Leaving Hogwarts...

Greetings from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!  We are briefly back from Infinitus 2010, a Harry Potter Convention in Orlando, FL.  Don't let that snow on the roofs of Hogsmeade fool you...it was in the high 90's with opressive humidity.

I did manage to get some more baskets hand-appliqued while sitting in Harry Potter seminars and discussions (at least until I broke my needle!  I forgot to pack a spare!).  Other attendees kept asking me if these were cauldrons, or some other sort of witch or wizarding thing.  No, just baskets.  Although, boy do I ever have some ideas for Harry Potter related quilting...

I guess the black print ones do look a little like cauldrons...

Here is my daughter, standing near the back of Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, behind her in the Universal Studios theme park, "Islands of Adventure."  The structures were amazing and did not disappoint!  It was VERY crowded in the park, but since it did only open a month ago and there are SO many Harry Potter fans, that was to be expected.  We did the rides, shopped at Honeyduke's Candy Shop and Zonko's Joke Shop, dined and had Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, Riley got a wand at Olivander's Wand Shop, sent "owl post" from Hogsmeade, and talked with the Hogwart's Express train conductor.  There are rumors, even though only a month old, of adding to this corner of the park...maybe a Diagon Alley and Gringotts.  We'll see...

Here is my daughter, sporting the appropriate Butterbeer moustache in the Three Broomsticks Pub.  Our 4-day conference was in a hotel/convention center at the universal complex and we were allowed in the park one night after hours...just 1500 crazed Potter fans, most in costume...that was awesome!  In fact, most of the fans at the conference were in costumes all days and nights of the affair.  We had book seminars/discussions/panels, live quidditch and human wizard chess matches, an opening feast, Wizard Rock, a "Night of Frivolity Ball," and live performances of Harry Potter musicals, etc.  Just imagine a Star Trek Convention and substitute Harry Potter. 

Although I doubt Star Trek had all the literary seminar programming that we had and all the university scholars giving talks...

There were Harry Potter fans at this convention from ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!  (I thought WE had traveled a long way to get there.)  I met people from the Netherlands, South America, England, France, Asia, and 3 from Australia and New Zealand!!

LOTS of great costumes...(Flitwick, Snape, Lupin, Tonks, Dumbledore, Lavender Brown, and of course, Hermione,  Ron and Harry).

Hagrid and Norberta, the dragon (which was HUGE!).

Two people dressed as Luna Lovegood...

The sorting hat...

Tonks and Bellatrix (people were posing and hexing all over the place...).

Riley posing with Lily and James Potter (Harry's parents)...

The evil Lucious and Narcissa Malfoy...

(If you aren't an HP fan, thanks for enduring all the photos!)

In stitches (and in the laundry room!),

Teresa  :o)