Replicas and Such...

I got the Noble Collection Holiday 2008 catalog a few weeks ago and finally got the chance to browse through it.

I sure liked the look of this:

http://www.noblecollection.com/catalog/product.cfm?id=NN4536&catid=45

and this:

http://www.noblecollection.com/catalog/product.cfm?id=NN8133&catid=21

among other things. I've got several Harry Potter items from Noble and I really love them.

Of course, there are things which I have yet to see from Noble or other prop replica or collectible stores, so I thought I'd check out etsy.com and see what cool stuff is available.

First up, this gorgeous re-creation by Deconstructress of Satine's dress from "Moulin Rouge." I'm not a fan of this movie, but dang this dress is purdy. Another frock of note is her Corpse Bride wedding gown. Love it!

I've become a "The Tudors" addict. So even though I support Team Katherine, this Anne Boleyn "B" necklace replica by duchessa caught my eye.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_4&listing_id=13464407
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16632942

I love Greg Broadmore's Rayguns (I have both of the minis, yay me!), so of course I've been exploring the whole "steampunk" look. I found this adorable raygun pendant at Builder's Studio. They also sell robots (deactivated, I assume) and other gadgets.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5130230

Finally, I've been drooling over the notebooks and bags being hand-printed in Italy by celestefrittata. The Potter-inspired items are especially spit-cloth worthy. I might just commission an order for my next Potter class...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vt_related_1&listing_id=17327890

For those who haven't yet, I highly recommend browsing the shops at Etsy. Handmade, one of a kind items abound, as do vintage goodies. They also have a function called "Alchemy" which lets you make custom requests. You just wait while the bids come rolling in! You can also contact specific artisans and work with them to create a custom project. The holidays are upon us and this is a great place to find the perfect gift!

Harry Potter Bust Up

I must apologize for being such a very bad blogger! All work and no collectible hunting has made me very cranky. Grrr.

So, in honor of the new Harry Potter movie and of course, the book, I present a little bauble. I picked this up at the mall last week while I was searching for Harry Potter treats (for some goodie bags I made for the movie). Anyway, it is the Timeless Collection Harry Potter Bust-Up by Gentle Giant.

Little Potty comes in six pieces, and is very easy to assemble. At about 2.5" tall, I have to say it's not quite worth the $6.99 and tax I paid, and I probably won't be getting any others, but I do like it. The likeness is fair and the quality is consistent with something this size, though I wish the shirt was a bit more white (it's kind of peachy in real life). I found the box a bit confusing, what with all the pictures of other Bust-Ups. I feared it was one of those "randomly inserted" things, where you have no idea what figure is actually inside, especially since the box was taped up.

While I'm on the subject of Harry Potter, I'm actually hunting for a good spice cabinet, preferrably one with glass doors. Why, you ask? Well, I am wanting to put together a potions display for a class I might possibly teach next year. Something like this (for under $30, I forgot to bid on this one on Ebay) would be ideal. Even better if it comes with bottles. Let me know if you find one! Otherwise, I suppose I'll haunt the flea market. Ooh, and a birdcage! Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself again...

I might be dressing up for the book party Friday night, you all should too! Happy Deathly Hallows-Eve!

Whimsic Alley

So I finally got to go to Whimsic Alley in Santa Monica (thanks to cco805). The last time I tried, they were closed. On a Tuesday. I suggest checking their website for hours before going across town, they do seem to keep it updated. Though the store is pretty much devoted to Harry Potter, there is a selection of other fantasy products (fairies, Lord of the Rings, Narnia). Each section of the store has a different name to reflect the product you might find there.




"Habber & Dasher" carries many of the licensed costume items, like the hats above, as well as clothing that appears to be made especially for them. The robes and house sweaters have the name and location of the store on the tags. Sweaters are a reasonable $35, but the adult robes are in the $120 range. However, they are fully lined and feature a wand pocket. You can also pick up a matching tie or scarf to complete your outfit.

"Phoenix Wands" is definitely reminiscent of Ollivander's and also has a few swords and walking sticks. They sell several different collections of wands, and they do look pretty good.

I tried on just about every size of sweater before deciding on the Gryffindor Style 2 in Small. They definitely run large, I almost bought the Youth Large instead, but the resulting fit is rated PG. :P It's folded up a bit in the pic, but it does have long sleeves and a v-neck. I already have a Harry Potter wand from Noble Collection as well as a tie, so I didn't need to buy one today. I'd also like to pick up a sweater in Slytherin colors as I have Snape's wand and a tie. The robe is quite spendy, so I might make my own instead.

Visit Whimsic Alley yourself at 2717-1/2 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA