Conn Rosendubh - Silver Brooch

 We wood point out one Conn Rosendubh. Who picked up his hammer and saw the needs of his Barony. 
Threading people together through a love of Lucet.
He sued awl doubters with the beauty of his Leatherwork
With more than a grain of sense, he has struck the right timber through his passions.
The unvarnished truth is that We see an empty spot in Our Order of the Silver Brooch.  
Today, would have Conn Rosendubh fill it.
Crafted this day, October 7th, AS 52 at the First Court at the Coronation Of Ivan Ivanov syn Dimitriov vynuk Tzardikov and Matilde de Cadenet in the  Barony of Settmour Swamp.

Word Count 96

This BLOG nailed it!!!

This was a joint adventure with Aesa Sturludottir.  I based the drawing on De Mulieribus claris, 1473. I used Winsor & Newton Black India Ink on architecture paper, not an artist's paper.  After this scroll I no longer use it.

For the words, I chose to go for all sorts of woodworking puns in keeping with the items he created that contributed toward his Silver Brooch.

Wentlyanna Bengrek - Silver Rapier

We great Khan, Kaiser and King, Ioannes Aurelius Serpentius
And his Consort, Czarina and Crowned-Queen Ro Honig von Sommerfeldt
Their Imperial Majesties of the Magnificent Manors of the East
Look for those that have the wherewithal to work, with wisdom and war.

All the arts of altercation are ancillary to our auspices
Forward to those fields, we have followed one Wentlyanna Benegrek
Teaching, training and fighting with truculence.

Her passion for the progeny of the East is previously known to us
We have seen her temper that devotion and turn it toward fencing
Teaching tots the trade of flashing blades,

She has travelled toward home and far throughout our terrain
Seeking to study at sundry masters’ sides.
Honing her handicraft in hall and heat of battle

Wentlyanna is fervorous on the field, a fear to her foes.
She marshals and maintains order without mendacity
Attending to her affiliates and adolescents on the acreage of battle

At Our indulgence, we include Wentlyanna Benegrek in the
Order of the Silver Rapier

Done this day June 3rd AS 52, in the Barony of Bhakail
At the Bhakail Investiture and K&Q Rattan

Wordcount 190

BLATHER

I was delighted to find out that my friend Wentlyanna was getting this award. I happened to know that she was focusing on her work in the fending community and hoped that this would please her.

Previously, I was the wordsmith for her Court Barony and I was delighted for another opportunity to write more words for her.  

The subjects I chose to emphasize were her prowess on the field, Youth Fencing, and willingness to travel to teach and play.

I chose to do it in Beowulf’s alliterative text. I did not give myself any limit on the syllables per line and it shows.  This is one of my wordier ones.

Thankfully the Illuminator/Scribe, Æsa Sturludottir  was able to accommodate the ton of words that I used.

The award was given out at Bhakail Investiture and K&Q Rattan Champions

Muirghaill O'Riein - Silver Brooch

King Brion and Queen Anna hath heard of Our accomplished Muirgheall O’Riein.
A woman of valour who can find? For her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her Kingdom doth safely trust in her, and We hath no lack of gain.
She doeth The East good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

We perceiveth that her merchandise is good; her lamp goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She maketh for the populace brightly dyed pysanky eggs, covered in scarlet and purple,
She bestoweth honor upon her household, when teaching these ancient skills with devotion.

She maketh linen garments and bestows them; and delivereth girdles unto her loves.
Strength and dignity are her clothing; and she laugheth at the time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and the law of kindness is on her tongue.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her works bring her praise and honor from all who meet her.

Grace she attains, and knows beauty is pain; this woman that makes the East more knowledgeable and fair.
Give her of the fruit of Our Hands; and let Murighall be lauded this day as she joins the Order of the Silver Wheel.
She recieveth Our plaudits this day, the 28th of January at A Market Day at Birka XXVII! in the  Barony of Stonemarche

Blather for Bloggy Goodness
Lady Muirgheall O'Riein is one of my closest friends. It was a privilege and a joy to be able to write these words.  Being in  the sca for decades, she has been working on her Norse-Irish persona for many years, and her garb is impeccable.  She has researched Dublin/Jorvik caps, coifs and other head coverings.  She has even been known to hand-sew them for her own use with handmade needles. Her knowledge of Norse culture during our period is extensive.

 She also displays a passion for Pysanky eggs.  Pysanky eggs are the art of wax-resist (batik) egg decoration in Slavic cultures, an art form that can be found as early as the 11th and 12th centuries.
Muirgheall has recreated the earliest known extant egg, copying the dying material and techniques of the era. She has also used slightly more modern techniques to create incredible works of art for herself and others.  She has even created award “scrolls” out of goose eggs -- the most recent of which I believe went to a Laurel in Northshield.  Her work is exquisite and makes the world around her that much more bright.
I needed to put all of that into the  words for a scroll.
I worked with Lady Æsa Sturludottir for this project.  Æsa was concentrating on suiting the calligraphy font and the style of illumination to Muirgheall's persona.  That of an early Irish Woman living in 11th century Ireland. In particular I love how Æsa put Muirghaill’s arms and the award design in egg shapes instead of the standard shield shape.  Eggs are so pivotal to her art.
I have known Muirghaill for ages, and I know one of  her favorite poems from the Old Testament is Proverbs Chapter 31.
When I base a scroll off of a particular work or poem, I treat it as if it is a “filk” of the piece.  I try to keep as much of the original piece while at the same time making sure it contains the relevant information that the award scroll needs and enough references to the gentle that I am writing it for.
In this case it was easier than most.  Proverbs 31 could have been written about Muirghaill in a mundane sense and the archaic language that was used lent itself to an award scroll easily.
This was a very wordy scroll, coming in at almost 300 words.  Thankfully Aesa indulged me and with a shared love for Murighall, went to work on this very heavily worded scroll.
The scroll went out at BIRKA 2017-01-27.

Birka Unofficial Court Report

Photo by Aislinn Chiabach

Photo be Brendon Crane

Photo by Breddon Crane

Brochmail de Anglespur - Silver Crescent

Eastrealm!  

Hear the words of our illustrious King Kenric and our brilliant Queen Avelina:

Take our love, take our land, and take those whose service benefits all around them.

Though the lands may burn, though the seas may boil, though their efforts go unnoticed  through decades, those gentles that  provide a Shining light to us all shall go unrecognized no longer.

We have cast about unto the black skies above for all  those who might be worthy of our Order of the Silver Crescent, and have found an exemplar in Brochmail de Anglespur.

Hammer in hand, Broch has given his sweat and blood to ensure that every Shindig runs smoothly, from the closest to the farthest-flung. His agile mind has solved problems, resolved arguments, and been instrumental in building his young Shire into a home for all. Today it is his stalwart heart for which we commend him: a true Heart of Gold which leads him to place the welfare of his family, his Shire, his Kingdom and the Society above himself, time after time.

The sages of old have said: those who cannot run, may crawl; and those who cannot crawl, may find someone to carry them. Brochmail de Anglespur is a gentle who will go out of his way to carry others to success.

With this in mind, We, King Kenric æt Essex and Queen Avelina Keyes, find a profound Serenity in inducting Brochmail de Anglespur into Our Order of the Silver Crescent and further do award him the exclusive right to bear these arms Per chevron inverted counter-ermine and vert, a lymphad and an acorn slipped and leaved Or.

Done this 10th day of September, A.S. 51, at the Feast of John Barleycorn and Viceregal Investiture in the Crown Principality of Ostgardr.
***On the back***Illumination and Calligraphy by Aesa Sturludorrie, and Words by Aislinn Chiabach because they are pretty

Word count 297

Silver Crescent award for my mundane husband, Brochmail de Anlespur.

My partner in Crime in this endeavour was Lady Aesa Sturuldottir.  She did the calligraphy and illumination.  Our inspiration was twofold as she describes our shennanigansin her blog: https://byswordandpen.wordpress.com/2016/09/16/barleycorn-mischief-managed/

My inspiration was Broch's mundane love for the unfortunately short lived sci fi series, Firefly.  Back when it was first cancelled he was in the thick of the protests, going to NYC to try and garner support for the show on the Today Show.  I chose to make the modern references instead of a more period and serious text  because I knew he would enjoy that kind of scroll.  I also knew that the Herald reading the scroll, Baron Ryan MacWhite,  would enjoy reading it greatly.  He has been known to go by the nickname of Baron Jayne.

With that in mind, I and my beta, Lord Arthur le Taverner worked with the standard SCAdian award text trying to create a scroll that included examples of the many wondrous attributes of Broch, as many Firefly references as humanly possible and still be an eloquently written scroll that stands alone if someone was not familiar with the ill dated Joss Whedon television show.

And as far as that goes, there is only one truly anachronistic word in the entire piece.  The etymology of "Shindig" lists it as starting between 1855-1860.  Due to the close reference it contains in Firefly, I chose to include it in the scroll.

I hope these words accomplished that.
Beta'd by Lord Arthur le Taverner

Writ from the Incipient Shire of Midland Vale

By our steadfast heart, skills of hand, and strength of arm we, þe incipient shire of Midland Vale, pledge our service, our artistry, and our prowess to þe Known Worlde, to the Kingdom of the East and to þe Throne þat shines upon us all.
To þe sovereign Omega and glorious Etheldreda do we, your subjects, humbly bid you welcome to our inaugural Tourney of þe Daffodils.  We ask þat you receive þese gifts, representing our clout, vigor, and fealty.
Done þis day, April 25th. Anno Societatis XLIX

Wordcount 88

Words and Illumination by me

Calligraphy by Æsa Sturludottr

Spring is here A-suh-puh-ring is here Life is skittles and life is BLOG

This was the first scroll I had attempted since my health crisis and time in the hospital.  The Seneschal of Midland Vale was preparing a gift for the King and Queen to be presented at our first event and I thought that a writ would be a nice accompaniment.  

Since the stroke and heart transplant, I have found that writing and drawing became exponentially difficult.  As such this was a large undertaking for myself on many different levels.
The first thing I did was to enlist the help of Æsa Sturludottr.  I knew that calligraphy was beyond the current skills of my hands.  Calligraphy has always been difficult for me.  I don’t write so much as I draw my letters.  So I can make beautiful letters and any size as needed, but to sit there with a quill in hand and make letters come out seems beyond my skill.
After the stroke, writing in general became extremely difficult.  Calligraphy was impossible.   I wasn’t even going to attempt it.  Æsa kindly agreed to do the calligraphy for the scroll for me.

Based on Les Grandes Heures d'Anne de Bretagne  by Jean Bourdichon between 1503 and 1508 As my inspiration piece.

Horae ad usum Romanum, dites Grandes Heures d'Anne de Bretagne Bourdichon, Jean (1457 ?-1521)

We were doing the Tourney of the Daffodils, after all.

I feel that I captured the feel of the piece if not the clean lines that it had.  I also omitted the animals.  I wanted to focus on the daffodils.

During the creating process I remembered about a dozen helpful hints and tricks that many artists use, of course after I could have used the tricks.  For example a good way to get a straight edge when working in such a manner is to lay down masking tape directly onto the paper, paint over it and then pull up the tape.  This, hypothetically, should leave one with a clean, crisp line.  And I was about halfway done before I remembered the trick.

I handed it to Æsa,  who not only did a magnificent job on the calligraphy, she cleaned up some of the edges that I could not.  I had given her permission to actually change the images and I am very glad that she did.  She ended up cleaning up some of the spots that most upset me when I was working on it.

This is not my best piece by far, but for what it represents it will always be important to me.  It was about getting myself back into the game of illuminating. I was also glad to be presenting it to Omega and Etheldreida.  These rulers in particular are special to me for a variety of reasons, first and foremost being that they gave me my Award of Arms.

Presented to TRM at the First Tourney of the Daffodils East Kingdom Gazette: Unofficial Court Report The Tourney of Daffodils

(Does not appear in the Gazette)