4 Chic Ways To Switch Up Your Sandals

Info from Brit + Co.

Sandal season is in full swing. We’re loving all sorts of inventive new ways to style your favorite pair of flat sandals,  but what happens when you want to add an extra oomph of style to some of your old kicks? We’ve created four bona fide hacks for that! Here are a few easy, chic, and trendy ways to trick out your sandals.

Materials:

- sandals

- seed beads

- soft leather (to make fringe)

- colored hemp cord

- quick hold E-6000 glue

- gold studs

Tools:

- needle nose pliers

- fabric scissors

We started with 4 pairs of sandals found at TJ Maxx and Ross. This is great hack for sandals you already have, or new ones that you want to personalize.

1. Ankle Fringe: Our fringe addiction continues!

Measure the straps of your sandal and cut pieces of leather to match. Use fabric scissors to fringe the leather – just make sure you don’t cut all the way to the top. Use hot glue to secure on each strap, and you’re done.

These would be a great way to jazz up a basic sundress or maxi skirt, don’t you think?

2. Studded Straps: When in doubt, stud it up. When we saw these sandals, the gold round button inspired us to cover them in studs, just to make them a little hotter.

We used a mix of gold studs for this one, large and small. Use a safety pin to create holes in the leather before pressing studs through. Use needle nose pliers to press through and secure on the other side. Continue for as many studs as you’d like to add.

Seems like these could be this summer’s more subtle take on the gladiator-style sandal.

3. String Stripes: To add a pop of color to your favorite sandals, try creating one accent piece with colored string. We used hemp cord as it’s more sturdy than embroidery floss.

Use a toothpick to dab glue onto your sandal and spread into a thin layer. Wrap the string around and pull tight. Change colors after about an inch and a half and continue around one strap.

These might be our favorite of the bunch – they go with just about everything!

4. Beads, Beads, and More Beads: One of our favorite recent hacks is using glue to attach beads (instead of sewing them into place). We first discovered this when creating our trio of sparkling accessories.

To do this, dab glue onto your sandal and press beads on. Repeat until you’ve covered one strap of your sandal. It’s as easy as that! After you let them dry for about an hour, it’s a good idea to shake to get rid of excess beads.

We’re loving all the colors and texture in these newly beaded sandals.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS BROWN !

Christopher Maurice "Chris" Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American recording artist, dancer, and actor. Born in Tappahannock, Virginia, he taught himself to sing and dance at a young age and was involved in his church choir and several local talent shows. 

TOTALLY RANDOM !!!!!

Turn Solo Cups into Laptop Speaker Amplifiers:

OMAnother hack on rocking out, cut a solo cup in half to create a pair of makeshift amps. This is especially useful on those nights before a big launch :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIMORA LEE SIMMONS !

Kimora Lee Simmons was born May 4, 1975 and is a former American fashion model. She created Baby Phat and was CEO/Creative Director until 2010.

In 2011, she was hired as president/Creative Director for JustFab. Her current net worth is prominently gained through her modelling, acting and fashion career.

Changing Majors

There may come a time during your college experience, where you may find you are not happy with your selected major. Surprisingly, changing your major is not as complicated as you may think. With a little research and guidance from your academic advisor, you may be able to change your plan of study seamlessly. There are a few things you may want to think about before changing your major.

Credit Hours Already Earned

If you want to change majors without adding extra semesters to your time at college, then you will need to do so as early in your college years as possible; preferably during your freshman or sophomore year when you are still primarily completing required courses. If you wait until your junior year or senior year, then you are almost guaranteed to add extra time to your degree than you planned. The only way you may get around that is if you change your major to a closely related major. The best way to see how your transcript would fare would be to discuss your plans with an academic advisor.

Research

Before jumping the gun to change your major, be sure that switching is something that you have thought through and is something you are certain you want to do. It is not wise to keep changing your major, as that would not reflect well when trying to obtain a job in the future. Evaluate your reasons and options and be sure to make an informed decision.

Check Out Available Jobs

Check out the job section of your newspaper or online job search websites and see what the job market is like for your potential new major. Be sure that changing your major would work in your favor when you are trying to obtain your first job out of college. The last thing you would want is to spend money on a degree and then not be able to obtain a job later.

Take a Class

If you are on the fence about switching majors, take one class related to your potential new major first to see if it is something you would like. Even if you do not like the class and realize it was not for you, the credits you earned for that class would most likely count as an elective toward your current degree anyway.

Pick up a Minor Degree

If it is too late for you to switch majors without losing money and credits, you can always pick up a minor in your new interest. Minors are relatively easy to add to your degree and usually only require about 18-24 credits or so to complete; you could pick these extra classes up in the summer or winter breaks and still graduate on time.

Paperwork

Of course, every college is different, however usually a form with an original signature has to be filled out and submitted to your registrar’s office. Some colleges require a signature from your academic advisor so it is best to speak to an advisor or counselor prior to submitting your form.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN FUN FRINGE TOTE

Info from Brit + Co.

Looking to spice up a tote or two? We took two totes from our tote of totes (yes, we have a tote filled with totes) and decided to take them to the next level. The obvious choice for jazzing them up? Fringe!

Materials:

- canvas totes

- fringe

- hot glue

- leather belt

The totes we used were free canvas ones picked up on recent supplies runs. We used a belt found at a thrift shop to create more stylish straps.

Cut your fringe so that it will wrap all the way around your tote. Use hot glue to attach at the top edge. Keep going down the bag with different colors of fringe until you reach the bottom. We recommend layering a little bit so there are no breaks in the fringe pattern.

Now it’s time to add your strap. We cut a thick leather belt in half lengthwise and sewed it into the tote. You’ll obviously need to cut the straps of your tote out before doing this.

And there you have it! Totes fringed up!

Next up, a more natural palette of beige, brown, off-white, and a stripe of navy blue.

The process is the same. Glue fringe onto the tote on the top edge and then turn a belt into two straps.

Can’t decide on a career? Try Job Shadowing

What is Job Shadowing?

Job shadowing is a career exploration process that enables an individual to experience a profession in person by following (shadowing) a professional and observing a typical day of work in the field. Job shadowing is a great way to get to know the ins and outs of a profession and requires very little time commitment or effort on your part (compared to what you will get out of it).

Even those who already have an idea of what they would like to do should still job shadow to see if you actually like the work and want to make a career out of it.

Job Shadowing: 60 Jobs in 60 Days

Michael, who is currently about halfway through his 60 jobs in 60 days project, reports that the project is going very well with some of his favorite job shadows so far being city councilor, judge, journalist, publisher, dentist, and pediatrician.

So far the experience has helped him narrow down what he’s interested in: he really enjoyed job shadowing for both an optometrist and a dentist. “I could definitely see myself doing either of those careers and I probably wouldn't have known that without doing 60 jobs in 60 days.”

The project has been a learning experience. Not only has it given him a deep understanding of what many professionals do every day, he has earned himself some great business contacts. Talking and meeting with new professionals has also enhanced his interview skills as he gets comfortable with the practice he gets during the project.

Another valuable tip he learned: people will want to help you if you take the time to reach out in an honest way. Meaning if you know someone in a career field you are considering (or, even if you don’t know them), feel free to reach out, ask questions, and get advice. It’s always great to have some type of mentor who can help lead you down the right path.

While he regrets not starting the project earlier (It would have been nice to put the innovative project on college and scholarship applications), it will surely be a rewarding experience in the end. Once he completes his objective he should have a good idea of what he wants to go into and what he doesn’t.

Benefits of Job Shadowing

Career Direction. Will help with the career exploration process. Is this something I want to be doing the rest of my life?

Networking. You'll gain contacts in the industry who can answer questions and point you in the right direction providing advice on the chosen career path.

Valuable experience. Job shadowing will help you be more outgoing, improve your interview skills, and get you comfortable to these types of settings.

Best College Internship Programs

It's time to drop the coffee getting intern stereotype and look at these Top 10 internship programs for college students.

An internship at one of these companies will be fun, knowledgeable and career building.

It is a great way to gain experience and determine if you are interested in a certain career, receive on-the-job training and get paid for it at the same time. The typical college internship program last 8-12 weeks during the summer months.

1. Google - Working at Google has many perks, like three free gourmet meals a day, a game room, a lap pool, a rock climbing wall and just an overall great culture. Some people even compare it to a college like atmosphere. Being a Google Intern may be your best shot at a career at the GooglePlex, considering Google only hired 2200 regular job applicants out of over a million last year.

2. Microsoft - The Microsoft Internship is a 12 week long program. There won't be any coffee fetching here; interns do the same work as regular hires. The program is topped off with a summer BBQ at Bill Gates house.

3. Southwest Airlines - Headquartered in Dallas, TX, the Southwest Airlines internship program is a great way for college students to both work and travel over summer break. Especially with their biggest perk being Free Unlimited Southwest Airlines travel. Southwest also offers career development classes and has a casual dress code, which is great for that summer heat.

4. Apple - The Apple Internship Program is a 12-week paid summer internship in the Silicon Valley. Apple's casual work environment also has benefits such as relocation assistance, a medical plan, and employee discounts on Apple products.

5. Genentech - The Genentech Internship Program is an intensive 10-12 week summer program. Interns are placed in project teams of research, development, manufacturing or business areas related to their major. Genentech prefers college juniors who major in life or physical sciences or chemical engineering for its internship program. The company was also named Fortune's "Best Company to Work for" in 2006.

6. Edward Jones - Interested in being a Stock Broker? New brokers at Edward Jones get mentored by a veteran broker for a whole year. Interns are put through a cross-training experience and are given training in Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Products & Services, Research, Sales, Hiring & Training, Service, and Trust.

7. Nike - Nike Internships last from June 19 - August 24 in Beaverton, Oregon near Portland. The best perks of interning at Nike include a membership at their state-of-the-art fitness centers and access to the Nike Employee Store.

8. Pixar - A Pixar internship lets student interns work assisting in the production of a feature film. It's a great internship position for Linux or UNIX users and those interested in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Art.

9. Sun - An internship at Sun Microsystems is a year round internship with the goal of hiring the student upon graduation. Most of the Internships in the San Francisco Bay area are available for business, engineering and computer science majors. Besides having a casual work environment and a casual dress code, other perks at Sun include free software, access to Sun University Classes, and a Fitness Center.

10. Exxon Mobil - Here is your chance to work for the company that tops the Fortune 500 list nearly every year. An internship is a great way towards career development and getting a job after college. An internship at Exxon is the best way to get your foot in the door, while receiving competitive pay at the same time. Most internships are filled through on-campus interviews so look out for the next career fair to get into this 10-14 week summer program.