Award of the Sapphire - January 2018

The Award of the Sapphire is an award given by the Crown to individuals who exhibit courtesy, grace, and honor to others and exemplify what it means to be the embodiment of the Dream.

• Direct Link: Catalog of Illuminated Manuscripts (Inspiration)
• Source: Book of Hours, Use of Sarum, 
• Origin: France, N. or N. W. (Rouen?) c. 1430- c. 1440

The Award of the Sapphire was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and Bombay Black India Ink. The text reads as follows:

Let it be known to all that we, Cellach and Vukasin, King and Queen of the Midrealm send greetings. It is one of the pleasures of the crown to recognize individuals who exhibit great courtesy, grace, and honor to people of all ranks and who exemplify what it means to be the embodiment of the dream. Therefore, we are hereby minded to make unto Constanza de Mendoza an Award of the Sapphire and the right to bear the badge: Fieldless, a step-cut gemstone fesswise azure. Done by our hands this 27(th) day of January, Anno Societatis LII in our Barony of the Cleftlands.

This scroll was a bit of a challenge for me, in that first... it's tiny about 6" square on the outside and second, it's almost all free hand which I am definitely less than comfortable with. It turned out well enough and the recipient was pleased. There are subtle Easter eggs with the nebuly-decorated flower, the pale flower, and her registered arms, a sun in its splendor with a green halo.

Finished work.

Inspiration piece.

Award of Arms - January 2018

The Award of Arms is an award given at the pleasure of the Crown, typically for service or skills. The recipients are known as armigers, and may use the title Lord or Lady before their name.

• Direct Link: Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts 
• Title: Harley 647 f. 10v Eridanus
• Origin: France, N. (diocese of Reims)

The Award of the Arms was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and Bombay Black India Ink. The text reads as follows:

Be it known to all that we Cellach sovereign King by right of arms of the Middle Kingdom and Vukasin our Queen of love and beauty do send greetings. It is both our duty and right to recognize the good works of our populace and to reward them. Therefore we wish to bestow the Award of Arms unto our most loyal subject Americk Gilead for his long standing service as a soldier of the Midrealm and for leading the troops of Red Winged Lion. Done this 27th day of January, Anno Societatis LII in our Barony of the Cleftlands.

In my recipient stalk...research, I learned that the recipient was a Captain America fan, so I added a few modifications to the original inspiration piece. In the body of the lounging Eridanus, I have a quote and changed the water vessel into a Captain America shield themed vessel with silver stars. To embellish the plant, I added three device shields - one for the Midrealm, one for Red Winged Lion, and one blank for the recipient to add his own device.

Body Text: This is why you were chosen. Because the strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength and knows compassion. Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier but a good man.

Finished work.

Inspiration piece.

Promissory Note - January 2018

The promissory note request came in under the wire during preparations for Regular Event and helping Ginevra with some remodeling. In my haste, I didn't realize that the manuscript was out of the SCA time period. (Oops.) While getting the final details about this post, I read the abstract and it suddenly made sense why I didn't catch the error. An excerpt from the website states, "This manuscript was made around 1800 by an often persecuted group of Russian Christians, the “Old Believers.” Because this group frequently had its books confiscated and was denied the use of printing presses, its members continued to write important books such as this one by hand." Ah ha!

• Direct Link: The Digital Walters Museum
• Title: Fathers of the Solovetsky Monastery and their sufferings.
• Origin: 1800's Russia

The promissory note was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and Dr. Ph. Martin's Bombay black calligraphy ink. Russian translation provided by Riksavikariia Arturova. The text reads as follows:

Носитель этой заметки может обменять его на одного копья или ножа произведенный через Твистид Тйгер Армории из Ивана Шишова. The holder of this promissory note can exchange it for one hand made spear head or knife made at Twisted Tyger Armory by Ivan Shishov.

Finished work.

Inspiration piece.

Arts & Sciences 100 Day Challenge - January 2018

1. Jan 5 - Ground almonds and black walnuts and almonds for a period-inspired nut cake.
2. Jan 6 - Baked black walnut, Icelandic chicken, and locally grown honey cakes for the Northern Trotheim Yule cooking contest.
3. Jan 8 - Drafted new pattern for early period tunic that Katalena (Ivaniaia zhena Shishova) introduced me to prior to NOWM as my old patterns no longer fit correctly.
4. Jan 11 - Laid out and cut the pieces for the grey wool tunic. 
5. Jan 12 - Continued working on the grey wool tunic, piecing together the side gores and the arms. I admitted finally that this project is taking longer than it should because I didn't want to use an existing neckline pattern that I had. So, I broke down and drafted a new one loosely based on an existing neckline from another pattern.



Regular Event Special Tokens
and the unfortunate star of the
project -- reading glasses. :|

6. Jan 13 - Master Oliver and I began working on the painting portion of the leather site tokens - specifically painting a base silver coat over the section that will be white and painting the blue portion. Finished working on the grey wool tunic to wear to Winter Wassail.
7. Jan 14 - Master Oliver and I worked on painting special leather site tokens - specifically white, touching up the blue, and adding the gold. Took the neck facing pattern from Jan 13 and added additional length to the front to bring it forward just a bit. Resized early period pattern. Research for AoA scroll assignment for Regular Event, layout and calligraphy.
8. Jan 15 - Completely redid the AoA scroll assignment for Regular Event. I didn't care for the kerning of the letters and the uneven gait, if you will, of the freehand text. Calligraphy laid down, quote added, and painting completed. I think there's enough personalization in it for the recipient; I hope they like it. More research on my second scroll assignment for the event... a Sapphire.
9. Jan 16 - Completed calligraphy, outline, and painting of the Sapphire.
10. Jan 25 - Completed research, calligraphy, and painting of the promissory note.
11. Jan 26 - Research for mystery scroll.
12. Jan 27 - Illumination of mystery scroll.

Twelve down... eighty eight to go. It just looks less overwhelming when you do not use numbers. ;)