HP Craftalong ~Summer Semester 2012~ *CLOSED*

[Naantje]

Class: Potions "A Forgetfulness Potion is something all first years must learn.  Create something that helps you remember."
House: Slytherin
Project Name: An honest feast
Brief Description:
In May, an uncle of mine died at a relatively young age (I think he was 66, he had only just retired) of aggressive stomach cancer. I wasn't particularly close with said uncle, the husband of one my father's sisters. We didn't see them all that often when the relationship with my dad was still good, and when my father stopped acting like a father and started acting like an idiot, we lost even that bit of occasional contact. Even so, I was really shaken when I heard about it and I felt incredible sorry for my aunt to become a widow at only 62.

I wrote her a letter back then, to offer whatever comfort I could give her. I'd done the same for my great-aunt when her husband had died somewhat over a year earlier, and I know that that has had a lot of impact for her. She told me at the funeral, and so did the kids, and at the new years celebration 8 months later, they all thanked me again for that kind letter (I think up to three, maybe four times during that day!) and my great-aunt told me that she still often read that card when she was feeling sad and alone... Knowing what an effect that card had had, I wrote to my aunt too. Not just the polite card of "My deepest condolences for your loss." but what I remembered of her husband and what he had been to me.

I told her I was shaken by the news, and that I mourned her husband. Even though we had never been close, I had good memories of him. To me, he was the man that would merrily be fixing things at my grandmothers, a bit of a handyman that would paint the fences, mend the tap and repair the bike. But more than that, he was the man that was passionate about growing vegetables. He did most of the gardening for my grandmother, growing simple things like carrots, pumpkins, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, leeks and lots more. Nearly every sunday we were at my grandmother's, he would also be there, fixing things and gardening and then having lunch together with us. A simple lunch, just some meat, potatoes from the garden and homegrown veggies, a cool beer on the side, that was a feast for my uncle. He thought me the joy that is in a homegrown carrot and showed us that happiness is in the little things. I told her that I know that he was so much more than that for her, and that therefore I couldn't imagine how big her pain must therefore be, but that I hoped she was surrounded by people that would help carry the pain so she would eventually be able to remember him with fondness, not with grief. I also told her that since the last contact we had, I had moved out of my mother's house, all the way to the Netherlands with my boyfriend and that we had just planted our own vegetable patch a couple of months back, inspired by my uncle's love of growing your own. In the letter, I promised her that with our very first harvest, we would commemorate her husband. Cooking our own meal straight from the garden, savouring the food like he would have, in all its simplicity.

So when we had our first harvest today, I stood by that promise. I picked the pods from the poles in the garden, shelled our harvest of peas and cooked us a simple and honest feast. To me, that seemed the most fitting way to honour him, celebrating his life, not mourning his death.

Project Picture:

Project page: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=412085.0

[Natasjadreams]

Class: Beater
House: Ravenclaw
Project Name: I beat the crochetmonster (and made a monster)
Brief Description: I've had everything to start crocheting for ages now, but somehow it scared me a lot. Now I've finally beaten crocheting and made my first little monster
Project Picture:

Class: Transfiguration
House: Ravenclaw
Project name: Cake pops
Brief Description: From old cake and left-over glaze into yummy cakepops ! I'm gonna have to write down this spell somewhere
Project picture:

Class: Herbology
House: Ravenclaw
Project Name: The Elder Whistle
Brief Description: We all now the wood from the Eldertree holds very old and powerfull magic, so I decided (with permission from the resident bowtruckle) to combine this magic with another ancient magic: Music !!
Project Picture:

[Eiseldora]

Class: Potions "A Forgetfulness Potion is something all first years must learn.  Create something that helps you remember."
House: Slytherin
Project Name: An honest feast
Brief Description:
In May, an uncle of mine died at a relatively young age (I think he was 66, he had only just retired) of aggressive stomach cancer. I wasn't particularly close with said uncle, the husband of one my father's sisters. We didn't see them all that often when the relationship with my dad was still good, and when my father stopped acting like a father and started acting like an idiot, we lost even that bit of occasional contact. Even so, I was really shaken when I heard about it and I felt incredible sorry for my aunt to become a widow at only 62.

I wrote her a letter back then, to offer whatever comfort I could give her. I'd done the same for my great-aunt when her husband had died somewhat over a year earlier, and I know that that has had a lot of impact for her. She told me at the funeral, and so did the kids, and at the new years celebration 8 months later, they all thanked me again for that kind letter (I think up to three, maybe four times during that day!) and my great-aunt told me that she still often read that card when she was feeling sad and alone... Knowing what an effect that card had had, I wrote to my aunt too. Not just the polite card of "My deepest condolences for your loss." but what I remembered of her husband and what he had been to me.

I told her I was shaken by the news, and that I mourned her husband. Even though we had never been close, I had good memories of him. To me, he was the man that would merrily be fixing things at my grandmothers, a bit of a handyman that would paint the fences, mend the tap and repair the bike. But more than that, he was the man that was passionate about growing vegetables. He did most of the gardening for my grandmother, growing simple things like carrots, pumpkins, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, leeks and lots more. Nearly every sunday we were at my grandmother's, he would also be there, fixing things and gardening and then having lunch together with us. A simple lunch, just some meat, potatoes from the garden and homegrown veggies, a cool beer on the side, that was a feast for my uncle. He thought me the joy that is in a homegrown carrot and showed us that happiness is in the little things. I told her that I know that he was so much more than that for her, and that therefore I couldn't imagine how big her pain must therefore be, but that I hoped she was surrounded by people that would help carry the pain so she would eventually be able to remember him with fondness, not with grief. I also told her that since the last contact we had, I had moved out of my mother's house, all the way to the Netherlands with my boyfriend and that we had just planted our own vegetable patch a couple of months back, inspired by my uncle's love of growing your own. In the letter, I promised her that with our very first harvest, we would commemorate her husband. Cooking our own meal straight from the garden, savouring the food like he would have, in all its simplicity.

So when we had our first harvest today, I stood by that promise. I picked the pods from the poles in the garden, shelled our harvest of peas and cooked us a simple and honest feast. To me, that seemed the most fitting way to honour him, celebrating his life, not mourning his death

Project page: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=412085.0

So beautiful

[cicijolee]

hello...am i too late? had dragon pox for almost the entire semester but hope i'll still be able to immerse myself in summer classes!!! i may not be able to complete many assignments but I'd love to take the classes and challenges~ please accept me as a fellow ravenclaw 

[pinkleo]

hello...am i too late? had dragon pox for almost the entire semester but hope i'll still be able to immerse myself in summer classes!!! i may not be able to complete many assignments but I'd love to take the classes and challenges~ please accept me as a fellow ravenclaw 

So happy that you are recovering from your bout of dragon pox.  It's never too late to join.  Come join the fun; I can't wait to see your crafty magic skills.

[IsikkahJai]

That Remberall Feast is so beautiful *sniff sniff dab dab* My favorite Aunt just got diagnosed with aggressive type breast cancer and she has a heart condition on top of it   Don't know what we're going to do yet but it makes me think if I'll have to do a Remberall ceremony sometime next year for her. If so, I want to do it like that---so lovely.

  HP-wise I have so many projects that I want to do that do double duty for Quidditch! I think I'm going to try embroidery for the Beater challenge and crochet me a House Pride scarf (GRYFFINDOR!!!!). Gotta get an edge on those Ravenclaws!!  

[raynebeauxx]

Class: Seeker
House: RAVENCLAW
Project name:seekers secret
Description: a secret good luck necklace  for seekers to wear  during a game.



This is my 2nd time making these (this one turned out better than my last that I made last year)
Try saying seekers secret 5 times fast LOL


I got a pet rat yesterday he is hairless I am stuck on a name.
Remus Or scabbers  OPEN TO ANY IDEAS AS WELL

[pinkleo]

I got a pet rat yesterday he is hairless I am stuck on a name.
Remus Or scabbers  OPEN TO ANY IDEAS AS WELL

I'm assuming boy.
If so, I'll add Mandrake (Drake for short) & Dobby into the name pool.
Both of these come right to mind when I picture a hairless rat.

[Eiseldora]

I didn't get as much time to craft today as I'd wished, but I was able to do another one of the Quidditch Challenges.

Class: ~*Seeker
House: Ravenclaw
Project Name: Snitch Stencil
Brief Description: I found a few images online of the golden snitch, and using Paint.net I edited them together to make an outline that will work as a stencil. I then traced it onto the pocket of the plastic folder and cut it out. I carefully cut it out so I can use it as both a positive and negative image.
Project Picture:

I'll make the buttons tomorrow night, so if you want one please let me know before 6pm PST Monday.

[jennieingram]

Quidditch: Chaser
House: Gryffindor!
Project Name: Red Dishcloth

Quidditch has been a great inspiration/excuse to craft several things I have been planning for ages.  This year I'm attempting to craft my Christmas presents over the course of the summer, so that I won't have anything to make in December.  I'm crafting lots of *useful* homemade items in bulk, like liqueurs, spice blends, soup & bread mixes, and crocheted dishcloths.  I have to say I was inspired to try making dishcloths by pinkleo, who sent me 7 of them two Christmases ago, and a few bonus ones last year. While I was initially afraid to use them because they were so pretty, I've found I absolutely adore them, and love not having to buy tons of sponges each month that just have to be thrown away.  

So, in order to "get my eye in" a bit as Ron might say, I curled up on the couch on most of Saturday and Sunday, and re-taught myself some basic crochet.  The first result was my Chaser project.  A super simple, bright red dishcloth.  I even braved how to change colors, so I could do a contrast border.  (Though I'm sure the second I wash it, the ivory will turn pink. )  I also have to say a big thank pinkleo for sending me the yarn and pattern book for 99 dishcloths!



Quidditch: Beater
House: Gryffindor!
Project Name: ROUND Dishcloths

Ok, so obviously in the above post I mentioned that I had to re-teach myself some basic crochet.  Here's a secret though....  I *never* managed to learn to work in rounds before.  Actually, the only crochet I ever really managed to do was making long winter scarves, with just the double crochet stitch, out of knobbly yarn, that could hide my mistakes.  Every time I tried to teach myself to make something round, it would turn into a big cone shaped mess.  It seemed that working in the round would always defeat me....  

This weekend I was determined to change that!  So, here is the result.  Not just one, but TWO round dishcloths!  I was pretty impressed with myself over the teal one.  It has spaces and bobbles!  



Well, they might not be impressive to everyone else, but I'm overjoyed with myself for focusing on something and working hard until I got it right.  Thanks pinkleo for making us push ourselves to new heights of crafting!!!