nansk Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Hi all, My dd is a huge Harry Potter fan. We visited the Harry Potter exhibition this morning and they were selling all the wands from the movies for the equivalent of US$ 55. I understand these wands are made from resin, not wood. I felt the price was too high for what is basically a child's toy. So, I am asking here for recommendations of affordable wands that look authentic. My dd wants a dark coloured wand with vine markings on it; something like the Red Vine Leaf Wand we saw on Amazon today. It is still rather expensive for a toy (or maybe I am out of sync with today's toy marketplace). If you know of a more affordable option that looks like that, please suggest. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Have you checked the Universal Studios Florida website (home of the Wizarding World of HP)? When we were there, both kids purchased wands for around $30. Not sure if they sell them on the website but it's worth a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Another Jen Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 We've made our own-http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-an-awesome-Harry-Potter-wand-from-a-sheet-of-/ They turned out great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kissy Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 My son found one he liked at a renaissance festival it was $20 and handcrafted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 You can buy them at the Universal website, but you'll pay close to $40 once you add shipping. The one at Amazon is probably the best price you'll get (and I think is eligible for free shipping) outside of a Renaissance festival like Kissy said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 One dd asked for one for her birthday and got it, from an online wand store, Alivans. They're not super-cheap, but the least expensive one is under $20 and they have small ones (7") for even less. They come in an official looking box with a certificate a la Harry saying what special stuff they're made of (the wood part is the actual wood, but they don't really have unicorn and dragon bits ;)). Or, another dd just made a couple from an online tutorial out of dowels, white glue, paint, and some other stuff. Came out quite nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwg Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 I can not find it :glare: but on the Hogwarts yahoo group there is a brochure- type thing made by ollivanders that explains how to make your own if you can't get to the "real" store. We did that and it turned out great. I like the other link too; might have to do that. We went to Universal and ds was chosen for the wand demo or whatever- those wands are not toys really. They break pretty easily :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Well...my 7 and 10yos use chopsticks. :) They can decorate them and do what they like. They are surprisingly durable. :lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3Monkeys Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Have you looked on Etsy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted June 9, 2012 Author Share Posted June 9, 2012 Thanks everyone for the wonderful ideas and suggestions! We are trying out the tutorial from Instructables today. Will post back if the result is satisfactory. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenMama Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Hi! You can use a chopstick as the form and mold sculpey clay around it and bake it in the oven. Sculpey goes 50% off at Michaels now and then, so it's only $1/pack. It's easy to mold. If they want authentic wood looking, they'd just make long thin snakes of clay out of a few different wood colors, and twist and fold them to their hearts content and then mold it around the chopstick. Put on cardstock on a cookie sheet at 175 degrees - 15 minutes for every quarter inch. Turn the oven off and let it cool completely before you open it and remove their masterpieces. Mine have added marbles to the end and secured with sculpey, but that's a little more fragile. Cream soda with a little butterscotch extract topped with a mixture of marshmallow fluff and whipped cream simulates butter beer pretty nicely, too, if your little wizards need the appropriate libations. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 JenMama;3992984]Hi! You can use a chopstick as the form and mold sculpey clay around it and bake it in the oven. Sculpey goes 50% off at Michaels now and then, so it's only $1/pack. It's easy to mold. If they want authentic wood looking, they'd just make long thin snakes of clay out of a few different wood colors, and twist and fold them to their hearts content and then mold it around the chopstick. Put on cardstock on a cookie sheet at 175 degrees - 15 minutes for every quarter inch. Turn the oven off and let it cool completely before you open it and remove their masterpieces. Mine have added marbles to the end and secured with sculpey, but that's a little more fragile. [/b] Cream soda with a little butterscotch extract topped with a mixture of marshmallow fluff and whipped cream simulates butter beer pretty nicely, too, if your little wizards need the appropriate libations. :001_smile: That is an amzing idea!!! Thanks so much for sharing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenMama Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 That is an amzing idea!!! Thanks so much for sharing it :001_smile: So glad to help! BTW - someone had butterbeer frosted cupcakes on Pinterest, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I also recommend making your own. If it just doesn't work for you, or they want a "real" wand, then there are many good ones on etsy and Allivan's is also terrific. We have a little of everything. I don't have "official" ones, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derbygirl Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 We have made several wands although officially they came from Olivanders. We used a broken chair spindle for one, a tapered doweling for another and my youngest child's wand is a stripped knobby willow. If you have any gentian violet kicking around, it makes for the coolest purple wood dye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Thanks again to everyone for your ideas and suggestions! :) We used the tutorial from Instructables, rolled a paper around a chopstick and painted it with acrylic paint. Here is the result. It is a little bent because the wand is longer than the chopstick inside, but my dd loves it. :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShutterBug Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 We know a local homeschool girl who makes and sells wands :). You can check them out here! http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-R-Wanders/169160653121036 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Thanks again to everyone for your ideas and suggestions! :) We used the tutorial from Instructables, rolled a paper around a chopstick and painted it with acrylic paint. Here is the result. It is a little bent because the wand is longer than the chopstick inside, but my dd loves it. :thumbup: Looks great! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 We know a local homeschool girl who makes and sells wands :). You can check them out here! http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-R-Wanders/169160653121036 Thanks! I will check it out. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Looks great! :001_smile: Thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 We made our own and I just recently noticed that mine is missing. I hope whomever took it get the slug spell. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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