Day 44, year 2 - Good cheer at The Green Dragon.

The hobbits of Laurelin server in Lord of the Rings Online know how to enjoy themselves. Every friday they gather in The Green Dragon pub in Bywater and sing songs, dance to tunes, eat, drink and have good cheer!

Day 36, year 2 - And a robber button is?

Its been what felt like an age waiting on pre-order, but Mr Baggins button is finally here - and its definitely been worth the wait!!

First reaction on unpacking is that this is beautifully boxed with part of Thror’s map decorating the sturdy carboard box. Second reaction, on opening the box, is that this is BIG for a button! Third reaction, its HEAVY!

This is definitely oversized for the button of a hobbit’s waistcoat, but its a quality, weighty item all the same and if you want a replica from the movie but don’t have a big budget then this is definitely something to look at, especially if you like hobbits more than dwarves as its the only “hobbit-made” replica currently available from An Unexpected Journey. The attention to detail on replicating the button really is excellent.

Its definitely not a pin you can pin to a shirt, it’ll have to be on something big and sturdy to support this weighty piece that is over 3cm wide. The only downside is that the securing pin itself is a little lightweight, with only a bent bit of metal to secure it. The securing pin is also placed at the base of the acorn, so it can only hang securely “upside down” (the same way the acorn button has been depicted on the film tie-in publications as a graphic, and on the Weta pendant bags) rather than the “right way up” of the buttons on Bilbo’s waistcoat.

Its an item I’m very happy to get my hands on at last and one I do recommend taking a look at if you get the chance. And if you get the comedy reference in the post title then well done, help yourself to some cake!

Day 23, year 2 - The not so quick post.

Seems a little strange to receive stamps in the post, ah but these are no ordinary stamps….they’re Hobbit stamps!

New Zealand Post’s presentation pack of their Hobbit stamps was a very welcome arrival in my smial. A first day cover is a stamp collectors tradition, but the stamp within the full image sections are a very nice touch indeed. With little character info text and all in a lovely gatefold layout it makes something very special out of something so seemingly everyday and mundane as stamps.

Stamps may not be increasingly anachronistic in a world of instant communication, but these will stay very special to me I’m sure.

Day 18, year 2 - the seal of Thorin Oakenshield.

At the bottom of the stupendously legalistic and artfully realised contract offered to burglar Baggins sits the seal of Thorin Oakenshield. Its one of those examples where the attention to detail of Weta and the art department makes the films so good. Its barely seen on film, but they still take the time to do it right.

Weta have taken the time to recreate the seal in one of their stone pendants too, precision cutting the design out of the stone….but look closely at it, because its not cut the same way as the wax seal at the foot of the contract - its the mirror opposite. So what? It means that, if you had your own sealing wax and know how to use it, you could use the pendant to create the seal of Thorin for yourself. Its not a seal, its a seal imprinter. You too could add your own majestic touch to anything you write….

Day 17, year 2 - Majestic, even when encased in plastic.

Does it get any more majestic than Thorin Oakenshield? Even when in his plastic prison he’s being all moody and majestic.

These Hobbit collectors edition figures have really impressed me with their quality and detail, and for the quite silly money prices they’ve been going for on Amazon UK over the festive period - an average of £5 each, less than the prices being charged for the smaller scale and less detailed action figures - a serious bargain. A majestic bargain, even…..

Day 16, year 2 - Mirkwood power couple

Everyone’s favourite pair of elves who weren’t even in the movie, Tauriel and Legolas. It looks as if Legolas isn’t too happy at not being included in the movie, swapping his usual “confused stare into the middle-distance before stating the bleeding obvious” for out and out angry stare. Maybe he’s angry that his costume appears to be a fetching elven mini-dress….or maybe he’s just taking his dad’s eyebrows out for a walk.

Tauriel is still a largely unknown quantity, but I do rather like the design of the toy and it seems as if Peter Jackson is finally going to get the kick-ass fighting female elf he’s wanted to add for so many years.

I can’t help feeling that the toy makers might have had the same expression as Legolas when they found out about the whole 3 movies thing though. Must have been an awful lot of money wasted on producing these toys that only the geeks really want.

Day 15, year 2 - A face only a mother could love

The loathsome form of The Great Goblin has certainly drawn a lot of colourful comments from those who found him utterly repulsive (especially about his chin) but I have to say I thought he was fantastic!

He was such a wonderfully pantomime villain that he was impossible not to like. Indeed I think he’s the only villain that I’ve ever really loved, so this plastic representation of his CGI form was a very welcome post-festive arrival on my doorstep today!

The Thorin Oakenshield figure inside the box feels like an extra freebie to me, this box is all about the goblin!

Day 13, year 2 - Entering the Chronicles

From the first view of the highly-textured cover, “Chronicles Art & Design” is simply wonderful.

Turn the page and there is Thror’s map to unfold. Turn the page again and my gifted edition becomes even more special, with a page of signatures.

There’s so very much to enjoy in this book, though at first glance it raises more questions than it answers, with detailed sections about designing parts of the movie that were left out and barely a mention of characters and scenes that were important in the movie. It definitely leaves you asking questions about what form the movie was going to take, at the point the book was being planned. Its also very clear that some scenes were cut from the movie after the book was locked.

Lots of interest to enjoy, I highly recommend getting a sight of a copy.

Day 10, year 2 - The mark of a hobbit, the mark of a wizard.

The items that Weta Workshop are releasing for The Hobbit movie feel like such a step up from some of the items they released for The Lord of the Rings.

This “mark of Gandalf” pendant is really rather splendid! The Acorn Button detail on it is a lovely extra feature that says a lot about their attention to detail.