Krista Tee

It's finals crunch time, but I did manage to take some exciting pictures of my completed Krista Tee. (And by "pictures," I mean "get Sam to take for me"):

Passover Break

starts today! (Well, for me it started yesterday because I don't have class on Fridays.) My law school is at Yeshiva University, so we get Passover off. It's also kind of our spring break. Passover is really late this year, so I'm pretty focused on outlining for my exams.

Nevertheless, there is always some time for creativity! I'm finally finishing up my Krista tee from two years ago. I worked on it obsessively the last time I was home in Sydney, and it's been sitting there waiting for me to weave in the ends, block it, put it together, and crochet the edging for the past two years. So yesterday, during my study breaks, I wove in all of the ends and blocked three out of four pieces - quite a feat for me!

Treasury

It's been quite some time since I've written about an Etsy treasury. But I'm just in love with this treasury curated by trinitydj, and it really is an honor for me to have one of my pieces featured amongst such beautiful things.

Crochet

I haven't crocheted in a few years, but I'm getting excited about starting again. There are a couple of patterns I've been looking in that would make great gifts. I'm really excited about them but I don't want to say much more so that I can add an air of mystery to this blog so that people read it (and also so that gift recipients can be surprised). :-)

Winter Break

I always feel so much more creative during winter break. Hot chocolate, pajamas, and beading or knitting make the perfect combination for me.

School breaks are always when I think more about my Etsy shop -- probably because that's when I actually have the time to think about it. It's about time I added more inventory! I've had so many ideas brewing for so long, I would love to just sit down and make the things!

This break, though, I have to finish the draft my note. A note is like an article for a law journal. Mine in about women's rights to refuse cesarean sections. It's a fascinating subject, I just wish I had more time to write my note AND to bead. (And to knit all of the patterns that have been accumulating on my Ravelry queue.) Hopefully I will finish my note draft early and then I will have time to bead and knit to my heart's content!

Crafting Woes and Silver Linings

Even before I went to law school, I felt that there was never enough time in the day to make as many things as I wanted to. Before I got my Etsy shop up, I had a strict routine of designing and making as many jewelry pieces as possible so that I would have merchandise when I opened up shop. Then, there were always deadlines for the EBW challenges. I entered most of them (actually, all of them) during the months between opening my shop and the beginning of my law school application process. They were great because they really forced me to expand my craft and come into my own. My Etsy street teem requires entry in one challenge a year, and so far I've managed to comply with that rule, but I wish I had more time to design.

And I also wish I had more time to knit! There are so many adorable patterns on Ravelry, I just want to knit them all! Right now I'm making a hat with some yarn that I bought on Etsy. I love the yarn, and it's nice making a hat because it's nice and relaxing and uncomplicated, but I do wish I could make a dent in my Ravelry queue.

This summer, I did finish Butterfly Bush, and now that warm shawls are apparently "in," I have even more occasions to wear it than I thought I would! It's so versatile - I can wear it every day, but also to formal occasions - which I have done! I just wish I could make more of the things I want...instead of just dreaming about them! I've been meaning to make a beret for literally years, and there are some adorable sweaters that I've just been itching to make!

Feeling Crafty

A requirement of my Etsy Team, Etsy Beadweavers, is to enter one monthly challenge a year. Since I started it's been difficult for me to enter these challenges, as I have been up to my eyeballs in work and other school activities. However, when I do enter the challenges, I always feel re-energized about beading and more creative. The challenges make me think about my craft in new and exciting ways, while still staying true to my own style.

This month's EBW Challenge was "Autumn Leaves." I chose to make a choker in autumn colors, which I call Falling Leaves. I actually came up with the color pattern as I went along, which was new for me, and as close to freeform as I've ever come.
To see all of this month's entries and vote for your favorite, please visit the EBW blog from today until October 15.

1L Year is Over!!

My last final is over! I get my life back for a while! And my awesome internship is coming up! My shop is back open and I'm looking forward to designing some new pieces this summer. Plus, I'll actually have time to knit and see my non-law school friends! Which I am so looking forward to!

Is it April Already??

There's not much new going on here, as far as crafting. Today was one of those days when I looked at some of the murchandise in my now closed-for-finals shop and thought, man, I wish I could make some more of that now. Instead, I'll be outlining all day.

The good news is that my last final is May 17. After that, well, I have the writing competition. But then after that, I'll be starting my summer internship at the DEC! I couldn't be more thrilled and excited! Can't wait to start!

As far as knitting, earlier this semester, I made my very first shawl - an Isbel shalette. It was sooo much fun. I might just go on a shawl binge this summer - we'll see.

Here is one of the only pictures I have of it. Will try to get another one up here eventually.

CELEBRATION SALE

My finals are over and it feels so good to be free of them that I decided to celebrate by having a sale! 15% off of everything in my etsy shop until December 22! Wahoo!

If you pay with PayPal, either subtract 15% from you purchase, or else I will refund you 15%. If paying by check or money order, just subtract 15% from your purchase price.

Quick Entry

I have my last exam tomorrow, which is why I've been MIA for a while. But before it's too late, I wanted to let you know about the December EBW Challenge, "Peace Piece." Here is my entry for the challenge, Peace, Love, and Beautiful Hair (Clip):

So the pictures of this hair clip aren't great because I wasn't able to take them in the daylight. (In real life, it looks much prettier!) You can see this and all of the other entries on the EBW blog. Vote for your favorite until December 15th!

Amazing

Believe it or not, Sam and I are still setting up the apartment we moved into over a year ago. Don't get me wrong, it's been home and livable for a long time, but we're still making it even more like home. After all, it's the first place either of us has had where we plan on staying for more than a couple of years. And it's the first place where we've lived together as a couple.

I've finally had an excuse to buy artwork from some of my favorite Etsy artists. This painting is from Sagittarius Gallery. I've been admiring Aja's work for ages and I finally have a piece of my own! (Well, Sam and I do.) It's especially exciting that it's from her "Faces of the City" series. It looks just like (and probably is) my own adopted city, New York City.

The New Look of My Blog

I figured it out! No more messing around with HTML! From now on it's point and click! (Can you tell I'm a little excited about this?)

And the best part of all is that now I have a "Follow Me" widget! So you can follow me!!

Blogging Woes

Some time in the past three years, Blogger changed the way it sets up blogs. As I understand it, instead of changing the HTML, you can now just point and click to add new widgets. Which sounds pretty cool, except that every time I try to change over to the new format, I lose about half of my links, as well as all of my badges and widgets. But then when I go to the HTML to put everything back, even more things seem to be missing - I can't find any of my links. This is very frustrating. So I pose a question to all you Blogger bloggers out there: What do I doooooooo??

Law School

Law School. The reason I can rarely go out with my boyfriend and friends. The reason I am at the library at 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning. The reason my nights are spent reading torts instead of watching Project Runway and Law and Order. The reason my Thursday nights are rarely spent knitting with my friends anymore. How do I feel about law school? I love it!

There's an amazing feeling when you find the perfect case for your legal memo, or when you create the perfect sentence. When you figure out WHY certain claims can only be brought in certain courts. I could go on, but I don't want you to leave, so I won't.

Last week, there were rumors of a new MTV reality show about my school. As it turns out, the administration and some student groups had met with some people from MTV to discuss the possibility of a reality show - and decided against it. Phew! My fellow students and I were pretty worried about that possibility - MTV isn't exactly known for bringing out the most savory elements of, well, anything. And that would surely be the case here. Can you imagine a show about what REALLY goes on in law school? The classes, the studying, the dorky legal conversations? Unless they figured out something from our personal lives (no doubt prohibiting us from ever finding jobs), that would have to be the most boring show EVER! To an outsider, law school has got to be incredibly boring. But I still love it.

Art Fire?

Today was one of those days when my homework just wouldn't seem to get done. I was a little confused about one of the cases I read and needed time for my brain to process what was going on. It was especially annoying because I refused to let myself go knit with my friends until my homework was done (read: never) so that was another creative outlet I had to miss because I was procrastinating.

But during my very long break, I decided to set up an Art Fire shop! It just seems like another market I'd like to try for my beadwork. I set up the shop (you can probably guess the name I used) but I haven't added anything to it yet - mainly because I need more merchandise. I'm almost finished with a new bracelet, and I have another bracelet that's been waiting to be photographed forever, so those two might go to Art Fire instead of Etsy.

Off to bed! I still have to wake up early to finish my freakin' brief!

Sky Diving!

On labor, Sam and I went skydiving with some of my friends and some or their friends. Here are some pictures of the fun:

The Most Well-Travelled Socks

I started my first pair of socks here in Astoria. Then, in April, when I went to visit my family in Sydney, I finished the first sock (my first ever!) and started the second. When one of the family dogs mistook one of my needles for a stick and chewed it, I had to make do with the four needles I had until I got back home and could by another one (well, a whole new set.) The sock progressed slowly after I started law school, and a little more quickly during my trip to Costa Rica. Then, one day, months after I started my first pair of socks, I finished it! I messed up the kitchener stitch at the toe of the second sock, but the pair is entirely functional, very warm, and very pretty. Here is a picture Sam took of me knitting the second sock in Costa Rica:

Some Beady Things

On Monday, Sam and I got back from a week in Costa Rica. By the way, it was AWESOME. The most amazing vacation ever. I'll write more about that as soon as Sam uploads the pictures we took. 

School starts again on Monday, and until then, I'm trying to pack as must fun and productivity into my days as possible.

Last night, I finally jumped on the bandwagon and started a Facebook page for my little business. Feel free to become a fan! :-)

And I FINALLY put up something new on my Etsy site! A dreamy star bracelet in blue. I'm really proud of this line, and I'm going to try to expand it a little this week...fingers crossed!

Usually, my brain turns off at 10. During the week before exams, it's a little more courteous and waits until 11 to shut down. And seeing as it's after 11, I don't have to feel guilty about blogging!

During the three years between college and law school, I kind of felt like I was on one long summer break. Yes, I was working, but I had worked full time every summer when I was in college, so that was nothing new. And now, when other students are getting ready to start school, I'm holed up in my apartment studying for finals! The weird thing is that it doesn't feel weird. Maybe that happened when I started being a grown up. The seasons just melted into one another.

Anyway, during my study breaks, I've been trying to participate a little more with the Etsy Beadweavers, and I've been thinking about my little business. My silver illusion pieces are by far my best selling items. I think that might be where my niche is, and I think that's the direction in which I am moving. (I still have a couple of pieces I've had finished forever but for camera or computer or lighting reasons, I still haven't gotten them up on my site.) Anyway, that's just some food for thought. I'm kind of thinking out loud.