Cleaning my sneakers: Adidas Superstars

I must confess, I hate cleaning; I hate yard work, I hate washing my car and I hate house hold duties. Naturally this vexation for cleaning stuff transfers over to the stuff that I wear. That’s why I usually like to wear stuff like jeans, t-shirts, hats and hoodies because you don’t need to struggle to keep them clean. The exception to this rule is my sneakers; I like them to look as clean as possible. This becomes even more difficult when you like to wear white sneakers such as Adidas Superstars, Nike Air Force 1’s, and Converse All Stars. For some unexplained reason white sneakers just look good with anything you wear, so I can’t give them up. However wearing a pair that is yellow, beat up, and dirty all over can ruin any outfit you wear, so that’s why it’s important to keep them clean. This is where I compromise my hatred of cleaning and put some effort into cleaning my shoes so they always look new. Besides the appearance, having them look good can save you money because you don’t need to keep buying the same shoe over and over again. The basic first rule of keeping your sneakers clean is to make sure you take care of them by not walking in the rain or in the mud, and if you do get them wet make sure to dry them off before you store them away. As for storing my shoes I like to keep them in a place that is always cool and dry, such as the basement. Any place that fluctuates in temperatures or that is hot will turn your shoes yellow and can lead to cracking of the midsole. The second rule of keeping your sneakers clean is to wash them every so often when they get dirty. To wash my sneakers I like to use household cleaning products that I have around the house. I usually like to use Vim or Comet with a little bleach (though using too much bleach can actually stain your sneakers yellow), and then add some water and use a tooth brush to scrub away the dirt. Once the dirt is gone, pass a wet paper towel on the areas that you scrubbed to wipe away the excess bleach. Then let them air dry in a place where the sun doesn’t hit them directly. You can also clean your sneakers by putting them in the washing machine, but I avoid this because they can become warped. I do however like to put the laces in the washing machine because it doesn’t affect them. Once my sneakers are dry I like to use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to wipe any stains that are left (a wet Q-tip can also be used). Once you’re done, you’re ready to hit the pavement again and show off your sneakers with pride.

YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23u96O8O_34

Optimus Prime Papercraft

Recently I’ve been looking to buy a new Transformers toy, more specifically an Optimus Prime. Optimus isn’t just a good guy, but he’s the biggest and baddest hero you can find. This makes him really popular and a toy that many people want to have in their collection. Unfortunately his popularity also makes his toy really expensive and hard to find. My local toy store had the 25th anniversary collection version but it was so expensive I decided to look around for a better price. While I was still looking (and still am), I decided to do a papercraft version of him. This papercraft version of Optimus Prime comes in color, takes up about two pages for the template and one for instructions, and uses rubber or string to attach it all together. While the actual template might seem a little armature at first, when you are done you will notice how professional it really is and how special this papercraft is compared to others. What makes it stand out from the rest is that since it is a Transformer, it actually transforms from robot to truck; how cool is that! This papercraft took me about a couple of days to finish, and I would really recommend it to anyone that loves transformers and wants to have their own Optimus Prime in paper.



Papercraft template link:
http://www.paperrobots1999.com/model04.html
YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25c_7bpWNwA

Dress Like a Cupcake Should Feel

I love this mantra, created by UK illustrator Hennie Haworth. When I think of dressing like a cupcake, I think of dressing like I was six years old again, pretending I was Eloise at the Plaza or Grace Kelly on the French Riviera. Flirty dresses with full skirts in shades of pink, lavender, yellow, and cream - made even better by layers of crinoline underneath. Hair that looks like frosting, decorated with pink streaks, glitter, feathers, or bows. Lace, silk, satin, and sparkle! The look should be romantic and innocent. The idea should be to live inside of a 1950s movie, I personally have always wanted to live in an Audrey Hepburn movie. For Audrey, the answer is always to go to Paris and reinvent herself. Or to buy a new Givenchy dress.

Never say no to champagne before breakfast, chocolate-covered strawberries for lunch, or macaroons for dinner, and always keep room for dessert. Wear shoes because they look delicious with frilly ankle socks; not just high heels, but sparkly oxfords and pink marabou mules. Sit in front of a vanity mirror for hours and primp while listening to your best girl friends Eartha Kitt, Julie London, and Peggy Lee on vinyl. Buy perfume with bottles or names that excite you. Names that come to mind are Lolita Lempicka, Pink Sugar (how delish does that sound?), Dolly Girl, Princess, Blush, Daisy, Maybe Baby.

Here are some images that inspire me to indulge my inner cupcake:

An image from the endlessly inspiring Miss Dior Cherie campaign, helmed by Sofia Coppola and photographed by Tim Walker. Imagine running around Paris, popping into Dior and Ladurée, all while Brigitte Bardot's "Moi Je Joue" plays in the background.

Another Sofia Coppola project, Marie Antoinette, was described by the director as "the essence of Marie Antoinette's spirit ... She was in a total silk and cake world." In the memory of the Queen of France, I say, Let Them Eat Cupcakes!

The real-life "California Gurl" Katy Perry looks cotton candy-licious with a lavender wig and glittery and glowing skin.

Nothing says girlie quite like a ruffly dress with a heart-shaped back.

Holly Golightly knew that a tiara was the perfect way to add a little icing on top of an outfit.

Ruffle perfection! Actresses Mia Wasikowska, Amanda Seyfried, and Rebecca Hall look lovely in layered chiffon numbers in Vanity Fair.

When tired of prancing through the streets of Paris, a true Miss Dior Cherie knows to catch a ride from a group of balloons.

Design label Ban.do is excellent at designing delicious headwear that is sure to satisfy your sartorial sweet tooth.

Michelle Williams is every inch a pixie princess in delicate lace and rhinestone hair accessories.

An over-the-top mix of stripes, polka dots, and every color in the rainbow is a great way to channel your inner cupcake.

Vogue Korea shows us how the modern-day Alice would look at a Wonderland tea party.

Style maven Susie Bubble takes a cue from raspberry macaroons.

In the documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor, the designer shows off his confectionary creation.

Dita von Teese dresses like the most luxurious cupcake in the world in an 'outfit' (if you can call it that) of baby pink, glittery rhinestones, and feathers.

Lily Allen is caught in a mod romance in the music video for "The Fear."

In Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, Amy Adams swaths herself in silks, furs, feathers, and satins, focusing on a cheerful color palette of pale pink, Robin's Egg blue, and gold.

Princess Grace Kelly - need I say more?

Kelly Osbourne strikes a pose in a pink dress, accessorizing with sparkly jewels and lavender hair.

Mischa Barton looks like a romantic bohemian adorned with feathers galore.

Beautiful hair hues: baby pink and pale purple.

The Pink Ladies of Grease look like sweet treats in the final scene of the film.

When I hit retirement age, I hope I am one-eighth as cool as the pastel-toned ladies of Juicy Couture.

Amanda Seyfried looks darling in Miu Miu platforms (which I Die for) and a ballerina sweater.

Ann-Margret looks the polar opposite of the sex kitten she would become as she stars in Bye Bye Birdie as sweet-as-apple-pie teenager Kim MacAfee.

One of my favorite Vanity Fair covers featured the young starlets of Hollywood in retro-inspired outfits of a pastel palette.

Another image from Miss Dior Cherie finds our heroine in a bakery. How perfect to look at cupcakes while dressed like one!

Zooey Deschanel - a quirky cupcake in a dreamy creation by fairy tale enthusiast Erin Fetherston.

Doris Day knows better than to match her outfit to her pups - she matches her dogs to her outfit!

Gossip Girl's Blair (Leighton Meester) and Serena (Blake Lively) are the ultimate dream team in scruptious outfits perfect for strolling the Parisian streets.

Betsey Johnson, a wild cupcake if there ever was one, rechannels Eloise at the Plaza to include zebra rugs and hot pink boas.

So delightful you could just eat her up! Amy Adams gets smooched on the set of the Vanity Fair cover photo shoot.

Well-hearsed in the stories of princesses (from The Princess Diaries to Ella Enchanted), Anne Hathaway looks every bit a princess at the Met Ball.

What better way to channel your inner cupcake than to accessorize with large curls, oversized glittery sunnies, and pink flowers in your hair?

When the option to wear flowers in your hair is no longer available, feather headdresses in pastel hues is a more-that-suitable second option.

Grace Kelly looks sweet as a treat in her beach get-up in To Catch a Thief.

I cannot get over how delish Debbie Reynolds looks in this fab outfit in Singin' In The Rain.

Channeling Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face is a near impossible task, but when paired with a handful of pink balloons, it's easy to get in the mood to strike a pose.

I'm more than a bit obsessed with Miu Miu's newest collection, a gathering of pinks, whites, rhinestones, printed birds, and prairie-style shoulders. This would be my dream cupcake wardrobe.

I love this vintage-y photo of a group of gals in these delightfully delicious swim caps with bright lipstick and eye shadow to match.

Another image from Miss Dior Cherie. A girl can't help but be inspired by the sweet indulgence.

I think the important thing is to seek the sweetness of a cupcake everyday, and, if you can manage it, in everything. Life is much more fun to look at it through rose-tinted glasses, no?