Workspace Chic with Office Depot/See Jane Work: Ali's Picks!

For us, a creative workspace means a happy workspace.  Being in an environment that provides inspiration keeps the creative juices flowing while you're working away!  When TSS Co-Founder Ali moved in to her new office, she was excited to decorate & get organized with her finds from Office Depot & See Jane Work.  Practical items with a feminine and colorful touch?  Sign us up! 

Ali fell in love with the black and white patterned items-- from polka dots to stripes.  She picked bright white as the backdrop for her space, so these two patterns fit the color scheme perfectly!  The striped Letter Sorter & Magazine File added interest to the corner of her desk... not to mention, they're great for organization!  Both items hold papers and small notebooks with stylish ease.  Even the little Pink Notecards find a home in the Letter Sorter.  Hey, you gotta send those thank you notes!

Those highlighters pack a punch... they're smudge-proof!  We've never seen a highlighter like this one before.  Another practical item is Binder Clips, and we fell for these sweet little pink ones-- complete with a bow on top.  Binder clips have certainly never been this cute before!  The polka dot Business Notebook keeps things together with an elastic band, and is great to grab for notes on the run.  Sticky Notes are always handy, and these ones felt special in the Lavender color.  Got a quick note to save for later?  The polka dot Flip Book Notebook will do the trick.

Two of Ali's favorite items are the White Stapler and White Tape Dispenser.  She loved the clean and simple lines, and of course the chic white color it was offered in!  Both items fit right in with the decor, and make for nice looking (and useful!) desk accessories.

Binders and Padfolios are an office staple, and Ali couldn't resist the ones with the polka dot pattern.  The Padfolio is one of our top picks... clipboard on top, and a legal size notebook fits neatly inside.  It's a great item for meetings, and for jotting down notes on the go.

We're constantly making "To-Do" Lists.  Seriously, who can live without one?!  When Ali saw this pink To Do Sticky Notepad, she had to have it.  It's a lifesaver for daily tasks, complete with spots to check items off as you go.  Naturally, Ali thought that Pink Pens to match her notepad would be a nice touch!

We love how Ali's office space came together with her finds from Office Depot & See Jane Work.  Big thank you to everyone at Office Depot for helping her creative space come to life.  With these finds, we've discovered that there's no need to be bland... practical office supplies can have style too!

So, are you inspired to go shopping?  You're in luck!  Check out our Coupon for $10 off your purchase of $50 from See Jane Work.  Hurry, it's valid through the end of March!

Check out the entire See Jane Work collection here!

*Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Office Depot, however, all views and opinions are solely that of The Sorority Secrets.

Benefits of Plant Based Diet!

Recently health and wellness has been trending.  And thank goodness, as it is high time that healthy eating habits and exercise replace fast food chains and quick fix diet fads.  Among the trending health topics is the plant based diet.  As a nutritionist, this is how I personally choose to eat.  Instead of cutting certain foods out entirely like the vegetarian or vegan diets, this is simply making the majority of what you eat whole, unprocessed, plant based foods.  The benefits of eating in such a way are numerous, and it is incredibly easy to do.

Research has shown that by simply incorporating more vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds into your diet can help you prevent and even reverse many of the top health issues people are facing today.  Adding in more of these whole natural foods in your diet will mean more nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats, and fiber.  It also will also mean less room for damaging fat, preservatives, chemicals, and refined sugars, all of which are linked to serious health problems.

Your body needs the nutrients and vitamins found in food to survive, it uses them as fuel for every single function it performs.  Chemicals, preservatives, and damaging fats only serve to bog down your system, and add unnecessary work for your body as it tries to detoxify itself from these foreign substances.  Eliminating these things from your diet will free up much of your body's energy for daily use, rather than detoxifying.  On top of that, every single one of your cells are being replaced over time, and the food you eat is what those new cells are made of.  That Big Mac doesn't sound so good now, does it?

And contrary to common misconception, on a whole, vegans actually have healthier bones, higher blood protein levels, and less nutritional deficiencies than omnivores.  It is possible to get all the protein and calcium you need from a vegan or plant based diet.

In case you need more reasons to consider a plant based diet:

Lose excess fat

Reduce cholesterol

Reduce risk or help treat diabetes

Reduce inflammation

Healthier gut flora

More energy

Improve cognition

Control weight

Slow aging

Gain muscle

Reduce risk for cancer

Natural detoxification

Better sleep

Healthier intestinal transit

Clearer skin

Boost immune system

Reduce risk for heart disease

Just remember that you put into your body directly translates into your health.  You are what you eat, literally.  Food can either be the best form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison.  Bon appetite!

Katie Dean Jewelry {Giveaway}

 

               

On Sakura: Feather Ring | Grace Ring | One Love Rings On Karen: Arrow Ring | Say Your Prayers Hand Chain On Ali: Initial Necklace-Gold | Arrow Ring | Feather Ring

If you haven't seen or heard of Katie Dean Jewelry then you might want to jump on this train. We first found out about Katie Dean Jewelry through Lea Michele's Instagram. She was rocking the cutest piece of hand jewelry we had ever seen! We had to know just where she got it. Turns out, Lea Michele wasn't the only one who loved Katie Dean Jewelry. Several different stars like Kendall and Kylie Jenner and other famous celebs around LA had already caught on to the amazing jewelry that is Katie Dean Jewelry. So what makes her jewelry so unique? Everything. Think bohemian, earthy designs mixed with a feminine dainty twist. When you look at KDJ's pieces, you're looking at a piece of art. Each piece of jewelry has a one of kind flair to it. We have a thing for midi rings right now and KDJ offers the best midi ring designs like the Arrow Ring and the Feather Ring. Karen had been searching high and low for a hand chain and fell in love with the Say Your Prayers gold hand chain from KDJ--like Katie said, it's so amazing that you don't want to take it off. In fact, all of her jewelry you just don't want to take off.

Do you want to experience what all the hype is with KDJ's fab jewelry pieces? We have a special giveaway for you! The Sorority Secrets + Katie Dean Jewelry have teamed up to offer one winner their very own jewelry piece from the Katie Dean Jewelry collection. One winner will receive their choice of any piece of KDJ jewelry that is $50 or less. This is an Instagram giveaway and here are the official rules of entry:

1. You must be a US resident (this giveaway is not offered to those outside of the US).
2. You must read and agree to The Sorority Secrets' Contest/Giveaway Disclaimer.
3. Follow @katiedeanjewelry on Instagram
4. Comment on The Sorority Secrets' Katie Dean Jewelry Giveaway picture on Instagram telling us where you would wear her jewelry if you won. 

The contest ends on 3/28 at 11:59 PM PST and the winner will be notified via Instagram. Thanks and good luck!!

Spring Break Cleanse with Pressed Juicery! {Giveaway!}

There's nothing better than a juice cleanse before AND after Spring Break!  You want to feel great and cleansed before you slip into that bikini and a cleanse is definitely necessary after Spring Break with all that junk food- cause really, who eats healthy during Spring Break?

Back in November, we tried out our first Pressed Juicery cleanse (read here) and we loved it- but because we were juice cleanse newbies, we did the 1-day cleanse! This time we thought we would step up our game and try out the 3-day cleanse! 

 Check out what we all had to say about it below and don't forget to enter for a chance to win the giveaway! 

"I was really excited to try Pressed Juicery since the cleanse I did before (read here) went so well. The 1 Day Cleanse left me feeling refreshed and the 3 Day Cleanse was no different. I did Cleanse #2 and it had the best flavored juices. My favorite juice was Citrus 2 which combined apple, lemon, pineapple, and mint together. Their flavors are so yummy that it made the Cleanse #2 enjoyable. Tip: To get through a cleanse, go to sleep early! Sleeping earlier at night after taking your last bottle of juice keeps you from being tempted by food!"

"Cleansing for 3 days was a little scary at first, but I was up for the challenge!  Day 1 was the hardest day for me.  After getting over the first day, the last two days were much easier!  I got into the routine of juicing, and I didn't have to think about it as much.  I kept reminding myself to chug that water throughout the day as well!  I did get a little tired on Day 2 in the afternoon, but having my next juice helped to give me energy.  In the mornings when I woke up, I found that I felt especially great!  I felt light and well rested.

I feel lean and fresh for spring break!  Doing the Pressed 3-day cleanse is like a spring cleaning for your body.  Simply put, I feel refreshed.  I also feel very hydrated, and ready to take on the day!  Thank you Pressed Juicery!!"

"I've juiced quite a few times in the past so I thought I'd give Cleanse #3 a try!  I've only done a 2-day juice cleanse so I was excited to do a 3-day cleanse!  Cleanse #3 is more for "experienced cleansers," and contains only one almond milk and more green juices.  I was a bit nervous at first, but it ended up going really well!  I always had a big bottle of water next to me at all times to chug and I think the most important thing to do is to space out your juices throughout the day! I tend to get hungry and want to snack at night, so I made sure that I had plenty of juice to drink in the evening and went to bed early!

By the end of my cleanse, I felt great and energized!  From being so hydrated for 3 days, I felt really detoxed. By far my favorite cleanse I've done and saw the most results!"

How to Enter the Giveaway:

Step 1: Like The Sorority Secrets on Facebook (click here)

Step 2: Like Pressed Juicery on Facebook (click here)

Step 3: Email us at giveaway@thesororitysecrets.com by March 21, 2014 and tell us about a time you've done a juice cleanse before and your experience! If you haven't done a juice cleanse yet, say why you'd like to win this giveaway and try out a juice cleanse!  

A special thank you to Pressed Juicery for an amazing cleanse!  Make sure to visit their website at www.pressedjuicery.com for more information on their juice cleanses!

Live happy & healthy!

Beach Waves Hair Tutorial {by, Maddie}

Stick straight hair can be both a blessing and a curse; it’s easy to manage on a daily basis, but it can look a little flat sometimes. I’ve always loved that beachy hair look (a-la-Olsen twins), but spraying salt water and scrunching my hair does absolutely nothing! Here are my tips for achieving that look that will work if your hair is straight or stubborn.

Tools:

• Heat protectant

• 1 inch Curling iron or rod

• Hairspray

• Pomade

Steps:

1. First, spray the heat protectant on your dry hair and let it fully sink in. Don’t skip this step! We don’t want to compromise the health of your hair with hot tools.

2. Start taking pieces of your hair and wrapping them around the curling iron, wrapping them away from your face.

3. Once you’ve finished your whole head, shake the curls out a little with your hands. Some girls might like this look the way it is, but I like to quickly run a flat iron over some of the really bouncy pieces to get that true “I just went surfing” look.

(TIP: I spray hair protectant over my hair again before straightening just to play it safe)

4. Time for hairspray! If you have pomade, you can also put rub some between your hands and just apply it to random ends of your hair for a piece-y look.
 

Enjoy your beach waves!

Spring Nails {by, Audree}

Help brighten up your outfit this season with the perfect polish! Spring 2014 is all about colorful pastels, vibrant neon, and feminine pinks. This season is all about freshness; keep your nails solid colors to add an extra pop against your outfit. 

Visit your local beauty store and stock up on the season’s newest spring shades. My favorite brands are OPI, Essie and Sally Hansen. They are super cheap and have a great variety of colors. 

My top three choices from OPI are (pictured left to right): ‘Lucky Lucky Lavender’, ‘I Just Can’t Cope-acabana’, and ‘Kiss Me On My Tulips’. 

My top three choices from Essie are:  ‘Resort Fling’, ‘Truth or Flare’, and ‘Dj Play that Song’.

My top three choices from Sally Hansen are: ‘Mint Sprint’, ‘Petal Pusher’, and ‘Peachy Breeze’.

At home manis are great for a quick fix or when you don’t have time to go in, but step up your nail game and try gel polish. Gel lasts 2+ weeks and instantly gives you that straight out of the salon look. Recently I started using an at home gel LED light and my life is now complete! You can purchase lights and polish for under $100 at local beauty supply stores, but check out this portable LED light for only $24.99 at ULTA. What a steal! 

Gel polish goes on like regular nail polish and just curate your polish between coats under your light and, viola! You have the perfect manicure for spring!