Delta Gamma - Anchor. Zeta Tau Alpha - Crown. You get the jist.

On my last Sorority Sunday I talked a lot about my sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and their background. I also talked about our symbol - the arrow. Now being that it is one of our symbols, I have become a little bit obsessed. Pretty much anything and everything that has an arrow on it, I've got to have it. Seriously though...it's kind of a problem.

That's why for this Sorority Sunday I've decided I was going to insert a list of arrow-related things I am currently obsessing over. Enjoy!

I first saw this pillow when I was actually in Target and I immediately sent it to our Vice President of Housing and told her - we need this pillow. Except we don't, but she agreed it was just as cute.

This Gray Threshold Embroidery Linen Arrow Decorative Pillow can be found at Target for $23.74

This next pillow I may have also slightly fell in love with as well. I mean for one - arrows, duh. Secondly, it is magenta. Which might as well be wine. Which is one of our colors. Perfection!

This Bright Magenta Love Arrow Pillow can be found on Dormify.com for $39

Lastly, I had to include this. I was looking on JC Penny's website and saw that Jonathan Adler had made line just for Penny's! Now I for one love Jonathan Adler. If you may not be familiar with him, think of his things as a more urban Lilly Pulitzer. They tend to design kind of the same small items - agendas, iPhone cases, etc. It may not be your style but I love him. So naturally I was beyond excited to see his JC Penny's line. It is mainly filled with home decor which is great because any chance I get I will redecorate my room. If you haven't seen any of his stuff before, I would recommend going on the Penny's website and checking out his line. There is some super cute stuff on there.

Anyways, back to this bookend. Now if you know me at all, I don't read. Don't get me wrong its not like I hate to read or anything but I simply never do it. During the school year I don't like to clutter my mind with yet another book when I should be reading my History book, which rarely gets open. Now to many people's dismay I actually did start, and finish, an entire book today while sitting at my brother's baseball games. Granted it was Style by Lauren Conrad, but Hey! Give me some credit here, I'm trying! And you can laugh, but the only reason I bought the book in the first place was so that I could have some books for my bookends (I know, I'm literally the dumbest person ever). Either way, I have fallen in love with these bookends because, of course, they are arrows. So you can guarantee they will be mine when I get my next paycheck.

Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler Katie Set of 2 Arrow Bookends can be found at JC Penny for $42

What do you think? Pretty silly, huh? Well I can't help it, I'm in love.

Let me know what decor items you are loving this summer, I'd love to see it!

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Arrow Minded

Since we like to make cheesy alliterations on this blog, let's go ahead and start another one!

"Sorority Sundays"

*Gags*

So as you may or may not know I am in Pi Beta Phi sorority at my university. I posted a couple of days ago about crafting for my little and the Big/Little process but what I failed to talk about was my sorority in general!

I absolutely love Pi Phi (shortened name), ever since bid day I have fallen head over heels in love with everyone in this organization and everything about it. I am so blessed with the opportunities that it has given me thus far.

Let's start from the beginning, we were founded on April 28, 1867 as the first national secret society for women. We were originally named I.C. Sorosis but then later changed our name to Pi Beta Phi. Our colors are Wine and Silver Blue. Our symbol is the Arrow and our mascot is the angel.

Now you may understand why this blog is called "Bows and Arrows". Bows - just for the girly side of it all and Arrows - for my sorority.

"But how did you choose to become part of this organization?" - Good question! ;)

I decided to participate in rush last fall at my school. We have 9 Panhellenic sororities on campus that I 'rushed' (I can go through the whole recruitment process at a later time). Each day of rush you go to less and less houses until you are down to two houses at Pref Night. After going to both houses on Pref Night I knew which one I belonged to. There were pros and cons to each but the biggest reason that I chose Pi Phi was because I was a legacy.

A legacy is defined as someone who's mother, grandmother, or sister is affiliated with that organization. My grandmother is a Pi Phi, which I didn't learn until the summer before I decided to rush! Having her to talk with about everything related to Pi Phi has really made the experience that much more special to me and has brought us closer than we have ever been. I am so glad I get the opportunity to share this experience with her.

Now onto present times. It has been a whole school year since I rushed, so where am I now?

In January I was slated to be the Vice President of Membership for my chapter. I was beyond shocked that they slated me for this position because it is not normally a position you give to a new girl. The VPM (for short) is in charge of the biggest event for any sorority - Recruitment. That's right. I'm in charge of it all. I just went through it last year and now I am leading it. It was extremely overwhelming at first, but I have some great people on Exec who I can turn to for help. They have really been my life savers and I cannot thank them enough for all they have done.

So this summer will be filled with planning for recruitment. However, I do get the opportunity to go to San Diego for the 69th Biennial Convention where I get to meet Pi Phi's from all across the country. I was chosen as the alternate delegate and our President is our chapter delegate. I am so excited to travel to San Diego with her and I will absolutely keep this blog updated with everything from that trip!

I hope you enjoyed the first edition of 'Sorority Sunday'! Keep checking back during the week for more posts and maybe even more themed days?

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Crafting Daze

Well hello again, long time no see.

I didn't realize how difficult it would be to find things to blog about. It's been a week or two since my last post. I figured that because it was summer time and I had all these things to do that putting up blogs would be a breeze! Not the case.

Ever since I had gotten back from the beach my life started up again as normal - working, babysitting, taking a few trips here and there to visit my boyfriend and my friends in Wilmington. Other than that, it has been a lot of sitting around at home doing a lot of nothing.

However, one thing that has kept me busy is crafting!

As you may or may not know, I am in Pi Beta Phi sorority at my university. I rushed last year in the fall and have loved every second of it. For those of you who are familiar with sorority life, you understand the whole Big/Little process. For those of you aren't, I will explain...

When you rush a sorority and begin the new member process there is a point down the road where you are assigned a 'Big'. This person is supposed to be your mentor, someone who is normally a year older than you and was just in your shoes as a new member last year.

At my school the way we find out who our Big is going to be is by Big/Little week. This was probably the best week of my life, not joking. It is 4 days of getting spoiled to death. The first day is normally a card or letter from your Big (this is still anonymous by the way). The second day you receive some sort of sweet treats. Third day is tee-shirt day, my favorite; you get a bunch of hand-me-down tee shirts from your big and family. And the last day is reveal day! This is the day when you find out who your big is and you get completely spoiled with a basket full of things Pi Phi related. For example my big gave me a couple of items from the Pi Phi Lilly Pulitzer collection, wine glasses, more tee shirts, cork board, Pi Phi related canvases, etc.

This can get to be pretty expensive if you decide to go all out, however at the end of the day it is all worth it. So with all of that being said, and having one year of greek life under my belt, I get to be a Big next year! I have already started crafting for my little and I am loving every second of it. I have only started working on two canvases for her and neither are completely finished yet, however I figured I would update you on my progress as I go along as well as maybe do a tutorial as to how to do some of these.

I got inspiration for my first canvas off of a group on Facebook called The Big/Little Connection where a lot of people post different crafts they did for their littles. I thought it this one was precious, so the crafting began...

Now some of you may be asking how I got the hands for the design. Well I tried finding cartoon hands of our symbol online but I had no luck. But if you have a Mac then you are in luck. There is an effect on the Photo booth application that is called "Pop art". All I did was pose my hands in a certain way and took loads of pictures until I found one that I liked the best, here was the winner:

Then what I did was printed the picture out (I actually had to use two pieces of paper to get it the size I wanted) and on the back I shaded over the lines that were the most important for my picture (obviously the TV in the background didn't make the cut). After that I flipped it over, positioned it how i wanted and proceeded to trace the lines of my hands and it turned out like the picture shown below. This method also works very well if you were painting a cooler.

I then colored it in with neon paint, I decided to go with these colors instead of the muted colors that were from my inspiration. (sorry for it being side ways, i couldn't figure out how to get it horizontal)

After a few more coats I added the black around the edges. This is good because you don't have to completely worry about staying within the lines when originally coloring above because the black will hide any mistakes.

After that I drew the black lines in between the boxes.

And traced the lines around the hands. You also want to keep your original photo that you traced in case you have to go over any lines that may have been covered up by the paint - that blue covered up everything.

And here is the finished product! I'm obviously not completely done, I still have to add the "Throw what you know, Pi Beta Phi". But I will probably just use either silver sharpie or paint for that, it shouldn't be too difficult.

So that is my first project of the summer! I am very proud of the way that it turned out. If you have any questions about paint or brushes that I used feel free to leave a comment with any questions that you may have! I have also started on a chevron canvas so be on the look out for that, I am done with the chevron but I want to wait until it is all finished to make a post about it because it is going to be one of my favorite pieces :)

I will definitely have a post at the end of the summer with all of my finished products so also be on the look out for that. Other than that, happy crafting!

Until next time,

Casey Rose