Crafts tips (1)

Crafts are really fun, but a lot of resources is wasted. But sometimes, a little care can help you save your tools and keep them in a good state for longer. In this post, I will add some useful tips that helped me out:

1. Bad scissors: if your scissors are no longer cutting well, they need to be resharpened. Rather than a scissors sharpener that may not be available, use sand paper: cut with the scissors the sand paper and the abrasion of the paper will sharpen them. You can use a small test paper, and keep on cutting in the sand paper until you’re satisfied. The sand paper can be cut into pieces that you can use for other projects.
2. Spraying: you want to spray but you don’t want to ruin the covers you’re using? Opt for a cardboard box. Put the item to spray inside it, and spray it to your heart’s content!
3. Sticky cuts: you want to cut duct tape but you don’t want to ruin your scissors? Run some baby wipes on the scissors prior to cutting, and they will not stick as much to the tape.
4. Tape residues on scissors: if your scissors have tape or glue on them, they’re not ruined. You soak your scissors in lukewarm water for 30 seconds then open and close the scissors to get rid of the glue. Repeat as much as needed. An alcohol wiping can help you get rid of the stubborn residues.
5. Old tape roll: if you are finding it hard to use an old tape roll, put it in the microwave for 10 seconds (make sure it doesn’t have foil in it) so that its glue will loosen up rather than stick altogether.
6. Stained paintbrushes: paintbrushes are not that cheap if you work with high quality. To keep them in a good state, wash the bristles and the ferrule (metal tip that holds the bristles) with shampoo or soap, gently rub to keep the bristles unharmed, then rince well with lukewarm water. They need to be stored either horizontally or vertically with the bristles up.

These are few ideas and I will be adding some more soon!

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#tips #tricks #tools #crafts #ideas #lebanon #linventif #save #maintain #simple #paint #scissors #glue #art #artist #DIY #handmade #hobby 

Personal experience in job interviews

2015 is now here and I am back to my job searching, especially that with the new year, almost all companies have vacancies, as most employees get a promotion or leave the company by the end of the previous year. Since I’ve been searching for a while for a job and making job interviews, I have my share of experience in this area. So for newbies in this domain, or maybe future job seekers, I will be giving a couple of tips I learned along the way.

I live in Lebanon, but I believe that what I learned could apply to most companies worldwide. And the first thing I learned is DO NOT FREAK OUT! Yes you try but you can’t help it, but freaking out will not help you at all. The recruiters can be mean and annoying, but if you show them that you are scared, mad or freaked out, they will become even more!
In order to avoid being freaked out, always do a small research before going. Which takes me to tip number 2: a job interview is like a small exam, you study, you can make it! You know the position you are applying for, you know the field the company is involved in, you can search it easily. I always did a small research about the industry or the company I would be applying at, and it always helped me to feel relaxed and at ease. I search for the tasks my job could involved, the most usual techniques used, the essential know-how I would need to start comfortably.
The third thing is related to clothes. Do not overdo it! Not too much makeup, no extra accessories, no need for very high heels, it’s not a very good impression for you ladies to fall head first as you walk in or out of an interview. I went to all of the interviews wearing colorful outfits, dresses, or colorful shirts, an outfit stylish but not too formal, decent, no revealng cleavage, nothing very revealing. I am a young fresh graduate, I woudn’t want the employer to let this detail out, as I am the new blood for their workplace, the energy that will help the company go further towards the better. For the outfits, if you are young, show it, without being vulgar or trashy, and also without having dark outfits. Unless you are a lawyer, I wouldn’t say that wearing what suits your age is wrong. Same for shoes. You wear flat shoes or short heels, and be able to walk around, and it’s better than feeling uncomfortable. After all, if you feel comfortable, you are able to perform better at the interview, without worrying if your tie is crooked or if your fake lashes are falling.
The fourth and final thing I wish to talk about is the way you talk and act. Don’t be too rigid, avoid crossing hands or clunching your fist, it shows that you are worried and anxious. Talk enough, talk calmly, on a normal rythm, not too fast not too slow. It’s a normal conversation. Show that you know what you are applying for. Prepare for the very common questions asked in interviews, such as: where do you see yourself in 1, 5, or 10 years? What is your ambition? Why are you applying to our company? What makes you the most suitable candidate for this position? What can you give for our company? What do you consider to be your major strength/weakness points? And I would advise you not to sound desperate, not at all, you should show that although you need a job, you want the best conditions, you are giving them qualities worth the salary they are giving you, and you deserve even more. However, don’t make your interviewer feel threatened by you, be also modest, as they will see in you a great candidate, but not enough to threaten them. Trust me, it can happen.

These are the most important tips that came to my mind, I hope they will be useful to you when you apply for a job. If you need any supplementary information, feel free to contact me. I wish you all good luck! May the stars be with you 😉

How to commit: a slacker’s opinion

Today is New Year’s Eve. Just like every year, we have a list of wishes and resolutions for the new year. Our wishes might have changed from the year before, but somehow, these resolutions will meet the same fate as the ones we did a year ago: after the first week of January, most of our resolutions fly, we are stuck in the same old job, our situation remains the same, and well, it seems that the only commitment we are actually doing is the “empty the fridge” commitment. Or maybe that’s just me?

Well the essence of my idea is that we lose too fast our energy and our commitment. And as I mentioned in my earlier post, it’s a problem I suffer from as well. It’s why I decided to find ways that could help us stay committed to a certain goal.
I have some rare moments where I committed and I actually finished it, so I am thinking of the elements that made those commitments different than the rest, the elements that turned my words into long term actions.

The best ways for me were mostly based on 3 things:
1- using my aggressive attitude towards things or people I dislike to focus on getting things done,
2 – using my intense feelings towards people to reach my goals ,
3- using the green power.
It seems pretty simple, most people I bet do so, but I still wish to elaborate my idea a bit more, perhaps it would give you new ideas.

First way as I already said is to use all this negative energy to get things done. The most common example is getting things done to piss off others. For example, I worked on my physics and math skills just so no person I dislike can say that I didn’t do well at certain subjects, therefore I was working harder just to avoid giving them the satisfaction of knowing about a weakness I have in my school record. Another time, it was when I was learning how to drive. Someone I definitely dislike said that I wouldn’t be able to get the hang of it, and I decided to face my fear of driving just to rub it in the face of this person. Which I did by the way!

The second way is using intense feelings towards others. I know usually people say do this or that for your own good, but we somehow don’t find that putting ourselves as the main winner if we reach our goal doesn’t really encourage us. We somehow feel we can manage without reaching that goal, so it doesn’t matter if we do it or not. But once we link it to others, to those that we love, it suddenly becomes more important to be done. Just when a kid is drawing and he can’t seem to get it right, he wants to stop doing it. But then his mother is asking him what he is doing, he shows her, she encourages him, and he just wants to finish it so his mother would be proud. Maybe because the people we love are our priority, not ourselves, we should use this to become better people, to achieve more.

The third way is using financial stimulation. Who doesn’t need a little extra cash now and then? Well what if we find a way to use this little stimulation to do things ourselves? Let’s say you want to start training at the gym. What is the best way for you to feel inspired? For me, since I am always on a tight budget, I used to go to the gym because I had already paid the membership and I didn’t want to be spending my money without using it. And well having my sisters ask me if I wish to go with them and urging me to do so helped too. So there is a 2-steps action to do: register in a gym and pay it from your own money, not using that gift card you got, so you know you will be losing if you don’t go, and have someone encourage you to go. Why not a gym buddy? And if that’s not enough, make yourself go because you might lose more. Perhaps making a deal with your friend that every time you don’t go to the gym you should pay them like 20$ will make you realize that you don’t have a wallet that can afford a loss of 20$ daily, making you drag yourself to the gym.

These 3 ideas are just one person’s way. You can make up your own. See what gives you energy and use it. 2015 is just a few hours ahead, don’t waste it like you did with 2014 and the years before, it’s a whole new chance given to you by the universe! With that, I just need to remind you that I am the biggest slacker in this universe, and if I am able to commit from time to time, then you definitely can!

I wish you all a happy new year, and if anyone who read this found it useful, let me know!