The 2021 (Mostly Virtual) Yule Ball

With Covid still rearing its ugly head in the form of new variants and people still being irresponsible, this year PDXpelliarmus, a chapter of Fandom Forward (formerly Harry Potter Alliance) decided to keep everyone safe and go virtual for a second year for our annual Yule Ball. Last year's was a big success and this year we did it up even bigger, with workshops and book discussions, a tea party, and a pop-up dance party.

This dress has a cape!

If you've missed my previous Yull Ball posts, check out 2019's pictures, 2018's, and 2017's. This is always a great event that raises a large amount of money for charity. This year we raised money for Color Outside the Lines, a non-profit that brings art and other creative activities to foster kids. While Fandom Forward has decided to become more inclusive of other fandoms, our chapter - PDXpelliarmus - has tried to focus on Harry Potter, the fandom that brought us all together, and continue spreading the good message that we, the fans, are book 8 and the fandom belongs to us. We don't condone The Author Who Must Not Be Named's views on trans rights, because trans rights are human rights. Also, imagine how much better Harry's life would have been with art and music in the years before he went to Hogwarts.

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I wanted to really bring in the Yule Ball feel with the silvers, whites, and blues. I ordered a customized backdrop through Zazzle, which I think I will do in the future for any other ones I want, because it was exactly what I wanted, including the larger size, and was faster than the others I've ordered, even from American sellers. I combined a few different kinds of glass pieces with twinkle lights to simulate the castle ice sculptures. I also got a clear glass owl to look like ice from a seller on Etsy. Unfortunately, it came in many pieces, but I put it back together with hot glue. I figured I only needed it for this anyway and it wouldn't be noticeable. 

I added some silver and white picks to a pot of herbs and also hung silver sparkly pine cones from my light fixture instead of the more traditional floating candles. A friend sent me a light-up Hogwarts, my tiered tea server is white and silver, and I have several silver tablecloths from when I did a Yule Ball birthday party. I also purchased these super cute Madam Puddifoot plates from Litjoy Crate. Unfortunately, they are sold out, but I highly recommend buying any of their magical goods. 

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Here's the finished set-up, with a tea service from a local patisserie. We weren't able to work with any bakeries or tea shops to create a menu for us like we have in the past, because everyone is stretched thin and stressed out this year, and we completely understand. For this reason, I created a DIY feast menu for folx, if they wanted to really do Yule Ball up right at home. It links to recipes I've used in the past for my own Harry Potter parties. (Eric was the Hufflepuff House ghost, for those of you wondering.)

On Saturday night, our resident DJ, DJ Switch, spun us some nerdy tunes and we all had a dance party in our own homes over Zoom.  This is always a great time and I can't wait for next year when we're back in person.

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That said, we did have a pop-up dance party on Sunday night to end our awesome weekend. It was very small, but that didn't make it any less fun. It was very cold and rainy, but we had hot Butterbeer, excellent music, and we danced our hearts out to keep warm and enjoy being with other people. We even had this awesome little cauldron tree. 

So, that was another part of my birthday weekend that I wanted to share with you. I hope you enjoyed it. I also hope you're all having a great December and holiday season. 

How are you celebrating the end of 2021?

Immersing Ourselves in Van Gogh

It's my birthday weekend! As part of my gift, we went to see the Beyond Van Gogh exhibit and a friend joined us. If you are even a little interested in art, this is a must-see. The exhibit puts you right into the artwork and shows you a different way to experience it. 

I thought I'd bring you a little bit of this exhibit, because Eric thought it was going to be something completely different than it was, but he still had a great time.

Gotta take advantage of a photo op! 

You start your visit with a trip through Vincent's life that includes excerpts from letters to his brother and friends. 

Once you have gotten through that part, you find yourself in a room that comes to life with colors and shapes and at one point a self-portrait of Van Gogh. I didn't get my camera in time to get it full on the wall, but here he is, sliding down the wall.

 

Don't be afraid like others to spend more or less time in here. It's a small space and at one point I saw people looking at each other like "should we leave?" Because what you really want to see is in the next room anyway.

Floor-to-ceiling screens along the walls and in the middle of the room, projecting Van Gogh's works 15 feet high. 

You're taken through his art pieces as he went through life and the transitions are simply amazing. It's artwork in itself, especially the one that gets you to Starry Night.

 

Take time to really view his self portraits. You'll see moving backgrounds, smoke curling out of pipes, blinking eyes, and more. 

Don't worry about where to stand once you're inside, because wherever you are, you'll be able to see everything, as long as you're willing to look around. That doesn't mean that roaming is discouraged. In fact, we had several small children in the room while we were there and I thought this was great. Traditional museums can be stuffy and boring, but this exhibit wasn't quiet or uninteresting and I can just imagine the memories of running through Van Gogh they'll have later.

You won't be surprised to find that there's also a gift shop at the end, where you can buy lenticular prints and magnets, 3D pop-up flowers, regular prints, shirts, patches, and more. I loved these large reproduction paintings. 

This was a great birthday activity and I hope they do this with more artists. It's beautiful and a great alternative to a regular museum. I think it's a great way to get people more interested in art. This is also why I love street art. 

The exhibit will take you about an hour to complete, from entry to reading to a full rotation of the art and life of Vincent in the main hall. Of course, you're welcome to stay as long as you want. Your visit is only limited by your timed ticket. This also makes a great gift if it's coming to your (or your recipient's) town.

Have you ever been to an interactive or immersive art experience?

Keeping Your Kids Occupied While Traveling

Whether you have to take a 12-hour flight, use a cross-country railway service or step aboard an ocean-going ship, traveling with your kids is never easy. There are so many different risks and dangers that you need to be aware of, including the risk of severe boredom, and it's your responsibility as a parent to reduce the likelihood of these events or scenarios from taking place.

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Figuring out how to keep your children occupied and comfortable during long travel doesn't actually have to be as difficult as you might expect, as you'll soon begin to enjoy your journey when you don't have to chase after chaotic little ones that have endless energy and enthusiasm. So, if you want to learn more about how you can keep your kids occupied and happy while traveling, then read on to uncover a variety of tips and tricks that you can utilize now!

Explain In Detail

First and foremost, you must explain to your children that you are all heading off on a vacation or trip, and that you all must travel as a result of your need to visit a different location. Explain to them that you will be unable to have fun in a different country without going on a plane, train or ship, as you need to be able to cover a lot of ground and travel many miles to reach your destination. If they have a better understanding of why you need to take part in such traveling, then they will be far more patient and accepting of the whole process. Being aware of what's going to happen will make it far easier for them to manage, and they can even begin to plan their own methods to keep themselves occupied if you make such a suggestion. Not knowing why you're leaving your friends and home can be a really scary process for children, especially if it's their first vacation or they're never experienced a plane or ship before. 

Puzzles, Books & More 

One of the best ways to keep your children occupied during lengthy travel is by investing in a host of different puzzles, books and board or card games that you don't need to plug in or charge. Having access to arts and crafts equipment or fun learning opportunities through word searches and color-by-number books will no doubt reduce your stress levels when traveling as a family, as your little ones will be as silent as a mouse filling in their puzzles or letting their creative juices flow. Bringing a few books along that they can really get stuck into is a brilliant way to pass the time, as you can get sucked into a good book for hours on end - by which point you may have reached your destination! Keeping their minds active and encouraging them to learn at every opportunity will even benefit your children's long term development, so it's a win-win situation. Don't worry if you forget to bring your puzzles and books, as most train stations and airports have stores that stock these items to help you to stay sane during your travels! 

Stock Up On Tech Entertainment

In recent years the sheer volume of different tech based entertainment options has reached dramatic levels, as there are hundreds of thousands of different devices, apps and websites that you can explore to keep yourself and your children occupied. Whether you choose to invest in a tablet that can be used to download countless different games, a smartphone that can be used to speak with friends and family, or even a dedicated children's electronic education device that includes activities like spelling and mathematics, you're bound to keep your little ones out of trouble.

Don't forget to use something like Family Orbit - parental monitoring app to stop your kids from accessing unsafe sites. Be sure to protect your tech whenever you're traveling, as accidentally dropping, smashing or losing your device could see you lose a huge amount of money (and send your kids into a manic panic). Get the best insurance package that you can find to make sure you will be reimbursed if anything happens to your family's tech when you are on the move. 

Keeping your kids occupied while traveling has never been such a simple task when you can take the time to make the most of some of the brilliant tips, tricks and ideas that have been carefully detailed above. There's no time like the present to prepare your entertainment kit, so what are you waiting for? Get out there and enjoy your family vacation with your little ones now!