I'm all about putting some kick in your step with this DIY project...literally! And let's be honest. We are all superheroes; it's about time our shoes reflect that too. Am I right or am I right? For all those wanting to channel your inner Jessica Jones or Super Girl or Beyonce, these DIY Superpower Shoes will do all the talking necessary. Keep reading below for this quick and "POW!"-erful fashion statement...

Life | Happy Holidays!

It can never be said enough...happy holidays everyone! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannakuh, Kwanza, or nothing at all, this time of year is all about making special memories, gathering with those we love, and looking back on all we've gone through in just one year. It's crazy to think about where I was a year ago. I was applying to medical school, living in the worst snow seasons ever recorded in Boston, and planning a wedding! I can't begin to imagine what the next year holds...but for now, I'm going to eat some cookies and chill in my pajamas all day! Happy Holidays!

Travel | Follow that pink coat

This month I decided to celebrate the holidays a little differently. For the first time, I'll spend them away from home. I was a bit nervous about the idea at first. I absolutely love Christmas in California. It's warm, relaxing, and my mom always cooks a bombtastic meal. Every single time. I also get to wear my pajamas all day and not feel one ounce of shame about it. However, now that I'm married and living this whole adult life deal, I thought it was about time I expand my Christmas traditions. So, this month, I'll be traveling across Europe and spending the holidays with my husband and his family in the Czech Republic! The weather will be colder, the language harder to understand (have you ever tried to learn Czech?!), and possibly a lot more beer at dinner time. But life is an adventure right?! I'm ready to dive in.

In the meantime, you can follow my colorful journey as I trek across Paris, London, Geneva, and Prague! My unifying theme will be #followthatpinkcoat as I capture colorful sites wearing this perfect pink coat I found from Asos. There will also be travel posts on the blog for each city coming this month, as well as daily updates on my Instagam (@creativekipi). Let's go for a colorful adventure this season, shall we?! 

How are you celebrating the holidays? Feel free to share below - I'd love to hear! 

My Weekly Wants

1. Aldo Bossy Clutch Bag from Asos | 2. High Waist Aqua Skirt from Asos | 3. Snuggle up to Saturday Sweater from Modcloth | 4. Come Full Cycle Swing Dress from Modcloth

NEWS | Kipi + Oh Lou Collaboration!

I've got some exciting news for you all! A few months ago I met (via Instagram) the very talented Fisayo (@loveohlou) who is a student in Fashion Design and the owner/visionary behind the Oh Lou shop. Other than her skilled fashion drawings, she is largely known for her colorful, confetti filled (litterally) hair bows! Naturally, when she approached me about working together on a project, I couldn't help but say "yes!"

An important facet of her work is to connect her success to improving the community around her. She began the #SilverSpoonInitiative, which supports the Washington D.C. homeless population by providing a food bank with a non-perishable food item for every accessory purchased. Her clever motto, "Buy an accessory, give a necessity," sums it up perfectly. As some of you may or may not be aware, my entire introduction into creative work (sewing, DIY, photography, etc.) began similarly like Fisayo, with an interest in making something original and using that work to improve the lives of those around us. It is perhaps the best combination of self-motivation: to challenge yourself creatively and to believe creative solutions can have positive impacts in the world.

DIY || #28 || I've Got Ya Spotted!

So if you know anything about me, you know I'm addicted to polka dots. I'm not quite sure what it is about them, but they combine the perfect combination of spunk, color, and fun to an outfit, especially in the summer. This DIY project definitely indulges not only my love for polka dots, but also my love for pom poms (the 3D version of a polka dot). I first caught onto this style thanks to the fashions of Design Love Fest, with her fabulous polka dot sweater. I found this layered tulle skirt dress on sale at Forever 21 for $12 (here's the same one in black), grabbed a bag of pom poms at Michaels, some fabric glue, and went to town on it! Super easy and super fun way to jazz up any dress or skirt hanging in your closet. Give it a try!

Here's what you'll need: plain dress or skirt (got mine here), colored pom poms, and fabric glue (you could also sew them on by hand if you have the patience for it!).

Steps: simply dot the pom pom with the liquid stitch glue and carefully press it onto the dress fabric. Continue by adding various colors spread out across the skirt. Wait a couple hours for the glue to dry clear. If you're particular about keeping the pom poms secure, feel free to sew them on instead by hand!

Then...don a pair of vibrant, funky shoes (got these blue ones at ModCloth) and have fun!

DIY || #23 || CLEAR FLORAL STUDDED PURSE

I think it might be too obvious that spring time influenced this DIY project! Grab those plastic bags (or make your own like I did) and add that extra pop with one thing most people have in their house...nail polish! Here's what you'll need if you're doing it from scratch: nail polish, gold chain, gold clasps, scissors, 1/4 yard of polyurethane material, and a needle & thread.

So let's get started, shall we? First start by cutting the polyurethane into a square, then folding it into a neat envelope shape. Once, set sew the edges together, trim the excess with scissors and attach the golden clasps to the front. Then, the fun part! I first dotted the bag with white nail polish and then painted floral leaves with quick brush strokes in various other colors.

Lastly, punch two holes in the top corners of the bag with a hole punch or with scissors, clip the golden chains through the holes, and voila!

Friday Faves || #17 || Royal Blue

one | two | three | four | five

DIY PROJECT || # 17 || COLORBLOCK BUTTON-UP

I have been anticipating the week I get to post this DIY project for you all! I made this colorblock button up way back in January, but thought it fit better with spring time wear rather than winter. Anywho, I am a huge fan of all things colorblock so this project was right up my alley. After ransacking my older brother's closet on winter break, I found a couple white button ups from his younger days that fit perfectly on me. If you have a boyfriend, husband, brother, dad, or any other man who's closet you can raid -- get kickin! In just about an hour I transformed the shirt into a stylish, spring top that goes great when paired with skinny jeans and boots.

Here's what you'll need:

And here are the steps to make the shirt: 

Step one: Lay out the blouse on a flat suface and, using a fabric cutter or scissors, begin cutting out the back piece of the shirt. I just cut along the insides of the original seams.

Step two: With the back cut out, lay it over the new, colorful fabric you wish to use. Cut the fabric along the outline of the original shirt piece, leaving about 1/2" to 3/4" extra along the borders. It helps to pin the two fabric pieces together while doing so.

Step three: Fold in the extra 1/2" that you had cut all along the sides and then loosely hand-stitch the sides inside. I did this because the fabric I used frays a lot, and it made it a lot easier for adding it to the shirt.

Step four: Then, pin the new backing to the shirt, exactly how it was originally.

Step five: Slowly with the sewing machine, stitch the new colored piece to the shirt along the seams. 

Step six: If you haven't done so already, cut and pull out the hand-stitching you had made in step three so you get a flawless look! Voila!

Friday Faves || #12 || Inspiring Women in Fashion

As you may or may not know, today is International Women's Day! As a woman myself, this day is important as a means to bring up discussion concerning inequalities between men and women, blatant and obscured, in societies all across the world. More so, it is a day of celebrating the individuals who inspire us to drive forward, to balance work, life, and kids because it's human and doable, to be the first ones in line, to raise our hands first to opportunities, to fight for what we love-- be it politics or fashion--and to never question our capability. In honor of this day, today's friday fashion faves are dedicated to the women who I have found personally inspiring as true leaders in the field who held tight to their core values and beliefs amidst whatever challenges they faced. Thank you all for your dedication!

kate spade capri pants | nasty gal denim backpack | jewel by lisa collections | the body shop's white musk perfume oil | bon bon vie graphic tee

DIY Project || #4 || Golden Elbow Patches

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED:

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP ONE: Gather the fabric you wish to use to make the patches. I actually cut the bottom off a golden vintage top that I have owned for a couple years now but never put to use. I first cut two large rectangles about the size of my hand.

STEP TWO: Trim the edges of the rectangles so you get two equal sized oval pieces.

STEP THREE: Pin ovals onto the back elbow areas of each sweater sleeve. Make sure you try the sweater on before sewing to check that the patches are pinned to the right area. Learn from my silly mistake -- it's not that cute to have an elbow patch on your bicep...

STEP FOUR: Gather thread and a needle. I chose black because it was the same base color of the fabric under the gold.

STEP FIVE & SIX: Sew ovals in a loop like style. Start from the inside and sew the edges like a spiral. This ensures that the patch will look clean against the sweater and won't have any bulges in the fabric when you bend your elbows.

And that's all! Overall, this project took me about 30 minutes and technically didn't cost me anything new (already owned the sweater and materials)! Now that's a fashion bargain. Enjoy!