Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 73

Wednesday Trivia: Your Cat Can Hear You

Dogs may race to their owners when called, but cats… well, choose not to, as it may turn out. According to a recent study reported on by Discover magazine, cats can actually tell that their owner’s voices is more “special” than strangers’ voices. The study involved playing three different stranger’s voices serially, followed by the owner’s voice, to each of […]

Homemade Gift Tag Idea

Looking to make a special holiday gift pop? Try this sweet idea for a DIY gift tag: Outline the shape of your favorite cookie cutter onto colored paper, and then cut out the design and tape onto your wrapped present. Better yet, if you’re giving a box of homemade sweets, use ribbon to fasten the cookie cutter right onto the […]

How Much Wine Should You Serve?

Follow this general rule of thumb to ensure you have enough wine to serve (without overbuying) at your next event.

Today’s Thought

Get the daily thought in your inbox. See more inspiring quotes on our Pinterest board. What’s Hot on RealSimple.com 8 Common Prescription Medication Mistakes How to Stay Connected to Loved Ones How to Remove Scratches From Your CarFiled under: Daily Thought

The Best Way to Put on Mascara

I often get asked how to avoid a clumpy mascara application. I just saw a new trick (which, after nearly 20 years in the industry is really saying something): Swipe the formula on your arm hairs first! Yes, it is a small mess (though nothing that a makeup wipe can’t fix), but this removes excess makeup from the brush so […]

And the Hottest Item of Black Friday Was…

According to our friends at SHEFINDS.com, the hottest item of Black Friday was the  iPad Air 16GB ($499), which they predicted in a recent gift guide. Many of the other items on the list were also Apple products and other tech gadgets – no big surprise there! To see the full list of Black Friday gifts from SHEFINDS.com, click here. […]

A New Way to Decorate With Poinsettias

The unofficial plant of the holiday season, try a fun twist on displaying usually-potted poinsettias by showing off a single stem: Simply cut a blossom off of your plant, and place in a shiny bud vase filled with water. The best part? The red or white “petals” are actually leaves, which gives your “flower” a shelf life of at least […]

Today’s Thought

Get the daily thought in your inbox. See more inspiring quotes on our Pinterest board. What’s Hot on RealSimple.com How to Improve Your Memory Bathroom Storage and Organizing Ideas 6 Quick Plyometric Exercises  Filed under: Daily Thought

DIY Gift Idea: Homemade iPhone Photo Case

Feeling crafty? Try this easy iPhone photo case tutorial from Richard Carriere, photography and craft expert for CyberLink. To start, you’ll need a clear iPhone case, a photo of your choice, a hole punch, a pen/pencil, and scissors. • Trace the iPhone case onto the paper, and cut it out. • Place your desired photo (maybe a picture of you […]

How to Ship Cookies

If you're sending holiday treats, follow this advice to ensure the goods get to their destination in one piece.