Sarah Hamilton has always been intrigued by the fantasy subculture.
From Harry Potter novels to Jim Henson-directed films (i.e. The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth), Hamilton acknowledges she’s “obsessed” with fairytales and magical creatures.
“I love dragons,” she said. “Really, creatures have been my inspiration.”
The Harry Potter series has been, too.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
“I definitely am a huge fan. I’ve read all the books, watched all the movies.”
In October, the Lutz resident opened the wizard-themed Mad Dragon Studio, 5226 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills.
The shop, located in the heart of the city’s downtown, offers handcrafted wizardry wands along with feather quills, and cosplay props and costumes.
Other vintage products like homemade bath bombs, wizard uniform aprons and non-alcoholic butterscotch beer are also featured throughout the mythical studio.
“It’s kind of the place to come if you want something different,” Hamilton explained. “I always want you to walk-in and feel like it’s magical in here.”
A former first-grade teacher, Hamilton said she’s had artistic leanings since she was a youth.
(Photos courtesy of Sarah Hamilton)
“I’ve been making creatures since I was a little girl,” Hamilton said, “but, I had no idea I’d be doing this.”
In fact, her business started by happenstance.
About five years ago, Hamilton wanted to purchase small wands as party favors for her son’s wizard-themed birthday. But, when she discovered the price tag of a single wand was a minimum of $35, she opted to just make them herself.
“I just started messing around. I started sculpting with polymer clay, and I moved up to (larger) wands,” she explained.
Hamilton later sold handcrafted wands on Etsy, an online marketplace offering handmade and vintage goods.
“It just kind of kept evolving,” Hamilton said, “and then I thought it’d be fun to have my own actual brick-and-mortar (store).”
The wands, which also feature a wooden core, typically take Hamilton “a few hours to make.”
She, too, offers customized wands — one of which was recently used in a wedding proposal. As the story goes, Hamilton molded an engagement ring into a wand handle that could separate and reattach.
“That (wand) one was the hardest,” Hamilton said, “because it was like, ‘How am I going to get a ring on and off?’”
Though Hamilton’s wands are among the shop’s most prominent items, it’s her unicorn horn headbands that are the highest selling.
The popularity of the headbands exploded when they were featured on Buzzfeed in 2015.
“You don’t know what people are going to like until you put it out there,” said Hamilton.
She added the store’s most frequent customers are adult cosplayers and larpers (live-action role players).
“It’s people who, like me, have just really been obsessed with that (medieval) kind of world. That’s been an interesting thing to notice,” Hamilton said.
In her spare time, the local artist organizes ‘Fab Lab’ craft classes, where she teaches attendees how to make sugar scrubs, glitter wine glasses and other unique products.
“I’m all about people getting their hands into something creative and just trying it. That’s certainly how I got into it,” Hamilton said.
For more information, visit MadDragonStudio.com.
Published December 7, 2016
