Harry Potter Birthday

The opening of the new Harry Potter movie was within a few days of my 26th

birthday, and since we like to have fun movie premieres see here , here, and here...

I thought it would be fun to mix my birthday and the premiere party

into one giant themed event. First I have to say, if you haven't already noticed,

I have the best friends, they get into every theme and are so helpful and

supportive, that throwing and enjoying parties with them is amazing.

Thanks to all my wonderful friends, I feel so loved.

I made the invitations to look like mauraders maps. The hills in my area

are on the front, an areal map of my street on the inside with the footsteps

of Bethany Lestrange leading to my house. There were also a few footsteps

around the Thanksgiving Point movie theater showing where we were

going later in the evening. "I solemnly swear Im up to no good"

"Mischief managed"

We decorated my studio to look like a tent in the middle of the forest

at night. We knew that most of the movie (HP 7.1) would take place

with the main characters traveling around looking for horcruxes,

staying in a tent. Autumn leaves, pinecones, pumpkins, pine scented

candles, spooky twigs, moss, and nuts....

Angie gave me this Hedwig owl for my birthday who looked

fabulous with the other owls that we had collected and tucked

in here and there among the decor.

Laura also had a very authentic looking "Tales of Beadle the Bard"

Everybody got a pic-nic box filled with treats that every one

contributed to. Jars of butterbeer accompanied every box.

The butter beer was amazing, thanks Laura for mixing up

such a yummy concoction.

Libby and Kelly helped put my hair into really small curlers,

really late the night before. Day of, Angie helped riv up the curls

Bellitrix style.

The

Durtschi's made these two amazing cakes.

The first one looks like the one Hargid made for Harry's

11th birthday, and the second is a sugary forest dream,

Cocont with vanilla and chocolate mirangue mushrooms.

I made everyone wands buy threading wooden and glass breads onto

wooden dowels. Designing the different wands looks was way too fun.

The meal consisted of Laura's amazing meat pies, Libby's

tasty gilly weed salad (spiralized simple pickles), veggies and

dried fruits, and cookies! The stripped and spiral ones were

made by the Durstchis, and the lightening bolt cookies were

the creative genius of Kate and Nick. They created their own

custom lightening bolt cookie cutter, and sandwiched gold

frosting between vanilla and chocolate cookies.

While eating we played a trivia game, the winning team each got a horcrux

and the losing team got a deathly hollows object per couple.

Rob got the sword of Griffindor.

Kate got the slitherin locket and Nicky B. (Serius Black) got Tom Riddles diary.

Jenny got Marvolo Gaunts ring, and Laura got the resurrection stone

(I know they are the same thing but I separated them for more prizes)

the resurrection stone even came in a gold christmas ornament sawed

in half to look like a golden snitch. Angie got a whole bunch of yummy

elder wands, and Libby (not pictured) got the cloak of invisibility.

I was Bellitrix Lestrange, Reece-Mad Eye Moody, Nick-Lupin,

Libby-Narcissa Malfoy, Laura- Delores Umbridge...

Crystal-Professor Sybill Trelawney, Josh-Hagrid, Jenny- Luna Lovegood,

Mike- Neville Longbottom...

Everybody really got into the details! Here is Mike's Griffin tie (perfect

cause thats Mikes real last name ;)) and Jenny made her own glasses and

radish earrings.

Little Sam Griffin was Crookshankes, and Genivieve was Hedwig,

Cassandra- Hermione, Eric- Ron Weasley (he even dyed his hair red!)

Jared was a dementor, and Kelly was adorable as Moaning Myrtle.

And Kitch (Kate) was Nyphadora Tonks.

On the way out the door to the theater everybody got to pick

up a treat bag, they got to choose if they were a death eater or

part of the order of the phoenix.

Yes the goodie bags were full of Wizarding candy. Exploding bon bons (chocolate covered cherries and blueberries), every flavored jellybeans, edible chocolate and licorice wands, roasted pumpkin seeds, droobles blowing gum, fizzy wizbees (zots)....

The movie was amazing. Afterwards we came back to my house for cake

and ice cream.

Everything was so delicious, check out the detail on these

meringue mushrooms, gills and everything.

Again thank you to all that came, it was beyond magical.

Interview with the vampire

Our october book club was perfectly spooky. I brought

over some of the victorian decor from our murder mystery

and Robyn made some other coffin-like details and favors.

We had read "Interview of the Vampire" a very creepy

read. We had crepes to feel more like french vampires,

there was also a jeopardy game to test our knowledge of

scary folklore.

booed!

We live in a neighborhood with a lot of young families, every once in a while

we feel a little left out cause we don't have kids. There are always groups

of kids running around and groups of parents chatting away. Ive seen these

"pass-it-on" activities go around every year but we never got included cause

we new it was mainly kids tagging other kids, but this year we got included.

I know its kinda of a small thing, but it meant a lot. It felt good to be

thought of. The owl cupcakes were adorable.

I was also excited to make my own treats and doorbell ditch them on

someone else's doorstep. I made caramel apple cupcakes and decorated

them with stripped frosting and spooky trimmings.

It was fun to feel the adrenaline rush of doorbell ditching

again..... and the excitement of hoping you are making

someone else's day special too.

A Family in Fall

I took some quick portraits of my sisters family. Her littlest

girl had a hard time during the big family shoot and they weren't

able to get smaller family and individual shots at that time,

so we went out one afternoon to find some lingering fall leaves

to use as a backdrop. I had to act fast to get the smiles of the

kiddos but I think we got some pretty good ones. What a cute

family, I love you guys so much.

behind the scenes

My amazingly talented sister Jenny helped me sew my halloween costume

this year. She really was a good sport when I showed up at her door with a

every complicated Victorian pattern in hand. She was able to figure out the

volumes of instructions that were left out of the one-side-of-one-page of

instructions that came with the patterns. I cut the fabric, pinned, and participated

in the fittings... but by sweet sister did all the sewing! amazing. I did learn how

to make cloth covered buttons though. Thank you with all my heart jens!

It turned out perfect.

Our inspiration, Irene Adler's dress from

the Sherlock Holmes movie.

I also wanted to document the scenes that

would bring a smile to my face every day this

month. My beautiful black cat seems to know

he is a symbol of the Halloween Holiday as he

loves to climb amid my decorations and pose.

I think it is so cute. I got this picture of

my cutie a few years ago...

Family's Halloween

The Griffins held yet another fun halloween family fete.

Decorations made by the little girls.

I brought this smoking green & glowing potion for the buffet.

The bowl with the potion is sitting in another bowl filled

with water and glowsticks.

The griffins make the best pizzas, I love the pepper pumpkins.

Kitchen came as Glinda, the good witch from OZ.

The girls were princesses.

Wheres Mike?

Jenny was a butterfly and sam her little caterpiller.

After dinner we set about decorating our traditional

halloween gingerbread houses. I had to call around town

to find the kits, looks like people have caught on to how

fun they are.

Nora piled hers high with frosting and sprinkles.

Thanks Griffins and Family!