How to Remove a Sticker or Label from a Video Game Box

Unfortunately one of my burdens as a collector is that I like my collectables to be in pristine condition.  So when I first started collecting complete in box video games I noticed that finding near mint games was very expensive and difficult to find.  And so I had to settle for whatever I could find in my price range, which usually meant games in fair condition that required only a little cleaning to be considered satisfactory.  While most games and boxes could be cleaned with a wet cloth and a magic eraser, I found removing stickers or labels from a box was difficult.

Thankfully after doing a little research I found a solution that worked for me.  The method I use requires some lighter fluid and a Q-tip or cotton swab or cotton ball.  All you do is wet the Q-tip with the lighter fluid liquid and moisten the label; then gently peel back the label.  I do caution anyone from doing this especially children because the lighter fluid can irritate your skin and dry it as well.  I would also advise you to practice this method on a label/box that you don’t care about first before you do it on an important box.  If done correctly you should be able to remove an old sticker/label without much residue left over.

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kAYFVr5HtU

Removing the New Era Logo

New Era makes amazing hats.  However, since I first fell in love with their on-field 59fifty from the late 90’s, I decided that I only want to buy hats that resembled those glory days.  Back then hats were 100% wool, made in the USA, had grey under brims, and didn’t include the New Era logo.  So my reason for making this post isn’t so much to disrespect New Era by removing their logo, but rather it’s to customize my hat to look the way those older fitteds used to look.

In order to remove the logo, the first thing I recommend is to have lots of patience because this task takes lots of time, and concentration.  You want to begin by using a sharp knife that gets under each thread and individually cuts them (while I have seem other customizers use a seam cutter to remove the thread I don’t recommend one because it can warp the wool material).  As your cutting the threads, you also want to use tweezers to detach each thread.  And finally you want to use some tape (I use painters tape) to clean off any excessive threads, which will also leave the wool spotless.  Once you’re done your fitted should resemble a New Era fitted from the past.

New Era:

http://www.neweracap.com

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pJKiDLWijE

Shaken Iced Passion Tango Tea Lemonade Recipe

I started drinking Starbuck’s shaken iced Passion Tango tea lemonade a few years ago.  From the very first time I became addicted to it and couldn’t get enough.  However I slowly became disappointed with it when certain Starbuck’s locations (most) used way too much ice to make it.  The result was a drink that I could literally finish in one gulp.  Of course you could also ask them to make it with little ice or no ice at all, but then the drink is simply too warm and won’t be as satisfying.

So rather than be disappointed over another ice packed Passion Tango lemonade I decided to make it at home instead.  The secret ingredient is the type of tea you use, which in this case is Passion Tango tea from Teavana.  Of course that tea is expensive, so I decided to substitute it with the version Tazo makes (this tea is also expensive and difficult to find in the 24 filter bags).  Regardless of the brand you use just make sure it has ingredients such as hibiscus, any form of citrus flavour, and cinnamon.  For the lemonade portion I like to use the version from Simply Lemonade with raspberry.

Ingredients and Recipe:

1) Tazo Passion Tea (add boiling water, let cool and then store it in the refrigerator)

2) Add sugar to taste

3) Add Simply Lemonade with raspberry

4) Add Ice, stir and enjoy

(optional: cinnamon stick, cloves, vanilla, and fruit such as strawberries or raspberries)

Tazo Tea:

http://www.tazo.com/Product/Detail/14

Starbucks:

http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/iced-tea/teavana-shaken-iced-passion-lemonade

Simply Lemonade with Raspberry:

http://www.simplyorangejuice.com/product/raspberry-lemonade.jsp

Teavana Passion Tango Herbal Tea:

http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/herbal-teas/p/passion-tango-herbal-tea?cm_mmc=Google-_-Tea-_-GS_Brand_Tea_Names-_-teavana%20passion%20tango_e&gclid=CJLcqpCPicYCFQytaQod4m0AqA

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smi3odeXVCg

How to Clean Suede Sneakers

My favourite method of cleaning suede material on sneakers is to use a dual action brush made by Tana.  I simply brush on the suede gently back and forth, and like magic it removes scuffs and scratches to restore the material.

Tana:

http://tana.com/suede-nubuck/cleaner/deluxe-brush.php

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvNbptLlrrA

How to Keep Sneakers Deadstock

This blog post is about how I like to store my sneakers and keep them deadstock (in brand new condition).  While the procedure may seem extreme to some, I still think this method is worth sharing.

1.  I remove the sneakers and I like to clean and shape the shoe box so that it looks and stays pristine

2.  I remove the shoe paper and place it in a storage tube with other rolled up shoe papers; I also use a pencil to write the name of the sneakers the paper came with.  Shoe paper has been known to dry shoes and even stain them.

3. I then work on the sneakers; I like cleaning them by using a wet cloth or a magic eraser to remove marks, blemishes, and smudges.  If there are loose threads I cut them using nail cutters.

4.  Some sneakers come with a sticker label inside of the sole, so I like to remove it and place it in a sticker album.

5.  Most sneakers come with shoe paper inside of the toe box, so I remove the paper and wrap it around with plastic or a ziploc bag and then replace it inside of the toe box.  It is important to keep it there because it prevents the toe box from sinking in by helping to maintain its shape.

6.  If a second pair of laces is included I like to place them inside of a baggy, and then put them inside of the shoes so they won’t get lost

7.  Once the shoes are wiped I then fix the laces so that the shoes look factory laced (never been touched)

8.  I then wrap them around in a clean rag (old t-shirt), and place them inside of the shoe box; making sure that the shoes never touch the box.  The box can damage certain delicate materials such as suede or nubuck (rubbing and wearing it down)

9.  I like to place the shoe box inside of a bag, leaving the end open so that air can still allow them to breath.  Marking the box with a picture of the shoes or just the name of the shoes will help identify them.

10.  As a final step I place my shoes neatly stashed in a basement closet.  The location you choose to keep your collection must be a cool dry place that doesn’t have any changes in temperature.

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfY9keG0FBk

Sneaker and Hat Cleaning Kit

When you become a collector, one of the first things you will notice is how dirty and banged up your collection can get as you use them.  While there are many people who don’t care, and will just buy another one as soon as it’s destroyed; there are others that want to get the most out of their collection.  Getting the most out of your collection will not only save you money, but will keep your collection looking pristine.  Besides if you’re going to devote your time and money to a collection, you might as well own something you can be proud of.  That’s kind of why I’ve always admired classic car collectors, because they like to keep their collection looking its best.

To keep my collection of sneakers and hats looking its best, I’ve developed a maintenance cleaning kit.  The kit was developed over time through a process of trial and error; between ruling out items that destroyed some of my sneakers and using items that actually worked to keep them clean.  I’m calling this a basic cleaning kit because it features many items that are easy to get from home, or that are sold in any apparel store.

1) Shoe Weather Protector: Before you start to wear any sneaker or hat it is important to spray them with shoe weather protector.  The brand I buy is from Tana, and I use the spray protector.  It helps to prevent water damage and resist stains.  You can also buy different brands at footlocker that work just as well.

2)  Suede and Nubuck Brush:  This brush is excellent for removing scratches from suede and nubuck leather sneakers.  The brand of brush I like to use is from Tana

3)  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser:  A magic eraser is great for removing stains from leather and rubber soles.

4) Manicure Set: Try to get one that includes small scissors and nail cutters for cutting loose threads, and some tweezers for pulling out threads.

5) Super Glue:  Super glue is wonderful for gluing loose threads together, however use it very lightly to avoid clumps.

6) Painters Tape:  I use this kind of tape to pick lint from my hats. It is sticky enough to remove lint, and still not leave tape residue behind.  You can also use a lint roller.

7) Lint Fabric Shaver:  This product is wonderful for removing clumps of lint that build up around the tongue and ankle padding of sneakers.  The brand I use is from Remington shavers.

8)  Lighter:  Lighters are great for burning down or gluing together threads.  I also use it on lace ends to make a lace tip.

9) Paper Towels:  Before I store away sneakers I won’t use for a while, I like to clean them with a paper towel and water.  A towel works just as well or better.  Be sure to let them dry before you store them away.

10)  Goo gone:  This is a wonderful product for removing glue and gum from the rubber soles.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser:

http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/magic-eraser.do

Goo Gone:

http://googone.com

Tana:

http://tana.com

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6DEijySYbo

Cleaning A New Era Fitted Hat

After years of wearing my Yankees New Era fitted hat I finally decided to wash it.  The truth is I was just going to buy a new one because I wasn’t interested in washing my dirty hat.  But then I went online and looked at the prices for new hats and was convinced that paying $39.99 (Canadian retail) for a new hat wasn’t worth it when all I had to do was clean my hat.  Another reason I also passed on buying a new hat was because I couldn’t find one similar to the one I have, that’s made out of wool with a grey brim.  The majority of newer releases are made out of polyester, feature the same colour under brim as the hat, and are made in China (my hat was made in the USA).

I went online to find out how to clean my hat because I was a little cautious of just throwing it in the washing machine.  The best methods of cleaning a hat I found were either paying a lot of money for an official New Era hat cleaning kit, or just using a towel with some detergent and water.  Needless to say, I passed on getting the cleaning kit and used the towel method instead.  I also tried cleaning my hat with a tooth brush, masking tape, and a magic eraser.  However all these methods weren’t very effective because they either didn’t clean, were too rough and could damage the material, or took way to long.  I then felt that the only method left for me was using the washing machine.

I hesitated using it before because in the past it has ruined other hats and clothing.  This time I took precautions and placed my hat in a mesh bag to protect the brim, which worked perfectly.  After I washed my hat it came out looking like Kirstie Alley had sat on it, but that was only short lived because I placed a bag with a sweater inside of it and was able to restore the shape of the hat.  I then let it air dry for a couple of days, and when I looked at it again the outside looked flawless and new.  The inside was a different story because the headband was still yellow, and the Buckram threads were a little out of place.  Other than that the shape was as good as new, it smelled wonderful, and it didn’t shrink (since it had already shrunk from normal use).  I would recommend washing your New Era hat in a washing machine using cold water because it is very effective but should only be used as a last resort because it can damage some areas of the hat.

New Era:

www.neweracap.com

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGvy9u-Gilg

Harvesting Sunflower Seeds

I like to tell people I live for inspiration.  Usually this belief center’s around learning new things that make me look at the world with a better understanding.  The inspiration for this post came from my love for van Gogh paintings.  Vincent was fascinated with sunflowers and so I decided to grow some myself to see how lovely they could be.  When I went to go buy the seeds, I picked giant sunflower seeds because I would also be able to harvest the seeds as well.  As a baseball fan I like to eat them whenever I go to a game or watch one on TV.  My favourite flavour is dill pickle flavoured seeds.

I planted the seeds near the edge of my driveway just in case the plant grew too big or attracted wild annoying animals (racoons).  I also planted them in late spring.  They require very little energy to grow so you don’t need to water them as much as other vegetables.    Mine grew to about 8 feet by late August and the flower bloom lasted only about a week.  During that week, everyone who walked by would stare and comment how they loved the flower.  I must say the bloom is impressive and I could finally understand van Gogh’s reason for painting it so often.

The advantage of growing my plant near my driveway was that I could use a light pole for support by simply tying the plant’s stem up against the pole.  Once the bloom started to fade, the head started to sag and I then used more wire to support the head until eventually the head was the only thing sagging.  This isn’t a big deal because the seeds inside of the head still continue to grow.  By mid-September I could finally start seeing the seeds growing, with their slight black stripes.  It wasn’t until the middle of October that I was finally able to chop off the sunflower head and be able to harvest the seeds.  By this time, the seeds looked plump and the back of the sunflower head was black and brown.

I read online and looked at videos on how to best harvest my seeds, and somehow came up with a version I was comfortable with.  I chopped off the head, removed the seeds and placed them in a bucket full of water for about a day, then I dried them on paper towels,  I baked them in the oven for a half-hour, and when they were baked I added a little olive oil and salt.  The seeds tasted really good, and I must have gotten well over 10 bags full of seeds.    While the experience was informative, I think the next time I want to eat sunflower seeds I’ll stick to the dill pickle bag I buy from the store.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSi-HwkVJeg

Learning to make chocolate

A while back I went down to El Salvador in Central America to visit some friends and family.  At the house that I was staying at, I noticed that they had a cacao tree growing.  This piqued my curiosity because I had never seen one before, and was interested in knowing how chocolate was made.  I went on the internet to explore and research this information and soon came to the conclusion that I could make it myself.  The basic gist to making it is to remove the cacao beans from the pod, then store them in a bin to ferment the pulp, place them under the sun to dry for several days, roast them in an oven, and then finally decide on which method to process the beans.

This is the most difficult step in making chocolate because chocolate companies use highly sophisticated machines to make chocolate, chocolate liquor, cocoa powder, and cocoa butter.  Though I didn’t have access to those sorts of machines, I did not fret because there are alternatives to making a decent quality chocolate.  Besides, the Mayans were making and drinking chocolate hundreds of years ago using hand-made methods that are still used today in many Latin American countries.

The easiest part of making this chocolate was to remove the cocoa beans from the pods and drying them in the sun.  I had started drying them in the middle of the summer when the days were hottest.  What became difficult was all the hand mashing I had to do to crush and mix the beans together.  Luckily I decided to speed that process up by using a small blender.  As it was mixing, I added sugar and milk to make it more of the familiar chocolate taste that I’m used to.  Once it was done, I placed the mixture on a plate and put it in the refrigerator.  When I took it out I was amazed at how it felt, almost like clay.

I then wrapped it up in aluminum paper and stored it in the freezer for several weeks.   Finally this week I decided to unwrap it and eat it.  As I was opening it up, the smell of chocolate filled the air with its aroma.  The texture was similar to the chocolate part of an M&M, or a Hershey’s Kiss but it also felt a little grainy because of the sugar I added.  Despite how it felt, the taste was amazing.  I had never tried anything like this before.  It was natural and pure, and nothing like those artificial chocolate bars you can buy in a store.  The taste resonated in my mouth, as I let the chocolate melt and I acknowledged that this was the best chocolate I had ever tasted.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tu7FCAEtFE