Quidditch...take 3.

What's that saying Muggles use? "Third time's a charm"? I typically use my wand to charm things on the first try, but this particular Quidditch seems to have put a jinx on my internet and this is my 3rd try getting it done. I hope Firefox doesn't mysteriously restart...again.

1. Who was Tom Riddle Sr.'s girlfriend before Merope gave him the love potion?
a. Eleanor
b. Cecilia
c. Sally
d. Mandy

2. What does Luna say floated into Harry's ear when he was in the train car that supposedly caused him to lose focus?
a. Demiguise
b. Jobberknoll
c. Wrackspurt
d. Runespoor

3. How much do the primary Apparition lessons cost?
a. 10 galleons
b. 8 galleons
c. 15 galleons
d. 12 galleons

4. What is Professor Merrythought's first name?
a. Eileen
b. Galatea
c. Carol
d. Jocelyn

5. What Hogwarts club was Eileen Prince captain of?
a. Charms Club
b. Gobstones Club
c. The Slug Club
d. Occlumency Club

6. Who is head of the Goblin Liaison office?
a. Ambrosius Flume
b. Dirk Cresswell
c. Ciceron Harkiss
d. Barnabas Cuffe

7. Mrs. Weasley offers Fleur a goblin-made tiara for the wedding with Bill. What family member is currently in possession of the tiara?
a. Aunt Muriel
b. Aunt Ethel
c. Aunt Edna
d. Aunt Thelma

8. How many points does Snape take from Gryffindor for Harry's late arrival and muggle attire?
a. 30
b. 70
c. 50
d. 90

9. When Profressory Slughorn first meets Hermione, he asks her whether she is related to Hector Dagworth-Granger. What society did Dgworth-Granger found?
a. The Most Extraordinary Society of Charms
d. The Most Extraordinary Society of Herbology
c. The Most Extraordinary Society of the Defense Against the Dark Arts
d. The Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers

10. Which of these describes Golpalott's Third Law?
a. The antidote for blended poison will be equal to less than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components
b. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to less than the product of the antidotes for each of the separate compenents
c. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the product of the antidotes for each of the separate compenents
d. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separtea components

Fun & Last Minute Preparations

I took advantage of the nice long weekend (it was parent-teacher conference time at Hogwarts, so there were no classes from Thursday afternoon until today!) and had fun getting my spoilee's package ready. Olive sent Marty off to pick something up, but he'll be back before the 21st and when he gets here, I'm sending him right back off to Hermione Bagnold!

Slytherin Quiz

#1 What are the three important things in Chapter 13 Harry needs to remember?
That the young Tom Riddle wanted to be special and different.
That he had no friends and was independent.
That he liked to collect "trophies" from his victims.

#2 What did Merope sell when she was alone in London before the baby was born?
Slytherin's Locket

#3 What does Mrs Cole like to drink?
gin


#4 What does Tom Riddle demand Professor Dumbledore do twice when they first met?
"Tell the truth"


#5 What did Mundungus nick from the Black house?
a goblet

Happy Halloween!

The halls at Hogwarts were buzzing today! Halloween is such a fun holiday, especially for young wizards. When I was still at home, the most fun was seeing all of the Muggle children who came trick-or-treating... dressed as what they thought witches look like! Little did they know, a real witch had just given them a treat. Except for the few that might have gotten a trick. I may have *accidentally* dropped a handful of cockroach clusters into the big candy bowl!
I miss being home for Halloween, but Hogwarts was just as fun!

One Super-Tired Owl!

Last week there was one super-tired owl waiting for me. He must've been exhausted along the way, because the package looked as though it had been dropped a few times.
Even so, "it's what's inside that counts" and the goodies inside were still safe, sound and wonderful!

I was waiting on this post until I had pictures, but I might be using the wrong photo uploading spell because it's just not working for me. I'll come back and add them later.

Opening this package was really fun... it seemed like every time I looked inside, there was something else!
An owl of my very own (won't have to share with my sister anymore!), a cat, and a snake...not an approved Hogwarts pet, but that adds to the fun! Also, some knitting needles in house colors!


A Hogwarts trunk full of goodies!

Loads of goodies- candy, a rubber witchy ducky, Slytherin stitch markers, lots of cute halloween towels/pot holders, some halloween socks, "The Little Box of Socks"--full of sock patterns, and a "Toobie". I could not for the life of me figure out what this was! Good thing Grandma Grubblyplank included the business card so I could go check it out! Maybe I'm the last to know, but it's sock yarn that's already knitted up, so instead of knitting it from a ball, you just unknit it from this Toobie as you knit it into a sock. At least that's my understanding...please correct me if I'm wrong!


And I better start knitting a little faster... a lot of misc. yarn was added to my stash by my spoiler, Grandma Grubblyplank.

Yikes!

Almost didn't notice the house quiz! And I think my answers may be too late. But I'll give it a go anyway...
Please post answers to this quiz by Friday night. If you finished the quiz from last week, your name will be entered into this weeks drawing but do not forget to post for this week!

1. Where did the first kiss between harry and Ginny occur?
a. The Gryffindor Common Room
b. The library
c. The hallway by the painted fruit
d. The Quidditch Field

2. Severus Snape made an unbreakable vow to whom?
a. Peter Pettigrew
b. Narcissa Malfoy
c. Harry Potter
d. Lily Potter

3. Why is Hagrid upset with Ron, Harry and Hermione?
a. They do not visit him anymore
b. They got in trouble with Umbridge
c. They did not take his class in their 6th year
d. They did not help bury Aragog

4. Who is the Half-Blood Prince?
a. Lucious Malfoy
b. Severus Snape
c. Tom Riddle
d. The Pepmobismal Queen Umbridge

5. At what age are you legally allowed to Apparate?
a. 14
b. 15
c. 16
d. 17

6. How long does it take to brew a batch of Felix Felicis?
a. One week
b. 3 months
c. 6 months
d. 1 year

7. What happens if you break an Unbreakable Vow?
a. You get detention with Umbridge for the rest of your life
b. Your toenails turn green and fall off
c. You die
d. You never are allowed to eat chocolate again

8. Which one of your roommates snores the loudest?
I can't rat on my roommates like that!
9. Which Hogwart's student is secretly dating the new DADA Professor Lucius Whitmarsh?
Wisteria
10. Describe your favorite item found in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!
Those little pygmy puffs are too cute! Although the love potions could come in handy.

Quidditch

No pictures this time, which is really just as well... I'll be posting some pictures this weekend. My awesome kit arrived yesterday. The lighting is not good in the dungeon, so I'll have to find a place suitable for photos tomorrow!

1. What animal does the portrait in the Muggle Prime Minster’s office resemble?
a. Rat
b. Frog
c. Cat
d. Lion

2. What drink does Romilda Vane try to give Harry?
a. Gillywater
b. Butterbeer
c. Pumpkin Juice
d. Elf-Made Wine

3. What is the name of the person who heads the Holyhead Harpies?
a. Gwenog Smith
b. Gwenog Jones
c. Glen Jones
d. Glen Smith

4. How many ‘Exceeds Expectation’ grades does Harry receive in his O.W.L’s?
a. 6
b. 3
c. 5
d. 4

5. What is Professor Sughorn’s favorite candy?
a. Cockroach Clusters
b. Sherbet Lemon
c. Acid Pops
d. Crystallized Pineapple

6. What tattoo is Harry reported to have on his chest?
a. Mermaid
b. Blast Ended Skrewt
c. Hippogriff
d. Unicorn

7. What color robes do the staff at the Weasley’s shop wear?
a. Buttercup
b. Magenta
c. Royal Blue
d. Aqua

8. What is the man outside Flourish and Blotts selling?
a. Amulets
b. Cloaks
c. Wands
d. Hats

9. How much is the skull, which Hermione enquires about at Borgin and Burkes, worth?
a. 9 Galleons
b. 18 Galleons
c. 16 Galleons
d. 12 Galleons

10. What are Professor Slughorn’s initials?
a. H.F.G.
b. H.E.F.
c. H.A.L.
d. H.K.D.

Searching the Skies

I'm keeping my eyes peeled for several owls that I know are coming my way.
-An order of yarn, including the yarn for my spoilee
-Another order of yarn, because yarn I contemplated but did not order went on sale the very next day. I decided that was a sign and couldn't pass it up!
-The package from my Gryffindor partner...she sent me a note to say it was on the way!!
-A package of magically-made doll clothes for a Muggle friend's daughter.

Other than that, I've been bogged down with homework and extra-curriculars. The good side of that is I rarely have the opportunity to see Olive around school...except of course for our weekly study sessions.

I enchanted my needles and made a tiny sock for a wee sock swap. It's my first tiny sock, and I must've mixed up the spell a bit, so I had to do some minor sock surgery.

My owl ate my homework!

This week's house homework is hard. I suppose it's not hard, it just takes more effort. It's an essay question and I've gotten quite used to the single word or multiple choice format!
I do have a study session with my smartypants sister Olive tonight. Maybe I can get her to "help" me.
In the meantime, I'm going to practice some of my Charms work.

Slytherin House Quiz #2

1. Are you a sock knitter?What are your foot measurements? I do knit socks...I start more than I finish ;) but 2-at-a-time magic loop style seems to do the trick. I wear a size 5.5-6.5 shoe, and my foot is about 8 inches long
   
2. Do you have a yarn winder and/or a swift? Neither. It's on my Christmas list!
   
3. Where/how to you keep you needles/hooks? Matilda Edgecombe sent me a lovely needle case last term! I keep many of my needles/hooks in there! I also use the binder that came with my Knit Picks Options and will probably order more inserts on my next order.
   
4. Do you collect anything? Not actively. My favorite animal is a moose, so people sometimes send me moose goodies. I also love Peanuts (Charlie Brown/Snoopy things) and I would like to decorate my scrapbook area with a few cute, funky robots.
   
5. What is your favorite type of music? Are you MP3 ready? I like most music. I typically listen to pop (?) whatever's on the general radio station. I also listen to country, oldies (when I was growing up my dad told me that was the only station besides sports radio that worked in the car), and showtunes I guess. I have an iPod and an mp3 player.
   
6. Do you like sweets? What are your favorites? I love them! I especially love chocolatey sweets, caramelly sweets, and pumpkinny sweets. I am not opposed to fruity or other kinds of sweets.
   
7. What is your living situation like? Any pets? Children? My living situation... I live in Military Family Housing. Since we have no kids, we are in a 2 bed, 1 bath. 1 bath is difficult to manage! It's been almost 3.5 years and I'm still getting used to sharing! Pets? well, I just won 5 hermit crabs for classroom pets! Other than that, my 2 cats live with their grandma (too $$$ to ship them over).
   
8. Do you have an online wish list (Amazon, Etsy, Loopy Ewe, etc.)? Please include links for your swap pal. No, I should work on one. Can you make a wish list on Etsy? Or is it just the favorites?
   
9. Favorite Harry Potter movie character? Hmm...Hermione, maybe?
   

Quidditch- 1st Round

1. At the beginning of the book, Cornelius Fudge is talking to the Muggle Prime Minister. Which member of the Order of the Phoenix has recently been found dead?
a. Hestia Jones
b. Elphais Doge
c. Emmeline Vance p.14
d. Dedalus Diggle

2. What animal does Bellatrix Lestrange kill when she and her sister, Narcissa, are going to see Professor Snape?
a. Owl
b. Fox p.20
c. Rabbit
d. Cat

3. What time does Professor Dumbledore collect Harry from Privet Drive?
a. Midnight
b. 11 p.m. p.43
c. Noon
d. 11 a.m.

4. What did Professor Sluhorn transform into when he was trying to hide from Harry and Professor Dumbledore?
a. An armchair p.64
b. A bed
c. A table
d. A wardrobe

5. What grade did Harry get for Herbology?
a. E – Exceeds Expectation p.102
b. P – Poor
c. O – Outstanding
d. A – Acceptable

6. Herbert Chorley, the Prime Minister’s Junior Minster, has been entertaining the public by impersonating which animal?
a. A hen
b. A duck p.17
c. A lion
d. A squirrel

7. What is Professor Sprout’s first name?
a. Pimmy
b. Pomony
c. Pommy
d. Pomona

8. What is Dumbledore’s idea of ‘a few words’?
a. nitwit, odder, blubber rand tweak
b. nitwit, odder, bubblegum and tweak
c. nitwit, oddment, bubblegum and tweak
d. nitwit, oddment, blubber and tweak p.644

9. Who is Marcus Belby’s famous uncle?
a. Bertie
b. Damocles p.144
c. Tiberius
d. Savage

10. What is Snape’s mother’s name?
a. Helana Prince
b. Eileen Prince p.537
c. Lily Prince
d. Elizabeth Prine

Pictures
Post pictures to your blogs or link to the pictures from your blog post.

Narcissa

Snape

Bellatrix

Professor Sprout

Professor Dumbledore

Picture Day!

It's Picture Day here at Hogwarts.
I usually hate picture day, it's so hard to choose an outfit to be forever immortalized in! Now that I'm at Hogwarts, it will be much easier... I do love school uniforms!
Here's a picture of me at Muggle School...when I was in 3rd grade.
And here I am in Muggle School last year: (one of the great joys of being a teacher is continuing to collect school pictures long into adulthood)

And finally, my first Hogwarts School Picture. Aren't magic photos great fun?

First night in Dorm 5

So like I said last time, I was nervous that having a Wartbobble as a roommate might be a bit of a drag. I just kind of thought that Headmistress Wartbobble's influence might insist on studying on our free time, going to bed early, keeping the room extra clean, etc. But it turns out that Winnie Wartbobble is quite a chatterbox! I was exhausted and ready to snooze and she started talking right when the lights went out. She told us about her earliest childhood memory...a happy one it seems, at Disneyland! I've never been to Disneyland. I have 2 early memories and I always wonder if they are really memories or not, because when I think of them, I mostly picture myself, so I don't know if it's stories I've heard or what. When I was very young, my grandparents were babysitting me while my parents were out. I remember standing at the front door in my pjs with my hair in a clip sticking straight up, like Pebbles Flintstone from that silly Muggle cartoon. I was looking for my parents to come back. My other one was when we were at the beach with my older cousins. I had long hair, so I might have been 4? I remember my cousin, who always enjoyed picking on me, pushing me under the water and I remember feeling like I was drowning, even though the water was barely high enough to cover my face when I was lying down and even though I had already been taking swimming lessons for years at this point. I remember the smell of my cousin's tanning lotion and my other cousin's white bathing suit with rainbow colored hearts on it. I also think I remember getting in a little bit of trouble for "crying wolf" and saying I had drowned. Obviously, I hadn't actually drowned, but for Pete's sake, I was probably 4 years old and may not have known the exact definition of drowned!

Greetings from Dorm 5

The topic of discussion amongst many Slytherin girls this past week has been dorm assignments. One of the older girls, Matilda Edgecombe, invited me to room with her. I thought it was great...then I found out that she and my big sister Olive are pals, and I'm wondering if Olive put her up to it, so she'd have someone to spy on me in the dungeon. I haven't asked Olive about it, because of course she'll deny any involvement. Anyway, Matilda seems really nice, so I'm not going to worry too much about the whole Olive thing.
My other dormmates are Cecily Fortescue, Emma Gorodok, and...get this...Winifred Wartbobble! Olive will be over the moon at that. Miss Wartbobble is, after all, our headmistress, and surely her influence will keep me on the straight and narrow. Cecily is a 2nd year, and Emma is a 4th year. I'm the only 1st year in the room! I hope they don't try to give me Canary Creams. Olive wrote a letter home about that her first year, and I've heard a couple rumors that some students have been passing them out to unsuspecting 1st years! Although, I do think that Nosebleed Nougat would be much, much worse!

Homework for the Headmistress

I thought I was done with homework for the week, but another assignment has been posted in the Great Hall. I figured I'd just go ahead and finish it now, although it's not due for a few days. This way I have more time to hang out in the common room and see if I can't find any of the secret passageways I've read about.

1. Potter Name: Jade Bladvak. I'm also used to responding to Olive's Little Sister.
   

2. Rav ID: knittingbec
   

3. I am allergic to: Coconut. Not really...but I don't like it so I always tell people I'm allergic.
   

4. Pets that I have: None that live with me.
   

5. My favorite yarn: It's hard to pick a favorite...I love the Dream in Color Colors, Malabrigo is so soft, and Claudia Handpainted was really nice to knit with.
   

6. If you are a Ravenclaw, do you prefer the film colors or the book colors? Much to my sister's dismay, I'm all SLYTHERIN!
   

7. My favorite flavor: Of what? If we're talking Skittles, I like red and purple best. I like chocolate all the time. Other flavors, I guess it depends on what I'm going for. Two flavors I NEVER go for are black licorice or hot-cinnamon.
   

8. My favorite holiday: Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas Do I have to pick just one?? Christmas and Thanksgiving are a tie...Halloween not too far behind.
   

9. I would like to receive a: (Sock kit, scarf kit or yarn dyeing kit) Sock kit or scarf kit.
   

10. List your favorite brand of needles or hooks, including size and length: My favorite (because I use them most often) are KnitPicks needles. I like long cables so I can use the same needle for magic-looping a pair of socks and then use it for a sweater or something. My favorite size depends on what I'm knitting I guess, although I tend to be a bit afraid of anything less than 0.
    

11. Is there a brand that you are dying to try?: Not necessarily. But I'm open to anything.
    

12. I’ve participated in HSKS: (How many times have you participated in HSKS swaps?) This is my 3rd time (twice as Ravenclaw Olive Bladvak)
    

13. Do you have a birthday during this swap? If so which day? Nope.
    

Slytherin House Quiz #1

Our first assignment was to answer some questions about our knitting likes and dislikes. Piece o' cake. So far, I'm not seeing why Olive acted like getting good grades at Hogwarts was such a big accomplishment.

1. Do you knit and/or crochet? I knit. I would like to crochet, but thus far I've only managed to confuse myself.
   
2. How long have you been at your craft? I've been knitting since about 2002, but constantly knitting since 2006 or so.
   
3. Do you spin? Nope. Don't have time (or space!) to add another hobby!
   
4. What type of spinning do you do (drop spindle or wheel)? No spinning for me.
   
5. Are there any other crafts that you participate in? I scrapbook and do some sewing. I also love to cook and bake.
   
6. What are your favorite yarns/fibers? I'm open to all kinds of yarns/fibers, depending on the project.
   
7. What are your LEAST favorite yarns/fibers? I tend to dislike yarns that split easily. I also don't do a whole lot with novelty yarns.
   
8. Are there any types/brands of yarn that you are dying to work with but haven’t gotten a chance? I've never worked with any Noro. Almost all of my yarn is bought online, so I tend to stick with what I know. I'd love to branch out and try what other people love!
   
9. What are your favorite types of projects to knit/crochet? I love making myself sweaters! I also do a lot of baby stuff, and 2-at-a-time socks.
   
10. What are you currently working on? A Clapotis for a birthday gift, a February Lady Sweater for myself (just the sleeves left!) and as soon as the yarn arrives, a pair of thrummed mittens.
    
11. Anything you plan to start this autumn? Some gift knitting...I want to make the Malabrigo slippers, a hat, some mitts, etc. And I'll probably sneak something in for myself too!
    
12. What is your favorite Finished Object? (Please, post a picture if you would like.) I have a feeling I am going to love my FLS when it's done. But so far, my favorite FO is my Minimalist Cardigan. (ravelry link)
    
13. Are there any knitting/crochet techniques that you would like to learn? I would love to be better at finishing--I'm not entirely confident in seaming or even in weaving in ends! And as I said in the 1st question, I would like to be able to crochet without frustration!
    

Evanesco, Olive!

I have a feeling that my "dear" sister Olive put some sort of charm on this magic diary of hers. While I managed to change the colors (thankfully! all that bronze was making me nauseous!) Olive's portrait refuses to budge! I'll have to do some creative spellwork...but as this is my 1st year and of course Olive is too much of a goody-two-shoes to break any underage magic outside of Hogwarts rules, it will require a lot of time & effort...and cracking open the hand-me-down textbooks. I also need to remove the Ravenclaw crests...stat!

Time for Change

Hey everyone, if you're here to see Olive, you're out of luck. I'm Olive's little sister, Jade Bladvak. Better known as "Olive's Little Sister." Olive is a 3rd year Ravenclaw, and since she's done so well in school, our mum and dad have decided to give her a new magic diary. And I'm the lucky recipient of her old one. I'm also "lucky enough" to get all of her old text books (I'm surprised she didn't want to keep them and re-read them...again) and even her old quill. A brilliant student like Olive deserves a new quill, you know. I almost thought that I would be using a hand-me-down wand. I almost fell over when I heard dad tell mum he would take me to Ollivander's this weekend.

I need to make some changes around here, first to get rid of all of this blue and bronze! The sorting hat has put me in Slytherin. And I think I'll fit right in.

Already?

It's hard to believe that the term is already coming to an end...and that talk of next term is already starting! (I haven't even used my yarn from last term!) It's also hard to believe that it was easier for me to blog regularly last term, when I was working the whole time, than this time around... so I hope that if the new term starts up in September, I'll be able to get into a good routine and keep up with everybody. Strange that I have more time for blogging and reading blogs when I'm at work than when I'm off for the summer! I think it's the fact that when I'm going to work, I have a set routine and fit everything in at a certain time... not having the routine, lots of things (like my laundry!) go undone!
Anyway... I'm waiting now for Marty to arrive at Matilda's house...shouldn't be much longer! I do hope she enjoys the package I put together for her!

Quidditch!

1. When Hagrid returns to Hogwarts after being sent to see the giants with Madame Maxime, Professor Umbridge questions him on his late return to school. She suspects that Hagrid had been to the mountains, but where does he tell her he has been?
a. Europa
b. Fiji
c North America
d. South of France

2. Professor Umbridge comes to Hagrid's Hut and searches his cabin one evening (as she believes Harry, Ron and Hermione are there visiting him at night when they are not supposed to). When she walks past the place where Harry, Ron and Hermione are hiding under the Invisibility Cloak, Harry holds his breath. True or false?
a. True
b. False

3. A stately-looking witch in an emerald green shawl is one of the members of the Advance Guard who rescues Harry from Privet Drive. What is her name?
a. Emmeline Vance
b. Dorcas Meadowes
c. Amelia Susan Bones
d. Bellatrix Regulax

4. What is the name of the witch who was killed two weeks after the photo of the original Order of the Phoenix was taken?
a. Alice Longbottom
b. Marlene McKinnon
c. Emma Fenwick
d. Dorcas Meadowes

5. Which two fifth year Ravenclaw students does Dumbledore choose to be prefects?
a. Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst
b. Luna Lovegood and Ernie Macmillan
c. Cho Chang and Michael Corner
d. Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil

6. Which house was Rose Zeller sorted into?
a. Gryffindor
b. Slytherin
c. Ravenclaw
d. Hufflepuff

7. What is the color of Murtlap's essence?
a. Pink
b. Peach
c. Yellow
d. It is transparent

8. Name the Ravenclaw girl who became prefect in Harry's fifth year.
a. Hannah Abott
b. Padma Patil
c. Luna Lovegood
d. Marietta Edgecombe

9. According to a healer's portrait at St. Mungo's hospital, which disease was Ron suffering from?
a. Splattergroit
b. Splittygrot
c. Spottygroit
d. Spattergroit

10. Which book did Harry give Hermione for Christmas?
a. "New Theory of Numberology"
b. "A Compendium of Common Curses and their Counter-Actions"
c. "Acheivements in Charming"
d. "Moste Potente Potions"

Picture Scavenger Hunt
Padma Patil

Hannah Abott

Percy

Dumbledore's Army

Cedric Diggory

(Extra 5 pts - What movie will Robert Patterson star in this December?)
Robert Pattinson will play Edward Cullen in the movie Twilight, set to release on 12 Dec.

Owls Waiting

(I wrote this post yesterday and then it disappeared... so I'm a little crabby about having to do it all over again and I'm just going to stick to the main points!) There were loads of owls waiting for me when I got back from Australia. Most importantly, something I was waiting for to send to my spoilee! The most exciting owl, though, was the one from my spoiler (who is the same as my spoilee!) Here's what I got:
In addition to some pretty paper (mulberry paper, I think is what my Muggle scrapbooking friend calls it) , tea, and a nice note from Matilda, there was also this:
Some Regia and Fortissima sock yarns in movie colors
Some star and moon stitch markers and matching earrings in a cute little ladybug box. The stars and moons really remind me of Lucky Charms marshmallows and I have since added Lucky Charms to the grocery list!
A cute little book full of sock patterns! This really made my day, as a sock pattern was missing from my last swap package.
Some super-pretty needles & stitch markers
A big and magical bag! I can fit a good-sized knitting project in here (like the February Lady sweater that the yarn for was waiting for me when I got back, or the Juliet that I bought yarn and buttons for in Australia!) The photo doesn't do the bag justice... and the inner fabric is magic wands!
And this needle case, which I have now put several sets of needles in!

I love it all, Matilda!! Thanks so very much!

Ravenclaw Cross-word

When I first saw the House quiz, I thought "Oh goody! I do love crosswords!". But only for a minute... I really had to think out of the box on some of the clues. Hope you can see my answers here.
Today I leave via PortKey to Australia. Boy I wish I could apparate! I actually have to take 3 separate PortKeys and one of them will take 10 hours! I will be out of Hogwarts for about 11 days, but I already gave a note to the Prefect!

Tagged!

I was lying in my dormitory, unable to sleep and noticed a little owl pecking at the window. Seems I've been tagged by Minerva Kwikspell! This is a fun little meme, and I'll sleep easier knowing that I'm helping Ravenclaw House by posting this week! (I've done this on my Muggle blog too, so this time around I answered as Olive)

Go to Flickr.com and type your answers to the following questions (one at a time) into the Search Box.

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favourite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favourite colour?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favourite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favourite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

Choose 1 image from the FIRST page of results, remember the image you choose doesn't have to be exactly what you were looking for - just the image you like best from the first page.

Copy your URLs to the Mosaic Maker here and publish your mosaic to your blog.

1. Olive, 2. toast bed (double divan), 3. Hogwarts Castle.., 4. Dressing room, now teal, 5. Harry Potter Dog at Barnes and Noble Cumberland, 6. Butterbeer, 7. A Bit of Ireland, 8. HOT FUDGE SUNDAE, 9. Little Professor Hand-held Calculator, 10. Magic Music Mayhem 2, 11. Determined Plumeria, 12. Tooting Bec Lido doors
1. Olive
2. Toast
3. Hogwarts
4. Teal
5. Harry Potter
6. Butterbeer, of course!
7. Ireland
8. Hot Fudge Sundae
9. Professor
10. Magic!
11. Determined
12. This one is funny... I looked up "knittingbec" and got no results, so I went for just "bec" (on my Muggle blog I went for just "knitting") and saw these doors in Tooting Bec... the funny part is that when I was first asked to make a username (I think on ebay?) I really wanted TootingBec...because I loved that underground stop so much that I had to have my picture by it, but TootingBec was already taken (by who, I can't help but wonder!)

Who to tag, who to tag? I'll try to look through some blogs tomorrow and see which of my classmates haven't answered yet!

Owls, Elves & Portkeys

Owls: There haven't been any owls flying my way lately (not even from my Grandma!) so I decided to take matters into my own hands. Yesterday I sent my sweet owl Marty off with an order to Knit Pickery. I had gotten word of a 40% off sale on their books & there were a few that I've been wanting. I ordered 50 Baby Booties to Knit, which has been on my wish list for a very long time, and The Best of Interweave Knits, because I'm dying to make myself the Marilyn sweater, and there are some others in there that I could see myself making as well. I was *thisclose* to putting the Charmed Knits book in my cart as well, but decided against it this time. Instead, I ordered some needles I need for some upcoming projects I have planned. That got me to $53.00 and you get free owling when your order is $50!
I also placed an order at another store for some yarn for those projects I have planned! So, owls should be coming my way soon!

Elves: Boy oh boy could I use a house elf right about now. I know they've been coming into the common room to start the fires each night, but I wish I'd be in there when they do... I'd love to see if I could convince one to give me some tips about how to keep my section of our dormitory clean. I feel so terribly about my mess...and the fact that my roommates have to live with it! I have a big pile of clean clothes, an even bigger pile of dirty clothes, and supplies for my Muggle scrapbook are strewn about!

Portkeys: In under 2 weeks, I will be taking a PortKey to Australia! I'm very excited, but nervous as I haven't signed up for my 2nd PortKey just yet. Need to do that today or tomorrow. I will go to the Gold Coast/Brisbane area first, then...don't forget to sign up for this PortKey!...to Sydney. I'm running in a Muggle marathon (but I'd love to see if I can sneak my broomstick in!) in Gold Coast, then sight-seeing and visiting a cousin studying at a school of Magic in Sydney.

Quidditch

1. At the beginning of the year feast, who is the only person who rudely interrupts Dumbledore during his speech?

a. Professor Snape

b. Professor Umbridge

c. Hagrid

d. Harry Potter

2. Off what street is the alley where Harry first met Sirius?

a. Diagon Alley

b. Little Whinging

c. Magnolia Crescent

d. Privet Drive

3. Tonks’ mother had two sisters, both pure-bloods, and both left on the Black Family Tree. What are their names?

a. Elladora and Meliflua

b. Bellatrix and Elladora

c. Narcissa and Bellatrix

d. Meliflua and Narcissa

4. What spell are the students studying in McGonalgall’s class when Umbrdige is doing her inspection?

a. The Acquiring Spell

b. The Shrinking Spell

c. The Demolishing Spell

d. The Vanishing Spell

5. Who comes to warn Harry and the rest of Dumbledore’s Army that Umbridge and her group of followers are coming to break up their meeting?

Answer: _______Dobby________________ (five letters)

6. Who are the members of the Order that met Harry Potter in the Dursely’s house during the summer before his fifth year?

a. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Alastor Moody, Sturgis Podmore, Dedalus Diggle, Hestia Jones, Elphias Doge, Nymphadora Tonks, Mundungus Fletcher

b. Alastor Moody, Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Nymphadora Tonks, Dedalus Diggle, Sturgis Podmore, Emmeline Vance

c. Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Remus Lupin, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, Hestia Jones

d. Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Sirius Black, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Sturgis Podmore, Hestia Jones

7. Moody used the Disillusionment Charm on Harry.

a. Yes

b. No

8. Which of these Death Eaters is Sirius related to?

a. Lucius Malfoy

b. Bellatrix Lestrange

c. Regulus Black

d. All of these

9. At what age did Sirius leave his home?

Answer: __________16_________ (Number)

10. How many of the original Order members were killed (don’t include those who disappeared)?

a. 9

b. 8

c. 6

d. 10

Picture Scavenger

Post these pictures to your blog. They must either be posted or linked to from your blog in order to receive points.

Kingsley Shacklebolt

Bellatrix Lestrange

Nymphadora Tonks

Remus Lupin

Herbology

I got a great gift this morning from a friend who is moving away. She brought me a big planter full of... well, plants! My friend and I have eaten many lunches together and I often mention that it's not always easy to find the herbs we need in the produce shop in our little village. So, today she brought a planter full of rosemary, basil & mint! Now my mind is racing, trying to think of what I will make with my new herb garden (luckily, the house elves understand how I like to cook and don't mind if I experiment in the kitchen with them)! Professor Sprout is letting me keep it in a corner of the greenhouse, and it's hard for me to keep from walking over there just to smell it...it just smells so good!

Birthdays at Hogwarts

Birthdays at Hogwarts are always a special treat... especially when there's a double birthday! You should see the "cake" that was in the great hall today to celebrate the birthdays of Megaera Black and Ceciley Fortescue! Talk about yum! I think it may just be my new favorite type of cake... I don't really care for frosting, and that cake solves that problem for me more effectively than scraping it off and giving it to someone else!

Not lost in the dungeons!

Don't worry... I haven't gotten lost in the dungeons, nor have any of the horrible fates that Professor Trelawney has predicted for me come to pass. I've just been terribly busy. But I have a feeling that everything will get a lot easier in just 42 hours! Maybe that will get me an A in Divination!
I did conjure up some simply magical cupcakes this morning for a function... the link to the recipe can be found on this blog: Bakerella

House Quiz

I'm trying to finish the House Quiz, but my internet is moving SO slowly! I figured I better quickly post so as not to miss the deadline while waiting for pages to load so I can read about my classmates!
I've been so, so busy. In the next few days, though, my job of helping Muggle students learn to read and do math will be over and I can just focus on my work at Hogwarts. I can't wait!

Quidditch Round 1

Quidditch Trivia

1. Which of Arabella Figg’s cats ran out from under the car?

A. Tibbles

2. Which of the following is NOT one of Albus Dumbledore’s middle names?

A. Ignatius

3. Which educational decree introduced a High Inquisitor to Hogwarts?

D. (3?) 23

4. Apart from Harry, Ron and Hermione, who was the first person to enter the Hog’s Head that showed an interest in Harry’s Defence Against the Dark Arts classes?

B. (1?) Neville Longbottom

5. In the first Quidditch match of the year which player attempted to score first?

A. Angelina Johnson

6. What kind of bush does Harry hide behind to listen to the news?

B. A hydrangea bush

7. Why is Mundungus Fletcher disguised as a woman when he witnesses the DA (Dumbledore’s Army) meeting in the Hog’s Head pub?

B. He was banned from the Hog’s Head pub 20 years ago.

8. When Harry and Cho go on their first date to Madam Puddifoot’s in Hogsmeade, what is it decorated with for Valentine’s Day?

A. Golden cherubs and pink confetti

9. How old is Sturgis Podmore and where does he live?

A. 38 and number 2 Laburnum Gardens Clapham

10. What did Fred and George Weasley do to Montague?

A. Forced him head-first into a Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor. Picture Scavenger Hunt: Fred & George Weasley together
Hog's Head Pub
Sirius Black
Mr. Weasley & Harry (together)
Draco Malfoy

A First!

Emma Gorodok has challenged us to post about a knitting first.

I've had a few knitting firsts, and many of them fairly recently. Finishing my first wearable sweater, my first magic loop socks, my first cabled project, my first time using Malabrigo, my first swap, etc.

But today I will share with you my first knitted gift. My first knitted gift was completed a year and a half ago for my "grandneighbor" Phoebe. It was my first completed blanket too. I gave the gift twice...the first time, at the baby shower, it was unfinished and still on-the-needles. The second time, I finished it up and took it over, just in time... I didn't realize that the baby had come the day before and was coming home from the hospital that day! Her dad took the blanket to the hospital, and the first thing I saw when I met little Phoebe was my blanket. Which I guess is her blanket. And her first handknit blanket to boot!

6 Questions

Although I haven't been formally tagged, I saw this questionairre while visiting some of my classmates and thought I'd give it a go.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago? Well 10 years ago, I was just a wee 3 years old. My little sister Emerald Bladvak had just been born and my sister Jade was having a tough time adjusting to not being the baby anymore. The family lore says that when I was 3, I got hold of my dad’s wand and cast my first accidental spell and flooded the kitchen. Having no real recollection, I’m not sure I believe it!

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today: 1. Finish up some homework for Potions. 2. Finish writing a letter to my grandmother so I can send it when the owls get back to work on Tuesday. 3. Work on knitting my Ophelia cardigan. 4. Catch up with my classmates. 5. take a nap

3. Snacks I enjoy: Chocolate Frogs (or any other chocolate item), chips & dip, pretzels, apples with peanut butter, Chex Mix. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (the Muggle version of Bertie Botts)

4. Places I’ve lived: Just outside of London, Ravenclaw Tower

5. Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Open some kind of cute shop in Hogsmeade, invest in some broomstick stock, travel- including a Muggle cruise with my family, stock up on yarn

6. Who I want to know more about: Any of my fellow Ravenclaws or any other Hogwarts classmates!

No Owls

I love holidays. I especially love holidays when we get a day off school. But the worst thing about holidays is definitely that there are no owls swooping in during breakfast! I realize that the owls need a day off every now and then too (although they do have Sundays to rest, don't they?) but I so look forward to getting mail that it just makes me cranky when there isn't even a chance of getting any...especially when I know there are some good things heading my way, such as some yarn for a gift project, some stitch markers for a knitting friend and a new magazine. I'm sure there are more owls I'm expecting that I've forgotten about!
In the meantime, I suppose I'll just enjoy the owl holiday and work on knitting Ophelia. We have 2 Ophelias here at Hogwarts, but hopefully in a few days, there will be one more... the Ophelia cardigan (pattern by Elizabeth Klett)! And, when my fingers need a break from knitting, I'll be sure to finally catch up on Google's Magical Reader. I got everyone's name loaded in and now I need to read some 300 posts...guess I don't actually need any owls to bring me reading material after all!

Homework

It's just been so hard for me to get into a nice routine here at Hogwarts this term. I have a feeling things will all fall into place in 16 school days! After that, some tutoring I've been doing for a group of young Muggles (my dad volunteered me for that through the Ministry) will be over and I'll be able to only focus on Hogwarts...and knitting!
I will have about an hour and a half of solid knitting this evening, as I've agreed to go watch Viktor Scamander and some of his Gryffindor pals play baseball. One of the boys played on a Muggle team all his life, and is teaching them to play. It should be interesting to see if anyone tries putting any charms on the ball...or the players!
I did manage to finish the Ravenclaw House Homework. If you haven't done yours yet and want to figure it out on your own, you should stop reading here... Otherwise, scroll down a bit to see it.











Can you keep a secret? The Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix is at No. 12 Grimmauld Place

Already Swamped!

My sweet grandmother has a sign on her icebox that says, "I was put on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I'm so far behind, I'll never die!" Well, I'm definitely feeling that sentiment right now! It's been slow-going getting all of the blogs into Google Reader. I can't keep track of which students changed houses, are taking a sabbatical from Hogwarts, and there's a few that have even changed names! Ravenclaw is obviously where I'm meant to be, as I printed out a spreadsheet of all of the names, blogs, etc. so I can mark them off as I add them (or find they are still there from last term) in Google Reader. I've only gotten about 1/2 way through Ravenclaw house so far! The problem is, I keep getting sidetracked and going to post on the blogs. I wish I had a Rememberall so I'd be able to find my Time Turner.
Besides getting my social activities organized, I've also been quite busy with homework, knitting (just finished a gift for a friend yesterday...then started something for myself), and going for walks and runs around the grounds. I'm always exhausted... I only just managed to be awake at the same time as the 2 girls I share a dormitory with, Agatha Vablatsky and Emma Lovegoods. They do seem quite nice! I only hope that all my yawning didn't make them feel that I was bored with them! It's always hard to get back in the swing of things when you return to school. I remember feeling that way when I attended Muggle elementary school too. Well, my eyelids are beginning to feel heavy... maybe just a quick nap so I can be awake later for some good conversation with Agatha and Emma.

Ravenclaw Homework

I thought I had taken care of the magic links on the sidebar, but must've neglected to hit "save changes" after adding about 20 names! That's what I get for mixing Muggles & magic... I was talking on the telephone to a cousin of mine. I'm going to get back to that when I have lots of time to focus on that alone, but for now, I'll start off with my first Ravenclaw Homework assignment.

My name is Olive Altheda Bladvak. I was named for a shade of my mother's favorite color and a character in her favorite childhood story from Tales of Beedle the Bard ("The Fountain of Fair Fortune"). I am the oldest of 4 girls, and my sisters are all named for shades of green as well: Jade, Emerald & Kelly. My parents met at Hogwarts years ago, when my mother was a third year Ravenclaw and my father was a 5th year Hufflepuff. We live in London, very close to the Ministry of Magic, as my father likes to start each of his days at the Goblin Liason Office with a brisk walk to work. My mother's favorite class was always a History of Hogwarts, and she works part-time at the Museum of Quidditch.
As much as I enjoy the company of my sisters, I am glad to have Hogwarts to myself for the time being. Although I was quite nervous when I arrived at Hogwarts last year, I've found that I fit right in in Ravenclaw House (just as my dad was sure I would!) because I love to think, read, write, and yes, even do homework! I think I might like to grow up to become a professor here at Hogwarts some day. When I'm not studying or trying to meet up with my housemates for some chatting by the fire in the common room, I much enjoy knitting, reading for fun, running, and cooking. Of course, I've only been allowed to cook in the Muggle fashion thus far, so I can't wait until I can start incorporating magic into my cooking and baking like my mum does! I also like to sew; I only wish my good old Muggle sewing machine would work at Hogwarts. Too much magic buzzing around. A good friend of mine showed me how to make a Muggle scrapbook, so I love to do that now too! Oh, and I mustn't forget that one of the things I most enjoy doing is getting Owl Post! My grandmother and I write each other often and between letters to her and new yarn deliveries, my owl Marty (short for Martini) is kept very busy!
I've been fortunate to travel to many places with both of my parents, as their jobs often have them collecting information from interesting places. I've been to Greece, Italy, Germany, a few other places in Europe, Japan (we even used a PortKey to get to the top of Mount Fuji!), Mexico and the United States. Interesting magic all over the world! I love to travel, especially by Floo, and we've even taken a few rides on Muggle airplanes. I guess they're more comfortable than broomsticks for long flights. Still, my dream is to go somewhere where I will see a moose. I just love moose, and though I have a growing collection of moose things, I've yet to see a real one!
I don't know what other information to include in my biography... I'm only 13, so I haven't a whole lot to write about just yet. I do hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about me and my family!

Housekeeping, part 2

Well, I managed to magically link to all of my classmates. Now I'm off to get everyone entered into the magical device that will allow me to see all of my classmates updates without clicking on every single link! That will really help me manage my time, especially with my new classes this year. In addition to continuing the courses we started last year, I've opted to take Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. I know many people think Divination is silly, and I'm not sure I disagree...but I think the classroom must be so pleasant to be in, with the floor cushions and all, so I've decided to give it a try. I'm going to go finish getting ready for the term, I'm looking forward to stopping by and visiting some old Hogwarts friends, and new ones too!

Housekeeping

Now that we are returning to Hogwarts, it's time for some housekeeping. Some of my classmates from last year have not returned to Hogwarts and some have returned but switched houses. Not to mention all of the wonderful new students who are joining us. That's why I've been taking some time to do some housekeeping in this magic journal of mine. I've gone through and deleted, added & corrected my fellow students and the spells that will take one to their magic journals. I only managed to get through the Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors so far... the Hufflepuff & Slytherin sections are still out of date. Not all magic is just a quick flick of a wand away, and it's taking a very long time. Next I will have to update the fantastic Muggle tool called Google Reader, which has been instrumental in keeping me up-to-date on what all of the other students are up to. The beginning of a term is such a busy time...but also a very exciting time!

Almost time!

I'm just taking a break from packing my trunk for the return to Hogwarts. The term begins on Monday and I can't wait to meet the new students. I'm relieved that one of the new students won't be my little sister Jade after all. I love her, but like I said, I'm glad to be "on my own" at Hogwarts. After I write this journal entry, I'm going to go see if I can't get the pictures from my swap kit to come up now. Last time even carefully chosen spells couldn't get the pictures to show.
A few students are participating in some kind of inter-house wizardship program. I'm not sure of all the details, just what I've heard via owl or in the Daily Prophet, but apparently there will be some house-switching in order to promote school unity. I have a feeling this term will be even more fun than last! Well, back to check that I've packed plenty of clean robes & all my spell books!

Owls galore!

[None of my attempts at loading pictures right now are working... so I'll have to come back and add them a little later...]

I received my kit in the mail on Tuesday. (This has been a great mail week...4 packages, 3 knitting related!)
My kit came to me from Clara Clovenhoove, a Gryffindor. I knew it was "it" when I got the box, but waited and grabbed my camera first!

I got some really lovely yarn from Crazy 4 Dyeing. The colors are just gorgeous and the yarn is soft.

The bag is both knit and sewn... it's a dark blue and very soft yarn with a bronzey fabric lining with stars.

The stitch markers go along with both the color theme & the star theme of the bag.

And I got 2 circular needles, so I can try some socks on 2 circs (I've mostly been doing Magic Loop on 1 long needle) That will be a new technique and a new brand of needles to try out soon! (Oh, and a good excuse to get a new knitting book!)

Thanks, Clara! I can't wait to get to that beautiful yarn... I have a large pile of yarn building up though and a couple of must-finish projects first.

Term Break and good mail!

I haven't been journaling much lately, as I've been relaxing and enjoying time with my family while away from Hogwarts. I love being at home, but I find myself missing all the friendship and adventure at Hogwarts! The lack of homework, though, is allowing me to get some knitting done! I finished a pair of socks last week, started another one (a gift), and started a scarf (another gift!)

Although I haven't had the joy of receiving my sock kit yet, I was very pleasantly surprised to receive and owl with my 2nd prize of the term... some Gryffindor colored Lorna's Laces sock yarn. It's called "Parry Hotter", and came with a note explaining that it's an exclusive colorway! Even though I'm not a Gryffindor, my boyfriend Viktor Scamander is, so I'll be able to wear some Gryffindor colored socks to secretly support him during Quidditch matches, while still showing my Ravenclaw pride! I promise I'll take a picture of the Lorna's Laces and the Faery Fiber's Fawkes yarn that I won in a House Quiz soon! I finally got new batteries for my muggle camera, and now it works like a charm. (Could be the longevity charm I put on the batteries before putting them in the camera!)

I am looking forward to signing up for the next sock kit swap! My sister Jade may be attending Hogwarts this year. Her birthday is right at the cut-off date, so my parents may talk to the headmistress about keeping her home for one more year since they think she might not be quite ready for all the responsibility that comes with studying magic away from home. I'd never tell my parents this, but I hope they do decide to keep her home... I like enjoying Hogwarts without having to keep an eye on my little sister. I'm sure they'd expect me to remind her to study and keep her out of trouble. She can be a bit of a trouble-maker, so that would really take away from my own study time. At least I can be fairly certain that she would NOT be sorted into Ravenclaw. Then I would only be responsible for looking after her in the main areas of the castle, and could just do my own thing when I'm in Ravenclaw Tower.

'Tis better to give

than to receive. Or at least maybe just as good!
I'm still looking forward to the arrival of an owl with a package for me, but I really did have such a great time reading about all the stuff I sent to my pal, Perpetua Phoenixfire. You can read about it and see pictures here.
I think I must've had as much (or maybe more) fun reading her re-cap of it as she did opening it all up!
Also, Marty arrived back home today with some Muggle spells to increase (or, in one of our cases, decrease) the amount of galleons in your bank. I think the Muggles call them taxes. Even though I would've thought Marty'd be tired after all that traveling, he was still feeling strong enough to carry two parcels! Besides the tax spells, he brought a notebook from a 6th grader at a Muggle school. The notebook had already traveled around the western and midwestern United States, where each host wrote a journal entry and added some photos. The teacher included a note saying to send the book back to the class on May 1. I added some pictures and information right away and prepared to send it off to a friend in a frosty Muggle village in Alaska. After some quick treats for Marty and a quick snuggle, I sent him back off with the notebook, the Muggle tax spells, some birthday cards and letters. Poor Marty!

Way to go, Marty!

I heard today that Marty made it all the way to my partner, Perpetua Phoenixfire (the Gryffindor). I'm so glad that he made it (he did have an entire ocean to cross after all!) and especially glad that my partner liked the package! I was so nervous about both! My partner has been involved in a lot of swaps, and since this was my first one, I was a little bit afraid that I might be doing it all "wrong". But her happy words on my blog and on the main blog just brightened my day! Very exciting! Now I'll be waiting for Marty to get back here, because I have some letters I need to send out to my grandma, my aunts and a couple friends whose birthdays I've missed! It didn't take him as much time as I thought it might to get all the way to Perpetua's house, so here's hoping that he'll be back soon and I can get all those things sent off!

Yum!

I just have to share the recipe for some deliciously magical brownies! I'm glad to be on term break so I can hang around with our house-elf taste-testing some yummy sweets! In need of a sugar rush? Click here!
I wonder how long it will be before Marty gets back from dropping off my partner's owl. He has quite a trip...maybe another week or so before he returns. In the meantime, I'll be watching the skies for an owl bringing my own swap kit!

Bye, Marty!

My sweet owl Marty took off yesterday with the package for my spoilee! He has a long long journey ahead of him, so I hope he doesn't get too tired and drop the package. There are a couple of breakable things in there! I hope it gets there soon so I can breathe easy...I'm not only hoping that it makes it there, I'm also hoping that my partner will love it! Or at least enjoy it!

Oh boy!

I went to read the Daily Prophet today and saw my name there! I won an award for being one of the Most Consistent Bloggers! Very exciting! I've had such luck lately with owls coming my way with wonderful goodies... my yarn order, some new Muggle clothes to wear once we get off Platform 9 3/4, some sickles from my grandma...I can't wait to see what my prize will be!

A Magical Package!

No, not my swap partner's owl yet (but that's okay, since I haven't sent mine out either...no matter what my intentions are, I guess I'm just a last-minute kind of gal!) but a wonderful package from a Muggle-net knitting store called Eat.Sleep.Knit In addition to the yarn I ordered, which was pretty wonderful (and I'm already making a list of the possible yarns I could buy for next term's swap partner!), there were all sorts of great extra goodies in the package! A free pattern! Color cards (but not for the colors...for the different types of yarn offered at the store)! Candy! Scratch-offs! And a winning scratch-off for me! If I had that much fun opening that package, I can only imagine my excitement when the owl arrives with my swap package!

Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

There sure were lots of tricks going on around here yesterday! April Fool's day was full of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and other practical jokes. One of my classmates got me by saying there was a small rip in the back of my robes. Some of the other girls were all excited about Professor Black covering all of our classes yesterday... they were April Fooled as well.

April 1st also means that this term at Hogwarts is rapidly coming to an end. Good thing another term is right around the corner!

Accio, Socks!

I finished my sweater yesterday afternoon and it's blocking now. I hate the way it smells.
With the sweater finished, the idea of sitting and doing nothing just didn't appeal to me. So I planned to work on a pair of socks that I've been "working" on for months now. Until they were replaced by my sweater sleeves, they were my "little project" for taking with me in the car or if I anticipated a wait somewhere. Well, I have no idea where they are! I tried an Accio, socks in the common room and in my dormitory with no luck. So I decided to start a new pair! I spent some time with my hand upon the Fawkes yarn that my Prefect sent me, but decided not to use it until I am sure I can make a really nice pair of socks with it. Good thing, too...I'm 6 rounds in and I fear I may have already made a mistake!

Transfiguration: Saturday Session

A visiting professor from a wizarding school in Asia was here for a special session of Transfiguration. First, he gave some background information about dragons. Chinese dragons are much different from our own European dragons. They are long and built like snakes, with just 2 legs (I think...our dragon had only 1 leg, because the other leg would be inside the vase) The dragon we made was a Lung Li or sky-ocean dragon. It doesn't need wings to get to the sky. It just sort of slithers through the clouds. Chinese dragons also dwell in the mountains, but there are no mountains where this professor is from, so we left those out. It turned out to be a transfiguration lesson like no other... I hardly used my wand, instead we used our hands and a series of strange incantations that went sort of like "grape, fat carrot, sweet potato, crescent moon, flat semi-circle" and all of a sudden, we'd turned a piece of clay into dragon eyebrows! Piece by piece, our dragons began to come together! It was a very cool project, but the visiting professor has to take them back to his school where they have a kiln. He must have some strong and reliable owls to bring them back in a few weeks or a month. Here's a picture of the vase before firing. This isn't the vase I made, but (hopefully!) mine is a lot like this. I forgot to take a picture of mine before it was packed up for transport.

I can't wait until my finished and fired vase comes back!