March 2, 2018

Arts & Sciences 100 Day Challenge - March 2018

  1. Mar 2 - Non-SCA watercolor paintings.
  2. Mar 29 - Non-SCA glass fusing class.
Not the most amazing of months, but it has been exceptionally busy on the job and home front.

Twenty four down, seventy six to go!
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February 17, 2018

Award of Arms - February 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.
The Award of the Arms was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and Bombay Black India Ink. The text reads as follows:
Let it known to all that we Cellach, King by right of Arms of the Middle Kingdom and Vukasin our Queen send greetings. We have heard much good of Milisandia MacGreghere, who has made herself worthy of advancement through her efforts in building and encouraging archery and by supporting local groups. In recognition of these good works we are minded to make unto her an Award of Arms. Done this 17th day of February, AS 52 at Masque of Courtly Love in Alderford.
Finished work.
Inspiration piece.
Inspiration archer.
Inspiration dragon.
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February 1, 2018

Arts & Sciences 100 Day Challenge - February 2018

  1. Feb 5 - Tacked more seams down in the grey wool tunic. Perusing digital manuscript archives for upcoming scroll assignment.
  2. Feb 6 - Continue perusing digital manuscript archives for upcoming scroll assignment.
  3. Feb 7 - Illumination and calligraphy for Award of Arms scroll for Masque of Courtly Love. Research for Red Company scroll for Winter War Maneuvers.
  4. Feb 9 - Red Company scroll layout, design, and calligraphy. Tack down more seams on the grey wool tunic.
  5. Feb 10 - Red Company scroll painting. Finished tacking down seams, finally!
  6. Feb 11 - Research for an Norse-themed Dragon's Heart. Yikes.
  7. Feb 22 - Layout of Dragon's Heart.
  8. Feb 23 - Round 1 of Dragon's Heart.
  9. Feb 24 - Round 2 of Dragon's Heart.
  10. Feb 25 - Some non-SCA watercolor paintings.
Twenty two down, seventy eight to go!
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January 28, 2018

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.
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.
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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.
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.
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January 25, 2018

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!
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.

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January 1, 2018

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.
    6. 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. ;)
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December 9, 2017

Order of the Boarsbane - December 2017

The Order of the Boarsbane is an award given by the Baron and Baroness of Red Spears to those who have given service to the Barony, the arts and sciences, or chivalric combat. It may be received once for each area.
The Order of the Boarsbane was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and Speedball calligraphy ink. The text reads as follows:
One and all shall know that we, Konrad and Isibel, Baron and Baroness of Red Spears do here recognize our faithful subject Domenica Cimatori for running the Turkish Coffee House at our annual event Baron Wars. Henceforth she shall be numbered as a member of our Order of the Boarsbane with the right to bear the badge: Or, a boarspear within a bordure gules. Done by our hand this 9th day of December, AS 52 in our canton of Hróðgeirsfjörðr at our Yule Feast.
Finished work.
Inspiration piece.

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Order of l'Epee Rouge - December 2017

The Order of l'Epee Rouge is an award given by the Baron and Baroness of Red Spears to those who have shown skill and service to the Barony in rapier combat.
The Order of l'Epee Rouge was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and Speedball calligraphy ink. The text reads as follows:
Be it known unto all that we, Konrad and Isibel, Baron and Baroness of Red Spears, do recognize Deorsa Macghillachear for the marshaling and training of cut and thrust in our lands. Henceforth he shall number as a member of our Order of l'Epee Rouge. Done this 9th day of December A.S. 52 in our Canton of Hróðgeirsfjörðr at Yule Feast.
From what information I could gather based off of the recipients name, they had an early period Irish or Celtic persona. I looked to the Book of Kells for early period design inspiration and because I haven't done a scroll of this type before. I found a reference illuminated initial, then pieced together the rest of the text to build the scroll. The finished work of text is roughly 5 inches by 3 inches without space for signatures and ranks as one of my smallest works to date.

Finished work.
Inspiration piece.

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November 26, 2017

All In a Days Bake

Inspired by the shift in weather, I threw together a sausage and kale soup loosely based on this Caldo Verde recipe. The dinosaur kale in the garden has been giving it a valiant go in spite of the occasional snow, but I felt I should make the most of it while it was still edible. The soup quickly transformed into a melting pot of assorted vegetables in the fridge, such as carrots, green bell pepper, purple kohlrabi, yellow onions, butternut squash, leftover sweet potato puree with some chia seeds added for good measure. We initially paired the hearty soup with some grocery store Italian-style bread and were both terribly unimpressed with the quality, so I decided to bake a couple of loaves of our favorite English Muffin Bread for the leftovers on Sunday. Paired with some Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter? Perfect.

Since the oven was already warm and I had three bananas specifically for bread, I did a quick search for banana and chia seed bread, then settled on the recipe from the website Plated. (Incidentally, I should specify that I'm trying to use up a packet of chia seeds from the pantry.) M. had some black walnuts already shelled so I added those and a little vanilla because for some reason it seemed odd that it wasn't included.

 Banana Walnut Bread with Chia Seeds
  • 1 large ripe bananas
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup natural cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup black walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 350° F and butter a 5" x 9" loaf pan. In a mixer, combine bananas, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and unsalted butter and thoroughly mix. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients minus black walnuts, then mix gently by fork. Combine with wet ingredients in mixer. Once mixed, remove from stand mixer then gently fold in black walnuts. Pour mixture into greased baking pan, place in oven, then bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a rack, then enjoy!
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