Saturday, July 30, 2016

Ginny Weasley's Anxiety-Away Calming Cure - Weighted Lap Pad - Harry Potter

Weighted pads and blankets (and vests and other weighted products) are often used to help calm individuals with anxiety, ADHD, autism, and other conditions, and they're surprisingly easy to make yourself.  (And thanks to Fairfield for providing me with product, compensating me for this post, and helping me pass my geek-loves onto my kids.  All ideas are 100% mine.  This post contains affiliate links.)  So since it's Happy Harry Potter week over at Rae Gun Ramblings, I thought we'd make a Harry Potter version of a weighted lap pad.

It has been so fun to see my younger daughter fall in love with the Harry Potter series this last year.  As a first grader she made it through the first three books and she would be reading Goblet of Fire...except she keeps rereading Prizoner of Azkaban.

She'd seen a few of the movies before she started reading the books, and from the beginning she immediately connected with Ginny Weasley has her favorite character.  (Rebecca dressed as Ginny when she was 4.)

Rebecca identified right away with Ginny's shyness because she's struggled with a severe form of social anxiety for a long time.  Her selective mutism makes it really hard to speak up around people she doesn't know well...and school is especially difficult. (Imagine not talking to your teacher for the whole year...that was kindergarten for us.)

I love Ginny and I love that Rebecca loves Ginny because I know something that Rebecca doesn't know yet...that in the later books as Ginny finds herself and grows comfortable in her own skin, everyone gets to see the confident, spunky, and outgoing girl that was hidden inside Ginny the whole time.  At home we get to see the confident, spunky, and outgoing girl inside Rebecca all the time...but not many people outside our family get to see that girl...yet...




She's been working hard and is already doing so much better, but we're always looking for little ways to help lessen Rebecca's anxiety, so she can find her voice.  We decided to try making some weighted lap pads that she can take to school to help calm her nerves while she's doing her school work...and what better theme to use than Harry Potter?!?

All it takes to make one some fabrics scraps and a bag of poly-pellets (and maybe a few extra sewing machine needles in case your needle happens to hit one of those pellets.

We're thinking Ginny would have wanted one in Gryffindor Red and Gold...and she probably would have loved if Harry's face were on the back of it.  We're pretty sure Mrs. Weasley must have made one of these for Ginny...except maybe on hers the characters got to move like in the wizarding photographs.  Or perhaps a tiny golden snitch flies about for Harry to catch.  (Joanns currently has several Harry Potter licensed fabrics...but I don't care much for most of them...but I LOVE a good black and white print in any theme and I love this fabric with sketches of Harry, Ron, and Hermione...so I may have gone ahead and bought the whole bolt.

It's certainly perfect for relaxing while reading Harry Potter.  (Monster Book of Monsters Cushion Tutorial here.)

And it will fit well on her lap while she's sitting at her desk, without being too noticeable.

But since as much as we all love Harry Potter at our house...she does have other interests...so we made a second one as well...can you tell she loves orange and Paris?


I'm sharing the full tutorial for how to make your own DIY Weighted Lap Pad here on the Fairfield World site.

See these links for more details about other Harry Potter themed crafts we've done...and be sure to check back because I'll be adding more as I get them written up.


Gryffindor Deathly Hallows Quilt
 http://www.piecesbypolly.com/2013/10/harry-potter-printable-spell-books-sew.html

 

 Hogwarts Crest Quilt
 

Slytherin Quilt - Green and Silver
 Slytherin Quilt

 
 Giant Monster Book of Monster Cushion (No Sew)
 


Golden Snitch Birthday Cake
 Slytherin Quilt

 

Granger-Lovegood 2016 Election Shirts 
 

Potter - Weasley 2016 Election Shirts 
 

 

Lumos and Nox Quilt


Harry Potter Party Overview


 


 Hedwig Necklace
 

Accio Book Tote Tutorial - Freezer Paper Stencil 
  
Harry Potter Shirt - Freezer Paper Stencil



Easy Harry Potter Wands 


Printable Hogwarts Library Book Plates

Printable Harry Potter Valentines


Easy Harry Potter (Hogwarts) House Scarves


Golden Snitch Necklace

Golden Snitch Cupcakes
 


Ron Weasley "I'm a Keeper" Shirt - Freezer Paper Stencil
 

Ginny Weasley's Golden Snitch Skirt
 
DIY Quidditch Association Shirt - Freezer Paper Stencil (Boy Version)
 
DIY Quidditch Association Shirt - Freezer Paper Stencil (Girl Version)
 
Harry Potter Wizard Robe in 15 Minutes from a T-shirt
 

Harry Potter Family Themed Costumes
 

Harry Potter Inspired Charm Ornaments
 


Harry Potter Printable Spell Books
 http://www.piecesbypolly.com/2013/10/harry-potter-printable-spell-books-sew.html

Harry Potter Printable Dementor Themed Chocolate Bar Wrappers Books
  http://www.piecesbypolly.com/2014/01/harry-potter-valentine-printable.html



The Hermione Skirt
 http://www.piecesbypolly.com/2013/10/harry-potter-printable-spell-books-sew.html
Dementor's Kiss-Away Free Printable Party Favor or Valentine
 http://www.piecesbypolly.com/2013/10/harry-potter-printable-spell-books-sew.html

DIY Hogwarts Robe for 18-inch Doll
 http://www.piecesbypolly.com/2013/10/harry-potter-printable-spell-books-sew.html

Hermione in the Library - CraftingCon Post
 http://www.piecesbypolly.com/2013/10/harry-potter-printable-spell-books-sew.html

Harry Potter Potions Ornaments

 Harry Potter Robes with Oly*Fun


 The Wand Skirt

 Always Doe Pillow

Deathly Hallows Pillow
 Deathly Hallows Pillow

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