Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 444

Table Style: Ideas for Table Settings

Do you love to entertain but feel bored by your usual table setting? I sometimes get into ruts in this area, mostly due to lack of time, and that is why I love Table Style written by Liz Belton and Rebecca Tanqueray, styled by Liz Belton and photographed by leading interiors photographer Debi Treloar. With so many beautiful Summer days ahead you will find lots of ideas in Table Style to apply to your own soiree whether on your city balcony, large patio, or your dining room.

 

From the cover o...

Do I really need ANOTHER web site?

As I said in a recent post about business cards, I am a woman with an identity crisis. At least when it comes to my business card, and maybe to my identity on the web.



At any given time I can be found on at least three web sites - SundinInc.com, ManicMommies.com and here at RealSimple.com. I can also be found on LinkedIn; Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Facebook (not that I'm sure I want everyone finding me there).



Have you ever tried putting that many URLs on a business card? It cannot be done....

Slobproof Furniture (Not Kidding)

It was only a matter of time before some genius woman came up with this. It makes sense that she's a busy wife and mother (to teenage boys, no less). With a bunch of messy men - plus a slobbering dog - running amuck in her house, interior designer Debbie Wiener came up with the only practical solution. No, she didn't cover everything in plastic, or banish her men-folk to the basement. She designed a new line of slob-friendly upholstered furniture. You can read more about it (and the special f...

What Does "Enough" Look Like For You?

In a speech in Quincy, Illinois on Wednesday, President Obama said: "We're not trying to push financial reform because we begrudge success that's fairly earned. I do think at a certain point you've made enough money, but you know, part of the American way is, you can just keep on making it if you're providing a good product."

Fox News' Sean Hannity pounced on the quote, playing it for guest and political consultant Frank Luntz, who declared: "He's outed himself."

Outed himself as what? A...

Streamline Your Laundry Routine When Using a Clothesline

Childhood summer memories involve spending time on the farm, walking the railroad tracks to the suspension bridge, playing hide-n-go seek with my cousins, and hanging clothes on the line to dry. Recently, as I was cleaning out my basement, I came upon a basket of clothes pins and my mind instantly raced back to my Kansas summers. I hadn't used my clothes pins in years, but the flood of happy thoughts associated with my childhood led me to Home Depot where I purchased a retractable...

Derby Drinks

There is nothing associated quite as strongly with the Kentucky Derby as the Mint Julep. Perhaps big, crazy-looking hats come in at a close second. I love a good reason to indulge in some bourbon - it's such a rare event for me; even better when it's served in a pretty silver cup. 

 

So with the Derby coming up this Saturday, imagine my delight when Southern Living published this feature on Race-Day Cocktails. It goes way beyond the Derby's signature drink, suggesting an array of cocktails...

Would a Chance to Win $100,000 Entice You to Save Money?

Harvard Business School Professor Peter Tufano has studied every variety of carrot and stick used to influence people to save money across the globe. Tufano was convinced that the chance to win a jackpot – an incentive used in Europe and elsewhere since the 1950s – would persuade moderate-income Americans to contribute to a bank account on a regular basis. After all, studies have found the most frequent lottery players earn less than $50,000 a year. Why not encourage people to squirrel away t...

A Question for the August Issue of Real Simple

Hey, Bookies:

What is your favorite biography or autobiography?

Are you, perhaps, a big fan of Philip Norman's definitive biography of the Fab Four, Shout: The Beatles in Their Generation? Or are you more about firsthand accounts of history—say, Bill Clinton's My Life? So tell us: What's your favorite biography or autobiography? Give us a few lines below on your pick—make sure to include the title of the book and its author—and your answer may appear in the August issue of Real Simple. Thanks!

What Are Your Most Annoying Fashion Problems?

Fashion is fun and fabulous, but sadly it's not void of the occasional headache. Which is exactly why we want to hear about your most annoying fashion issues and come up with some (aspirin-free) solutions!

It can be anything from fit issues, tracking down hard-to-find items, or even those tricky problem-solving ones...like too long pant hems or sweater holes. Pretty much anything goes!

We will be picking several of the issues and addressing them in the pages of the magazine. Real Simple to...

Where Do You Keep Laundry in a Small Space?

Earlier this month, Colleen Quinn over at Apartment Therapy: DC admitted that she keeps her dirty laundry in a basket in her bathtub. (See her post here.) I've always been a keep-my-laundry-in-the-closet kind of girl, but I'm not sure I'll be able to anymore since my closet is narrower than I'm used to.

I would love to get a laundry sorter like this one from the Container Store:

Being able to sort my clothes when I take them off would make it so much easier when I'm facing a trip to the...