Photo Friday: Creating magic, Hogwarts style in London

You should probably know that I am a huge Harry Potter fan.

I really do mean, huge.

I make my own Harry Potter jewellery. I once made a Luna Lovegood butterbeer cork necklace. I also reference Ravenclaw on just about everything (because I'm a Pottermore Ravenclaw) and I once tried making my own Hogwarts robe. (That failed miserably.) I also worked at Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Singapore last summer.

So when I finally got to go to Leavesden Studios, you can only imagine how incredibly excited I was to be there. Where the magic was made, you guys.

Walking through the doors to the Great Hall.

I got the same feeling that Harry must have had the very first time he walked through these doors at Hogwarts. It's so much more magical especially as a Harry Potter fan - I grew up with Hogwarts and the Harry Potter books, and I was devastated when I didn't get my letter at 11 years old. (Yes I was one of those kids.) But now, I finally got to go to Hogwarts!!!

The Gryffindors!

I love how the attention for detail is absolutely everywhere. Dragons with fire bowls!

The layout of Leavesden Studios isn't chronological, so right after entering the Great Hall you go through and see the crystal dining tables of the Yule Ball (and the costumes, too). Although this is all made of resin, it still looks amazing. Can you believe that these are the costumes that were actually worn in the film?

I love being able to get up close and personal with all the props that were used in the film, an even being able to see the little degrees of wear from their use. Like this Luna Lovegood jewellery set (did I mention she's my favourite character?) - did you know that the actress Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna, made these beaded earrings herself? She did them so well that the jewellery department just decided to use them in the film!

It never fails to amaze me how much effort and work is put into these films. We don't often notice it when we're watching the completed film, but there really is an incredible amount of work that goes into silver-screen believability. For Deathly Hallows, Harry was given clothes in varying degrees of ruin, since he was on the run and needed to look more and more dishevelled.

Standing on the set of the Gryffindor common room brings back so many memories of so many years ago. I can't believe that it's been about 10 years since the first Harry Potter film was released! It feels so crazy to think that it's been so long. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was the first film I watched in cinemas, so it was all the more nostalgic.

It's all these things that really add to the sense of the film and make Hogwarts come to life on the big screen. It feels incredible being able to see things like Dumbledore's office and all the little details that went into creating the look of aged, worn stone.

Whether or not you're a big Ravenclaw fan, you have to admit that Rowena Ravenclaw's magnificent diadem is a beautiful work of art. I love how everything looks so intricate, especially in close-up - with etching of the words on the rim, to the feathers of the Ravenclaw eagle and the big blue jewel right in the centre!

And of course, what is Hogwarts without the Potions dungeon, where Harry endured so many hours at the mercy of Professor Snape? There's Professor Slughorn's costume, as well as self-stirring cauldrons on this set!

These are the incredibly intricate vault mechanisms at Gringotts!

After the already substantial indoor section, there's also a little outdoor section with props like the Knight Bus, Privet Drive, Bathila Bagshot's house, and even a little booth selling refreshments and Butterbeer!

Here I am, wondering why my flying car won't fly. 

The crazy thing is that even after a good three hours walking around the first half of the studios, we still weren't done. There's so much to see, and so much more to do!