Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 285
December 9, 2011
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: Book Two
Dear Bookies: Okay, first, an open letter to my mother: I'm a grown woman now, and I'm ready to hear the truth. Did you tear Book Two out of my childhood copy of A [...]
Hanging Christmas Lights on the Tree
What's the easiest way to hang Christmas lights on your tree? Instead of wrapping them around and around, hang them on the tree vertically in sections. Divide your tree into thirds and hang lights [...]
Holiday Toasts
Last weekend my extended family took a mini vacation to celebrate my grandmother's 75th birthday. All 20-something of us were asked to stand up and give my grandmother a toast at some point throughout dinner. [...]
December 8, 2011
A Message From Peter Hedges
Hi, Bookies: I just don't think I'll ever get jaded about hearing from the authors whose books we read in our club. So it was a kick not only to hear from Peter Hedges, [...]
New Cookbooks That Make Great Holiday Gifts
As part of its holiday gift guide, The New York Times recently came out with a list of notable cookbooks for 2011. Lots of great books on the list, but here are a few [...]
New Places to Hang Christmas Stockings
No mantle? No problem. There are plenty of other places to hang your Christmas stockings this year. One idea, place your stocking hanger on top of a bookshelf and let Santa fill them there. [...]
A New Baby, a Toddler and …House Guests for the Holidays? Ho Ho Ho
Major dilemma! "I have my mother in law and her female friend coming to visit for the holidays," writes patina21. "They are staying for two weeks. … "We have a three-bedroom house, a 2-year-old [...]
December 7, 2011
How I fixed my holiday cards (and why I didn't have to)
Last week I received the holiday cards I ordered from Shutterfly, and realized something. . . I hated the picture of my daughter I had selected. Other than the one picture, the card was everything [...]
It's Time to Vote for January
Hi, Bookies: Seems like 2011 is rushing toward the finish line. Hard to believe we're already staring down 2012. No: impossible, right? Well, here's a good way to kick it off: with a dig-into-it read [...]
Make Your Earbuds Tangle-Proof
In the spirit of keeping everything tangle-free today (see our new use of the day) comes this idea via Unplggd about how to keep your earbuds from getting tangled in your purse or gym [...]
