The holidays can be stressful. Picking a magical gift for everyone on your list is no easy feat — especially if you're on a tight budget. If you're searching for presents that are both thoughtful and inexpensive, then you should definitely consider some DIY project, like these Harry Potter potions ornaments. Seriously, you don't have to be a witch or a wizard to make these insanely easy presents, and I promise they're the perfect gift for the Potterhead in your life who already has more Harry Potter mugs, Harry Potter candles, Harry Potter collectable books, and Harry Potter home accessories than they can handle.
Best of all, these ornaments are easily customizable. If you're giving one to your significant other, label it "Amortentia." If you're giving it to your friend who's been down on their luck, try "Felix Felicies." It's a simple, subtle way to show people how much you care.
Find out how to DIY the potions ornaments below, and get the details on 29 other Harry Potter crafts in The Unofficial Guide to Crafting the World of Harry Potter by Jamie Harrington, available wherever books are sold.
Potions Ornaments
By Dayna Abraham from Lemon Lime Adventures
Harry had to spend every Christmas at Hogwarts, and with these Potions Ornaments, you can bring a little bit of Hogwarts to your house at Christmastime, too. These are a fun start to a totally Potter-themed tree! If you don’t have a tree, or want to use these year-round, you can even hang them from your ceiling with a string!
What You Need
To Begin:
- 4 (83 mm) plastic globe ornaments
- 2 cups warm water
- 4 paper towels
- Hot glue gun and glue
- Thin black permanent marker
Polyjuice Potion Ornament:
- 1 (10.5 ml) green glitter glue pen
- 1 tablespoon green glitter
- 2 drops green liquid food coloring
Felix Felicis Ornament:
- 1 (10.5 ml) gold glitter glue pen
- 1 tablespoon gold glitter
- 2 drops yellow liquid food coloring
Veritaserum Ornament:
- 1 (10.5 ml) white glitter glue pen
- 1 tablespoon white glitter
Amortentia Ornament
- 1 (10.5 ml) pink glitter glue pen
- 1 tablespoon pink glitter
- 2 drops pink liquid food coloring
To Complete
1. To Begin: Pop the top off of one plastic ornament and fill it about ½ full with warm water. Follow the steps for each individual ornament.
2. For Polyjuice Potion Ornament: Add the contents of your green glitter glue pen, your green glitter, and 2 drops of the green color dye to the water-filled ornament.
3. For Felix Felicis Ornament: Add the contents of your gold glitter glue pen, your gold glitter, and 2 drops of the yellow color dye to another water-filled ornament.
4. For Veritaserum Ornament: Add the contents of your white glitter glue pen and your white glitter to another water-filled ornament.
5. For Amortentia Ornament: Add the contents of your pink glitter glue pen, your pink glitter, and 2 drops of the pink color dye to the last water-filled ornament.
6. To Complete: Once the ingredients have been added to the water filled ornament, cover the top of the ornament with a paper towel and shake until the ingredients are well mixed.
7. Hold the cap upside down by the top loop. Then use your hot glue gun to fill it with hot glue. Be careful not to touch the metal on the lid because the glue will make it very hot.
8. Place the lid onto the top of the ornament. When you do this, make sure you cover all of the holes in the lid before you apply it to the ornament. Go back and add more hot glue around the edges as needed until the ornament doesn’t leak. Then hold the cap in place by pressing down on the top loop for about 30 seconds until the glue sets up and dries. Again, don’t press on the lid itself. It will be hot!
9. Use your black permanent marker to write the name of your potion on the ornament.
10. A few seconds later, once the marker is dry to the touch, take your Potions Ornaments and hang them on your tree.
Transfiguration Tips
Make these ornaments one at a time, because when you take off the top, you won’t have anywhere to put them down once they are full of water.
Excerpted from The Unofficial Guide to Crafting the World of Harry Potter by Jamie Harrington. Copyright © 2016 F+W Media, Inc. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Photos courtesy of iStockphoto.com and F+W Media, Inc.
