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Tuesday

Jewels In The Mail

I first heard about Rocksbox on another blog and was immediately intrigued. 

Here's how it works:

+ You take a fun style survey and add items you like to your wishlist.
+ Rocksbox stylists hand-select three items for you and send you a cute box to your home.
+ You wear the items as long and as much as you'd like.
+ Ship the items back (for free) and get three new items ... unlimited times.

The sweet stylists at Rocksbox have offered you all a code to enter at checkout to try a month for zip, zero, nada! Just enter code ALIZADVENTURESXOXO for your free month of unlimited jewelry rental so you can give it a shot and see if you love it like I do.

Here are the items I was sent and how I've worn them.


Perry Street Alexis Necklace - Margaret Elizabeth Moonstone Earrings - Jules Smith Cuff

The Jules Smith Textured Open Cuff was probably my favorite item. I love wearing gold, and it was really cute paired with a yellow dress for a day in the office. Plus, the cuff is open at back which makes it fit my narrow wrist easily.



One of my favorite gemstone cuts is the cushion-cut style. These Margaret Elizabeth Mini Cushion Cut Drops in Moonstone are the prettiest, milky-iridescent hue. They are set in gold and are super lightweight. I paired them with a gold top and some white jeans. 


Statement necklaces are awesome, but you can definitely have too many. That is why I love renting them! This is the Perry Street Alexis necklace, and I love the mint tones with my ivory textured shell.


You can constantly add or remove items from your wishlist to help your stylist pick items just for you. Here is a little sneak peek of my current wishlist:





They also have lots of the Kendra Scott styles that are so popular. Here are some of the Kendra Scott earrings I have on my wishlist:



Rocksbox is $19/month for unlimited swaps back and forth with pre-paid shipping each way. Each box averages around $200 in retail value. 

As a member, you also get a $10/month credit toward the cost of any item you fall in love with and decide not to send back. Don't forget to enter code ALIZADVENTURESXOXO for a free month.

Have you used Rocksbox before? If you give the free month trial a shot, I'd love to hear what pieces you end up receiving!

Monday

Monday: Three Happy Things

Three happy things this Monday for you:

// 1 // 
We had a busy but wonderful weekend. Friday night we had some neighbors over for some adult beverages while the kids played in the baby pool and with the water table. Saturday I took Camille to the mall for a bit where she got to experience two of her favorite things: big water fountains (mesmerizing to her) and the new pirate-themed outdoor playground. That night we had a babysitter while we celebrated a few birthdays at Craft Growler Shop. Then, Sunday we had a special lady's first birthday to celebrate, and I ended the day by co-hosting a baby "sprinkle" for a girlfriend. We were lights out last night by 9:30 -- exhausted!



// 2 //
Who is excited about the short week? I am looking forward to some nice family time during the long Independence Day weekend!

Love this printable! Home of the Free Because of the Brave

// 3 //
Congratulations to the winner of the CoraLee weekender giveaway ... PolkaDottaPlace! Please email me so I can put you in contact with Courtney. :) You are going to love this bag! Which design are you going to choose?

Liked CoraLee on facebook!

Coral Reef Weekender Bag

Friday

Five On Friday - Oh Yes!

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join me this week! As a reminder, my cohostesses DarciChristina, and Natasha are on summer break but will soon return!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Last night I was doing a little Zulily shopping and I added three cute items to my cart and was having the hardest time choosing just one. I did a little Instagram poll (find me - @alizadventures) and the winner was the same one I was leaning towards ... this cute number!

Zulily is one of my favorite spots to score smocked and monogrammed items. Invitations are done by referral links, and if you need one, mine is here.



T W O
I'm happy to announce that the winner of the Resumoxie giveaway is...

... Emily Ann!



Liked on Facebook! This would be such a blessing right now - I need help!
ReplyDelete

Enjoy your signature overhaul! Please email me so I can put you in contact with Kyle. :) Thanks again, Kyle, for your generous giveaway!

T H R E E
If, like me, your favorite flavor of Jelly Belly jellybeans is cantaloupe, and you just can't get enough, then book it over to AC Moore. I picked up this Cucumber Melon hand soap (which truly just smells like the ripest, juiciest cantaloupe ever) for a dollar. A dollar. 


F O U R
Very fun news ... another giveaway!

Courtney from CoraLee was so pleased by all of your sweet responses to my post Wednesday that she has offered to give one of you a weekender bag in the pattern of your choice! You may earn up to two entries by following @shopcoralee on Instagram and/or liking @coraleeboutique on Facebook.

Please leave a separate comment on this post for each entry you've earned. You may enter through Sunday at midnight, and I'll announce the winner this coming Monday!

Pink Aztec Weekender Bag


F I V E
We pay entirely too much (TOO MUCH!) to our cable company, and I'm looking at ways to decrease our bill. One option is to lose some of the premium channels we have. I am looking forward to checking out Amazon Prime's video service and am going to take advantage of their free month trial! Anything to shave off a buck or two is always helpful. :) Have you given it a shot yet -- I would love to hear your two cents!



TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!



Thursday

Space In The Garage

File this one under "Grown Up Decisions."

In summer 2013, we got a bit of a wild hair and bought this:



About three months later, saw this:


We continued to enjoy the car during my pregnancy, but once Camille was here, outings together in it were rare. Whenever we were able to sneak in a date night, we really enjoyed taking the Porsche. It was a way to feel a little carefree, like it was just the two of us. Top down, wind in our hair.

But, nearly two years later, we took one final photo with it. And with our wiggly, giggly new addition:



And we bid it adieu. On to its next owner.

So long, date night car. It was a fun ride.

Wednesday

Cute Online Shop Find

I love sharing a good find, whether it's a cute consignment store, a tasty and inexpensive bottle of wine, a must-have mascara (duh - this one), or an adorable online shop.

CoraLee Boutique is monogram heaven -- and the sweet owner, Courtney, also offers some lovely handcrafted jewelry ... my weakness.

CORALEE

Here are two CoraLee pieces I own that I have been loving:

My mint ikat weekender, which I blogged about last Friday, and ...


... my "Camille" earrings. Any guesses why I just HAD to have them? :)


They looked so cute in Mexico with my Yumi Kim romper.


Here are some of my other favorites from the CoraLee site right now:

|  Peyton Necklace  |

Wooden Monogram - 3 Initials

Pink Aztec Tunic


Coral Reef Cooler Bag

|   Emily Collection  |


You may also find this cute shop on Instagram at @shopcoralee.

And in other fun news, Courtney has offered to cover the first $5 of your purchase -- just enter code ALIZADVENTURES5. Happy shopping!

Tuesday

Extreme (Resume) Makeover

I had the pleasure of getting to know my sweet sorority sister Kyle while we were students at Furman. Kyle is the kind of girl who just always had it together. While I was fishing around in my backpack for a pen that would actually write, Kyle was color-coding her dayplanner and submitting her projects early. She was THAT girl you wanted and needed in your study group.

When Kyle recently launched Resumoxie, I was so proud but not a bit surprised. She has always had a crazy talent for spinning our friends' resumes into gold, and she has now taken that passion and turned it into a career.

Kyle agreed to let me highlight her for this Q+A post, and if you are currently in the workplace (or think you'll enter or re-enter it at some point), I hope you'll enjoy reading her two cents on building your strongest resume.

(Spoiler alert ... giveaway below!)

Kyle and me, ADPi pref tea circa 2003

Q: Why is it important to have a strong resume these days?

A strong, up-to-date resume is critical in today’s fast-paced and competitive job market. Thanks to social media and sophisticated networking, recruiting happens around the clock, meaning that companies are looking at you, even if you aren’t looking at them. (And right off the bat, it’s important to clarify that I’m actually talking about the e-version of your credentials – we haven’t even gotten to the hard-copy resume yet!)

But regardless of whether your job search starts as the result of being recruited or because you submitted a formal application, your resume should serve as the foundation for your professional document suite. Cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, references, and the like should all be in sync – visually and in regards to content.

Q: What do you owe the success of Resumoxie to? What makes Resumoxie stand out?

Resumoxie has totally taken off, and from the wonderful feedback I’ve received, I have to say it’s because of the hyper-personalized approach I take with my clients. Resumes are an art (not a science) and no two have to be alike. The same goes for my clients – a resume for a college freshman looking for his first internship should look really different from that of a mom re-entering the workforce, or an aspiring Executive with decades of experience, and so on. I’ve been known to spend up to an hour getting to know my clients on the phone, and by the end of Resumoxie’s highly collaborative process, we’re friends. Some folks even call me before they call their husbands or moms to let them know they landed an interview or job, ha!

Q: What sort of shifts have you seen in the world of resumes?

I’ve been working on resumes for more than a decade, and there sure have been some changes! That said, there are still best practices and standards that remain rock solid, and I love working with Resumoxie clients to determine where they should land on all the variables.

The biggest change I’ve noticed is the “one page rule,” which isn’t a rule anymore. It’s definitely a very-nice-to-have element if it fits with your content, but if you’ve earned a second page, by all means use it! Keep in mind that information is relayed more concisely now than ever before, so you still want to be really tight with your content.

Another change I see is the increasing expectation that resumes be customized for every job you apply for. This isn’t a new tactic necessarily, but I would say that it’s officially moved into the land of must-do’s. I often ask my Resumoxie clients to send along a position they’re interested in as a way to make sure we’re incorporating keywords and common language, which you also want to reinforce throughout your cover letter.

Lastly, there’s more creative freedom in resumes now. To be clear: you still want to look polished and professional, and variances from the traditional models and format can go against you in some industries and cases. But thoughtful usage of color can totally fly now, as can interesting font pairings, and there are some fun things Resumoxie can do to help show your personal moxie, which is also increasingly considered by employers beyond the fact that you can simply do the job.

Q: Talk to me about cover letters -- are they important, and if so, what information should be included?

The cover letter is a game-changing asset if you can do it right. I do a ton of these for clients – either helping them get a base template that they can tweak, or doing multiple versions for specific positions or industries.

Just like your resume, cover letters should be customized for the specific job. That said, there are some basics that should appear in every version you write:
·         The exact name of the position as well as the company.
·         How you learned about the job. Don’t hesitate to name drop if applicable!
·         Why you’re a great fit for the job. Be specific and don’t just regurgitate your resume. Take a look at the job description itself and use similar wording – they’re already telling you exactly what they’re looking for, so give it right back to them.
·         Proof points, backed up with numbers. This is an almost universal area of improvement for every cover letter and resume I see – stop simply telling them what you did, and start telling them why it mattered.
·         Your willingness to learn, especially if you’re just starting out, breaking into a new industry, or jumping up in title. You want to be confident, but not cocky.
·         Your attached resume. Duh. (But people actually forget to include it!)
·         Your appreciation for their time and consideration of your candidacy.

As you draft, keep in mind that cover letters are not always read first anymore. They need to function both as a lead into a resume AND as a wrap-up after a resume. And, while there absolutely is some flexibility on resume length, your cover letter should not exceed one page.

Q: How is social media playing a part in employment practices and networking these days? What are leading sites?

Social media sure has a way of shaking things up, and LinkedIn is no exception. I advise all my clients in active job hunts to have a thoughtful and strategic presence on the site, and it’s still a good idea for any professional regardless of whether or not you’re actively looking.

Important: your profile should not just be an online version of your resume. In fact, assuming you’re customizing your resume for every job application – as you should be – a resume approach to your LinkedIn profile can confuse the reader if it’s not saying the same thing. So I like to recommend short narratives for people on LinkedIn, which automatically differentiates the asset from a (likely) bulleted resume. Think of LinkedIn as a short or long way to show a little personality, demonstrate your writing skills, or call attention to specific achievements.

We’re also beginning to see folks incorporate search engine optimization techniques to their LinkedIn profiles, knowing that recruiters are heavily relying on the network to locate candidates proactively. I think that’s pretty exciting stuff, as did my web marketing buddy in Hong Kong, who I spent an hour-plus talking to about this not too long ago. I will geek out with you all day on this one!


Q: We all know that Elle Woods would say "pink, scented paper." But in your opinion, what traits bring a resume to the top of a stack? 

She sure would, bless her heart. I’ll give Elle points for creativity, but most of us should be using tactics that are a bit more traditionally accepted. (I would have just loved to have Elle as a Resumoxie client!)

The top tip for initially standing out is a crisp document design with an emphasis on readability. Chances are that your reviewer will be combing through hundreds of resumes – probably on a screen at first (and sometimes exclusively) – so you want to make it scanable and easy on the eyes. Think lots of white space and no less than a 10pt. font size.

Once you’re clean and polished, you can definitely have a little fun with your layout – working with clients on a killer document design that conveys their personal brand is one of my favorite Resumoxie services! I have a great time with clients going over their desired visual presence, what font styles allude to the qualities they want to convey, and how the structure of the document can draw the eye toward or away from certain areas. It’s amazing what you can do without even touching the content. (Though that’s important too!)

Q: So what’s new or next for Resumoxie?

A lot! I just added several packages and even a discount bundle deal to my site – all based on the requests, trends and needs I’m seeing in real time from my clients. But of course folks can always ask for a custom quote too, as I’ve been known to draft professional bios, edit admissions essays, write web content, and more!

And I need to be better about blogging on Resumoxie! My next post has been in the works for way too long, and that’s because I always prioritize my clients! But as a sneak peek for you and your readers: my BFF had a baby and I’ve made a resume for her little one that showcases how ANY talents and skills (even those of a 7-month old) can look polished and professional when positioned strategically. Resume child’s play, if you will!

free desktop downloads | designlovefest (http://www.designlovefest.com/2014/08/dress-your-tech-62/#more-35536)

*****

Now, for the giveaway -- Kyle is willing to give away a Signature Overhaul ($300 value) for one reader who likes the Resumoxie LinkedIn and/or Facebook pages. Just leave a separate comment here for each "like" you give! The giveaway will run through this Thursday at midnight with the winner announced Friday. Thanks sweet Kyle for letting me share this on the blog!

Monday

Lakehouse + Symphony Fun

We had such a nice time with my mom's extended family relaxing at the lake for one last big gathering before the move across the lake. 

Camille was given her first Adirondack chair with a custom cover made by my aunt! She quickly learned how to get in and out of it without our help and it's been so cute seeing her in a chair her own size. 

With her Aunt Yaya

There was plenty of noodling going on all weekend long. (PS, the wobbly dock you see directly across the way is our family's new property!)




Leaving the house yesterday was sad. I spent some time helping to pack up the house ... my parents need to be out of it this coming weekend. We built this home about 20 years ago and now it will belong to someone else. At least we have lots of great memories and many photos now pulled together in a beautiful memory book by my aunt. We surprised my parents with it on Friday evening and it was nice reliving all of those fun moments in the book.

We came back to Charlotte and had a pretty relaxing Fathers Day. I did have a babysitter coming over so that Ian and I could go to Pops In The Park last night. A blast as always! 




Now back to the grind. I still haven't kicked this cough/congestion I have and am SO ready to get over it and feel better!

Friday

Five On Friday

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join me, DarciChristina, and Natasha!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Starting off with a story that made me tear up this week. Read it here. You can look around and always find good people, but it is nice when they are SO good SO young. Sad events this week involving young adults (what a horrific story out of Charleston ... so disturbing, disgusting, and heartbreaking) make me happy to hear about folks who are doing the RIGHT thing.

T W O
I spied this recipe on Pinterest and must recreate this beautiful toast. Yes, please.

Crispy Prosciutto and Avocado Toast by thecozyapron #Sandwich #Appetizer #Prosciutto #Avocado


T H R E E
I am so in love with this weekender! The perfect size for a little getaway. Isn't it cuuuuute?!


F O U R
After spending a night out this week, I was so ready to return home. I pulled up in the driveway Thursday evening just in time to get Camille bathed and to sleep. We read this book before bed ... hands down, my favorite book to read to her. Moms ... get ready to do the ugly cry while reading it.


F I V E
This weekend is our annual (BIG) family weekend at the lakehouse ... all of my mom's family comes to town. There will be eighteen of us. Eighteen! Bring on the great family time, a few fun little surprises, some time in the lake bobbing on a noodle, and -- of course -- LOTS of great food. Maybe a little bit of Cards Against Humanity too, because it's even more fun and awkward playing with your parents, aunts and uncles!


TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!



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