Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

Ever wondered how the pies in magazines look the way they do? Well, there aren't any super fancy tricks involved. Try one of these 5 simple pie-crust decorating techniques that even the pros use.

Once your rolled crust is in the pie pan, trim away the excess dough, leaving about 1 inch of extra dough all around. Tuck this bit up and under to create a slightly raised edge, then decorate away!

• Lined Edge: The easiest solution to a "finished" looking crust: use the tines of a fork to press neat lines all around the edge.

Related: 4 Pie-Baking Secrets

• Crimped Edge: Push the dough on the outer edge with the tip of one index finger (make sure your nails are clipped!) against the thumb and index finger of your other hand. Pinch to make a small crimp. To continue, place index finger in groove made by thumb. Repeat all around rim.

Crimped Edge

• Checkerboard Edge: With kitchen shears, snip small cuts, about 1/2 in. apart, all around the edge. Fold every other "tab" towards

Spread more joy with less cashWith these strategies and secrets, you'll be able to spread more joy with less cash.

Get It For Less

Even if you don't consider yourself a techie, you owe it to yourself to check out these three tools. As you'll see, your computer and smartphone can help save you time, hassle, and money - just like Good Housekeeping! - during this jolly season:

1. Keep track of your holiday lists and get the best possible prices with a little help from Springpad (springpad.com; iPhone and Android, free). Via either the app or the website itself, you can drag items into however many virtual gift lists you decide to create. Springpad sends you alerts to tell you when and exactly where prices for your selected items have been lowered, or if coupons or other special offers have become available.

Related: 35 Days of Holiday Shopping Tips

I decided to check it out by tracking a toy for my daughter, Bianca - specifically, the Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio. It was first listed at $35, but

The classic hue may make your teeth instantly appear whiter

Sporting red lipstick is more than just a way to channel your inner screen siren. Wear the classic hue, and your teeth may instantly appear whiter. Here, makeup artist Susan Posnick's tips for finding your ideal shade.

1. Check the Undertone

"Each red has one of three: yellow-orange, blue, or a bit of both (a neutral red). You'll get the best brightening with a blue-based lipstick, because it detracts from the yellow in your teeth." How to tell the difference? Swipe three different red lipsticks on the inside of your wrist: "By having a point of comparison, you'll be able to see the varying undertones in all three." Testing on this part of your arm is ideal; the blue of your veins will help you pick out a lipstick's blue tones.

Try: MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Russian Red ($15, maccosmetics.com).

"A red that's too blue can make dark skin look ashy, so women with darker or more olive-toned complexions should look for a red with a neutral

Save money on electronics by trading in your old gadgets Here, easy tips to help you stretch your budget and stress less every day between Black Friday and the day after Christmas.

Nov. 21: Shop for Home Goods on Black Friday
Some of the best household products (including big-ticket purchases like dishwashers and HDTVs) get big discounts the day after Thanksgiving. This is the perfect time to replace tattered essentials before the holiday guests arrive.

Related: Good Housekeeping Research Institute's Black Friday Picks

Nov. 22: Snag a Cheap Camera on Black Friday
Tired of snapping photos on your phone? Black Friday sales offer a great excuse to upgrade to a digital camera. When shopping, don't obsess over megapixel counts; instead, look for a camera with good low-light sensitivity and optical image stabilization. The GHRI likes the Canon Rebel T3i ($614, amazon.com).

Related: Black Friday Shopping Tips

Nov. 23: Make a Holiday Budget (and Stick to It)
Determine your holiday budget and don't forget to factor in the

Still sporting the same cut you wore in your 30s or (gasp!) 20s? Your face changes over time and so should your hair, says Randy Stodghill, L.A.-based hair stylist to stars including Angela Basset and the Kardashians. An age-appropriate cut will not only flatter your face, but also keep your look fresh. Get inspired with 12 hairstyles you can steal from celebrities over 40. We'll show you which ones work best for your face shape and hair type - and give you tips on how to score these gorgeous tresses.

-by Julie Seguss

More From Good Housekeeping
10 Ways to Spice Up Your Relationship
Best Anti-Aging Beauty Products
25 Beauty Bargains for $25 or Less
10 Biggest Organizing Mistakes

Keep your holiday get-together running smoothly

These painless suggestions are guaranteed to keep your holiday get-together running smoothly.

Before the Party

• Buy bagged ice, or start making it a few days in advance and store it in resealable bags; use your freezer's Max Ice setting to speed up the process.
• Decide which dish will go in which serving piece and label the items with sticky notes prior to party time. This way, you'll know if you need to borrow any bowls, platters, or spoons.
• Make one appetizer that you'll heat and serve warm, and round out the hors d'oeuvres with options that can be prepped in advance so you can focus on serving and welcoming guests.
• Keep already-baked cookies in the freezer. You can defrost them at room temperature or in the toaster oven when guests pop over unannounced.
• Stash simple syrup in the fridge, and mixing cocktails will be a snap (it keeps for a few weeks). To make: Add one cup sugar to one cup water in a saucepan; let boil until the sugar dissolves; cool to room

Draw inspiration from items around your home to make three simply beautiful Thanksgiving centerpieces.

Use dried citrus to decorate candles1. Fruitfully Fabulous Warm up your holiday table with a scentsational centerpiece -- dress pillar candles with dried oranges, lemons, and limes.

Thinly slice the citrus fruits about 1/8-inch thick. Place a wire cooling rack on a cookie sheet, and then arrange the sliced oranges, lemons, and limes on the rack. Put the cookie sheet and rack in an oven preheated to 250 degrees for approximately two hours, or until all moisture is removed.

Related: 6 Affordable Place Settings

Tip: If you find that your slices have not dried in 2 hours, you can also turn off the oven and leave the fruit in overnight.

Using a glue gun, connect the citrus slices to each other, forming a band around the base of each candle. Do not glue them to the candle. Once your candles are decorated, cluster them in the center of your Thanksgiving table and weave berried branches throughout to

Get the best deals during your holiday shopping"We will not be undersold!" It's a refrain you may have noticed on store circulars as you peruse them on a Sunday morning. But what does it really mean - and how do you get the best deal? Here, some insights into price-match guarantees from Daniel Butler, Vice President of Retail Operations for the National Retail Federation.

Many major retailers have price-match policies in place. Stores such as Walmart, Sears, Target, Kohl's, Best Buy, and Staples do it as a matter of practice, and Home Depot even offers a discount plus 10% off. However, they all have their own rules as to what they require in order for you to get the adjustment. Generally, the policies state that you must show the competitor's ad and the identical item must still be in stock there (they'll call to verify). Stores typically won't match closeout prices, special timed events (like Black Friday deals), or bundled sales (say, buy one, get one free).

Even retailers that don't may still offer you a break.