Suave Refresh and Revive #dryshampoo

I recently tested Suave Refresh and Revive dry shampoo via @influenster. I really like this product. I'd call myself pretty well versed in the dry shampoo universe. I've been using Batiste and Tigi. They both are okay but Suave has beat them in my opinion. Batiste is okay, smells good, cost effective but leaves quite a bit of residue. Tigi smells awesome, does not leave residue but it is quite expensive. Suave smelled great, lasted all day, gave my hair great texture, didn't leave a residue and is very cost effective. 

I highly recommend it! I will honestly purchase it for myself when I run out and will even try out some of the other versions Suave has put out. 

Vacation hair-day three of no wet shampooing-just using Suave dry shampoo! 

Carolyn Braden: Peter Pilotto Rocked Target

I loved the Peter Pilotto collection at Target. I couldn't choose just one piece! I am sometimes disappointed with Target collections because the fabric choices seem so cheap. Not this time. The fabrics are washable and durable. I loved how the prints mix with each other. The bright colors will definitely cheer me up during this cold snowy winter. 

Carolyn Braden: Boots and Jean Bunching Solution

Need a solution for keeping your jeans inside your boots? Try Hollywood Secrets Boot Straps. Yeah you can tuck your jeans into your socks but on a day where the temperature is cold and gets much warmer throughout the day, these are a much better idea.

Carolyn Braden: Adam Levine 222 and Kmart

I am pretty impressed with Kmart's attempt to up sales with more designer collaborations. My husband loves henley style shirts. I showed him Adam Levine's 222 clothing line at Kmart and he was game. We went to Kmart for the first time in a long while and walked out with 2 Levine shirts. He liked the jeans too but probably has like 50 pairs already so he will wait on those.

My only complaint is about the Kmart store in general. It will never compete with the likes of Target if they don't start a major makeover of the store. It just looked old and tired. I loved Kmart as a kid (hello cherry Icee!) so they must do something more if they want to get their brand back. 

While I was there I picked up an ear cuff and earrings from the Nicki Minaj line. She had some smart and cool stuff in her line that is worth checking out. 

Rock and Republic and More....What Store? Read For More!

Kohl's now sells Rock and Republic and I'm now a Kohl's customer. I've wanted a pair of red cropped jeans for a while now but every pair I came across was always either too long (I'm a shorty!) or too low rise (I am a woman that actually has some curves and HATE the muffin top look). I knew Kohl's had the collections of Lauren Conrad, Jennifer Lopez, Elle, Vera Wang and more so when they added Rock and Republic, I knew it was time to stop by. Since it seems Kohl's always has a sale going on, the clothing prices are easy on the wallet. After trying on and loving the R and R jeans, I tried on some pieces from the LC collection. My entire purchase was discounted as every clothing item I chose was on sale. My spring wardrobe is looking good and I will be stopping by Kohl's again in the near future. I know this not only because I also received Kohl's cash...$20.00 to spend on anything, no minimum purchase required. Gotta love free money!

Another Great Fashion Find @tjmaxx : Theory and Michael Stars

I blog all the time about TJ Maxx but it's because I love it! They have a great winter clearance going on right now. I waited to buy these Theory pants that had been $79. I'm glad I waited because I got them for $20. I love Michael Stars shirts because they are soft and wearable for many occasions. I never have to worry about them fitting me either because they are all "one size fits most."

Carolyn Braden: Love this skirt

I haven't worn this skirt for two years. It's so dressy but I figured out how to make it work for a casual shopping day.



Carolyn J. Braden
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Carolyn Braden's Latest T.J. Maxx Find!

I love T.J. Maxx!  If you are someone who doesn't mind looking through many clothing items to find something you like, go to T.J. Maxx.  The prices are so much better than many mall stores and they keep the latest trends in stock always!  This vest is a Cynthia Rowley and it was only $29.98!  I don't like the cold weather that is approaching Louisville but this vest may help make the winter blues less blue and much more stylish!

June things....feelings, ideas....

I had some thoughts while on vacation. Some more inspirations I guess.

The first thought I had when I came back was.....I want to go back to that beach. Of course, don't we all want to go back on vacation when we come home? I just love, love, love the beach. We went to Sanibel Island and I will say this as an idea for you all: Go there at some point in your life. No matter who you are, you could go there for a week and totally be unrecognized by anyone. It is, in my opinion, one of the best islands of the United States to visit. It is so peaceful, so serene, and so beautiful. Sanibel Island is known for their shelling, and no joke..................you find millions of shells! The shelling is almost like a scavenger hunt. You want to find more and more and more! Now, what to do with the three bowls of shells I brought home? Well, I am going to turn some of the Sea Fans into jewelry and hair pins. They shimmer the most beautiful colors. The conch type shells will probaly decorate my sea inspired bathroom. The rest? Who knows. Just looking at them takes me back to the ocean. Maybe I'll find a large glass container, put some sand in it, and then add the shells so I have a little beach of my own in my home. My mom gave me that idea last night. Shells are incredibly "in" at this moment. I paid close attention to the conch/nautilis type of shells. Something about their spiral type shape. I love holding the shell to my ear and hearing the ocean again. Remember doing that?

We also drove to Orlando to go to Disney World's Magic Kingdom for my June 11th birthday. (Gemini oh so much). It was free for me to get in because right now anyone that fills out their birthday form on their website and takes it to Disney on their birthday gets in free that day. A one day ticket to Disney runs about $75.00, so the free ticket was very welcome. They give you a birthday button with your name on it and then every worker in the park that sees it will wish you a happy birthday. It was fun and took me back to being a kid. I am totally a kid on many days of my life, and people tell me that all the time. I believe thinking like a kid, not giving a care in the world, and using your imagination as much as possible can be a good thing for adults. Adults often forget what being like a kid is. If we could connect with our kid like feelings again, I think things may be a little happier sometimes. Try Disney World or any other kid activity at some point this summer and see what happens.

While on vacation, I found the Burberry hat I wanted. Well, almost. We went to a magnificent mall in Orlando and the Burberry store had my hat on sale! It was unfortunately in the wrong size. I was so disappointed. But then, the sales woman asked "Would you like me to try to find the hat in another store?" I jumped on that opportunity! She found it at another Florida store and had it shipped to my house. At the sale price! So, here's a tip: If you ever find the perfect outfit or accessory but it's not in your size, ask the store to try to find it in another store and have it shipped to you. Even if it's on sale, you can still try to get it!

Try outlet shopping. Orlando had some good outlets, but I know there are tons of outlets out there in the world. Las Vegas has some of the best! Not all outlets have great prices, but try them out and see if you can find a deal. I found a Lacoste polo shirt for $25.00, and it was orginally $74.00. Try on everything you find if possible. You never know if the reason it ended up in the outlet was because of sizing, color, or past season. I really feel like designer things are way too expensive. Sorry design labels!! But, that's how I feel. I always think "Why is it marked up so high, but it always goes on sale for a reasonable amount?" I understand the concept......you know.....it's designer, so it's better, so it has to be expensive. But I just don't know about that.

When I came home from vacation, I immediately started organizing my home. I know people do their cleaning in the spring, but I am a summer cleaning girl. After spending the whole last week in a clutter free hotel environment, my stuff at home really got on my nerves! I guess this thought is happening because I am getting older.....wiser? But....my thought is, I don't really need alot of stuff. I was content having the few items I had on vacation and didn't miss the bulk "stuff" I have at home. I felt this way last year when my husband and I had to move into an apartment because we sold our house and didn't have another to move into immediately. I really didn't miss anything that was in our storage unit, other than my photo albums. I think constantly to myself, as long as I have my husband and my animals around, I really have all that I need. I know I talk about the things I want to purchase in this blog sometimes. I do like to shop, but I know there are more important things to living a life. I know we all need a roof over our heads, food, heat, etc., but the extra "stuff" is just that, STUFF. So with that being said, I am getting rid of a ton of stuff. I will be calling charities around town and getting rid of anything that hasn't seen the light of day since we moved into this house last July. I encourage everyone to do the same. We, for some reason, have an extra couch, dining room table, and dryer in our garage. It's going to be GONE soon. My old purses that I swore I would use again, GONE. That sewing machine that I wanted so bad because I swore I would be making all my curtains for my home, GONE. I will be selling some of the items and putting that money towards my home renovation, but everything else that is in good condition is going to charity.

I just read in Woman's Day magazine about people that spend more of their money on experiences instead of clothes, shoes, or material things, are happier. The article said we will never get tired of our good memories, but we will get tired of that pair of shoes you just bought. I like that idea. With that thought, comes an "in style" thing to do that so many people forget about. Go to the Drive-In this summer. My friend just did and had a great time. As we drove home from Florida, we drove many back roads to avoid the Bonaroo concert traffic. We passed two small towns and saw Drive-In's filled with cars in both towns. I will go this summer.

When we got home from vacation, my husband's father washed and waxed his car for him. (We took my little convertible on our trip instead of my husbands large car....I was so proud of myself for fitting a week's worth of clothes into just one duffle bag!). The wax he used was Turtle Wax Ice. It goes on clear, so you don't have to worry about getting it on the black areas of your car. The car looks brand new. While you are washing your car this summer, try giving it a good wax. You will be glad you did.


The color yellow really stands out to me. Blue is still great, but yellow is so happy. I love wearing the color.

The best snack that is selling out everywhere is Edamame. We have been eating it here at home for over a year now, and we love it. We buy it frozen, boil it for a couple of minutes, drain the water, sprinkle a little low sodium soy sause on them, and they taste amazing. We buy the ones in the pods, then pull the middles out with our teeth to eat them. I guess you could eat the pod, but I don't like to. Try them with Teriayki sauce or a little bit of salt too.

Look to the sky. I know I've had dreams about storms for a while now, but wow. The weather continues to be active. It has been incredibly active for almost a year now. I love looking at the sky. It can tell you so much. My Nani told me to always look to the sunset when you want to know how the weather will be the next day. She said if it was a beautiful sunset with many colors, the weather the next day will be wonderful. If the sunset is not so great, the weather the next day may be bad. I do this alot, and usually the sunset is correct in some kind of weather forecasting. The book I just read, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, had a character in it that paid very close attention to nature. He got very in tune with it and, well, good things happened.

Wow..........I had alot to say. This may have been my biggest single blog to date. Hope it didn't bore you too much. :)

---C