Harry Potter Amortentia Necklace

This is a project based on the Harry Potter Franchise/Universe. Though I must admit I am in no way a HUGE fan like most are. But do find the movies entertaining and fun to watch. However this project was inspired by someone who is indeed a HUGE fan of Harry Potter. Where one night drinking at Chile's, she was showing me her Pinterest of all things Harry Potter. Most of which were of varying potions of the Potter Universe.

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought it would be cool to get her some potions. But during my research. I noticed that the potions found from all over the web and places like Whimsic Alley. Are just in normal cork/stopper type bottles in various shapes and sizes. That either came in a special designed packaging or in a small set. Not to say that they weren't elegant looking or nicely made. But wasn't quite what I was hoping to find. Figured there would have been more of a variety. To me it didn't seem all that fun or exciting to have a potion or a collection of potions that you can't really do nothing with. Other than having them displayed somewhere nicely in your home...yup...thrilling...

At that point, I said "Ok damn it!". I'm good with my hands and are creative. I'm going to do something different and hopefully better. Plus, what woman doesn't find it more appealing than a hand made gift based on her favorite interest that is just for her. So after Googling scenes and references to text of Harry Potter that dealt with potions. I decided upon the Amortentia potion. To where I came up with a rough idea to incorporate it into some type of wearable. That is when the "Amortentia Necklace" was born.

Not soon after is when I took a trip to my local Hobby Lobby. Which by the way is F**CKING AWESOME! Never been to it before now and wish I had. I walked down every aisle being able to find what I was looking for as well as things I wasn't looking for. During my visit of a couple of hours. I was able to revise my rough idea into a solid project plan.

Materials

• E6000 Adhesive - $2.99
• Jute Twine (250 ft) - $3.99
• India Ink (Sepia or Walnut) - $4.99
• Extra Fine Glitter (Petal Pink) - $2.99
• Heart Shaped Glass Bottle Charm (2 pk)- $2.47
• Angel Wings, Charms (6 pc) - $4.99
• 16" Chain Necklace (Antique Look) - $4.99
• Waxed Thread Leather (Brown)(25 yds) - $3.47
• Corn Syrup - $3.47
• Paper Mache Box (Rectangle Medium) - $0.99

Tools

• Hobby Brush Set (7 pc) - $5.99
• Precision Needle Nose Pliers (1 of 3)
• Wire Cutter (2 of 3)
• Standard Pliers (3 of 3) - $7.99

All materials listed including the brush set, was obtained at my local Hobby Lobby for under $40. The Corn Syrup at a Super market. Lastly the other tools at Home Depot.

E6000 Adhesive

I've heard about this all over the net and from friends. Which made the choice a bit easier. As before I was toying with the idea of resins and super glues. This Adhesive, so far, is great. It is able to work on virtually any surface and dries clear. To top it off. It can withstand weather and the wash. It's nice and tacky for that good bonding. Takes seconds to dry and 24 hours to permanently set. I recommend getting a pointed glue tip to use, as it makes gluing precise and cleaner. You can find these tips in the plastic model sections.

Jute Twine

Is a nice material that I felt would be best suited as a wrapper for the gift box. The color and texture of the twine as well looks very Old English.

India Ink

Would be use to color the cork of the charm bottle and gift box. I choose ink because it steeps into the material better, not affected by water, and gives a nice aged antique look. Though I wanted a Walnut color, as it is a slightly lighter brown. But the Sepia color was what was available and worked out great.

Extra Fine Glitter

According to my research the Amortentia potion. Its a pinkish pearl color (Harry Potter Wiki). So I decided on the Petal Pink as it isn't overly Pink and has a hint of Magenta in the color. The reason I choose glitter instead of paint. Is because I didn't want a fully solid color. Mixing the glitter with another medium gave it a nice color balance and allowed for light to reflect and shine through nicely. As for why fine glitter and not standard. The fine is lighter and mixes well. Compared to standard, it wont all sink to the bottom in a short amount of time.

Heart Shaped Glass Charm

Well the original potion came in a heart shaped bottle. Lucky for me, I happened to find a heart shaped bottle in charm form. That can be worn around the neck. This charm also came with an eye loop screw in the cork that a necklace can be attached to.

Angel Wings Charms

This was an improvised addition. It is not part of the original potion, but I felt that it was very fitting to use. Considering that this potion is a type of love potion. Not to mention the color of the wings matched the necklace.

Chain Necklace

This necklace appealed to me. It has the antique look, seems well made, and small enough to thread through the eye loop of the charm. It's mainly a solid rope like chain with a smaller traditional link type chain at the end.

Waxed Thread Leather

This will be used to wrap the neck of the bottle as well as tying the wings on. Reason for this choice is that leather is stronger to use for tying materials together. It gives a nice old craftsman look. The wax coating provides weather resistance, as well as good light tacky friction gripping when wrapping this thread around itself and glass bottle.

Corn Syrup

I picked this as a good medium to mix the glitter in. It has a nice thickness to it that the glitter can be suspended in. Clear in color and wont dry out. Not to mention non-toxic when handling or when and if the bottle breaks.

Paper Mache Box

It was a cute little box that has a nice texture and can be painted on. Plus the material of the box would nicely absorb the ink when painted.

Tools

Should be pretty much self explanatory. The wire cutters is what I had on hand to cut the twine and thread. Just as effective as scissors. The pliers, needle nose specifically are extremely helpful when it comes to the threading portion of the project. As well as handling the small pieces and modifying the necklace.

This is a very quick and easy step. With your brush and ink, paint/stain both the gift box and charm bottle cork. Don't worry about having streak/brush marks on the box. That is what you want. It gives the box a good old antique woodish look and feel. Also don't worry about the ink going on too dark. When it dries, it dries to a lighter looking color. I painted the inside of the box as well. For the cork, which is quite small to handle. Use the pliers to hold the cork by the eye loop screw. Make sure you're doing all this work over scrap paper so that you don't get ink on anything. Once finished, set both aside to dry. Which will be in a few seconds since ink dries quick.

This will take you some time to do. About an hour or so.

First you want to measure out about an arms length of the Waxed Thread Leather. About almost 3 ft long. Take the charm bottle and place its neck in the middle of the thread that you previously measured out. Now take both ends of the thread and wrap the neck of the bottle. Criss crossing the thread ends as they go around the bottle neck. Since the bottle is small. You will have to hold the bottle in one hand while wrapping the thread with the other. You just wrap the thread around the bottle neck for one layer nicely. When done, the bottle neck should be fully covered.

The reason I wrapped the neck first without the wings is that the initial winding of the thread protects and cushions the glass. This prevents the metal wings from scratching, cracking and breaking the glass when being tightly tied on to the bottle.

Now we want to add the wings. Thread a wing onto each end of the Waxed Thread Leather. All the way up to the neck of the bottle. Placing the wings on each side of the heart in the middle. This is where things become slightly challenging as you are now juggling more in your hand. Once the wings are threaded and in a position. Continue to tightly wrap and thread the wings to the bottle. By threading the leather through the eye holes of the wings every time you go around the bottle. I was able to thread and wrap the wings to the bottle 4 more times before the eye holes on the wings became too small to thread through. When done, you should have both ends of the Waxed Thread Leather facing on the same side of the bottle make a knot. But before you knot off. Readjust and make sure that everything is tight and snug. That the wings are positioned right and wont move. After your final inspection is done, tie a double knot.

With the E6000 Adhesive, dab a drop of glue onto the double knot you made. This will ensure that the knot won't come undone. Also add a dab on the other side of the bottle to seal those threads together as well. I recommend using a tooth pick when applying and spreading the glue. As it is more precise.

Set the assembly aside for now to dry for a hour or 2.

With the box and cork dried. We can now glue some stuff together.

Take the cork and unscrew the screw from it. Apply some of the E6000 Adhesive to the threads of the screw. Screw back in the screw into the cork. Be VERY careful when doing so. You do not want to over tighten the screw into the cork. Because then you would crack and/or break the cork.

The reason we glue the screw into the cork is because it will prevent the screw from slipping out. Cork is a soft and weak material to hold a screw properly. So we strengthen this bond with the glue.

With the box, you want to wrap it with the twine, finishing it off with a nice little bow knot. With a tooth pick, apply glue under the twine in various locations on the box. Once the twine is nicely glued to the box. Snip the twine with cutters where the lid of the box overlaps.

In a small measuring cup, pour about an ounce of Corn Syrup. Slowly stirring in and adding small amounts of glitter at a time. Adjusting the ratio of glitter and corn syrup as needed. I recommend not saturating the corn syrup with glitter. Once you are satisfied with the potion mix, it's time to fill our charm bottle.

By now the glue on the bottle should be dried. With a piece of paper, make a funnel that will fit into the mouth of the bottle. With the funnel in the mouth of the bottle. Start pouring in a little of the potion at a time. Be patient as Corn Syrup is quite thick to pour.

Now you don't want to fill the bottle all the way up. I stopped right at the base of the bottle neck. Because if you fill the bottle all the way up. You wouldn't be able to place the cork in.

Now that the potion is in the bottle. You want to take a Q-tip and clean any residue of the potion off from the inside of the bottle neck. If you don't, the glue wont hold to the cork.

With a tooth pick, apply glue to the inside of the bottle neck. On the lower half of the cork, apply glue all the way around. Now seat the cork into the opening of the bottle. Making sure that the eye loop of the screw is facing perpendicular to the wings.

Set the assemble upright somewhere to dry for a couple of hours.