What will your Pensieve show you?
We are first introduced to the existence of the Pensieve and its powers in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when a curious Harry manages to eavesdrop on Dumbledore's memory of the trial of Barty Crouch Junior after the attack on Neville Longbottom's parents.
Harry also uses the pensieve to take a peek at the memories that Professor Snape removes before Harry's occlumency lessons in Order of the Phoenix. In Deathly Hallows the pensieve reveals important,but disturbing, information about the night Harry's parents died.
Still of the Pensieve, promotional still image from Harry Potter abd the Goblet of Fire, copyright © Warner Bros.
Make your own Pensieve
Make two papier mache bowls (one slightly shorter) joined together at their bases to form a raised basin that looks like a grecian-shaped urn - sort of like the ones in the picture on the right.Keep the bottoms of the bowls open (like a cylinder) so that you can place some photographs or a digital photo frame underneath for viewing through the Pensieve. Or, if you have an MP3 video player or a phone with video, arrange this underneath with tissue paper arranged around it to hide the buttons and casing, etc.
Another idea is to place a little fog maker inside to create mist spilling out over the edges. But DO NOT use this together with electrical items such as your phone or digital photo frame. It could also ruin photos if it causes water to spill on them, so take care.
How to make papier mache for your Pensieve
- You can make your own paste using flour and water or you can use wallpaper paste.- Tear thin strips of newspaper.
- Choose the bowl to use as a mould. Ideally you want two bowls so that you can make both parts of the Pensieve (the basin and the base) at the same time. But if you only have one bowl available make the base after the basin has dried.
- Cover the bowls in petroleum jelly or plastic wrap.
- Dip the strips of paper into the paste and cover the bowls with a layer of paper (leaving the bottoms uncovered). Allow to dry for an hour or two between layers. Apply as many layers as you have patience for.
- If you have two bowls, you can join them together from the start. Otherwise, create a thinner bowl, which will dry quicker so that you can remove the mould and create the base. Then add more layers inside and outside to both pieces to join the basin to the base.
- Remove the moulds once both parts are fully dried. Trim the edges and cut the base smaller if necessary. Apply another layer of paper over the edges to neaten up if necessary.
- Paint and decorate your Pensieve. Black is a good colour for inside so that your attention is focused on the photos or video.
Image by Dan4th Nicholas
Paint your Pensieve
Black is a good colour to paint the inside of your Pensieve so that your attention is focused on the photos or video.To create a stone effect:
- Paint a base colour of black or dark brown on the outside of your Pensieve.
- Use a fine grain sponge to dab a medium cream or ochre over the base coat, leaving a few patches of dark paint showing through.
- Add some white paint to the cream/ochre paint.
- Use a coarser sponge to dab the paler paint over the Pensieve leaving specks of black/brown and cream/ochre showing through.
Image by Lainey's Repertoire (see also Miss Lainey's Blog)
Papier Mache tips, instructions, and other projects
- Papier Mache - Tutorials
- Some really cool ideas for having fun with papier mache. This site is a resource for tutorials, articles, books, galleries, and discussion forums.
- Make a Papier Mache Bowl
- Make a Papier Mache Bowl
- Making Papier Mache Bowls: the Strip Method
- Rip thin strips of newsprint and dip strips through (not soaked) in pudding
consistency wallpaper paste. - How to Make a Papier Mache Bowl
- How to Make Your Own Papier Mache Bowl.
- Paper Mache Bowls
- Paper mache is easy, it's fun, and kids will find that it's a handy skill to learn. Knowing how to work with paper mache empowers kids to make all kinds of props, both for play and for school.
Paints and sponges
Games Workshop: Foundation Paint - Tausept Ochre
Amazon Price: $3.49 (as of 12/18/2009) 
Black Poster Paint Bottle
Amazon Price: $4.48 (as of 12/18/2009)
Melissa & Doug White Poster Paint (8 oz)
Amazon Price: $4.55 (as of 12/18/2009)
CELLULOSE SPONGE
Amazon Price: $2.33 (as of 12/18/2009)
Purdy 031925-003 5-Inch Large Sea Sponges
Amazon Price: $11.33 (as of 12/18/2009)
Extract the memories for your Pensieve
Place your Pensieve over a digital photo frame or video player and pretend you're peeking into someone's memories.
ZOpid - 2.4" LCD MINI DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME WITH BUILT-IN RECHARGEABLE BATTERY - HOLDS 60 PICTURES
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
Zune 8 GB Digital Media Player (Black)
Amazon Price: $195.95 (as of 12/18/2009)
SanDisk Sansa Fuze 4 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)
Amazon Price: $49.99 (as of 12/18/2009)
Add some mysterious fog to your Pensieve
This is a great special effects idea for a party. You can set it up so that it looks like your Pensieve is spilling layers of misty memories.
*** DO NOT use the photo or video equipment together with the fog machine as it could cause a shock. ***
Instead, why not place waterproof party favours inside your Pensieve for your guests to look inside and take out?
Fog / Mist Maker Unit
Creates fog with ordinary tap water. Place unit in glass or plastic container.
Amazon Price: $20.72 (as of 12/18/2009)
Wizard Stick
The Wizard Stick is the only hand held portable fog machine that makes a huge plume of non-toxic fog for special effects or finding drafts in the house. The white vapor can be used in science experiments, making a volcano, or an upside down tornado. The Wizard Stick has a bright blue LED light and a black-light sensitive body.
Amazon Price: $21.99 (as of 12/18/2009)
Harry Potter party favours
Some ideas for waterproof party favours to place inside your Pensieve. Probably best to remove any packaging.
Harry Potter Logo Metal Keychain
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
Harry Potter Party Single Wands
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
NECA "Harry Potter" Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix Action Figure
Amazon Price: $13.31 (as of 12/18/2009)
Harry Potter Deluxe Glasses Child
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
HARRY POTTER GOLDEN SNITCH
Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 12/18/2009)
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Widescreen Edition)
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/18/2009)
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Official Trailer
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Feeling pensive? Pen your thoughts here...
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Reply
- daoine daoine Sep 13, 2009 @ 5:52 pm | in reply to spirituality
- LOL - are you offering to babysit Katinka? :-) Maybe when Tigger is a bit older he will be able to help me make a pensieve that I can take photos of. Or at least give me more than two minutes to squeeze in all I want to do...
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Reply
- spirituality spirituality Sep 13, 2009 @ 4:31 am
- I think a picture of the finished product might make your idea on how to make a pensieve a bit clearer. Or some schematics on how to combine the two bowls. Great idea though.
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