Monday, September 27, 2010

HSKS 12 - Week 3 - Word Association

  1. Pumpkin - pasties
  2. Owl - Hedwig
  3. Leaf - autumn
  4. Weasley - Molly
  5. Quaffle - red
  6. Hallow - Deathly
  7. Mad - Mardigan (not HP nor fall ... from Willow ... who also played Flitwick!)
  8. Dragon - egg
  9. Crystal - Billy (again, not HP! ... from Princess Bride)
  10. Trees - Forbidden Forest
  11. Hermione - Granger
  12. Hogwarts - School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
  13. Burrow - homey
  14. Dobby - house elf
  15. Horcrux - yuck; evil
  16. Ministry - of Magic
  17. Magic - sorcery
  18. Sirius - Black
  19. Apple - juice
  20. Juice - pumpkin
  21. Candle - ceiling
  22. Ghost - filmy
  23. Snake - eek!
  24. Wand - instrument
  25. Invisibility - cloak
  26. Tent - large and spacious
  27. Spell - book
  28. Umbridge - evil
  29. Dursely - fat
  30. Prophet - knowing

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Wee Tiny Wolf


I have been muddling with something to make for a certain someone and I came across this pattern for a wolf. The pattern called for bulky weight yarn and a large hook ... well, I didn't have yarn in that color, so, I went down sizes until I had all three colors ... and wouldn't you know it would be fingering! So, here is my wee tiny wolf ... and I have to tell you, those openings got VERY small ... narrow ... minuscule ... hard to see ... ! Sure made stuffing difficult. But, I think he's cute just the same. He's about 3 inches tall instead of the projected 7!



The following photo is needed for a class submission ... excuse the extra posting ... I don't know any other way to get it into Ravelry without putting it here first :)

HSKS 12 - Week 2 - What would you take with you?

Ah, the big question, "What 5 things would you not leave home without if you were going into hiding, camping, or running away and WHY?"

I've been asked this before and the same answer always comes up, "I don't know," and that's mainly because I need to know, is my family going with me? Why is this important? It's important because it makes a difference about what I would bring with me. The other big question is, "How long will I be gone?"

Now, if I were camping, I'd probably be with my family. HOWEVER, I am not a camper, so it is probably quite likely that I would not go camping. BUT, if I did, the first thing I would bring would be a toilet, or a toilet seat, or some way I could make facilities for myself a lot easier ... and then the toilet paper as well!

If I were running away or hiding, the first and foremost item on my list would be my Bible.

If I were camping, I'd more than likely have my family with me.

If I were running away or hiding, I'd like to think it was with my family, but if not, I'd bring a photograph of my husband and children.

NOW, this posses another question ... who is running away or hiding? Me? The REAL me? Or Ambyr, my HP persona?

All answers change at this point if it's Ambyr!

***
Okay, later. Like days later, and I'm still muddling over this and not sure of my answer.

As a witch, I would most definitely take my wand.

As a muggle, I'd probably get bored. I'd better take a knife of some sort to help me hunt and whittle down some sticks for needles. I'd have to find a way to knit stuff, too, because I'd be VERY bored. I would also bring potable water in a refillable container. I'd also bring a fire starter kit (kit counts as one item ;) ), and dry socks, and a VERY warm sweater.

I guess, in all, I can't really answer this question well. But I've certainly made a long blog about not being able to answer it well!



Saturday, September 18, 2010

HLBOE - Colin Creeve Challenge #6

Darn, it's the last Colin Creevey Challenge for this term :( It's been lots of fun. My marker is the black bear.

1) The graveyard Harry and Cedric were transported to by the portkey. (Bear is resting foreground on the stone wall surrounding this particular graveyard.)

(This second graveyard was made by my youngest son, just for the challenge!)

2) Wormtail's silver hand.
3) The foe-glass ... (it broke, I have pieces):
4) Moody's trunk.


5) Harry's prize money he gives t
o the twins.

Friday, September 17, 2010

HLBoE - Swap package from Prew

A very large box arrived today with some amazing things inside. My daughter just loved the color of the tissue wrapping! The box smelled tantalizingly of chocolate! Our cocker spaniel, Rose, could not keep herself away. She had her nose buried in the box. The chocolate smell was homemade dipped pretzel sticks! Yum! We are setting them aside until tomorrow. I want them as a treat on our anniversary!
This is the cutest project bag, with fairies on the front. Prew sent a fairy in my box, but I think she's still a bit shy and nervous, because she hasn't shown herself yet. However, Prew sent a picture of her family on this adorable zippered bag. The material is a watery combination of lavenders and blues ... I so totally love it! She also included two sets of stitch markers and a pair of earrings inside. One set is blue and has fairy wings. The other set was made from Shrinky Dinks and features the other elements of HP I so enjoy (and had listed as my favorites for this swap). The earrings match the fairy stitch markers.
This is Prew's first felted project! These are fairy castles. The large one will house my 7" dpns and the smaller one my sewing needles (I took my cable needle to knit night in it this evening!). I think they are amazing and they will be very pretty on the table next to my chair. Better than the bag that sits on the floor, and much easier to see my needles! I love these! AND, I love the colors of bark brownish gray and purple.

Here is the entire package. Back row, left to right: Hermione Sock and specially dyed yarn from Prew in such a beautiful range of Ravenclaw colors (!), personalized notebook with pencil and pen, and the fairy castles. Front row, left to right: Twinings decaf Earl Gray (yum!), 3 local postcards (forgot to do that for my spoilee), fairy project back with stitch markers and earrings, notebooks for my children with pen and pencil each, and chocolate dragon eggs (from "How To Train Your Dragon") and in the immediate front, hand dipped pretzels!

Prew, thank you SO much! This was a truly amazing package and it sure felt like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one! I just love the fairy houses!

Monday, September 13, 2010

HSKS 12 - Week 1 - Adventures in Knowing Others

Well, I've completed all the requirements of this assignment and I must say, we have some EXTREMELY talented crafters with this group! WOW! Amazing!

I also found out that, until we let in our three missing (late to coming) wizards, there wasn't a soul in our group with a birthday the same month as myself! I saw lots of July and December, though!

It was fun peeking in on everyone tonight and I hope to get to know everyone a bit more this next swap. This is so much fun!

HSKS 12 - Week 1 - Getting To Know You

Someone already stole (I mean, USED) my idea of singing the song. So, imagine you're in Ceylon, in the palace, surrounded by LOTS of kids, and you're their new teacher and you are trying to get to know all of them, and they you! (ha-ha!)

At any rate. First I'll list my info (just in case you need to find it quickly), and then I'll post my assignment.

Favorite Color(s): Lavenders, rust tones (colors that remind you of autumn) ... new favorites are sunny/cheerful yellow, rust, and olives. I do not care for black or orange and I don't look very good in red. But, youngest son LOVES red.

Favorite Flavors: Not sure how to answer this one. I mean depends on what I'm eating, I guess. I like cheddar cheese, cucumber sandwiches w/ cream cheese, apple pie, fresh homemade bread, meatless lasagna, homemade raspberry jam, homemade hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies, decaf creme de menthe latte, mint chocolate chip ice cream ...

Favorite Scents: Roses, fresh homemade apple pie and bread, fresh mowed grass, gingerbread cookies fresh out of the oven, the smell of autumn, evergreen trees, fresh clean crisp air (like winter or spring or fall).

Favorite Season: That's easy ... AUTUMN! Sweater weather!

Favorite Holiday: Christmas (I love the decorations and the baking ... GINGERBREAD! YUM!) Just wish it would snow like when I was a kid :) (I like little red cardinals in the snow ... aren't they the cutest? I don't see them where I live now, but we did when I was little in upstate NY!)

Favorite Fiber: I don't know this one yet. I suppose we have to be specific? Yarn?

Favorite Pattern: Umm, I don't know as I have one of these, either. It's always the one I'm working on, I guess.

Favorite Designer (s): I had to make that plural! I love our Ann Kingstone, and I also like Sheila Joynes designs as well. I also really like Cat Bordhi's socks.

Favorite Needles: Well, at first I did not like bamboo or wooden needles. I'm liking them more and more as time goes on. I think the multi-colored ones are beautiful.

Something about myself no one knows: Um, I don't know what to put here, either. I love to dance and have no outlet to do it. I want to tap dance, but have no class available. I would love to do musical theatre, too. I think ballroom would be fun. I'm jealous of my kids' opportunities.

Wizarding Families Assignment:
1. Someone with the same craft as you: Wychwoodlady's (Lizzy Wychwood) baby beret

2. Someone who was born the same month (January) as you: Starsplash (we're the only 2 in January!)

3. Someone from a different country (I'm in the USA): kristo (Cassandra Grubbly-Plank) is from British Columbia, Canada.

4. A new HSKS Family Member (I'm not new, I've been around a couple swaps): Cayden (Caradoc Brocklehurst in the UK) and Nicky Lovely (ynkchck2).

5. Someone who has been in 3 or more HSKS swaps (this makes 5 for me!): MissLucy (Fleur Sweeting) ... this is her 9th!

6. Someone who has a bigger stash than you (just about everyone!): smileynetta (Hermione) with 75.

7. Someone who both knits and crochets (I do both, too!): foxyfiberchick (Emma Diggory) does both.

8. Someone who has the same favorite color as you (see above listing for mine): staroftwilight (Morgianna Defeufaucon) autumn colors!

9. Someone who has the same favorite season/holiday as you (mine are Autumn and Christmas): angel101580 (Winifred) loves Christmas!

10. Someone who has the same favorite fiber as you (I don't have one yet ... yarn?): knottieknitter (Lavender Diggory) and I both love soft squishy yarn! (Woo-hoo! Leave it to my spoilee to come to my rescue!)

Saturday, September 11, 2010

HLBoE - Care of Magical Creatures - Nifflers!

Ack! The nifflers have gotten loose!

For class, I present the metallic tools used for crafting.

I also present other metallic objects.

My Care of Magical Creatures project will be PMd as my package has yet to be sent ;)

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

HSKS 12 Begins!!

Horcrux - horcruxes - horcruxs ... hmmm ... not an easy word to pluralize!

At any rate, Houses of Horcrux seems to be our theme this next round and it's very exciting.

The kit choices center around the horcruxes Voldemort made and the hardest part is picking which horcrux to be the center of your kit.

The choices this time were:
Harry Potter - anything relating to Harry (wand, glasses, Gryffindor, a mother's love, lightning bolt scar, even a pair of Gillyweed socks). Personally, I LOVE the idea of the Gillyweed Socks! (hint!)

Nagini - anything snake or animal related (I knew Gryphon would jump on this one right away!)

Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem - things to go around or on your head. Well, as I look simply horrible in hats, this is NOT one of the ones I chose. I'm just not a hat person. I like making them for others, but my hair is just too bushy and I just look plain stupid.

Salazar Slytherin's Locket - things that go around your neck. This one was one I was interested in, but I didn't chose. Necklaces, things that frame. Good ideas, but I felt I had a closer affinity to a couple others instead.

Helga Hufflepuff's Cup - containers to hold things. Now this is up my alley! I love bowls and things that contain things, lending themselves to orderliness! I also love my hot mug of cocoa or tea (as I'm chilled most of the time). I'm thinking a yarn bowl (hint!) or felted bowl/container (love the acorn one on Ravelry - hint!), or even a big mug with a cozy to fit!

Tom Riddle's Diary - anything related to books, journals, or diary. I love books, I love empty books, but I have them. So, I steered clear of this one. I wish I had an iPad or similar device to download JKR's or Gabaldon's marvelous books. Then I'd need a cozy for it. But, I don't, so again, not a theme I chose. However, Gryphon latched onto this one, and I'm glad he did. He's writing a book, and I think this is a marvelous way to encourage him.

Marvolo Gaunt's Ring - anything circular. Well, that's open ended! I love the idea of a stitch marker/counter bracelet (hint!). I've seen many, but never held one, so not sure how they work or even how to go about making one. This could be an adventure. I'm thinking socks, here, too, as they are done in a circular motion. So bracelets and socks here for me!

Then there are the house choices! Wow! CelticMommy and Neila have certainly had the creative juices flowing! Personally, I hope to end up in Hermione's Heroic Brainiacs, but that will have to be left to the sorting hat. My second choice would be Harry's Horcrux Hunters, then Ron's Muddle-Headed Mates, and lastly, Draco's Pure Bloods and Dark Arts. But, like I said, it's up to the sorting hat! Time will tell.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

HLBOE - Colin Creevy Challenge #5

The Black Lake (my bear marker was taking some time off, so Harry helped out out on this challenge).
Gillyweed

Witch Weekly - poor Harry is in the news again.

Depressed Winky - I caught her curled up under a blanket with her bottle in her hand. She was snoring. Poor dear has been at the butterbeer again.

Maze in the third task. The cup is still in the middle.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Variety of Harry Potter Crafts

2010 - Monster Book of Monsters cake for 2nd son's 13th birthday.
2010 - Snitch birthday cake for third son's 11th birthday.
2010 - House stitch markers. This required tricky scissor work. Didn't want point to catch in yarn, so had to make sure things were rounded off or not as intricately cut as desired. Also included Beaubatons and Durmstrang.
2010 - Harry Potter creatures as stitch markers. These were fun. I used Shrinky Dink paper for these. The hard part was figuring out how opaque to make the photos because they darken as they shrink!
2010 - Yellow mini dragon made for a swap.
2010 - Mini reducio'd Slytherin sock. I'd made this sock on either US 00 or 000 and with fingering yarn. Then I used crochet thread in a sparkly white for the snake. I've made a couple of these now.
2009 - Our Harry Potter Halloween party favors. We made milk and dark chocolate frogs. The dark chocolate ones were glossier than these milk chocolate frogs. We had some left over, which still reside in our freezer ... sometimes one hops out!
Circa 2002 ... and they still wear them! My daughter was 1 at the time, but she was napping when the photo was taken, so she's not in this photo. The wands are spurtles ordered from Scotland. They made perfect wands.

Small collection of Harry Potter Crafts