An Unexpected Blog Post

Please excuse the lameness of the title. I just couldn't resist.

The Hobbit was released in theaters this week, and I have yet to see it. I have been waiting for this movie all year, and it's finally here! Pete, please don't disappoint me.
In honor of the occasion, I made some origami.

“By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous, and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (neatly brushed) – Gandalf came by.”

Here are some Goblins to start us off on our adventure.

And their trusty mounts. I think it's very interesting how wolves are evil in Tolkien and in C. S. Lewis as well.

Sting is glowing blue to signal danger.

And of course, no adventure would be complete without a giant spider.

Fortunately, the Eagles will always come to the rescue.

And then behold Smaug, the fiery worm guarding his hoard.

  

But where is Gandalf? This wizard always has a funny way of popping up when you least expect.

Initially, I wanted to make the awesome origami wizard by Satoshi Kamiya, but to my shame, I had to give up halfway through. Wrong paper, terrible tutorial, and, well, turns out, I am diagram-illiterate. I have the worst time reading those things. I might try again some day. I got the crease pattern alright, but then the assembly was something else entirely. By the end of my two-hour attempt, I was so tired and disheartened, I had trouble folding even this, like, 5-step wizard. I have brought dishonor upon myself.

And although these rings do not figure in The Hobbit, I thought they deserved a mention. Three Rings for the Elven-kings under sky: Vilya (the Sapphire/Blue Ring of Air),  Nenya (the Red Ring of Fire), and Galadriel's Narya (the White Ring of Water).

These ring designs are very basic, but fun nevertheless. 

If all goes well, I am going to see the movie tomorrow! There was a special screening on Tuesday for a charity called Himaya against child abuse here in Beirut, but my friends couldn't make it. They used the age-old excuse: I have to work (Pfft.)

Hogwarts Project - Part I: The Four Houses

There's a whole generation of us who grew up with Harry Potter. I count myself among those whose life was touched from the very first time I met Harry by the magic Jo created with her enchanted quill. I remember waiting impatiently for the next book or movie to come out, escaping by burying myself in one of the books when the Muggle world got to be intolerable, making my own wand and taking it with me to *cough* high *cough* school, having Harry Potter themed birthday parties (yeah, ok, it was my 18th, I am not ashamed)... It was one hell of an adventure.

To cut the sentimental hogwash short, this is my little thank you to Harry for standing by me since we were both 11 years old.


Drum roll please, for the heralds of the Four Houses...







The Badger and the Eagle are from happypuppytruffles' Harry Potter series; the Snake is from her Chinese Zodiac series. And of course, no project would be complete without a Robert Lang. The lion is my second, and slightly improved, take on this model, now in blazing crimson.

Ravenclaw's Eagle instructions

Hufflepuff's Badger instructions

Slytherin's Snake instructions

Gryffindor's Lion based on Robert Lang's lion

I also made Ron's Howler from a traditional kissing lips model. The lips move and look like they are kissing, or in this case, giving Ron a tongue-lashing for flying the old Ford Anglia into the Whomping Willow.

Initially, I wanted to crown this project with one of Kade Chan's kickass Golden Snitch models. However, just to tease me, he did not publish any CPs or instructions for them. I had to settle for what my sister thought was a winged box.

Golden Snitch(?) instructions

I am planning a much longer Part II to this project, hopefully to come soon... if I can get all the models I am planning to make right.


All names, creatures and things © J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.