As friends can confirm, when I get “hooked” on an idea I do get just a tiny bit obsessive about it, so no one who knows me is surprised by the time and energy I am putting into the Harry Potter Party Plans — but I am having a so much fun!

However, I do have to exercise a bit of self control from time to time.   I found some great plastic golden goblets with stars and moons that would be perfect — but they are $2.49 a piece at Birthday Express.  To get 24 of them (one for each child attending) would be a lot of money — since I have already spent about $40 each for the goodies they will be taking home I am resisting the urge to get these.  (I spotted the goblets first on ebay at $2.95 each yikes!)

But I will keep the goblets in mind for future Harry Potter parties I might have at home, with only a few close friends as guests – for the book release and movie openings.

I did win my ebay bid for the maurader’s map  Yippee!!!   I got it for a very good price (under $50) and I’ve seen these go for well over $100.  It is huge when it is opened, so I will get a very large inexpensive light-weight frame to hang it up in – and it’s going to look so cool at the party. 

I was tempted once again to try and purchase a life size Dobby that is on ebay right now.  I haven’t seen one in a long time.  The one’s that I had seen awhile ago went for around $350 to $450.  I will NOT spend any where near that amount.   I did place a small bid though — but there is a reserve price on it, which has not been met yet, and I just know that reserve price is going to be way more then I’m willing to spend.

Sure it would be very cool to have at the party.  The kids could have their picture taken with it.  But it’s life size!  And even though that is only about 4 feet – what do I do with it after the party.  I could rent it to a bookstore for the Book 7 release events maybe.  I might be able to rent it to a few folks who are having Harry Parties party, along with my other decorations (i.e. 11 laminated posters, 2 huge cauldrons, a few owls, etc.), but that would require advertising and lugging the stuff around.   In theory it sounds great and could earn back some of what is spent – but in reality I know I don’t have the time or energy.    If by some miracle I managed to win the bid for the $100 I bid on it — then it will be worth it, but I will not give in to the temptation to go any higher.

I’ve been having fun creating signs (with clip art and fancy fonts) to hang up that will add some whimsical details to the party.  I have a Witch and Wizard sign for the Ladies and Men’s rooms.  I made a sign that says: Broom Parking (Staff and guests only, all others will be swept away) and hang it over my umbrella stand.    

For the 6 tables I am going to set for the 3 Broomsticks Inn, I am going to cover them with a black table cloth, but to jazz them up – I am going to place on top of that a piece of black construction board, and with a big sun\moon with lots of stars stencil done in gold spray paint.  I saw a paint at the craft store that is suppose to look like stone — I might check that out too.     If they come out really nice I may even have them laminated so I can use them again (if the laminating isn’t too expensive).

I decided to get a wizard’s dragon staff from Alivan’s, since they were having a 20% discount.   It is totally awesome, and I have wanted a staff for years any way.  I figured it will be a great addition to my costume.   So rather then spend over $100 on a “professor’s robe”, I will use something I already have at home that is very witchy and magical and add the staff (which I will enjoy a lot more and use more often then I would a robe).

Last night I found the box of Harry Potter stuff that I had from months ago so that is a relief – it has a ton of stickers, the tattoos and rubber stamps in it which I had wanted to use for the doorprize goodie bags and the face painting table.   I still need to find the posters my mom gave me years ago and the Bertie Bott beans I had gotten a few months ago.  However, if I don’t find them, it’s not the end of the world.  I can simply reorder for about $50 a case of 24 small boxes of Bertie Bott beans again from Amason, and I already have 11 other Harry Potter posters.   

So the plans are moving along and I am just having a blast making lists and putting things together.  

Plus I started exercising this week on my new excerise bike and using the new coreflex thingy I got from Sharper Image — it feels great on the back, gives a very good stretch arching all the back and also works the abdomen muscles.    As part of my continuing goal to get healthy and loose weight, I added exercise to my New Year’s resolution for this year.  I have a long way to go, but I’m taking it one day at time.

Magically yours,  Lady Rose

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