Mama Hootch did a great job with the sword of Gryffindor! But great minds think alike. I made a Godric Gryffindor sword too! I thought you might like to see my version as well.
I found the sword without the jewels, but it was mounted on a base. It hangs virtically on my wall year round.
The jewels were glued with hot-melt glue. The lettering was done with that aluminum tape used for heating ducts. (NOT Duct tape. It's actually a metal tape) I placed a length of tape on the sword, and used an exacto knife to cut the lettering. Peel back the scrap tape, and the letters remain.
A few images...
![Image](http://mysite.verizon.net/rest23ud/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/SWOARD01.JPG)
The full sword, mounted to the base. Garage sale find: $5.00
![Image](http://mysite.verizon.net/rest23ud/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/SWOARD02.JPG)
A close up of the entire name of Godric Griffindor "etched" on the blade.
![Image](http://mysite.verizon.net/rest23ud/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/SWOARD03.JPG)
A closer look at the lettering. Done with aluminum tape as discribed above.
![Image](http://mysite.verizon.net/rest23ud/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/SWOARD04.JPG)
The hilt & Handle w/jewels (and a few iridecent marbles.)
A few other props I made was the Tom Riddle Diary. I found an old book with a black hardcover and soaked it so the pages got all wavy and wrinkled, I then took a tent stake and a huge hammer and put a few holes through the cover & pages. I had some old ink and dribbled ink through the pages. When it dried, it looked pretty darn close to the prop in the movie. I used gold rub-on lettering to put Tom M. Riddle's name on the cover.
I made a large snakes fang from paper mash. This isn't paper mache, but it's very simular. The paper was ground up to a paste using an old food processor, then shaped into a large fang, like using clay. (Same paper mache recepe, just a different technique in paper processing.)
Once the mash was dry, it was an easy step to sand it smooth and finish with a clear coat or two of varnish. (It's like balsa wood.) After that, I spray painted it an ivory white. I used an acrylic wash to put some gray tones to it. Then clear-coat the final fang to a high luster. I used a bit of stage blood and let it dry. And I also used a bit of the ink on it as well.
It was a guesome prop. But it and the Tom Riddle diary been lost for the past few years. Which is disheartening, because those were some of my most recent halloween creations. I don't even have pics of them.
Another prop I created was The Sourcer's Stone. I found a bit of lavender cystaline natural formation in a herbal medicines shop.
![Image](http://mysite.verizon.net/rest23ud/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/STONE02.JPG)
It was nearly the same size and shape of the stone in the movie. Just not as crystal-like. It cost $45.00! (YIPE!)
![Image](http://mysite.verizon.net/rest23ud/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/STONE01.JPG)
I found a case (treasure chest/jewelry box) at another garage sale. I lined the box with white and red felt. The purple & orange bag came with the stone.
![Image](http://mysite.verizon.net/rest23ud/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/STONE03.JPG)
Since the stone was "destroyed", I had to make up a story about the stone and why it still exists.