http://pineneedlecollective.tumblr.com/

Pastels & Lightning Bolts

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:28:26 +1000

Pastels & Lightning Bolts

Wild cat.

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:54:45 +1000

Wild cat.

Romwe Outlet Flash Sale! Up To 80% OFF! 200+ styles! Limited...

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:36:13 +1000

Romwe Outlet Flash Sale! Up To 80% OFF! 200+ styles!

Limited supply! No restocking once sold out! Only 3 days!

Hurry up » http://www.romwe.com/manage_activity/Outlet-Flash-Sale/

From May 21^st to 23^rd.

New thrifted dress

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:26:41 +1000

New thrifted dress

Pastelle

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:23:12 +1000

Pastelle

Being a certified cheapskate myself, this is a campaign from my...

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:46:13 +1000

Being a certified cheapskate myself, this is a campaign from my sponsor Romwe that I am more than happy to share…

$9.99 for 300+ styles at Romwe until sold out! Limited supply.

Go here —> http://www.romwe.com/ALL-$9.99-c-179_205.html

Pastel Unicorns (sweater c/o Oasap)

Sat, 18 May 2013 19:15:39 +1000

Pastel Unicorns

(sweater c/o Oasap)

I just got a pretty new camera for my 21st! I am so so lucky. I...

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:32:30 +1000

I just got a pretty new camera for my 21st! I am so so lucky. I can take selfies - like this - so easily now ;)

dress c/o Oasap

melstringerart: Available here It’s my birthday in a...

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:13:13 +1000

melstringerart:

Available here

It’s my birthday in a week.

Please someone buy me this card.

Grizzly Bear

Sun, 12 May 2013 10:37:02 +1000

Grizzly Bear

In approximately 13 hours, Romwe is selling all this jewellery...

Sat, 11 May 2013 22:32:16 +1000

In approximately 13 hours, Romwe is selling all this jewellery (and others) for $5 each! Flash sale - everything $5. Runs for 48 hours! Check it out here: http://www.romwe.com/manage_activity/4.99-mothers-day-gift/

Yesterday in my lab session at university, we extracted our own...

Sat, 11 May 2013 18:32:51 +1000

Yesterday in my lab session at university, we extracted our own DNA (for sequencing, to see how things like forensic analysis and paternity/maternity tests work). But while extracting DNA sounds super sciencey and complicated (and impressive - when I was telling my friends about how I was extracting and sequencing DNA this week their reaction was always to go “wow! Awesome!”), it is actually something that you can do yourself with a blender, salt, pineapple juice and alcohol.

1. Figure out what you want to use as a source of DNA. You can get your DNA from anything living - but you might want to use fruit, vegetables or parts of a plant for this experiment, because you’ll need to blend up the cells and so using animals would be just a little bit unethical(okay, so I said above that I extracted my own DNA, and I did do this without chopping myself up, but this is a little bit harder - we took cheek swabs and then had to centrifuge everything for about a million hours, so if you don’t have your own bench-top centrifuge, then use strawberries or something instead).

2. Blend it up so it becomes a paste (blend on high for 15 seconds). This breaks open (lyses) many of the cells. Also add a pinch of salt.

3. Add detergent. This will lyse the cells further and also break open the cell’s nucleus, which is where the DNA lives.

4. This step is not necessary if you just want to extract and look at DNA, and not do any further measurements with it (like spectrophotometry). But if you have it available, add some pineapple juice to your mixture. Pineapple juice contains an enzyme called bromelain that eats proteins. You need to add this to remove proteins from your solution - because cells are also full of proteins, and when you break open your cell, a whole bunch of proteins will come flowing out. And if you remove the proteins, the stuff you extract will be more “pure” DNA.

5. Add vodka/rubbing alcohol/anything with a high ethanol content. Carefully add the alcohol to the top of your mix. DNA does not dissolve in alcohol, so if you add enough it will “precipitate” out of the solution. Stringy white shapes should appear in your solution. This is strands of DNA! (Yes, you can see it!) You can then put a straw or skewer into the solution, twirl it and pull it out. The DNA you have extracted will look a lot like mucous or snot ;)

And that’s how you extract DNA at home! You don’t even need any fancy lab equipment. Pretty easy, huh?

(Image credit)

I think you look adorable with short hair :3

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:16:09 +1000

:) thank you so much!

Paisley Pinny (c/o AX Paris)

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:27:03 +1000

Paisley Pinny (c/o AX Paris)

Cutest bag in the world! c/o Milanoo :)

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:22:09 +1000

Cutest bag in the world! c/o Milanoo :)

Let’s go to the fair together

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:46:01 +1000

Let’s go to the fair together

Carousel (dress c/o Sheinside)

Sun, 05 May 2013 18:46:16 +1000

Carousel (dress c/o Sheinside)

Stripes, denim & 90s badges

Sat, 04 May 2013 14:26:21 +1000

Stripes, denim & 90s badges

Stripes & Denim (sheinside pants, oasap blouse)

Sat, 04 May 2013 14:26:00 +1000

Stripes & Denim (sheinside pants, oasap blouse)

Me + Hannah

Wed, 01 May 2013 22:30:51 +1000

Me + Hannah