Unboxing – J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, May 2018

Happy Friday! I’m back again with a box from Loot Crate’s J. K. Rowling Wizarding World subscription series. Warning, if you are subscribed to this box and either have not received or opened it yet, there are spoilers of the contents below. And as always, this is not a sponsored post. I just have two unhealthy obsessions, one for Harry Potter, and the other for blowing money on things I don’t need but look cool.

Image-heavy post inbound, and as usual, feel free to click on the images to see a larger view for more details! (And apologies for the formatting on smaller devices!)

       

This box is slightly different on the outside in that the logo for the box series has changed! I really like how it looks–much more streamlined but still looks unique, especially with the rising/setting sun look of the wands. And the sticker seal for the box this time sports the Sorting Hat, suggesting that the items inside will likely be related to the Hogwarts houses.

                             

Onto the inside! The first look into the box has a soft inside color with icons for Hogwarts and each of the houses. Looking at the items the shirt on top is obvious, and then it looks like a few smaller items surrounding it. The guide tells us that the theme is in fact related to the houses–House Pride for this one! The items for this time include the pin that’s found in all the boxes, some socks, a t-shirt, a patch, and a pocket watch.

Speaking of the box guide, they changed how this looked, too! It’s now a sleek black envelope-looking piece of paper instead of white, and has the new box logo on the other side, this time in color. It looks super nice in the gold and with the extra details.

But now it’s time to move on the actual items! First up is the t-shirt, tailored specifically to whichever house you specify when you sign up for the box. Since I chose Ravenclaw, I got a nice blue shirt with “Ravenclaw” and an image of a raven on it. The shirt is a Loot Crate exclusive and very soft. And also not that short, I thought I should clarify–it’s just folded under at the bottom. No crop tops here!

                                               

Next is the socks! These came as a two pack, where one is the Hogwarts styled pair that everyone who got this crate received, and the house-specific pair depending on the purchaser’s house preference. They’re a one size fits most according to the tag–these were gauged at around US size 10-13, and while I didn’t try them on they seem like a good size for me personally (who clocks in at a big ol’ US size 11 in women’s–big feet!) and feel very comfortable by touch.

Then we have the patch, which is another house-specific item for this box! The one I got was for Ravenclaw, with a bit of a Quidditch team crest look to it because of the golden snitch and goal hoops on top. The quality of it also looks very nice, and it feels pretty sturdy as far as the stitching goes. Sadly I’m not really a patch person, but I can still appreciate the look and feel of it!

                                     

The pocket watch is pretty neat! I’m a big fan of clocks, and I do really like pocket watches too. Sadly it’s not something I typically use, but like the patch I still appreciate the look of it. The watch is on a thin, unobtrusive chain with a small raven charm hooked on, and has a nice heft to it. The design on the front is really nice looking, but the blue-fill around the raven looks like it spilled over a bit. And the inside features a more minimalist design of the Ravenclaw crest with a softer blue background.

Last but not least is the pin, which so far has had a variation in every box! This time it’s in the shape of a lightning bolt, and has the phrase “Neither can live while the other survives” on the inside of the black fill. The pin looks and feels really nice and durable. I like the simplicity and sleekness of it, but the text on the inside seems like overkill.

That’s all for the May 2018 Wizarding World subscription box! This is the second House Pride box that Loot Crate has done (the last one being back in March of last year!), which makes me wonder if this will be an annual thing. Sadly a couple of the items are things I can’t/don’t really use. But otherwise everything looked/felt nice and fit the theme very well, although the pin seemed like a bit of an oddball and not a fit in my eyes.

Let me know what you guys thought of this box and post, and if you’d like to see more of these! And if you got this particular box, what are your thoughts? How did your particular house items turn out? I’m happy to share things like this so more people can see and learn about the goodies out there for these subscriptions! Hopefully it generates some interest to get more subs to it–the more the merrier! (Plus with more people, we might get even neater stuff!)

Have a great weekend! June is right around the corner, and I hope everyone’s May went well!

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Writing Prompt Wednesday – “Pessimistic”

Shards of Reality by Shalora

Along this dry stretch of road

A smattering of shattered glass

Littering the grit and grass

Further proof of humankind only caring for itself

And even after picking up the shards

There’s no hope of restoration

And for your trouble?

Nicks in the soft pads of your fingers

Even trying to make the world a better place

Leads to tears, blood and pain

These scarred hands will remind the future insessantly

Writing Prompt Wednesday – “Anticipation”

Anticipation by DianaCretu

Anxious but growing ever-more excited

Nervously chattering to pass the time

Time that, despite their best efforts,

Icily crawled forward as if nearly frozen

Coolly, a slow breath passes slightly pursed lips

“I’m ready, I’m ready,” like a broken record

Perfect attempts to convince themselves

And patience was never their strong suit

Today, and no other, was the next step forward

Ending the past, and entering into a new future

Writing Prompt Wednesday – “Infatuation”

childhood memories by JupiterLily

A nibbled lip and downcast eyes

The hint of a smile at the corners of the mouth

And a nervous twist and scuff of a sneaker

From afar, the crush was clear

 

Watching fondly as their little one,

Not at all unlike a small puppy,

Trailed behind the one that had captured their eye

A pair of humored parents smother chuckles

 

Too young, far too young for this, they thought

Still hoping for the best regardless

After all, had they not been through the same?

Glancing to each other, their own childhood sweetheart

Writing Prompt Wednesday – “Submission”

If we never go by Hazel-Photography

Simplifying by giving in

Unable to muster the the will, the fight

Better, at this point, to quietly submit

Maybe the lack of struggle will ease the process

It certainly seems that the opposite has had no positive impact

Silently, you bow your head

Submissive, you hold out your hands in a show of good faith

Implying that no further action that goes against the grain will happen

Only obedience

Nothing but the most compliant expression gazes upward

Writing Prompt Wednesday – “Delight”

Photo by William Britten

Delicately, large hands, warm hands

Cover the tiny eyes of curiosity and excitement

The sun is seen from within

And these warmed hands turn golden orange with the light

Unable to contain themselves, the curious child eagerly reaches up

Placing their own small hands atop the others

“Not yet, not yet,” their guardian laughed

They were close, just a few more steps

And as they halted, the child suddenly felt sand beneath their feet

Clumping and collecting between each toe as they wiggled eagerly

A whisper next to their ear gave permission to look

And the warm hands slipped away to reveal a cool breeze

An even cooler blue sky

Meeting like an old friend at the horizon with the vast sea

And the warmth flooded to the child’s eyes instead

Fueled by delight and gratefulness

Writing Prompt Wednesday – “Anger”

Seethe by berylsays

He was never quick to anger

Always choosing the path of least resistance

Hoping for positive outcomes even in dire times

His serenity was admirable

His peaceful expression, almost godlike

And his patience seemed impossible to achieve

It was a wonder how he managed

What with how the world always tried to put up obstacles

Still, he was calm

Never quick to react

And it made her seethe at his lack of emotion

Writing Prompt Wednesday – “Empty”

Shattered by GlauxBryonia

Hidden away in this small room

A cell, a prison of the minds own design

The realization that this is all there is

Four walls

You

And the empty space in-between

Prone on the ground

Blankly staring

Can you imagine there are shapes there?

Hidden in plain sight on bare walls

Invisible ink to most seeking eyes

Create your own reality in this emptiness

For even a gentle touch to these binding surfaces

Can shatter this small room into tiny

Individual

Pieces

Revealing a freedom that doesn’t exist

By taunting you with yet another barrier

Secure, but ever confining

Writing Prompt Wednesday – “Rage”

Fierce by Hengki24

Ragged breaths escaping from clenched teeth signal the calm before the storm.

Already the rage is at a boiling point, frothing and seething like a rabid animal.

Gauging the risk, is the approach worth the incoming onslaught?

Everything is more interesting with a little recklessness.

Unboxing – J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, March 2018

Happy Friday! Here we go again with a box from Loot Crate’s J. K. Rowling Wizarding World subscription series. Warning, if you are subscribed to this box and either have not received or opened it yet, there are spoilers of the contents below. And as always, this is not a sponsored post. This box was on time, so it’s a bit closer than usual to the last post about these, but let’s dive into it!

Image-heavy post inbound, and as usual, feel free to click on the images to see a larger view for more details! (And apologies for the formatting on smaller devices!)

The box was back to being nice and neat on the outside thankfully–last time because of how lazily it looked slapped together I was worried it had been opened en route or something, but this one was just fine. The sticker seal this time is a nice, nighttime silhouette of Hogwarts! As for the inside…

           

The first peek shows us another neat nighttime silhouette of Hogwarts on the box, and it looks like the t-shirt on top with a couple other items peeking out around it. Then the guide to the box shows us six different items for this box, and the theme of “Enchanting Essentials.” This one includes the t-shirt, a book, a pack of mini journals, a door sign, a magnet that varies on the house you pick when signing up, and the box-staple pin.

Our first item is a Loot Crate exclusive t-shirt with the Hogwarts crest on it. It’s neatly stylized and really soft, and the quality of the print feels nice, like it’ll last decently well. Downside to these boxes is a get more shirts than I can keep up with wearing, ha-ha.

Then we have the 4-pack of miniature journals. Perfect for popping in your purse/car/pocket for on the go notes or writing. The designs on all the covers are very different and unique, and go along with the ‘essentials’ theme well enough, I think.

               

The book this time is a lot more interesting to me. It’s modeled to be something like Newt Scamander’s scrapbook from the Fantastic Beasts movie, an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the film and what went into making it. It includes looks at making some of the graphic elements for the movie (which I really like!) and even some interactive aspects like hidden folds in some of the images.

                 

Next is the door sign, which features messages on both sides. So depending on how you’re feeling, you can be welcoming or bar others from entering if the world at large is offensive to you that day. Thankfully this is something that basically sits there once it’s in use, because it’s essentially a sticker on each side of a piece of thin wood with some twine stapled to the top. Not super durable, but fine for just resting on a doorknob or up on a wall.

Last but not least are the two smaller items, the magnet and the pin! The magnet is an image of the crest of whatever house you choose when subscribing to the crate. It’s not incredibly strong, so it probably couldn’t hold anything decently heavy, but sticks well enough to a fridge or something. The pin for this box is in the shape of a doe, meant to be Snape and Lily’s patronus in a gold pin form. It’s very petite and cute, and is a nice, subtle way of showing your fandom love without it being obvious what it’s from.

That was it for the box items, but this time Loot Crate also included a little promotional piece. When you subscribe to the Wizarding World crate you’re automatically entered to win a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park at Universal Orlando Resort. I’ve been lucky enough to go a couple times and loved it. It’s always super busy there, but it’s lots of fun and has great attractions, food, and merchandise! (This is still definitely not sponsored by the way, ha-ha.) So if you’re planning on getting a crate anyway, and you’d like to visit the theme park, you get entered for a chance to go!

Now we’re at the end of the March 2018 Wizarding World subscription box! I think the theme was good, but I don’t know if necessarily everything in the box fit with it. I wasn’t disappointed to receive anything here, though.

Let me know what you guys thought of this box and post, and if you’d like to see more of these! And if you got this particular box, what are your thoughts? I’m happy to share things like this so more people can see and learn about the goodies out there for these subscriptions! Hopefully it generates some interest to get more subs to it–the more the merrier! (Plus with more people, we might get even neater stuff!)

Have a great weekend! Let’s get ready for April!