Monday, April 21, 2014

Camel Infogram Project

Hello! I am building an infogram over camels. I will be creating graphs and charts based on data that I get back from my readers. Please take a second and answer the questions on my form (linked below). Thank you so much for your time!
Camel Questionnaire

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Adding Design Elements

With Canva, you can create stunning graphics that help communicate your meaning. You might first compose your post, then design your graphic to enhance your message. I happen to love insects (commonly referred to as "bugs") and fell in love with this poster in Canva. 


You may not know this about me, but I actually have a Master's Degree in Entomology from Texas Tech University. Entomology is the study of insects, and I conducted fire ant research focusing on the supercooling abilities of red imported fire ants. My specialty, though, is taxonomy. I love to study the structure of insects, mainly beetles, under a microscope. 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Nail Saver

Whether you're male or female, getting keys on and off your keychain can be a pain, literally. Prying the metal ring apart is not easy without a tool. If your nails are too long, they can break. If your nails are too short, it can hurt your skin. Yesterday, my husband borrowed my house keys, and I was appalled by my current key chain.
Thats Right, a Lousy Paper Clip
Luckily, I had an orphan key chain and a handy tool I'd seen used for this exact purpose on a life hack list: perfect scenario for testing! As a small aside, all of the life hacks I've tested so far have been tricks or tools that I've actually needed. I never dreamed that on a daily basis, there would be faster, easier ways to accomplish so many tasks. I thought I'd need one maybe once a week. Does this mean I'm lacking in the common sense department?
Orphan Key Chain with an Awesome Name

Key Chain Divider (Not a Staple Remover)

The process is fairly simple. Use the "staple remover" to open the keychain, slide the keys on, twist them into place, and you're done. This life hack worked like a dream, so I'll tell the story with pictures.

The Manicure I was Not Willing to Risk
                           
A Simple Separation
Key Goes on, Nails Not Involved
Faster, Smoother, No Frustration...Zero Pain

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Headlight Polish AKA Toothpaste

There are several life hacks that involve creative uses for toothpaste. I was intrigued by the the hack where toothpaste is used to polish old, sandblasted headlights. Why? My husband happens to drive a 1998 Chevy Tahoe with old, sandblasted headlights. If the toothpaste works, it could save him many dollars in new headlight covers, so let's see.


Whitening Toothpaste and a Clean Rag
On an artistic note, nice tree reflection on the car hood.

Dull Headlight Cover Pre-Treatment
Slightly Less Dull Headlight Cover Post-Treatment

Pre-Treatment Signal Light (Blinker) Cover

Post-Treatment Signal Light (Blinker) Cover
Please don't miss my reflection in the chrome of almost every picture. That was purely accidental, and if it wasn't so cold outside, I would probably redo my photos to avoid that mistake. You can draw your own conclusions, but I do think you can tell a difference before and after the toothpaste polishing on the headlight covers. Again, if it wasn't so cold, I would have polished the covers longer and with a little more elbow grease, but with the minimal effort applied, I saw an improvement right away. I don't think there was much of a difference on the signal light covers, but they were a little shinier after the polishing. Happy hacking! (My hands are still freezing!)