Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 438
May 20, 2010
Are non-sticky lip glosses a myth?
No. Unlike other urban legends, the much sought after (though rarely found) crème de la crème of lip lacquers actually do exist! Hallelujah, you can finally stop your search.
There are great alternatives to the ooey, gooey glosses of old that sealed lips together (or worse, caused peeling and chapping) and attracted fly-away hair like a Venus Flytrap. Enter lip glosses that offer multiple benefits. They feel silky, not tacky, come in beautiful sheer and pigment-rich formulas, and some...
Mothers, Manners, and Madness
Last week Iwrote about my ambivalence regarding modern technology. Now, I'm hardly thefirst person to whine about the social pollution of cell phones,texts, andiPads. But I knew the manners-meets-technology conversation had officiallygone off the rails when recently, at an opening-night reception for myhusband at an art gallery in Chelsea, my mother's cell phone started ringing andshe answered it. My very proper mother who prizes politeness above allelse answered her cell phone and...
More Spring Dresses Under $100....AND They Are All Bra-Friendly!
Soooo, it was brought to my attention by one of our readers--Casey--that many of the dresses I suggested in Tuesday's Spring Dresses Under $10 post were hard to wear with bras.
I hear you loud and clear!
As a large-chested lady myself, I'm sorry I failed to offer enough options for gals like us. Therefore, here are some picks that are bra-friendly and still super stylish!
National Jean Company dress, $72
Is Long Hair or Short Hair More Uncluttered?
For most of my adult life, I've worn my hair long down to the middle of my back. When it's that long, my hair is a nest of curly in the front, wavy on the sides, and stick straight in the back. Oh, and I should add frizzy, my hair is a whole mess of frizzy. I have to do my hair (blow dry and straighten) or wear it in a ponytail for it to look nice.
As a result, in 2007, I cut my hair short and have worn it that way ever since. (You can see my short hair in the picture with this article.) When ...
What's the Secret of Smart Budgeting?
You've probably heard the saying "the devil is in the details," but when it comes to managing your money, just the opposite is true – the more details, the better your chances for success.
I recently interviewed Stephen Spiller, a PhD candidate at Duke, who has a forthcoming doctoral thesis on opportunity cost, and how it relates to the way we spend money. In layman's terms, opportunity cost is the benefits you miss out on by making a particular choice. Let's say you get a $1,500 tax refund...
May 19, 2010
Using Color as Your Design Theme
As those of you who read the magazine know, we launch a new column as part of our redesign—the Decorating with... series. So far, we've covered purple, red, blue, brown, green, yellow, and florals. I love the series, and I've used it as inspiration for decorating my kitchen.
I know for some people the kitchen is an after thought, but I thought it would be the perfect way to test out using a color as the whole design theme. What I mean is, instead of choosing mid-century modern or shabby chic, ...
May 18, 2010
Polymorphia Art Prints
Polymorphia is a shop on etsy that I've recently fallen in love with because the art prints of Crystal Jackson are so soft and dreamy that I imagine having one framed would be stunning in any home. Please view some of her most recent works below along with her lovely styling which, to me, really makes each piece come to life.
Jackson works out of her home studio in North Carolina and in her statement she speaks of her inspirations this way, "Polymorphia is my exploration of the micro...
How to Decide What to Grow in Your Vegetable Garden
Each Tuesday in May we will have a guest post from Jessie Atchison, brand manager for Burpee Home Gardens, about how to start your own vegetable garden.
If you've ever flipped through a seed catalog or shopped
garden center benches filled with potted plants, you've found that there are several varieties of herbs and vegetables (especially tomatoes). Which ones
should you choose for your garden? The answer lies in asking yourself a few questions
before you dig in:
How much space do you have...
Spring Dresses All Under $100!!
Tis the season for fun, flirty, figure-flattering and fabulous sun-dresses!
So, while you're throwing up your hair (check out this simple trick courtesy of RS blogger Sarah Smith) or just letting it blow in the wind--you'll want to be wearing one of these Spring frocks. And with all of them retailing for under $100 you might want to pick up a few!
Boden dress, $98
Asos dress, $93
Being Prepared and Organized for an Emergency
No one is ever truly prepared for an emergency -- hence, what makes it an emergency. However, we can all take steps now so that we can be organized and better respond to emergency situations when they happen.
The company Awesome, has designed a series of worksheets that you can download for free to help you gather all of your response information into one binder before an emergency occurs. The worksheets are aptly titled: Emergency Binder.
From the Emergency Binder website:
They help you ...
...
