Mandrake Teddie Bears

Mandrake Teddie Bears

I saw a version of these on the internet, but thought that they were a little bit to complicated for my limited sewing skills, and for the kids that I wanted to make them with.  I ended up making these for two 8 year olds, and they had a blast! All I had to help with was the sewing of the legs, and arms.

Materials Needed:

-2 tall brown men's socks (I found my at the Dollar Store)
-Brown thread
-Sewing needle
-Black sharpie
-Paper leaves
-Hot glue + Glue gun
-Ceramic pot
-Scissors
-Stuffing

1.  Cut a slit down the front of one sock, until it reaches just before the heel of the sock.   Make sure you check which way you are cutting.  You want the heel of the sock to be the bum, so check to make sure that it is positioned in the back, and not the side.

2.  Turn the sock inside out, and sew closed the openings that you cut. Turn the sock right side out.

3.  Grab the other sock.  Cut it in half, the opposite way that you cut the legs.  Decide how long you want the arms to be, and cut the halves to that size.

4.  Turn the arms inside out.  Sew the sides shut, but leave the top open for stuffing.  Turn the arms right side out.

5.  Stuff the arms.  Make sure you leave about a finger's width at the top.

6.  Grab the sock that has the two legs.  Decide where you would like the arms to be.  Make sure that you remember that you still need space for the head.  Cut two slits to indicate where you want the arms to be.

7.  Stick one of the arms, into one of the slits.  Stick your hand inside of the sock, and grab the end of the arm, that has gone through the slit.  While still holding on to the arm, turn the sock inside out.

8.  Sew along the slit, and the arm.  This will attach the arm to the body.  Make sure that you sew up the entire area of the slit, while still connecting the arm. Turn the sock right side out.

9.  Repeat steps 6-8 with the other arm.

10.  Stuff the body.  Make sure you only stuff until the top of the arms.

11.  Wrap some string where you stopped stuffing.  Tie it to keep it in place.

12.  Stuff above the wrapped string.  Make sure that you leave room for wrapping more string, and for some tufts at the top of the head.

13.  Wrap some string, like in step 11, above the stuffed head.

14.  With a Sharpie, draw on the Mandrake's face.

15.  Cut the fabric above the head in strips.  Hot glue on strips of the paper leaves onto some of the tufts.

16.  Stick your Mandrake into the ceramic pot.  Voila!

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Yule Ball Inspired Snowflakes

Yule Ball Inspired Snowflakes

Strangely, I thought of these snowflakes at IKEA.  I found a box of spare screws and parts in the "AS IS" section.  It said that a bag of screws and parts (the bag has to be the plastic bags near the box) was 1$! This meant that you could fill up the bag up to the top, and  still only pay 1$!  So I bought a bag of screws (and got a few bad looks from customers), and did this craft.  These snowflakes can not be found in the movies, but they reminded me of the Yule Ball, so I thought you guys should enjoy them too.

Materials Needed:

-Some screws in various lengths (read description under top picture for how I got mine)
-Some "wheels" (at least that's what they are, I found them in the screw box that I talked about above) (see pictures for details)
-Hot glue + Glue gun

1.  Hot glue one of your longest screws in the middle of one "wheel".  This is the stand.

2.  Start by drawing out a design in your head, or on a piece of paper.

3.  Complete your design by hot glueing the screws onto the circumference of the "wheel, and onto the other screws.  See my examples for ideas.  Voila!

Please leave some feedback.

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Lightbulb Characters

Lightbulb Characters

I love to recycle old things.  I made these with my best friend over the weekend while we were bored.  They are simple, and cute decorations for any room.  Hope you like them.

Materials Needed:

-Old lightbulbs
-Pink paint
-Black paint
-Green paint
-White paint
-Brown paint
-Red paint
-Beige paint
-White twine
-Hot glue + Glue gun
-Small pins
-Lollipop sticks
-Modelling clay
-Fabric
-Cardstock paper
-Scissors

Dobby

1.  Paint one lightbulb pink.  Let dry.

2.  Paint on Dobby's facial features with brown paint.  Include the wrinkles.  Once it has dried, paint a thin layer of pink paint (like you used to paint the lightbulb previously) onto the wrinkles to make them less prominent.  Let dry.

3.  Glue on some thin pieces of string/twine onto the top of the lightbulb for Dobby's hair.

4.  Draw the shape of one of Dobby's ears onto a piece of Cardstock.  Layer another piece of Cardstock underneath the piece with the drawn ear on it.  Cut the shape out.  You should have two ears that look identical.  Flip one of the ears to make it mirrored to the other.

5.  Paint the ears pink.  Let dry.

6.  With brown paint, paint on the details of the inside of Dobby's ears (see pictures for details).

7.  Hot glue the ears to each side of the head.  Flip them forward so that they stick out the sides.

8.  With some modelling clay, form the shoulders of Dobby's body.  Attach the head by connecting it with some other modelling clay.

9.  Wrap pieces of fabric around Dobby's shoulders, so that it covers the modelling clay.  Use the pins to attach it to the clay.

10.  If the fabric is not already beige, paint it beige.  Let dry and Voila!

Harry

1.  Paint one lightbulb pink.  Let dry.

2.  Paint the facial features on his face.  Be sure to include his scar, glasses, and hair.

3.  Create Harry's shoulders using modelling clay, as you did with Dobby.  Create an extending arm out of one shoulder.

4.  With some more modelling clay, form a hand.  Attach it to the arm.

5.  Cover the shoulders and arm with fabric as you did with Dobby, using the pins to connect it to the clay.

6.  Paint the fabric black.  Let dry.

7.  Stick half of a lollipop into the hand to make the wand.  Paint the stick brown.

8.  Paint the hand pink, let dry and voila!

Voldemort

1.  Paint one lightbulb with a mixture of white and a dab of pink.  Let dry.

2.  Paint the facial features on his face.  Be sure to include his wrinkles and snake-like features.

3.  Create Voldemort's shoulders using modelling clay, as you did with Dobby and Harry.  Create an extending arm out of one shoulder.

4.  With some more modelling clay, form a hand.  Attach it to the arm.

5.  Cover the shoulders and arm with fabric as you did with the other characters, using the pins to connect it to the clay.

6.  Paint the fabric black.  Let dry.

7.  Stick half of a lollipop into the hand to make the wand.  Paint the stick brown.

8.  Paint the hand with the paint mixture, let dry and voila!

Do you like crafting in general?  If so, come check out my other crafting blog at http://craftysensation.blogspot.ca!!!

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Ron's Transfiguration Goblet

Ron's Transfiguration Goblet

This goblet features in one of my favourite scenes in the Harry Potter movies; when Ron ends up turning Scabbers into a half-at-half-goblet during a Transfiguration class because of his broken wand.  I found all these materials just lying around my house, so I hope that you guys won't have to go out and buy some stuff for this awesome craft.

Materials:

-1 old mug (try to find one with an elongated body)
-Modelling clay (color doesn't matter)
-Cork (like you use on a cork board to put pictures on)
-Stuffing
-Dark brown paint
-Gold or Beige paint (depends on how metallic your gold is)
-White paint
-Pink paint
-Hot glue + Glue gun
-Floral wire
-White twine

1.  Brake the handle off of the mug.

2.  Hot glue a disc of modelling clay onto the bottom of the mug.

3.  Cut a circle, that is the size that you want the base of the goblet to be, out of cork.  Glue a disc of modelling clay, similar to the way you did the bottom of the cup, to one side of the cork circle.  Roll out a "snake" of modelling clay to the height that you want the connection between the cup and the base to be.  Place it in the middle of the modelling clay on the cork, and smooth the edges to connect it to the modelling clay below it.

4.  Roll another "snake" out of modelling clay.  Wrap it around the bottom of the height cylinder, and smooth the edges into the preexisting modelling clay.  Attach the top of the height cylinder onto the disc glued onto the mug, and smooth the edges to the modelling clay around it.  Using the same technique as before, roll out a "snake" and attach it to the connection between the height cylinder and the mug disc.

5.  Heat up your glue gun so that it is super hot.  Once it has reached a high temperature, add a layer of glue onto the surface of the modelling clay base.  This will strengthen the modelling clay so that it will not bend or deform.

6.  Using panels of stuffing and hot glue, cover the outer surface of the goblet.   Don't worry if it looks very "fluffy".  The paint will bring it down quite a bit.

7.  Paint a thick coat of dark brown paint onto the stuffing. 

8.  While the dark brown paint is still wet, dab on your gold/beige paint to give it depth.

9.  Now grab some white paint.  While the goblet is still wet with the previous paints, create a white "marking" on the bottom third of the cup.  Set aside and let dry.

10.  Cut a strand of floral wire to the length that you would like the tail of the goblet to be.  Hot glue the end of the white twine to the end of the floral wire to keep it in place.  Wrap the twine around the floral wire until you reach the very end, and again, hot glue the ends together.  Paint the tail pink and let dry.  Set aside.

11.  With the same dark brown paint that you used for the stuffing, fill the bottom of the cup.  Tip and roll the cup so that the paint creates a layer on the inside of the cup.  

12.   While the inside of the cup is drying, glue on the tail in your preferred spot.  Voila!

Please leave whatever feedback you have, and have a magical day!

Do you like crafting in general?  If so, come check out my other crafting blog at http://craftysensation.blogspot.ca!!!

Philosopher's Stone

Philosopher's stone

I have been looking forever for a Philosopher's Stone replica, that actually worked without spending a fortune.  I came up with this one while I was making some paper crafts.  I just look at the gems and thought "Hey! This might work!".  I have another version of the Philosopher's Stone in the making, but unfortunately, I can not find the materials necessary at the moment. I should have it on in next couple month.

Materials Needed:

-Paper + Printer

-Cardstock paper

-Printed out copy of Paper Gems

-Red paint

-Black paint

-Pearl or white paint

-Scissors

-X-Acto knife

-Glue

-Fine fireplace ashes

1.  If you have not already, print out the Paper Gems by clicking here.  You can pick which ever gem you want, but I think that gem 2 looks the best, that is also the one that I will be using throughout the tutorial.  

3.Grab a piece of Cardstock paper.  Paint one side of it red.  Let dry.  A cool way to dry paint that I figured out is to put it in the microwave.  Just make sure to check it every 10 seconds.

4.  Cut around the outside of the pieces of your gem template.  If you are using gem 2, you have to out around template 2a, 2b, and 2c.  This applies to most of the gems.  Glue the cut out templates onto the back of your painted cardstock.

5.  Now is time to make your Paper Gem.  First, cut out your templates that have been glued to the painted cardstock.  Then fold on the dotted lines. Then, glue the tabs to the edges, and connect the different parts if you have any.  For more instructions go to http://www.minieco.co.uk/paper-gems/.

 6.  Paint any areas red that show white.  Your gem should look something like this.

7.  Mix lots of black paint with a smudge of white or pearl.  With a paintbrush, dab large amounts of your black mixture paint onto the bottom of your gem.  Hold the gem upside down once you put all your black paint on for a bit, so the it drips.

8.  Once you have let the paint drip a bit, roll the paint covered gem in fireplace ashes.  With a damp piece of cloth, dab the red part so that most of the ashes come off.

9.  Let dry and voila!

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Quidditch Broomstick

Quidditch Broomstick

I have been looking online for a very longtime to find a good homemade broomstick, this has proved more difficult than I thought.  I found many good ideas, and techniques in making them, but failed to find any replicas that had a good looking final product.  This is my version of the Quidditch Broomstick, that consists of various techniques from other brooms, or that I have created myself.  Hope you enjoy it!

Materials Needed:

-1 long tree branch

-Wood stain (color of your choice)

-Potato peeler
-Paper towel ( to put on the stain )
-Elastic bands
-2-3 beach towels ( use some old ones from the house, or buy them from the dollar store )
-Scissors 
-Twine
-Hay (fine not thick)
-Spray adhesive 

1.  Pick up your long stick.  This will become the handle / body of the broom.  Start by stripping off the bark of the branch with the potato peeler.  I left some of the darker inner bark on.  This creates a cool look when you stain the branch.  Make sure that you get off all of the rough, outer bark though.

2.  Stain the de-barked branch with wood stain.  Let dry.

3.  Decide how long you want the broom part of your broom to be.  Trace a faint line with a pencil where it should end.  

4.  Tear the beach towels into approximately 5 inch wide strips.  Wrap the strips of towel where the broom part is going to be.  With the elastic bands, tie the strips of towel in place.  While you wrap the towel strips where the broom part of your broom is going to be, shape it as a Harry Potter broom is shaped (see pictures for details).

5.  Grab a hunk of hay.  place it juste above the top edge of the towels.  With a strand of twine, wrap the top of the hay.  Then, follow the hay down to the bottom, and with another strand of twine, tie the bottom.  Continue to do this until the towels are covered.

6.  Bring the broom to a place where you do not mind it to get messy.  With the spray adhesive, coat a thick layer of glue onto the hay.  This will ensure that it stays in place, and that the hay does not fall off, it also makes it look really good.  Do not worry about the stubborn pieces that refuse to stick down.  We will worry about those later.

7.  Once the spray glue has dried, Clip of the pieces that refused to stay down, to give the broom a clean look.

8.  Clip off the ends of the broom with some scissors so that they are all even. Wrap a thicker coat of twine onto the top and bottom of the broom.

9.  I have yet to figure out how to make the foot rests, but if any of you have any ideas, I would gladly like to hear.  When I figure it out, I will update the post.  Voila!

Do you like crafting in general?  If so, come check out my other crafting blog at http://craftysensation.blogspot.ca!!!