My Amazing Sister and A Crafting Adventure:

Recently I was sitting in my car, listening to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when I heard the book mention that Ron wore a pair of maroon paisley pajamas. This detail screamed to be reproduced. The next day I took time that should have been devoted to homework and re allocated it to a trip to Hobby Lobby. When I got there the cutest fabric for my girly rendition of Ron's sleep wear fashion was on sale. The crafting gods were smiling down on me, this was meant to be. Or so I thought. After I realized that I had no access to a sewing machine on campus I drove an hour to use a sewing machine only to find out the needle was broken, had two failed attempts at making shorts, and broke the shirt I made, it was clear that I had mistaken a smirk for a smile. It was not meant to be.

I saved the fabric from my mess ups because it was too cute to throw away and out of hope that it could find new life in a different project. Sure enough my visit home over spring break brought that different project. My sister was browsing tumbler, as always, when she came across a tutorial for a corset-like coffee cup sleeve which she decided to try. While she was making some for her female friends in theater I asked her if she would be willing to make me one and she kindly said yes. She asked me what fabric I wanted and with an unintelligible and excited reply I ran upstairs and dug out the beautiful fabric I had brought with me just in case.

She did an amazing job making the sleeves for all of us!

Whenever my sister and I get together we have a ton of fun, even when we are just doing crafts. She is way funnier than I will ever be and she is just awesome. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the night.

"Don't take a picture of me trimming it! Than everyone will know that I dun goofed"

"Where did the hole go?"

"Where am I pulling things out of?" was exclaimed in the middle of her flipping the holder right side out. 

"Dang it, I forgot to cut corners"
"Isn't it a saying that you SHOULDN'T cut corners?"
"Well you definitely should."

"It is way too late, gurl"

"You can mention that I'm really bad at doing invisible seams. That's why I'm dong top stitching..."
"Top stitch?"
"That’s where you uh... stitch... on the top"

Fred and George’s Best Quotes: An Introduction

I hope you liked these quotes that I found floating around the internet. What are your favorite Fred and George moments?

Kai-Tea: A Dreamless Sleep

After Harry sees Voldemort return in Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore suggests to Madam Pomfrey that Harry take a potion that will put him into a dreamless sleep. The potion is described as being purple and this tea will get the hint of purple from the lavender in it. 

Ingredients: For this tea you will need chamomile, lavender, and peppermint. To sweeten it I like to use honey but you can use whatever sweetener you like.

Directions: 

First add a larger base of the chamomile to the infuser.*Chamomile is often used as a calming agent because of its wonderfully relaxing smell*

Than add a pinch of lavender. *Lavender is another herb that is used a lot for relaxation. It can be found in almost every product labeled for sleep and relaxation.*

Finish it off with a small pinch of peppermint. Let it steep for 3-5 minutes than add a bit of honey to finish it off. *Peppermint is a calming sent to me but feel free to leave it out if you would like.*

You can always change the proportions depending on personal preference and you can leave out ones you don't like.**My general rule for recipe modifications is that I follow it exactly the first time I make it, than I will make changes from there.

I AM NOT A  DOCTOR and you should always make sure you do not have an allergy to any of the ingredients before using them!! If you want to see a very detailed list of all the uses for these herbs, search them on WebMD!

If you make this tea let me know how it goes! If you have any questions for me about it, you can ask in the comments below.

NovelTea: Is Going It Alone All That Glorious After All?

In this video I talk briefly about one of the things that makes Harry a hero in my mind.

Dream Dust: Spellbinding Incantations

The magical world of Harry Potter is home to a whole slew of magical spells and incantations. If you had the chance to create your own spell, what would it be? Write a short story that includes the spell. Make sure to describe what it does, how it is done, the incantation, and when it should be used. 

Write what you come up within the comments below.

Kai-Tea: Rennervate

The Rennervate spell is used to bring someone out of unconsciousness and this caffeinated tea does that for me. I love coffee and I appreciate its bold flavor and its ability to wake me up but I like English Breakfast tea much more. It gives me that extra jolt that I find myself needing throughout the day and it is kinder on my stomach than coffee. I find that this tea blend is the tea drinker’s version of coffee because of its bold flavor and caffeine level.

When I make my English Breakfast tea I usually fill my infuser and leave it in my cup the whole time I’m drinking it. I than add half-and-half and sugar to it, the same way I would sweeten my coffee. I usually reuse the tea to make myself a second cup after I’m done with the first because it’s just that good.

Leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite wake-me-up is or how you drink you English Breakfast tea.

Dream Dust: The Horror From Here

In Chapter 30 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire We find out about Barty Crouch’s past and we are shown the traumatic day when he had to send his son to Azkaban on the charge of using the cruciatus curse on Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom.  Re-write a part of that scene from the point of view of either his son or his wife.

Dream Dust: Magic Comes in all Forms

One of the forms that magic takes in the Harry Potter novels is in the creatures that inhabit it. In Goblet of Fire alone we encounter Blast-Ended Skrewts, dragons, unicorns, merpeople, a sphinx, and a few others. Come up with your own magical creature and write about someone’s first encounter with it.

Leave your response to this prompt in the comments below. I’m looking forward to seeing what you write