1,000 posts? Really??

Turned in three classes this week, somewhat unexpectedly, and should have a sixth by the end of the month. Wasn't planning on that, but I'll take it! These are my turn-in posts.

Charms:

I chose Option 2: Craft something that means something specific to you personally. I had some leftover yarn (about 100 yards - crochet really does use more yarn than knitting!) that didn't have a dedicated purpose, and cried out to be made into Something. This is what I came up with. (Really, the center is Navy Blue. It's just hard to tell, but it is!)


Now, the explanation. I've always had a bit of a stars-and-stripes theme going; the product of a military upbringing, in part, and a love of bright colors for the rest. My kitchen has the theme (not "Danger Men Cooking"; my mom insisted I have a border in my kitchen when we got the house; she's been trying to get me to get rid of it since), with all sorts of red-white-blue things going, most notably the curtains by the window.


I've painted furniture (it looks like it's a set of dressers, but really, it's, um, not, because who'd have dressers outside the kitchen?) to match...


... and I tend to make more things to match when I can, like, for example, dishcloths for Hallows.


But getting stars on things is tricky. Unless it's screened fabric, or something huge like an afghan, stars just don't happen easily, and even if they do, they may not look good. Leaving me with a decided Unbalance of Stars in my decor. So, I made a big one! It will go in my kitchen, probably somewhere near the oven. Since it's cotton, it will probably wind up being an all-purpose towel/dishcloth. Or just a pretty happy thing!

Thanks for the assignment, Professors. I like making pretty happy things!

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Potions:

I chose to Craft a Direct Antidote to counteract injuries caused by the Incendio charm. It is based on the Rule of Three: it is a three-ply yarn, made from three long color runs, amounting to approximately forty and one-half yards. To activate it, simply wind it thrice, widdershins, around the affected area. Until activation, it should stay wrapped clockwise on a frame of some sorts, strands not touching. (No harm will be done if the strands are in contact, but it decreases the active life of the antidote by a few months.)


As a side note, it also seems to work nicely for mosquito bites. I'm not quite certain why, but as side effects go, I'll take it!

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History of Magic:

I have chosen Option 2: Craft something that would help you break ancient curses. (And it only took 60 yards of cotton!)

I have created a protective disc that I believe will be effective in breaking ancient curses (and protecting the user from any that might not quite break entirely).


It is a fifteen-pointed green disc, meant to be held between the cursed object/place and the user. Cursed objects may be held by the user, but the user is advised to be certain no direct contact with the actual object occurs until the disc has had a chance to work. Average working time varies from two to fifteen minutes, with up to two hours required for coverage areas in excess of two acres.

Why it works: Green was the color of the 'Eye of Horus', or 'Wedjat', which had healing and protective powers, and so the color also represented well-being. To do 'green things' was to do behave in a positive, life affirming manner - the exact opposite of curses! (There's a really interesting article on colors in Ancient Egyptian art here, if anyone else is interested.) The number five in ancient Egypt incorporates the principles of polarity (2) and reconciliation (3). "All phenomena without exception, are polar in nature, treble in principle." (1) Thus, my protective device is two sided (one to reflect the curse, one to protect the user) and made of three-pointed sections, five in total. Horus, in his aspect of deity of protection, is also associated with the number five. So, green thing with two sides, three multiples in each of five sections = pretty danged protective, especially against ancient Egyptian curses!

So, five classes and one Hallows in, with a class, two Hallows, and two OWLs left to do in two weeks. YEEK!!