Etsy Spotlight: TheWindFish

I've been doing it again.  Yes, that.  Browsing Etsy when I should be doing other things.

But really, it's not my fault.  It keeps suggesting fabulous video game related items, and I keep favoriting them!

I love simple expressions of fan love, and when I found the little shop called TheWindFish, it was just so whimsical and charming that I couldn't help but browse all the things.

The shop is owned by Janelle, and she is simply amazing!  Her simplistic jewelry designs are very cute, affordable, and make the fangirl in me squee just a little bit.

In particular:

The Lord of the Rings, available here.

She makes a set of four with the entire poem.

From Dragon Age: Origins, available here.

Alistair's saying to his love interest.

If you remember my previous post about video game relationships, then you know that Alistair has a special place in my fangirl heart.  But not so much as the calibration-loving turian who said this to my FemShep in Mass Effect:

So guess which one I bought?

This Garrus Vakarian-inspired bracelet is available here.

I love everything about this bracelet, but the thin cord for the band just wasn't going to survive the harsh use I put my jewelry through.

Luckily for me, the Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup offered a non-Ravelry craft option for the Defense Against the Dark Arts homework: craft something that has a final hardening step.

So, I replaced the band of the bracelet with hemp, and super-glued the knots to make them solid.

Professors, I received a charming bracelet in the mail, but I looked at the cheap Muggle band to which the focal bead was attached and knew I could use a fortify spell to turn the simple blue string into three-ply hemp. Additionally, I applied some of Mendigann’s Magical Glue to the frayed knots in order to set them into shape and harden them against continual usage. Thank you for your time!

My turn in photo:

I'm especially proud of my 'best defense' saying, which is totally accurate.

I doubt this will be the last time I make a band for this charm, but I like my first attempt!

Although TheWindFish is on a short hiatus at the moment, be sure to check out Janelle's store for many gamer, nerd, and/or custom designs!

Craft on!

Shadowmoor Props: Necklaces

Now that the majority of my friends are on the plot team (that is, they are now the storytellers for the game) of Shadowmoor LARP, I've been getting more prop requests.

(I couldn't find a place in my crochet challenges to turn in a dismembered teddy bear head.)

The head of plot (Roger) requested help making a set of six necklaces, which fit in perfectly to the History of Magic prompt about beaded jewelry.

Some of the craft prompts are considered "non-Rav" meaning that they don't have to be knitted, crocheted, dyed, spun, or woven.  Some people make stitch markers; others have tried temari balls.

So I submitted:

Quietly, as if hoping to escape notice, VelvetKey slips into the classroom, a velvet case in her hands. She places it carefully before the professors and flushes a little before opening the lid.

Many spirit guides wore long and heavy necklaces as part of their manner of dress, sometimes with enough beads to rattle theatrically for the benefit of their Muggle audiences. Other mediums, however, preferred the use of crystals, either in prism or globe form, such as the crystal balls used in Divination today. I have crafted a set of five necklaces featuring both a mysterious and enchanting purple crystal, as well as a more formal, yet deadly-looking prism beneath. Both exhibit qualities of the dream and spirit world, and I hope you are as pleased with how they turned out as I am.

These are very long necklaces on purpose; I wanted people to be able to lift them on and off without needing to use the clasps.  Clasps tend to break over time (if they didn't come in the package broken) and generally speaking, props in a theater-like game change hands to multiple characters.  Therefore, you can't size them for any one person, and they need to be durable.

The badge I (will hopefully) have earned:

Tomorrow is Monday, and I'm sure I'll be dragging myself around thanks to the Shadowmoor weekend.  Goodness knows what I will actually have accomplished, but I'll be back to share whatever it is!

(I also have one more post of Hogwarts homework that should catch us up!)

Craft on!