Vinyl Record Bookends

My crafting days are over....for the next 3 weeks. Finals are coming up a week from Tuesday, and my life must be dedicated to learning the law.

However, I decided to make one final craft post before I put down my glue gun, sewing needle, and scissors.

I love vinyl records! No, not for music...but they make amazing crafts!!! I've experimented with bowls, clocks, coasters, shaddow boxes, notebook covers....you name it!

Anyway, here is a very simple, craft to make some awesome bookends out of two old records.

Step 1:

Get two old records! I've found them all sorts of places! From garage sales, to goodwill, your dad's personal stash, Salvation army, EARC, or Half Price Books. Check out the clearance bins...because it probably means they dont work anyway, and if you arent finding them for under $1...you are paying too much!

Step 2:

Turn on the oven to around 180-200 degrees F. (honestly, I ususally just flick it on around 200 and dont look very closely)

Step 3:

It wont hurt your baking sheets (atleast it hasnt for me!) so place it on a sheet where it can lay flat along the edges. A baking stone, or anything that is meant for an oven and has a smooth surface works great.

Step 4:

Watch it. Well you dont have to put your head up next to the oven door, but wait a few minutes then check on it. It wont take long at all. You know when it is moldable when the edges of the record start to wave

Step 5:

Pull it out of the oven. Honestly, I pick it up with my hands (dont touch the pan!) But it is pretty hot, so oven mitts may be a good idea.

Step 6:

Work fast! It cools quickly. All you do is find a place on your counter that makes a right angle with the wall. Take the record, and place it on the counter, with 1/3 of the record up against the wall to form it into a right angle.

Dont forget- use a towel to press down the large part on the counter down flat. That way you wont be burning your arm. Try to make it as straight as possible.

Finally you will get something that looks a little like this!

I haven't flattened out the edges with a blowdryer yet on these

If it worked out perfect, great! If not, stick it back in the oven and try it again! Or, if its a little too wavy on the edges, grab a blow dryer and re-heat the place you want to fix.

Thankful

Although it is a little late, I thought I'd share a few things I am thankful for!

#1 family
especially this semester they've had to put up with a lot from me! From pouting on the couch like a 5 year old, refusing to go to my first day of law school to allowing me to skip family time to study for finals...they've put up with alot!

#2 Friends

They have all been SO encouraging about this semester!

oh and this guy :)

He has certainly put up with alot! Including the "I dont have time for you to come visit" talks and "What if I drop out instead?" conversations.

#3 My naughty little kitties!!!



#4 Black Friday Shopping!

 My highlight of the year!!!

#5 My textbooks

Sounds silly right? Well I certainly wouldnt be getting anywhere in school without them!

#6 My landlords

They've made the transition to Lincoln, and through this semester so easy! Plus, I'm pretty attached to them for other reasons!



#7 Starbucks

If it werent for this place...well I'd probably use all of my loans on money for coffee, or fall asleep in every class. Thankfully by working there I stocked up on a good supply of this stuff that has lasted me all semester!

And there it is...a short concise list of what I am thankful for this holiday break!

My New Love

That’s right...I have a new love of my life. I’d say it was love at first sight, but that would be lie because I debated for quite some time before returning for him. Tuesday, before leaving for school, I decided to take a trip to my favorite place...The Salvation Army. Sounds trashy right?! Well, you have to take time to look, but oh the wonders you can find there!!!

For my new tall, handsome, love…I’ve decided on the name Knightly (that’s Mr. Knightly to you!)

Mr. Knightly is one of my favorite Jane Austen men!

I found Knightly on a lowly upper shelf, market at just $1.99...and I had to have him. At first, I pick him up, walked around the store…debated…and put him back thinking (What in the world will I do with him?!)

Well I went back to class, and sat there all during class hoping he would still be there when I returned. I kept picturing the picnics we would go on, and how I could keep him in my locker during a rough week.

He holds 1.5 liters of liquid (lets be real, its going to be coffee) and is super insulated. Oh, and did I mention I like older men? I’m going to guess he is from around the 70s.

What can I say? I’m a sucker for this air pot. I spent about 45 minutes cleaning and sanitizing until he sparkled (well in my eyes he sparkles!) I cant tell he has been through some rough times, but he has found a good home!

Laughing in the Library Number 2

Well, I jumped the gun on my excitement for not getting called on in the class that is super intimidating. Today, I was the LAST person, on the LAST day of class to be called on. I was so shocked I didnt even respond at first to "Ms.Vogt" and had to ask him to repeat the question!

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

Once again, here are a few cases as of late that have made me laugh while reading them:

“she saw the truck coming and stepped on the gas in order to become air-borne because she knew she could fly because Batman does it. To her surprise she was not air-borne before striking the truck, but after the impact she was flying” – think she is crazy? Well if you think about it, actually she did end up “flying” due to the collision she “flew” out of the car onto the pavement

"He approached a railroad track, where, unknown to him because of the noise of the cut-out (taking out your muffler so its super loud), there was a train coming and he was engaged in a race that ended in a tie"- that’s the most polite way of saying “dumb kid got hit by a train” I’ve ever heard!

A few case dilemmas:

Whether a railroad is liable for a passenger who slipped on a banana peel (sadly there were TWO cases about this...really?!)

Or, what if it was a grocery story sampling grapes and someone slips…are they liable? (also TWO cases about slipping on grapes. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never slipped on a fruit!)

Iowa state ref called a foul in a basketball game, therefore, Iowa lost to Purdue and the game had cost Iowa a chance in the championship. So a retail store sued the ref for the call since they stocked memorabilia.  (thankfully he didn’t win or else the Nebraska stores would be suing those refs from last weekend like crazy!)

“...for violation of the Nebraska anti-SLAPP statute” (yes, I am immature...but its still a funny name for a statute)

The Peanut That Determines My Life

The second, and final, paper in legal research is a curious topic. Not as much fun as the harassment case, but instead based on liability of an employer of a peanut vendor at a basketball game.  So simple, yet so awful!

The story

A peanut vendor decides to start putting curry powder on her peanuts before selling them to get people. Her goal is to get fans to like them more, buy more, and make more money. Then...(get ready for the climax!) ...someone gets an allergic reaction to the powder. (way exciting right? Just kidding) And the question becomes, is the company that hired her at fault?

So this is what has been taking up my time the last week or so. So in 14 pages I get to discuss the law in Kansas and who would be at fault. Oh and did I mention it is something crazy like 80% of my grade?!

How it determines my life:

I’ve been told legal research and writing is the single most important grade firms look at when hiring interns. (because all you do is research and write for them all summer) Well, this paper determines that grade, and a 1^st year internship determines if they will hire you back the 2^nd year, and offer you a job when you graduate. So basically...there is my life dream in a nutshell. Dominate this paper, get a good internship and get a good job.

And this is what has consumed my weekend since it is finally due on Monday. 

A picture could only discribe how I feel about this paper.

Oh, and in case you were wondering...my endeavor to make 40 (yes, it went up to 40) ornaments for my 1^st Etsy customer prevails! It didn’t come at the most opportune time...but I have enjoyed making them!

And in addition I’ve had MANY other conversations with people about items, which resulted in selling 5 other things!!! I’ve decided it is time for a break. I just can’t keep this up with finals looming!

In case any buyers found my Etsy through my blog...thanks!



Etsy

So I was going to wait to talk about this...but I just got too excited this morning, and had to post!

Well, I just started an Etsy! Incase you’ve never heard of Etsy, it is a homemade craft/antique site. There is no bidding (not like ebay) and you simply but up crafts and see if others would like to purchase them. Pretty simple!

Don’t worry, I’m not quitting my day job (yeah, as if I really have a job) But I thought it would be a fun thing to try.

BUT- I did have someone request me to make 36 of my Christmas ornaments for them today…So I am SOOOO PUMPED

Mostly it would give me an excuse to keep doing crafts, but actually give me something to do with them when I am done. Basically I’m selling the crafts around “break-even” point. It’s not to make money, but simply to find homes for my little beauties! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LawStudentCrafts

So there it is!

Here are a few things I've been working on for it:

Law School Perks

This may come as a shock, however you may be surprised to find there are actually a few perks being a Law Student!

Mainly, this is due to the two competing online research sites for lawyer: WestLaw and LexisNexis

Their goal is to get you addicted before you graduate, that way you will chose one of them to spend literally thousands of dollars for per year for their use when you are a lawyer. How do they get you addicted?

Well each one gives you rewards online when you use THEIR site for your legal research. What does that mean? Basically it means every time I use one, I get points which add up fast!

So far I’ve made enough points to get $55 in Starbucks and Barnes & Nobles gift cards (Yes, I chose the gift cards…if I were a patient person, I could save them up for canon cameras, coach purses, kitchen aid mixer etc. ) Its sort of like selling cookies as a girl scout…only the prizes aren’t just a “spy kit” or a “decoder ring”! (um, but can I just say Spy Kits were the coolest when I went through that Harriet The Spy phase!)

About once a week representatives cater in food, cake, and give you things like memory sticks, water bottles, and all that junky stuff like we used to get from OC that I love so much!

So yes, they are trying to buy my loyalty…but no complaints here!

(my tummy especially does not complain. Duh! She is getting yummy Starbucks Fo' FREE!)



Zipper Flowers



Urban Outfitters

I decided to give zipper flowers a try! I’ve seen a few of these at stores, thought “eh, that looks like fun!”

So I demolished a backpack from Salvation Army

 And went at it!

(a couple of these were mistakes! I learned to sew rather than hot glue!)

Still not sure what I will do with all of them!

Want to try it?: Basically all you do is grab a zipper, and start twisting it until you've got what looks like the flower you want! Get a needle and thread (or if you're very good with a glue gun, try that. It gets a little messy) keep anchoring each step as you go along to keep it in place with the thread or glue gun.

I Hate Pencils.

I hate….and I mean REALLY dislike pencils. I don’t want to touch them. I don’t know when I started hating pencils…but pencils are awful. Don’t even get me started on those #2 Pencils...those are the WORST.

On a similar note (just stay with me here), I may be tacking on a bit more schooling to my 3 years of law school. “Why in the world would you want to do that?”---is probably what you’re thinking. Well, there is a joint MBA/JD program.

That way, I can go back to doing some Business classes, get a Masters Degree while I’m going through this process of getting a Juris Doctor. Psh…not even sure what that is classified as. You’re not called “Dr.” but it’s not a Masters...

Ugh, they just haven’t to be different about everything!

The bad part:

1.      I have to take the GMAT. I feel like this is God’s way of saying “remember how you didn’t study for that LSAT and you thought it’d fun to just see what you’d get well here ya go sucka...try and remember that algebra from 8 years ago!!”

2.      I’d have 24 extra credits to get done. (Technically, yes that would be about an extra year...but I think it would really be worth it.) I would be required to get 48 credits in the MBA program, but 24 of my credits would be shared between the departments.

3.      I hate accounting. Not only do I hate accounting, but apparently I would also have to tax law. I have a feeling I will hate tax as much as I hate accounting.

Just when I started feeling good about never having to take the LSAT again...I get myself into yet another standardized test. Yuck. This is where my distain for pencils surfaces.

The only good part about the GMAT...is that it is online! All I know is that means no pencils! Basically, that’s as far as my researching about the test has gone.  

Anyway, those of you having to deal with taking entrance exams for school…I once again, feel for you.

Our First Picture

Maybe this isn’t as funny to everyone else as it is to me, but last week Kevin and I found out first picture we were in together!

I know, it’s a keeper!

It’s from my freshman year (his sophomore year), at Edmond Winter Retreat. Although Kevin and I had once met before this...well, let me tell you that story:

My roommate and I went over to Alex’s to decorate cookies for Christmas and this guy, Kelly, was hanging out with this other kid over there. So here come my roommate and I, acting like typical freshman (literally bouncing off the walls screaming…oh come on, think back to when you were a freshman!) And after an hour or so of doing this, I notice this kid has been sitting at the table and has seriously not said a single word. So being the oh-so-tactful person that I was back then, I say something to the extent of “why don’t you ever talk?” (I know, like I said, super tactful back then) And he shrugs his shoulders and my freshman ADHD kicked, so I moved on to other things.

That was our first and only meeting for over an entire year.

So that is why I find it funny to see this picture, taken only a month or two after that momentous encounter. Who’d have thought that for over 2 ½ years, I’d have been dating the “kid that didn’t talk”. (Don’t worry…he talks plenty now!)

You may be wondering how we actually did end up dating...but I’ll save that for another day!

Week Number.......eh?

Some days I wish school was more like Legally Blonde!
Too bad the "Bend and Snap" doesnt work for everything!

Tis the end of yet another week. I’ve lost track of my countdown since the beginning, but I believe it is 1 ½ weeks till Thanksgiving, and then 1 more week till finals. Partially I’ve lost track because it all blurs together, and partially because I am DREADING the end. These weeks go by WAY too fast and all of a sudden I am being forced to begin to study for finals. Ah, the good ole days when the nice teachers would announce “No, the final is not accumulative!” (psh...don’t even get me started on dreading SPRING semester finals when it is accumulative for the entire year)

Finals in school are crazy! Not only are they the only grade you get for the semester, but they are about 3 hours long, and all essay. Thankfully we can do them on the computer nowadays! I have a few things to say about finals:

1.       I secretly love the way finals are laid out. None of this cramming and regurgitating facts you wont remember an hour after the test is over. It’s one (or sometimes three) huge scenarios of something happening to someone, and what can they sue for and why they would or wouldn’t be successful. I’m not saying it’s easy, but the nerd in me would rather write an essay then guess at a multiple choice!

2.       They try to trick you. They want you to throw in every possible claim. Most students don’t even come close to getting all of the small facts teachers throw in to trip you up. (man, I would love to be a law professor!) Professors usually say a 70% is the highest grade on any final.

3.       It’s all about applying the law, so it does no good to simply have it memorized.  The law is something you are handed in a book, anyone can read law, but you have to learn to use it.

4.  You actually have to LEARN this stuff...like long term. There is this awful test at the end of law school called the BAR exam...where all of this information gets shoved back into your life and you are expected to remember it, or you arent allowed to be a lawyer

Well in addition to finals, I have a “final paper” due right before thanksgiving. It is something like 80% of our grade in legal research…so if finals weren’t stressing me out enough, this sure is!

A Story of a Girl and her Camera

Once there was a girl, who loved two things: Crafts and Photography

One day, after during an extremely mundane Contracts class, she decided it was about time to treat herself. She decided to purchase a new lens for her camera online. Her excitement was building, but was soon crushed when she realized, her camera case just wouldn’t fit a new lens. So what should she do?

“Ah! Of course” she thought “Why don’t I buy a new case online?” Her mood began to lift, until she found all the camera cases were ugly. What is a girl to do with an ugly camera case?

Wait! All of a sudden she found one!

But to her dismay, it was $200

Therefore, she had a dilemma. To buy an ugly case, or to go broke. She sat down, put her thinking cap on, and came up with a wonderful idea!“Why don’t I make my own camera case?” It was perfect! She loved the one disguised as a purse, therefore, she went to the mall. If anything can lift her spirits, and get her creative juices flowing...it would be the mall! There she found a glorious purse! Just perfect to fit her camera, new lens, and space for another!

So she got to work! But how to make the padding to keep her favorite camera safe? Well of course! Buy sponges! So the girl went to Target and picked up two packets of sponges. While watching an Episode of Big Bang Theory, she began putting fabric around the sponges, and constructing three compartments for her wonderful accoutrements. Her goal was to make the entire thing removable so she could use the purse for her business interviews as well!

And there she had it! Her perfect camera case! Now all she had to do was wait for her new fisheye lens to come in the mail!

Then one day, it finally arrived! And she lived happily ever after with the pictures from her wonderful new lens!

(literally got the lens 5 min ago...Sorry there isn’t a more interesting subject! Don’t worry, more to come)

The end.

Cinnamon Rolls and Chili

Ever heard of the combination?! If you have, you are probably from the Midwest…more specifically Nebraska. It was brought to my attention that the lovely advertised Runza (a super great fast food chain here) combination was not well known throughout the country. Runza is not the only place that has it, often chili and a big, gooey, cinnamon roll are served for school lunches in the winter time around here.

Don’t believe me? Here are a few others who attest to the tasty meal!

Here and Here

WARNING: Don’t dip your cinnamon roll into your chilli….that’s just gross.

Back-up Plan

This week, I devised a law school back-up plan.

Lacking a back-up plan is never good, and quite honestly is what got me into this mess in the first place!

The conversation in my head around the beginning of August this year...

“So, I should probably start making a decision about law school.What would I do if I didn’t go? **long pause** Whelp, looks like I am going to law school”

Today I would like to fantasize about my back-up plan. This week is torture, and I am assuming it wont get any better. My backup plan would be (depending on the day) a coffee shop/B&B/used book/bakery/store to sell my crafts! Yes that is all the same store!

Coffee Shop

Duh! With my barista training, and love of good coffee...I just cannot pass this up. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want a job at Starbucks so I could learn their ways of making drinks! I’d also like to add I would love to make espresso drinks a little more “zazzy” with a few of these critters.

B &B

This one is compliments of Nay. Although a Bed and Breakfast would not be my ideal cup of tea, it would be a great way to differentiate! The floor plan would be: the espresso store on the main floor, open to the public, with the bed and breakfast attached on the upper levels. I've always had this obessession with fire escapes (maybe not THIS intense) But I was thinking more of a downtown, old building type B&B.

Used Books Store

Can I admit to being the nerd here and say the smell of a really old book is one of my favorite smells! I LOVE old books. I love reading other peoples notes in the margins, and seeing the “dog eared” pages of everyone who has read the book before me. It’s a little piece of history!

Bakery

I have wanted a bakery ever since my final in culinary class where I made a wedding cake.  I love cake decorating! The plan would be to incorporate my cookie and cake decorating into fun little treats while enjoying coffee

Remember my freakout with these cookies?!

Finally, the craft store

I can only give away so many crafts to my sister, family, and friends before I feel like they are begging me to stop! I need a real excuse to make my crafts, maybe make a little money on the side, but really just know there is someone out there that is really enjoying them!

So there is my back-up plan for law school. Incase you are wondering, yes, I can make excuses as to why law would eventually play a part in all of this, thereby allowing me to finish out my law school years and eventually make my dream a reality! From the hiring to leasing space, health codes to potential injuries...everything about this plays a part in what I am learning at school. However, right now it simply gives me satisfaction to know I have a back-up plan!



Lawyers, Please Write Like Real People

Currently, we are in the “Plain English Movement” for lawyers. Or as my Property teacher likes to call it the “lawyers please write like real people” movement. Basically, a lot of the cases are written in language we don’t use anymore. 

Some say lawyers write in old fashioned legalese because the average person wont understand their writing, therefore they are forced to rely more on their lawyer. LAME excuse. Therefore you have the alternative view for writing wordy, nonsensical contracts. Those lawyers claim it is because the law is full of loopholes, so you must be wordy to get your point across. Lawyers are also known to be awful communicators simply because we are brainwashed in school only to learn to communicate with fellow lawyers.

As a “no-where-close-to-being-a-lawyer” law student, obviously I prefer the dumbed down Plain English. For example, don’t throw in:

 “on the 23^rd Day of November in the year of 2010”.

 Just tell me it’s November 23, 2010.

I’m not reading a wedding invitation for goodness sake!

Oh, also allow me to vent on the frustration of waiting literally WEEKS to get back my paper I turned in last month, only to receive a score out of a certain number of points?! Let me show why this is frustrating

POINTS DON’T MATTER HERE.

What matters is how everyone else did, and where you fall in that curve (a few posts back I explain this whole grading a curve thing) For example I got a 123/140 points...but if half the class did better than a 123...then I have a C because I am in the middle compared to the rest of the class.

Or worst case, they ALL got more then 123, then I fail.

So thank you law school for having to be completely opposite from the rest of the world, just for the sake of being different!

Just a little comic to make this end on a brighter note!