Made this for @Tapestry in the Harry Potter Ornament Swap. My son actually came up with the concept of a coin-operated fortune teller version of Trelawney, and I totally fell in love with the idea. To the point that I could not help myself from going way overboard (as I tend to do anyway!) The swap was supposed to be for a small. Um… maybe not!
I didn’t take many progress pictures, but here are a few.
I started by making the interior elements. Trelawney is a wooden “pumpkin” that I turned upside down and stuck into a piece of styrofoam. Painted her face, added glasses (black wire and a metal eyeglasses-shaped brad) and hair (various threads and yarns). Her arms are vintage plastic doll hands, and I made jewelry out of craft wire and beads and tiny pieces of chain.
The crystal ball is a small Christmas ball with the interior paint removed. The base of it is an old ring.
The booth itself is a dice box. I stacked a few layers of thick craft foam under it to give it more height so I’d have room for text on the sides. I used a heated pin to poke a hole through the top of the box for the ornament hanger.
I used scrapbook paper to cover the outside, and added some trim to the top and bottom.
A little envelope on the back held two fortune cards, modeled after Zoltar cards from actual coin-operated fortune teller machines, but with the text from Trelawney’s trances.
The “Lucky Numbers” on the cards are actually the dates when the foretold events occurred.
I tried my hardest to keep the materials as light as possible, but it’s still a bit heavy for an ornament. Overall, I’m so pleased with it and look forward to making another one for my son. But it will be even MORE over-the-top, because we intend to try to make Trelawney move and make the crystal ball light up! Wish me luck with that!
Magical! There’s so many parts to enjoy. I’m loving that you re-used bits such as the ring at the base of the crystal ball. Genius! Those lil tickets are so cute, I like that her pic is on them.
You should totally post the next one you make, whether it moves or not.
She’s even more amazing in person! I love all the bits and bobs you used and the sheer ingenuity. I’ve no doubt you’ll pull off a moving, light-up version and I can’t wait to see it!
I tend to packrat miscellaneous weird little things because one day I might use them in a craft. Your projects give me hope I might actually manage that one day!
Thanks so much, everybody! It was super fun to make, especially because it was a bonding experience for my son and me. He kept suggesting new little details (like the “See into THE BEYOND!” text on the side) and debating the pros and cons of other elements (like should the machine accept muggle money or wizarding world money?)
Also, after I got Trelawney’s hair and glasses in place, she really felt like sort of a self-portrait. Thus the new avatar. You can tell I loved this project!
I am in awe! I love this so much. It’s so fun and cool!. You made the coolest ornament ever and I can’t wait to see what you do with the next one. It will be insane. Clever thinking with the pumpkin too!
Again, absolutely in awe.
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Nice, nice, baby! This awesome project is one of this week’s features! Congrats!