My Favorite Things Link Up

I'm so excited that the day is here for the big link-up! Please join me, Elise, Katie, and Zelle in sharing your wishlist today. We can't wait to see what you've got your eye on! 

Here are the items on my Christmas wishlist this year. I promise I've been a good girl ... 98% of the time, at least. ;)

1 - Clarisonic Mia 2

I'm feeling mighty late to the party on this one. The Clarisonic Mia is high on my wishlist this year. I've always been good about washing my face at night, but I feel like this would take my skincare regimen up to the next level and really help out my skin.

2 - Marble Fruit Bowl

Love this ... and not just for fruit. This Crate and Barrel pedestal bowl would be such a welcome addition to my kitchen.

3 - Fringe Boots

I want these bad. Still torn whether I'd prefer the full Minnetonka boot ($100) these American Eagle wedge booties ($70) ... but one way or another, a fringed boot will be on my Christmas wishlist for sure.

4 - Buffalo Check Mug

Just dying over this C. Wonder mug. Four, please! They would look so cute with our white dinnerware. I'm a big tea drinker in the chilly months during the day and would love to sip my tea from these adorable mugs.

5 - Pizza Scissors

Ahh, take me back to Italy! When Ian and I were in Florence, Italy we had some of the BEST pizza ever, and the folks at Pizza Florida cut off a size of your liking with big pizza scissors. Then you just paid by the weight. Since we have pizza almost every Friday night, these WS pizza scissors would be so fun to have at the house ... and they would always bring back great memories of our trip to The Boot.

And lastly, but most importantly -- the 2014 Swarovski snowflake ornament . I have every year's snowflake since 2002 and display them on my ornament tree. They are all different and so beautiful. These are certainly not inexpensive at $75, but they are the one thing that I collect.

I certainly hope you'll link up with us below! Remember, the theme for 11/25 is Stocking Stuffers and the theme for 12/2 is Friends and Family Gifts Under $100. I can't wait to see what great finds you all have up your sleeves!

An InLinkz Link-up

Five On Friday: Blue + White Edition

We made it through another week!  Hallelujah!  PTL!

Time for my favorite link-up day: Five on Friday.  As always, I hope you'll join me along with Darci, Natasha, and Christina ... playing along is simple!  Just write a blog about five things on your mind today, anything goes really, post the logo below on your blog, and then enter your post address below in the link-up section.

Today I thought I'd share some favorites all pertaining to a certain theme I love: blue and white.  Enjoy!

O N E
If there's one thing I'm a total sucker for, it's a tunic.  This Tory Burch version (here) is currently on sale.  I think it'd look so great with white shorts now and white cropped jeans when the weather turns a little chillier.  The model is scaring me a little bit and I'd love to stick her in a Mystic Tan booth for a hot second, but still ... awesome tunic.

T W O
I saw this darling table setting chart on Pinterest and just love everything about it.  A good resource for the fancy-schmancy dinner party that I am just dying to throw!  Who's in?

via

T H R E E
How perfect is this kitchen shot?  I would love to have open shelves at some point, and if they looked just like this, I wouldn't shed a single tear. (Don't even get me started on the glossy white subway tile and gorgeous marble.)
   

via

F O U R
Hydrangeas ... love everything about them!  My bridesmaids carried bouquets of hydrangeas at our wedding.  This year we planted two hydrangeas in our front natural area and I'm just hoping that they take off and supply me with endless amounts of this pretty flower.

F I V E
What a cute Etsy print this is (here)!  Oh, and currently on sale for $15.  I would love to have this framed at work as a daily reminder.

via

I am so ready for the weekend to get started so I can get some of my favorite girls in town and celebrate properly with some vino, girl talk, and pedicures.

Pedicures at a place that serves wine ... YES.

Linking up is easy ... join us below.  TGIF ladies!

Five On Friday

Another weekend is here, hooray!  The week went by fairly fast this time, and I've got a fun and relaxing weekend ahead.  Most exciting part?  A girls night tomorrow complete with an appointment at a blow-out salon!

Time for my favorite link-up day: Five on Friday.  As always, I hope you'll join me along with Darci, Natasha, and Christina ... playing along is simple!  Just write a blog about five things on your mind today, anything goes really, post the logo below on your blog, and then enter your post address below in the link-up section.

So here's my five.  Cheers to the weekend!

O N E
Map My Run.  This free app is such a motivator on days that I am not feeling jazzed about exercising.  It tracks your route, speed, and distance covered.  It's really helpful for days that I want to get out and try a new route around the neighborhood and walk a certain distance.  Below is a sample screenshot I found online ... no, I'm not running 5.5 miles yet :)

T W O

Naked And Afraid.  Oh my goodness.  Have ya'll seen this show?  My mom turned us on to it. It comes on the Discovery Channel and, fair warning, you will see a lot of bums.  Not of the hobo variety.  Oh, and please don't Google image the name of the TV show as I just did.  Time to go wash my eyeballs.  But seriously, awesome show with good survival tactics!  A man and woman are left -- naked -- in a remote area and must survive for 21 days.  Find food, find water, build shelter, try not to fight like an old married couple.  I love it.

T H R E E
Dinners Alfresco.  We've been enjoying our screened porch so much this summer, and recently I made mini-pizzas for us that I served alongside a salad with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, black and green olives, feta cheese, and a vinaigrette.  I topped the pizzas with marinara, pesto, thinly sliced homegrown tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and basil leaves.  Absolutely delish.

F O U R
New Bling.  I just finished these earrings and can't wait to post them in my A. Liz Designs Etsy shop!  I have had a lot of coworkers to request jewelry repairs and re-dos recently.  At any given time you can catch me with needle nose pliers in my purse!

F I V E
This Necklace!  I just bought this stunner from Living Social - it is available here.  It was only $16 (you do pay $4.95 shipping) but quite a steal from the $42 value.  Now I just have to decide what color I want it in!  So excited to receive it in the mail.

Your turn to link up ... I can't wait to see your Five On Friday!

Five On Friday: Link Up With Us!

I may have never been so happy to see a Friday.  Ever, ever, ever.  It's not that anything horrible happened this week, more like a lot of "ehhh" moments just one right after another, so bring on the SUN and bring on the WINE and bring on the FAMILY and bring on the NO ALARM CLOCKS!

And now I'm so pleased to share my Five On Friday along with my beautiful co-hostesses Darci, Natasha, and Christina ... join us, it's simple!  Just write a blog about five things on your mind today, anything goes really, post the logo below on your blog, and then enter your post address below in the link-up section.  I promise, it's easy!

So here's my 5 on Friday.  Cheers to the weekend!

O N E
After I wrote the post this week about World Market, I somehow found myself back there again ... funny how that happens.  That store is magnetic, I suwanee.  Anyway, they had the most adorable salad set half off (and I received an extra 15% for being in their WM Explorer program -- free to sign up) so this $20 set ended up costing me around $8.50.  Not too shabby!

I got these and a matching spreader knife since the only spreader knives I own either have Santas on them or high heels.  And the other day I saw Ian using a high heel spreader and it just wasn't right.

World Market Coral Salad Servers

Originally $19.99, now $9.99

T W O
Sometimes I come home from work to little surprises, and this is what Wednesday's looked like.  I think the reason behind it is so hilariously sweet -- it was Ian thanking me for some work I've done for us recently, like switching our insurance over to a new carrier (that is saving us a few hundred a year!) and working on an IRA we have.  It's so funny how life changes when you're in your 30s.  :)  But I love it.

T H R E E
My sister's recipe for peach cobbler looks PERFECT (read: really tasty and really easy and not calling for 19 ingredients).  She posted the recipe here.

F O U R
Spotted at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  OH MY GOODNESS.  I think I love it.  Lake party, anyone?

F I V E
We have a new pendant light over our breakfast table!  I found this one at Crate & Barrel (here) and with some leftover wedding gift cards, we got it for nearly half-price.  I'm loving how it adds so much depth to the area.  Ever do a home project, stand back, and then say -- why did I wait so long?!  The area must have looked positively naked before!

I hope you'll join along in this week's Five On Friday!

Five On Friday

It's the most wonderful time of the week ::: FRIDAY.  And you know what that means, it's time for the 5 On Friday link-up!  Please do join me, Darci, Natasha, and Christina ... it's simple!  Just write a blog about five things on your mind today, anything goes really, and then enter your post address below.  You can get a lot of new eyes on your blog and maybe meet a new friend or five along the way!

So here's my 5 on Friday.  Cheers to the weekend!

O N E
You may have seen this on my Instagram account (@alizadventures) but it's worth a repeat.  Any Aldi shoppers out there?  It's not the most glamorous shopping experience in the world (think total opposite of Fresh Market, for any of you that have experienced the dim lighting, the soft-spoken employees, the classical music being piped through the store).  The prices are incredible though!  They maintain low prices by some really strategic marketing efforts like charging a minimal amount for bags, charging a deposit to use a cart, and accepting debit and cash only.  I bring my own reusable bag, fill it up, and enjoy the cost savings!  Everything below rang in at just over $19.  The strawberries and blueberries were on sale for only $0.99.  Another great find was the log of goat cheese at the top right for $1.99.

T W O

There's nothing more that I love than finding a new trick on Pinterest that actually works!  The pin below claimed that shaving with baby oil gel will keep stubble at bay.  It works, people!  I picked up some lavender-scented baby oil gel from the baby section at Dollar Tree (cheap cheap) and it's amazing how smooth my legs still are on day two!  I love smooth legs, so I'm an everyday leg shaver, but now I just do it every other day.

T H R E E
Another "duh" moment from Pinterest.  The other day Ian was craving crunchy tacos.  This is pretty rare -- in fact, it's the first time I've ever prepared crunchy tacos in my LIFE!  I'd seen the idea on Pinterest to load the shells with the meat (we used ground turkey) and cheese and then pop in the oven to melt the cheese.  Why didn't I think of that?!  What a smart idea and they were oh-so-tasty.

F O U R
Do ya'll read the Mint Love Social Club blog?  She and her husband are entertainers extraordinaire and they can make a mean cocktail.  Check out her awesome post - Grilled Summer Dinner Menu - for fantastic ideas.  These blue-cheese stuffed grilled nectarines with honey and black pepper are absolutely calling my name.  Seriously -- they'll be on the menu next week.

F I V E

Lastly, just a big ol' thank you to all of you sweet friends who had such nice things to say about our Paris photo session with L'Amour de Paris (seen here).  Your thoughtful comments just really made my day/week/year!  I think that experience just further solidified my belief that getting professional photos from time to time is always an investment you won't regret.  Now don't get me wrong -- even though Ian was a great sport about it, he is totally a NORMAL man, so don't go giving your man the side eye because he hates photo sessions!  Ian's the same way.  A few of those smiles you see in the pictures are hiding the fact that through gritted teeth he was saying things like "I feel like a total tool April", "I'm so effing hungry", and "I thought you said this would only last an hour".  HA!  But when it was all said and done, he totally agreed that it was a worthwhile experience and he loves the photos we received.  If any of you have questions about our experience with Stacy Reeves, just say the word -- I'd be more than happy to brag on her even more.

Your turn ... I hope you'll play along!

5 On Friday Link Up!

Hi my friends!

Please excuse my radio silence as I enjoy a long weekend for the 4th of July.  Family, friends, good food, fireworks, and the yummiest part -- the sangria! 

I'll be back next Friday with my 5 On Friday, but for today I'm taking a little break.  The link-up is still ready for you, though, so post about the five things you're loving and link up here ... and I'll see you back here, same time, same place, next week!  XOXO

5 On Friday

This week was kinda long, am I right?!

Super, super excited to know that it's Friday.  I have a cocktail calling my name and a fun weekend ahead!

It's once again time for the 5 On Friday link-up so please do join me, Christina, Natasha, and Darci!

...1...
Bloglovin'. 
I'm a total creature of habit.  Especially when it comes to breakfast and technology.  Routine keeps me sane, and when a monkeywrench gets thrown into the mix (ahem, demise of Google Reader), it throws me for a loop. 

If you read more than, let's say, five blogs each day -- you'd probably benefit from using some type of a blog reader.  Basically, it lets you quickly hop from unread post to unread post and helps guarantee that you don't miss any postings by your favorite bloggers.  Google Reader was my reader of choice for probably two years now, and it's going away as of this weekend.  I researched all of the options and due to some browser restrictions, I felt like Bloglovin' was my strongest option.  I wasn't thrilled at first but I am a total convert now!  PLUS, they now have an app for iPhone and iPad which I love so much.  Bored at the DMV?  Just pull out the phone and catch up on blog favorites. 

The button above will get you started.  If you have any questions about Bloglovin, let me know! 

...2...
Neutrogena Shampoo - Anti-Residue Formula
After getting my hair done professionally last weekend, I think I gained four pounds in hairspray alone.  My hair looked pretty but it was gunked up with product!  I was looking for a good clarifying shampoo and landed upon this awesome one.  My hair was literally squeaky clean when I rinsed it out.  It is for once-weekly use and then you use your normal shampoo the other days of the week.  You can order it online here for less than $5!

...3...
The Charlotte Social
Loving this local group of bloggers!  We had such a fun meet-up last night at NoDa Brewing Company and then ventured next door to Birdsong to try one of their Jalapeno Ales.  Dinner came from The Tin Kitchen food truck and my chicken tacos were incredible!

...4...
Easy + Pretty Updos
It's summer and it's HAWT.  This week and last week, we had humidity and thunderstorms in the forecast every day.  And next week?  Same!  I've been wearing my hair in a high twist most days, but I'm itching to recreate this look below. How pretty is it!

...5...
Fun Photos!
Last Sunday I teamed up with a great local photographer and we took some fun photos together ... here's a little preview but I can't wait to give more details soon!  I uploaded this on Instagram's new video platform -- follow me at @alizadventures if you'd like to keep up with photos from the wedding this weekend!

Your turn to share your 5 On Friday... I hope you'll join me!  Link up here:

5 On Friday

It's that time again ... 5 on Friday linkup with the lovely ladies!

Here's my 5 On Friday.

{1} The pure fact that it's Friday
Can I get an amen?  The quote "the days are long, but the years are short" is one that I think about often.  Truer words could not be spoken! 

{2} Enjoying the fruits of our [landscaping] labor.
Earlier in the spring, Ian and I put in tons of work on our yard.  Hours upon hours, and ruined manis upon ruined manis.  But now I can say it was all worth it.  And just for the record, this is not our yard below.  But it is one of my inspiration photos.  Knockout roses are high on my wishlist.  Ian's procrastinating because he's tired of digging holes.  I hope I'll win out on this one :)

{3} This wine cork craft.
How cute is that?  Wonder if my manager would frown upon me sticking wine cork magnets on my filing cabinet.  Ha!  I'm thinking I need to have the girls over.  We'll open a few bottles of wine, split the corks, heat up the hot glue gun, and have fun.

{4} Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
My husband would really, really, REALLY appreciate it if I stopped watching this show, but I am hooked (and I have been since day one).  He can't understand why I watch a show that, every time he walks in the room and it's on, someone is crying.  I tell him that it's because I don't have enough drama in my life and I have to get it in somehow.
  

{5} Keep it simple, ya'll.
I've made a change to my social calendar ... I'm filling it up less often!  Ian has said about me that he has never met anyone with a more busy calendar.  While I cannot resist a wine date with girlfriends, I'm starting to be better about scheduling in more relaxation time and more time to just be home.  I'm sleeping better and I'm eating healthier.  Home cooked meals for the win!

So now I want to hear about what you're lovin' this Friday.

You're next ... enter the link-up here!

5 On Friday: A Link-Up!

Announcing ... a brand spankin' new link-up!  Whooo lawdy, this is going to be FUN!

Here's how it works:

I'll tell you about five things that are making me happy this Friday. 

You blog about five things that are making you happy this Friday.

You link up your blog post to this post using the tools below.

We all get to see each others' Five On Friday posts!

If you've never participated in a link-up before, I promise it's easy!  Additionally, it is a great way to meet new people and also have them visit your blog.  Since I'm participating in this with Darci, Natasha, and Christina, the link you add below will be visible on all of their blogs as well.  Lots of potential foot traffic, my friends!

So here's my 5 On Friday.

{1} TWO YEARS!
I can't believe that Ian and I are about to celebrate our two year anniversary this coming Tuesday.  Two years, people!  How does the time just fly?  We have such awesome memories of our wedding and I can't wait to spend all day Tuesday reliving them.  Oh, and spoiler alert -- I have a really fun love series coming your way to celebrate!

(I'm sorry, but I love Ian's brother's face in this photo.  It is just begging for a "SHOOT. I'm next" caption)

{2} Sauvignon Blanc.
I love it.  That is all.  Especially if it comes from Marborough and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  I think you can get a spectacular bottle for $8-10.  I heart me some SB.

{3} Pinterest beauty tricks. 
I've learned so much!  I swear, if Pinterest is the replacement for us cutting out magazine articles and sticking them in 3-ring binders, then we were all being way too selfish with our binders.  I love the tips and tricks I've seen fellow gals pin!  This concealer trick is such an eye brightener.

And it brings me to my next love...

{4} Hard Candy Glamouflage Concealer
This concealer can cover tattoos.  Enough said, right?!  I purchased it in a shade slightly lighter than what I'd typically purchase, but once I cover it with my powder, it immediately brightens up my whole eye area.  Plus, the little concealer pencil that comes with it is great for throwing in your bag for a mid-day blemish touch-up, if needed.  If I have a spot to cover, I hate when my concealer pulls a disappearing act during the workday!  Did I mention this combo is found at Walmart?  And it's $6.  Booyah.

{5} Our Europe Trip!
We have had the best time planning for our trip.  Spending nights in bed, iPads in hand, and doing research on the areas we'll visit has given me sweet dreams.  I absolutely can't wait to be on that plane, headed toward lots of happiness and adventure.

I hope you guys will link-up below with your 5 On Friday.  TGIF!