BOOKS & LEATHER:

From Atlas Shrugged to Harry Potter

COMPLETING THE COLLECTION: 

Atlas Shrugged Leather Cord Bracelet 

The natural simplicity of thick leather cord is adorned with Ayn Rand’s magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged. Innovative push clasps make putting on the bracelet a snap! 

 

Atlas Shrugged, first published in 1957, includes elements of mystery and science fiction. It brings to the forefront Ayn Rand’s unique philosophy of Objectivism & expresses her concept of human achievement. It received largely negative reviews after being published, but has achieved enduring popularity over the decades. I have collaged the first edition cover in the back (B) with the 1999 edition re-issue  in front (F) to create a nice memento of the piece. It is a nice addition to the pair of matching earrings featured here earlier.

  

THEN, THERE'S HARRY - 

HARRY POTTER i.e.

Finally, a thick leather cord bracelet that can be worn by male and female Potter fans alike! 

The set includes all 10 book beads so change your look as often as you want - it's sure to be an eye catcher!

For details on both bracelets, check out Just Charming!

  

A SHARED CREATION FOR HARRY 

Harry Potter, that is.  One powerful literary figure that has inspired artisans to create. Now "jointly".

Presenting the Harry Potter felted scarf bookmark by Laurie:

Hand knit from Peruvian wool (click to enlarge and see texture), it is adorned with one of my Harry Potter book beads (The Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone).

I use "jointly" loosely, since all the creating was done by Laurie. (I simply gave her permission to use the book bead). It is a beautiful stocking stuffer for your Potter fan! What are you waiting for? Head on to her shop,  Do You Like My Hat? for details.

Meet the Winners Part 6

The final winner in the recently concluded "Farewell Harry Potter Giveaway", is ...

Emi O. 
 

with her chosen prize, a Harry Potter Book Hookmark
featuring The Chamber of Secrets.

When did you start reading the Harry Potter series?

My mom started reading them to me when I was 6 :D

Describe what you like about the prize you chose/received?

I love that it's a bookmark, considering I read all the time. Then the little mini Harry Potter book is just adorable!

If money was no object, what item from Just Charming would you really like to have (for your birthday, for Christmas or any special occasion)?

It's a toss up between the Harry Potter Stretch Cuff Bracelet, 

the Harry Potter Book Necklace,

and the Lord of the Rings Chain Mail Charm Bracelet.

Besides the main characters, Harry, Ron & Hermione, who do you like (next) best? Why?

Neville. Definitely. His progression through the series is just really great. He's an adorable multi-faceted character that grows as much as, if not more than, Harry.

We were told how people were tested for Apparation, but how are they tested to become Animagi? What animagus would you like to be?

There's probably a whole ministry sector for the testing of Animagi. If I were one, I'd want to be a fox :D

Do you have an online craft store? What do you make and are any items Harry Potter inspired?

Yes. It is called Emi's Creations:

I make ear cuffs, earrings, bracelets, and Harry Potter inspired wands! ^-^

Here's one of my favorites:

That's a wand that I've made out of a chopstick. It's made of Cherry wood and Phoenix feather.

Here's a favorite bracelet. The stars are handmade origami with a clear gloss coating to keep them protected. Other colors available too.

Is your shop a hobby or are you hoping to someday make a career of it? 

It's more a hobby. I can't afford to keep my Etsy shop up, so I just have a Facebook fan page at the moment.

What do you do to promote your shop or online store?

Mostly it's just local at the moment. I have business cards that my friends pass around. I promote through Facebook mostly.

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Thanks for sharing your insights with us, Emi. Congratulations once again to you and all the winners! The next promotion from Just Charming! is now underway and can be accessed through the Giveaway tab under the Welcome section of my Facebook page. 

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Follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Google Friend Connect/e-mail/plus and Networked Blogs to be informed of the next PROMOTION from Just Charming!  Keep reading everyone!

Meet the Winners Part 5

Continuing our short series featuring the winners of the recently concluded "Farewell Harry Potter Giveaway", say hello to...

Christina B. 

with her chosen prize, a pair of Harry Potter Book Earrings
featuring The Deathly Hallows.

When did you start reading the Harry Potter series?

When I was in elementary school. One of my uncles had given me the second and fourth books.

Describe what you like about the prize you chose/received?

The fact they're so one of a kind and how detailed they are for something so small.

If money was no object, what item from Just Charming would you really like to have (for your birthday, for Christmas or any special occasion)?

I can really only narrow it down to two. That is the Harry Potter Book stitch markers and the The Ultimate Harry Potter Book Charm Bracelet:

But if I really have to choose, I would say the Harry Potter Stitch Markers for Knitting or Crochet: 

It's different and it would give me more incentive to learn how to use stitch markers and crochet more. 


Besides the main characters, Harry, Ron & Hermione, who do you like (next) best? Why?

It's a tie between Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall. Draco Malfoy because he's the bad boy. Severus Snape because he's the misunderstood poor soul. Minerva McGonagall because she's quick to defend her lions and has that tough grandma personality, reminding me of my own grandmothers.

Is Ollivander’s a family business passed down from generation to generation or is the Ollivander in the books just really, really old?

I honestly believe the Ollivander in the books is just really, really old. It was proven already that the wizarding population ages differently from the muggle population. Not to mention that Ollivander was able to recall the wands of others that if it truly was a family business would have been impossible to do.

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Thanks for sharing your insights with us, Christina. Congratulations once again!

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Follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Google Friend Connect/e-mail/plus and Networked Blogs to be informed of the next PROMOTION (now ongoing) from Just Charming!  Keep reading everyone!

Farewell Harry Potter Giveaway Winners Part 4

Continuing our short series featuring the winners of the recently concluded "Farewell Harry Potter Giveaway", say hello to...

Emily H. 
 

with her chosen prize, a pair of Harry Potter Book Earrings
featuring The Deathly Hallows.

When did you start reading the Harry Potter series?

I don't really remember when I started reading them, but I know that my mom bought the first three books - the first a soft cover, and the second two hardcovers, from the Scholastic book catalog we were given to take home every so often in elementary school. After finally getting through the first chapter of the first book, I decided i liked it!

Describe what you like about the prize you chose/received?

They are AWESOME! And I get so many compliments. Also, they have the UK cover on the reverse, which is super cool too!

If money was no object, what item from Just Charming would you really like to have (for your birthday, for Christmas or any special occasion)?

Definitely the Harry Potter Owl "HedPig" Bracelet ! It's super cool! 

Also, one of the Harry Potter Chain Mail key chains:

Besides the main characters, Harry, Ron & Hermione, who do you like (next) best? Why?

Luna, because she's not afraid to be herself, and shes so unique and such a great role model for young people. Also, I feel like I would be really good friends with her.

How does the wizarding world avoid Muggle satellite surveillance?

With Magic of course!

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I had the privilege of meeting Emily at Leaky Con 2011. She was attending the conference & took time to meet me at the Leaky Craft Fair. Thanks for sharing your insights with us, Emily. Congratulations once again!

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Follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Google Friend Connect/e-mail/plus and Networked Blogs to be informed of the next PROMOTION from Just Charming!  Keep reading everyone!

Continuing our short series featuring the winners of the recently concluded "Farewell Harry Potter Giveaway", say hello to...

Delana G. 

with her chosen prize,The Harry Potter Book Chain Mail Key Chain
featuring The Order of the Phoenix.

When did you start reading the Harry Potter series?

I started reading the series in 2001.

Describe what you like about the prize you chose/received?

The quality is fantastic! It's adorable and OOTP is my favorite Harry Potter book.

If money was no object, what item from Just Charming would you really like to have (for your birthday, for Christmas or any special occasion)?

Definitely the Jane Austen Book Charm Bracelet with Chain Mail & Pearls:

Besides the main characters, Harry, Ron & Hermione, who do you like (next) best? Why?

SEVERUS SNAPE is my very favorite.

If Snape is a half-blood, why is he head of Slytherin? If Slytherin left Hogwarts, why did they keep his house open?

Snape is head of Slytherin because he was a Slytherin to his core. Salazar Slytherin doesn't have a say anymore, I would think. He left. The hat chooses from the individual's personality and that's it.

As for why they still kept Slytherin even after he decided to leave, I think because of loyalty to the students and their former friendship. It wasn't the students fault that he left. From what I remember the only two that had a major problem with each other were Gryffindor and Slytherin. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff probably talked it over with Gryffindor and they all decided to keep it. At one point they were all best friends. They may have kept it because of tradition as well.

Also, it would seem unbalanced without all four.

Do you have an ETSY (or any online craft) store? What do you make and are any items Harry Potter inspired?

Yes. The store is is called Grayovercast: 

I crochet and knit amigurumi, scarves, hats, and accessories. So far I only included two items that were HP related, but I may do more in the future.

One of my favorites is this scarf below:

Is this a hobby or are you hoping to someday make a career of it?

Right now it's a hobby, but I wouldn't be opposed to making it a career on day.

What do you do to promote your shop/website?

I use Twitter (Overcast) and Facebook (Gray Overcast Creations). I also have a Deviant Art page (Grayovercast), but I rarely use it anymore. My shop is closed at the moment, but once it's back open I plan to use Tumblr (I'll Tumblr 4 Ya!) as well.

I had the privilege of meeting Delana at Leaky Con 2011. She was the craft fair liaison & helped answer questions for the many Harry Potter artisans at the Con. Thanks for sharing your insights with us, Delana. Congratulations once again! You can visit Delana at any of her links above.

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Follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Google Friend Connect/e-mail/plus and Networked Blogs to be informed of the next PROMOTION from Just Charming! Keep reading everyone!

Meet the Winners Part 2

Continuing our short series featuring the winners of the recently concluded "Farewell Harry Potter Giveaway", give a warm welcome to...

Cher L. 

with her chosen prize, a mix-matched pair of Harry Potter Book Earrings featuring the Goblet of Fire and The Prisoner of Azkaban

When did you start reading the Harry Potter series?

I was somewhat of a late Potter bloomer - I think I was about 25 or 26. A boyfriend turned me on to the movies (I think two books were out at the time), and then I immediately started on the books. Being a fan fiction writer, I recognized JK's genius from the beginning. Authors create stories all the time, but very few actually create an ENTIRE WORLD. It's brilliant, really, and we'll never see anything like it again in our lifetime. Harry Potter is, and will continue to be, a permanent fixture in my life.

Describe what you like about the prize you chose/received?

I wear earrings everyday, so my prize is something that I can use/wear often. Plus, they're MINI BOOKS - what Potter fan doesn't want mini Potter books to wear? They're lovely and very detailed! I had recently bought a pair of the Deathly Hallows earrings for the midnight viewing, so I requested any other book; even mixing! So, I was quite thrilled to receive my mix-matched pair!

If money was no object, what item from Just Charming would you really like to have (for your birthday, for Christmas or any special occasion)?

Definitely the "Ultimate" Harry Potter Mini Book Charm Bracelet:

It's stunning with the added pewter charms! I'm currently considering a custom design of Atlas Shrugged - aside from the Potter series, it's possibly my most favorite book - EVER.

Besides the main characters, Harry, Ron & Hermione, who do you like (next) best? Why?

There are two, actually. SEVERUS SNAPE is my very favorite, and DRACO MALFOY is next. They're wonderfully complex characters - neither good nor bad. They fall into the gray area that is an author's dream to work with because there are so many more freedoms with characters like them. And your heart really has to go out to these two guys at the end of the series. Severus' death was just pointless after all that he'd done, and Draco had learned lessons the hardest way possible.

We were told how people were tested for Apparation, but how are they tested to become Animagi? What animagus would you like to be?

I'm quite sure the Ministry does most of the testing. I also think you either have the talent for changing or you don't. You can work at it, but I don't think everyone is physically capable, regardless of how much training they receive. To me, it's like being a musician - you either "have it" or you don't. Yes, you can practice, but you have to already have the smallest bit of natural talent within you to bring out. If I could, I'd love to change to any sort of bird so that I could soar the skies. THAT would be amazing. Unfortunately, it's based on personality, which means I'd probably be a mole because I need very little interaction with people and often tend to 'hide' from the public. LOL

Do you have an ETSY (or any online craft) store? What do you make and are any items Harry Potter inspired?

Yes. The store is is called Broken Quill Creations: 

Right now, most everything is Potter-inspired! I have rings, luggage tags, ornaments and bracelets with new items coming out for the holidays.

One of my favorites is the Snape Collage Bracelet:

It features a picture of him from each year with the words "Severus Snape - The Bravest Man I Ever Knew" across the bottom.

Is this a hobby or are you hoping to someday make a career of it?

I would love to be able to do it full time, but I highly doubt that that will happen. It is my passion, though, and I drive my boyfriend nuts with it!

What do you do to promote your shop/website?

Not enough! I do try to mention all of my links on all of my various pages namely,
Cher's Twitter 
Cher on Facebook 
Cher's (Healthy Living) Blog 
Cher's Fan Fiction 
I also try to do Etsy Showcases periodically. I'm still building my shop inventory, so I will probably do more when my "creating" phase slows a bit. I wear/use my creations all the time, too. Recently, I did participate in greenWinkle's promotion for the Hallows midnight viewing, and I will be participating in another promotion that Girl Infinity is doing in October for the opening of Pottermore.

Cher's many creations can be accessed from the links above. She is an enormously talented woman and creates with various media. Thanks for sharing your insights with us, Cher. Congratulations once again! 

Stay tuned for exciting new Book Beads coming soon. (Not familiar with Atlas Shrugged but curious enough to investigate. I love working on custom orders! The challenge gets my creative juices flowing. This option can be requested directly from my Etsy store - when you are ready.) 


Follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Google Friend Connect/e-mail/plus and Networked Blogs to be informed of the next PROMOTION from Just Charming! Keep reading everyone!

Meet the Winners of the Farewell Harry Potter Giveaway

Starting today, I will begin a short series featuring the winners of the recently concluded "Farewell Harry Potter Giveaway". I have had fun getting to know all the participants and their love for Harry so without further ado, get to meet....

Katie O. 

with her chosen prize, a pair of Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Earrings

When did you start reading the Harry Potter series?

I think it was in the fourth or fifth grade. I remember picking up The Sorcerer's Stone and thinking "Meh, it looks okay...maybe I'll try it out." -- but obviously I loved it after reading it!

Describe what you like about the prize you chose/received?

The Deathly Hallows represents the end of my childhood, so I picked that book. It's also my second favorite out of the entire series. I love how the earrings are a carbon copy of the exact thing! They look like little books. They even have lines where the "pages" would be on the side. And I love how the UK cover is on the other side of the earrings.

If money was no object, what item from Just Charming would you really like to have (for your birthday, for Christmas or any special occasion)?

Definitely another Harry Potter book bead pair of earrings, probably The Prisoner of Azkaban ones. Or I'd ask for a custom order, Phantom of the Opera earrings! The Phantom of the Opera is my favorite musical, so I read the book and it became one of my favorite books.

Besides the main characters, Harry, Ron & Hermione, who do you like (next) best? Why?

REMUS LUPIN.

I love how he is almost a father figure to Harry, and I love the struggle he has to live through. I'd love to meet a suffering man! BUT one who is tough enough to hide his pain from that struggle; I would just want to give him a hug, you know?

We were told how people were tested for Apparation, but how are they tested to become Animagi? What animagus would you like to be?

I think there are rules for becoming an Animagi, same as for Apparition. Instead of the Three D's there's something else, like the Three C's-- Concentrate, Conceive, and Change. Something like that, haha! Of course powerful wizards will be there to transform them back if something goes wrong, too. But they have to be perfect before passing; to be able to do it in a split second without problem.

Do you have an ETSY (or any online craft) store? What do you make and are any items Harry Potter inspired?

No, but after the Harry Potter premiere, people liked my homemade t-shirt I made for it, so I make them for those who ask me to:

FRONT

BACK

Is this a hobby or are you hoping to someday make a career of it?

That'd be cool to make a career of it, but I doubt it will happen.

What do you do to promote your shop/website?

I wear my shirt out to places, or post pictures of it. 

If you would like one of Katie's shirts, post a comment below with your request. Thanks, Katie for sharing your snippets with us. Congratulations once again! Stay tuned for exciting new Book Beads coming soon. (Yes, Phantom has been in the studio for the last couple of weeks being tweaked/re-designed; you're not the first to request it. Awesome book!) 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or by Google Friend Connect/e-mail/plus to be informed of the next Giveaway from Just Charming! Keep reading everyone!

WINNERS  IN THE FAREWELL HARRY POTTER GIVEAWAY HAVE BEEN CHOSEN!

After a week of sorting and verifying entries, several lucky Harry Potter fans have been selected. Notifications have been sent this morning to the lucky winners by e-mail. By the rules of the giveaway, you now have **24 hours** to reply to the notice. If I do not hear from you within that time frame, a new winner will be selected from the list. Thank you for participating and look to the coming weeks for the winners to be featured here on this blog.

Felix Felices HARRY POTTER!

It took 8 months of solid research, effort and trying but it is now here! Spurred on by my obsession with JKRowling's series and encouraged by many to "further the cause", I have created the Harry Potter Miniature Book Bead Collection. Frankly, I just wanted something to do, while waiting for the last movie to come out (ahh, some months from now, gulp!). 

Sculpted entirely out of polymer clay, each pendant-sized book pays homage to all current titles in the Harry Potter saga, including Beedle, Fantastic Beasts and Quidditch thru the Ages. Polymer clay is a very interesting medium to work with. It is resilient, flexible and forgiving. I knew that I wanted details to show, so I opted for pendant- NOT charm-sized books. Shaping books from clay was a lot of fun! (It was a great way to relieve stress at the time. As in "Why has my copy of Beedle (UK ed) not arrived yet?"  Punch. Splat. Blob. Punch. Enough said.) I digress.  

Getting the image onto the clay was another matter. I had dreamed of immortalizing JKR's beautiful book covers into pendants. Fell in love with both US and UK editions. Not a stranger to image transfer techniques, I knew that this was going to be a challenge: getting double-sided images onto a book form. Following suggestions from fellow clay artisans, I tried a number of things, but none were full proof. Sometimes it worked. Most of the time it didn't. Just like Edison, I found 3000+ ways of how NOT to transfer an image onto clay:

In the end, it took a combination of chemistry, physics, baking, persistence and lots of patience to pull it off. The result: the Harry Potter Miniature Book Bead Collection:

 

The symbolic blocking of the US editions by Mary Grand Pre contrasted well with the scenic imagery of the UK book covers. I vacillated between the two, unable to decide which one I liked best. The final product reflects my indecision, as you end up with both US/UK book covers front/back.

Relief and detail on the mini books is evident here:

 It is essential that the image be sealed and a protective finish applied. Both glossy and matte finishes are available. This process takes several days to complete as each coat must be allowed to dry naturally.
 

Once I had the Book Beads, the possibilities were endless! As I write this, my mind is still reeling with ideas I can't wait to try out. Got any suggestions? I'm all ears. In the mean time, enjoy my Harry Potter Gallery crafted out of these polymer clay miniature books at my Etsy Store: Just Charming!

 

MATH with Harry Potter: High Finance at Gringotts

I lead a Harry Potter youth group at our church (that's right, at our church) and this is one of many activities we've done. A limited budget forces us to be creative.

TIP: it helps to spread out the tasks over a few weeks.
NOTE: when finished, these make great gifts!

 

Making Coins with a Basic Salt Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of fine salt
• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of water (may add more)

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, combine the salt and the flour
• Make a well in the salt/flour mixture and add the water
• Knead until smooth and shape into a ball
• When not in use, wrap in plastic or store in an airtight container
• HINT: To get a softer dough you can add more flour. Adding more salt will lend a more granulous affect. Note that the wetter the dough, the longer it will take to dry.
• Roll the dough out on a flat surface to 4 mm thick. Using three different bottle cap sizes (S,M,L), cut out "coin shapes". Stamp/etch the largest coins with a G, medium ones with an S and the smallest ones with a K. Do the same for the other side. You may also etch the rims of the coins using the tines of a fork. Air dry for about a week.
• Using acrylic or spray paints, paint the coins in the following colors: gold = galleons, silver = sickles, and copper metallic = knuts. Paint one side first & let dry. Then paint the other side.
• You will need to make enough of each coin for each child (suggestion: 10 galleons, 34 sickles, 29 knuts). Do not worry about maintaining perfect shapes for your coins. They're supposed to look uneven and imperfect.
• Store the coins in drawstring organza/cloth bags (we got ours from the Dollar Store) for each child.
  

Math with Harry

We printed the following exercise on parchment-like paper, rolled it up scroll-style, tied it with a string, and handed one to each child with a quill (pencil with a long feather glued to it).

If there are
17 sickles to a galleon
29 knuts to a sickle


1)How many sickles in 15 galleons?


2) Convert 5 galleons, 12 sickles into knuts.


3) How much change would Harry get if he paid for 9 galleons, 16 sickles and 29 knuts worth of candy with a 10 galleon pouch?


4) If Honeydukes was having a 20% off sale today and Harry bought 5 galleons worth of candy, how much would his total be in Sickles, excluding sales tax?


5) Plagued with guilt, Harry donated 51 sickles, 986 knuts to Herminone's E.L.F.S. cause. This is the equivalent of ________ galleons.

 

ANSWERS:

1) 255

2) 2813

3) None

4) 68

5) 5