Dueling Wands

I've been a Harry Potter fan since I read the first book years ago.  That's a funny story.  A friend had ordered the first two books from an English publisher - not sure if they were available in the States yet.  He kept suggesting I read HP and the Philosopher's Stone.  I just wasn't interested.  Then, I was trapped at a beach house during a storm with a flashlight and HP/PS.  I was hooked!

I have purchased wands...funny how they seem to disappear in my house (I suspect nargles).  I've been cleaning out and organizing craft supplies and as the piles grew, the wands just came together.

Of course, I am wondering when and why I acquired some of this stuff.

12" dowel rods- 1/4" diameter
3" mini-candle holder about 3/8" diameter
Elmer's glue
Black, gold, silver acrylic paint
glue gun
silver and gold aglets
silver and gold buttons
Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal coating - this stuff is awesome

I decided to tackle the black and gold wand first.  I wanted the wand to look old and well-used, as though the magic had melted and settled back into the finish.

 I sanded and painted both the rod and the candle holder black.  I mixed a little Elmer's glue with the gold paint and let it drip down from the top, pulling it down with a toothpick.  I then did this with black paint and glue.  I liked the look so I played with "sculpting" the texture using a toothpick and tweezers.

I used the hot glue gun for the gold button on the handle end and for gold aglet at the tip.  I plan to attach a patronus charm to it when I can find a little gold badger.