Monday, July 11, 2011

 Polyjuice Potion

I've mentioned before I'm kind of a nerd.
I think this post may provide proof of my nerdiness. 
I love the Harry Potter books.   
No seriously… LOVE them.  
Don't you worry, I've got my tickets for this weekend!  I can't wait. 

So it turns out it's also genetic, because my siblings are huge fans themselves.  
I'm sure we could argue for days about who is the bigger fan, who actually loves the books more and ultimately no one would be crowned king or queen of Harry Potter nerdiness because we are all extremely stubborn so no one would surrender the glory of that title.  
And that was a huge run on sentence.  
Anyway…
So back in November we got together for a party.  It was in celebration of the upcoming Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows part 1.  (Although the movies in no way replace the book, how could they?  We do enjoy the movies).  Naturally I saw it as another chance to decorate something, and I set up a potions table. 
Complete with a potions book!
These photo's don't include the food.  Everyone brought potluck Harry Potter style (treacle tarts, pumpkin pasties etc…)  And we set it up around the decor.  I was busy stuffing my face and attempting to destroy my siblings in a game of "Harry Potter Scene It."  I couldn't be bothered with photos;).

Now I hope you are all forgiving.   Sometimes I spend so much time making sure something visually looks right that I totally mess up.  For example… I SPELLED INGREDIENTS WRONG.  Honestly!    Even better... it's large text and very noticeable.  Unfortunately I'm not a witch, so I can't just wave my wand and say Reparo.  So "ingredents" will stay.  Oh well.
(Shhhh... don't tell, but I goofed somewhere else too. I don't know where my brain was at when I was making it). 

I did some research for this one.  Piecing together what I could from both the book and the movie to get the polyjuice potion as correct as possible.  With the exception of the word ingredients… gggrrrrrrrr… I think I'm pretty spot on.  I purchased a medical book from the thrift store.  After roughing it up (getting it wet, taking sand paper to the edges and just beating the snot out of it), I ran black and brown ink pads over the edges.  Then I added a little yellow and brown paint to a cup of water and painted with it all over the edges.  I created and printed out the polyjuice potion recipe and glued it into the book.  For the final touch I splashed a bit of that yellow/brown water onto it as well.  I wanted it to look like a little of the potion from the caldron had splattered on it.   I didn't forget the outside either.  I painted it and titled it Most Potente Potions.  
It will make a fun addition to my halloween decor.



I labeled a bunch of thrift store find bottles with Harry Potter potions and ingredients.  I also grabbed a couple of extra old looking books at the thrift store and gave them titles of books from Harry Potter.  Then I added a bunch of my halloween stuff and there you have it!
I think the half blood prince would be proud! 
Just incase you're wanting to create your own... here are the fonts I used.


29 comments:

  1. That is awesome! Great job.

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  2. Beautiful! I love all the details. You are so talented!

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  3. this weekend? you are waiting til this weekend. we have the thursday midnight tickets. haha

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  4. That is sooooo awesome!!! Soooo much detail. Amazing!!

    I've been a bit behind on my Harry Potter movies, and just got caught up this weekend watching the Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows this weekend. So that I could see the last one in the theater. ;-D

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  5. Love it!!! Oh, and just tell everyone that it isn't a mistake, that's old (old) English! ;)

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  6. I just started following your blog today and I see I made it right in time! You are a girl after my own heart! I love your HP tablescape!

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  7. Anonymous7/11/2011

    I'm so in love with display!!! You rock socks, lady!

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  8. What a great way to celebrate the final movie! So creative! =)

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  9. So amazing! We are Harry Potter freaks as well. You do amazing work. I want to come see the UP house too! Those are great pictures! You are incredible. (I spell things wrong all of the time on crafts!)

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  10. Oh my! I'm the biggest HP nerd around and this spread makes me really, really happy! Can't wait for the finale!

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  11. You just make my day with your fun, creative, homemade parties!! Just featured this today on my Wednesday's Wowzers. Here's the link:

    http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/2011/07/wednesdays-wowzers-crafting-motivation.html

    You have me craving fall and Halloween! :)

    XOXO

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  12. OMG. You are so freakin awesome. :) I'm totally having a Harry Potter party with my sibs. :)

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  13. Awesome! The spelling error is forgiven-- it is all too amazing.

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  14. Holy Blog Love!!!!! I just found you via your fabric flowers and then stayed to look at your entire blog! You are seriously amazing and awesome and I'm now going to be waiting on pins and needles for each post! Your style and creativity is flat out ASTOUNDING. Oh, and I made the fabric flowers immediately. They turned out great and I'm sure I'll be posting them and linking to you soon!

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  15. Seriously? I missed this in my HP roundup Friday, I will add it, stat!!

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  16. So.....do you have a spare room...I think I'm moving in. You are adorably F-U-N!

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  17. Hello there :)

    I have just come across your blog today, and I have found myself beyond needing to compliment you on how amazing your work is! Everything is truly beautiful and inspiring!

    I'm not rich enough (or old enough really (I'm 20, nearly 21!)) to have my own house, but when I do, it will be filled full of my attempts at your designs!

    Thank you for sharing your work and I am looking forward to seeing some new things, whilst trying to read back as far as I can!

    Carly :)

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  18. I'm back again - I hope that you don't mind, but I would like to let you know that I have linked your blog in my blog. I don't have many readers, it's mainly for me, but I love your work so much that I needed to record and remember you! Thank you again for your beautiful things x

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  19. I LOVE it. Spelling errors and all. I am always misspelling something. I seriously need a proof reader for all my crafts - especially the ones for my kid's teachers. In the owl treats I just did I misspelled the word marshmallow and managed to mangle the grammar all in once sentence. Probably why I shouldn't be doing this stuff at 3am...

    I think you did an amazing job with the decor! What an awesome party idea!

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  20. Have you seen these wands?
    http://yourlifeuncommon.blogspot.com/2010/04/harry-potter-wand-tutorial.html

    I have been thinking about having a movie night on the lawn when the last DVD comes out. If we do it - we will so be making wands for the kids.

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  21. Hey there, I stumbled across your long stem fabric flower tutorial today and fell in love with the pictures/idea. I just wanted to let you know I grabbed a pic for my blog and "pinned" it too. Of course I linked you in my post... but I just wanted to say thanks and it looks like you have such a fun blog!!

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  22. I'm sure it added immensely to the fun you all had! Amazing! Patsy from
    HeARTworks

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  23. Is there any possible way you would consider sharing this as a printable? Or even selling it as a printable on Etsy? I'm dying to make my own book altered book and this is PERFECT!!!

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  24. OMG how did you make that book?!

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  25. Hi! I found this post on Pinterest. I am having a Harry Potter Halloween this year. I hope you don't mind that I'm basically copying what you did - unless you have a printable somewhere that I just can't find. Thanks!

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  26. Hi! I found this post on Pinterest. I hope you don't mind that I'm practically copying this potion recipe for my Harry Potter Halloween this year. Unless you have a printable somewhere I can't find. Thanks!!

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    Replies
    1. Go right ahead! Because of copyright laws I can't sell it. Copy away... just make sure you spell INGREDIENTS right. Sheesh. ;)

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    2. Hey! I finally finished my spell book from your inspiration! Here is the link: http://ourlifetimeoflearning.blogspot.com/2013/10/harry-potter-halloween-polyjuice-potion.html
      Thanks for doing the hard work so I could copy you! :)

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