Blog Posts by Woman s Day

Culinary artists don't just like food-they like making food look as good as it tastes. And why shouldn't our eyes be just as pleased as our other senses? From a batch of video game-themed cupcakes to a mosaic of President Barack Obama made out of fondant-covered cupcakes, get a load of some confectionery creations that put simple frosted desserts to shame.

By Brynn Mannino

Puccho Characters

Naomi of Newcastle, Australia, has created a number of popular themed cupcake batches and has the pictures posted on her Flickr account to prove it. One such creation is the batch of Puccho-inspired cupcakes above. Naomi baked these for a friend who was visiting from Japan and had previously introduced her to the popular Japanese candy with these adorable characters on the packaging. Photo courtesy of Naomi via Flickr.com.

Also made by cupcake-maker extraordinaire Naomi, as part of her video game-themed collection (check out her Pac-Man batch), these vanilla cupcakes

By Woman's Day Staff

Now that summer is coming to an end, it's time to figure out what to do with your easy, breezy hair. Below, we've provided 50 essential tips that will help your hair look good long after the warm weather is gone.

Safeguard Your Strands

1. Wash your hair every other day. To absorb excess oil between washes, apply a dime-size amount of baby powder to your roots at the crown and massage it into your scalp.
Related: See the best homemade hair treatments.

2. Get a trim every six to eight weeks to rid hair of dry, split ends.

3. Moisture loss causes split ends, so keep hair hydrated with Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Split End Prevention Leave-In Cream from mid-shaft to ends. ($4.49; at drugstores)

4. Deep-condition hair twice a month to restore health and boost radiance.

5. Be honest! Tell your stylist about any previous chemical treatments. This will ensure nothing is used on your hair that will cause a bad reaction-like hair

By Meghan Ahearn

Just the EssentialsJust the Essentials

Sending your teen off to college isn't just about her getting a great education-it's also about her slowly making the transition to adulthood by learning how to do things on her own. To make sure she's prepared for day-to-day living as well as unexpected emergencies, we've rounded up 15 essential dorm room items. From an electric tea kettle for making late-night snacks to bacteria-thwarting shower sandals, these supplies are crucial for a successful first year on campus (and out of the nest).

Shower Basket

Living in a dorm room means your future college student won't be able to stash a limitless supply of shower products in and around the bathroom-which is why this plastic carryall from Orbz is so handy. It has plenty of room for shampoo bottles, body gels, razors and anything else your kid needs to get clean and groomed. Plus, it has drainage holes along the bottom and sides to let out excess water. $7.99; Dormbuys.com

By Arianne Cohen

Did you know that to get off junk mail lists effectively, you have to contact several companies? Here's a checklist.

Who: National Do Not Call Registry
To get rid of Telemarketers. This is the government's permanent list of off-limits numbers.
Opt out at: donotcall.gov

No More Junk Mail!

Who: Opt-Out Services
To get rid of Credit card and insurance offers. The four major credit reporting companies will take you off their lists.
Opt out at: OptOutPreScreen.com, or call 888- 567-8688 from the number in question.

Who: Direct Marketing Assn. Mail Preference Service Program
To get rid of All catalogs, magazine offers and circulars that come from members of this mammoth group
Opt out at: dmachoice.org, or call 212-768-7277, ext. 1500

Who: Valassis
To get rid of All coupon inserts that come through this direct mail company
Opt out at: valassis.com (click on "Contact Us") or call 888-241-6760

Who: Acxiom U.S.
To get rid of All phone, mail or e-mail

By Katie Ashford

Shari Bruns, 42, and her husband own a landscape architectural design firm in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and as with many couples, the economy has affected their income. Shari's husband recently made an offhand comment about taking a part-time job to help with the bills, and the next day her 12-year-old asked, "Mom, are we going to have to go live in one of those houses that the government pays for?" That stopped her cold. "We've cut non-necessities, but I didn't think we'd gone overboard in expressing our desire to save," says Shari. "I don't want my son to worry about that."

It's a common scenario these days: With headlines trumpeting layoffs and dire financial news, kids are asking more questions than ever about money. Even if they aren't talking about it, you can bet it's on their minds. "I asked my son if he talks about this at school, and he said, 'All the time, Mom,'" says Shari.

The person they really should be talking to is you. With the right

By Angela Ebron

The Cash for Clunkers program has been great for car buyers and the auto industry. But, you know who else is benefiting from it? Online scam artists. Phony websites are suddenly popping up claiming to be connected to the program, according to fraud expert Sid Kirchheimer, author of Scam-Proof Your Life. Don't fall for it! "The phony sites ask for your Social Security number and tell you that you have to preregister in order to qualify for Cash for Clunkers, which you don't," he says.

How to Avoid Online Scams

And this is just the latest in a string of Web scams-from work-at-home schemes to fake lotteries to bogus shopping sites and more. According to the FBI Internet Crimes Complaint Center, online fraud complaints went up 33 percent from 2007 to 2008, with $265 million in lost or stolen money. To protect yourself from getting ripped off, follow these online safety tips from Kirchheimer.

1. Be smart about the price. Research the average prices for cars, computers, furniture or

By Gretchen Roberts

When September rolls around, the expenses add up fast: new clothes, school supplies, backpacks and extra stuff you didn't even know you had to buy. If your budget is especially tight this year-and whose isn't!-these 20 cost-cutting tips will help you send your kids back to class for a lot less cash.

The Look for Less

1. Linsey Knerl, a mom of four from Tekamah, Nebraska, keeps clothing costs down by snagging $3 clearance T-shirts and tanks right before school starts. "Summer tees printed with graphics, likeSave on Back-to-School Shopping the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana, can be layered over a solid-colored thermal long-sleeved shirt. My kids love this look," she says.

2. Kami Gray, a professional stylist in Portland, Oregon, suggests resale shops like Buffalo Exchange and Plato's Closet for middle-school gear (go online for locations). "Kids become more clothes-conscious at this age, but buying brand-new, expensive items isn't economical or practical when your child is still

By Brynn Mannino

If you're stuck on stick foods, you're not alone. Popular with city fair and street food vendors, stick foods are slowly becoming a mainstay due to America's love of fried food. Since the stick makes it particularly easy to dunk skewered products into the deep-fryer, experimental combinations are turning up everywhere. From Deep-Fried Spam on a Stick to Deep-Fried Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes on a Stick, take a look at the skewered specialties below.

Deep-Fried Spam













A group of BBQ enthusiasts-who use their website SmokeInDaEye.com to share recipes, tips and tricks with their fellow connoisseurs-post a new fried recipe every Friday in a section cleverly dubbed "TGI Frydays." This spam-on-a-stick specialty was breaded with Japanese bread crumbs and fried for 8 minutes before serving. Photo courtesy of SmokeInDaEye.com

Deep-Fried Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes













The Tulsa State Fair is building quite a reputation for their diverse offerings of fried food, but an old