My 14th Festival… but not in a row.

Another year, another Festival

Had very low expectations of the weather and conditions this year so came equipped with woolen clothes, rubber boots, crocs (urgh) and even a Drizabone poncho big enough for two! And wouldn’t you know it… only one short lived period of rain for the entire duration! WIN!!!  It’s like the time half a dozen of us went out to buy umbrellas to take to my brother-in-law’s wedding and then we didn’t get a single drop… feels like the weather gods know when you’re all prepared and just go, ‘Meh, what’s the fuckin’ point?’.

Painted Medieval Pavilion Sabine du Bourbonnais

Festival 2012 has been fantastic. We had a smaller campsite than usual, but it still felt like it was overflowing with fabulous friends, food, fun and frivolity.  And of course, Festival was as informative this year as it always is. With so many avid medievalists and historical research buffs in one place you can’t help but learn and absorb new and interesting tidbits. This year I learned:

  • that contrary to popular belief, swans do not in fact mate for life
  • that attempting to blow out an oil burner after it has been doused in water is an efficient facial hair removal technique
  • that physics is gay because the balls are touching
  • that ‘Que? Que? En el cisne!’ is ‘What? What? In the swan!’ in Espanyol
  • that ‘C’ is for cookie or ‘C’ is for Corny depending on the fickle affiliations of the audience
  • that nine out of ten people enjoy gang rape
  • that ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’ is one helluva ear worm
  • that the Gekko isn’t something to try at home kiddies (refer Urban Dictionary, I’m sooo not explaining that here)
  • that pretty girls can get away with nearly anything if they say to a man ‘open your mouth and try this!’
  • that you can have a smack of jellyfish, and a fupa of gunts.
  • that one shouldn’t stick an arse banner down one’s cleavage
  • that prostitutes, call girls and sex workers are all ‘hookers’ once deceased
  • that a bluish-green contact lens is not likely to be locatable in deep grass at night no matter how many people search for it
  • that an Angry Pirates is a concept that evokes visual imagery requiring brain bleach
  • that power spewing is only endearing the first time
  • that the Artist Formerly Known as Gui is likely to remain so for a while as his new name, King You Die Buy A Tool (?) is hard to remember
  • that facts are gender specific but that taints ain’t
  • that poetry is not a lost art because ‘Roses are red, violets are blue. I’ve got a gun. Get in the van.’ speaks to all of us on some level … and…
  •  that one must not, under any circumstances touch Niall’s precarious pole!!!

So many pearls of wisdom to carry with us… until next year’s fun and informative festival facts are formed.

I hate pleats!

Sewing for festival… again!  This is my fourteenth or fifteenth festival?  I’ve lost count.  But with so many years experience at doing the whole medieval camping thing, you’d think I wouldn’t be spending the weeks leading up to the event slaving over the sewing machine.  Yet… each year there always seems to be something that needs making.  If it’s not banners that need painting, or tabards that need applique work or tents that need decorating (well it probably didn’t need it but it looks fucking speccy!) then it’s people who’ve never done festival before that need outfitting!

medieval tent painted

And OMG, what a trial that is.  Building an entire wardrobe to see someone through a four day medieval camping event, allowing for a few extras in case of rain, and you’ve quite a task at hand.   And it’s always (always!) boy garb.  ‘Tis a rare man who can handle a sewing machine with any expertise and that, ladies, is ever such a shame. Because it means I have well and truly made more men’s medieval garments than I have made women’s garments!

In the past three weeks I’ve made three anglo-saxon tunics, five early period under tunics, two 15thC Burgundian jackets, three late period shirts, one matching hood and a bright red wool 15thC chaperon hat!  I was trying to work out how many of those damn 15thC Burgundian mens jackets I have made, and I believe I have quite literally lost count of how many I have created for my husband, my son, my once consort and a few friends.  So many jackets.  So many simply horrid pleats!

How to write a SCA recommendation.

I belong to an organization called the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA) which is a world wide medieval re-enactment organization.  Within The Society we have a formal system for recognizing the achievements and contributions that individuals make to their various local (Baronial) groups and to their larger (Kingdom) groups.  These awards are bestowed at the hands of the Crown and Their local representatives (Baron and Baronesses) to recongize excellence in arts and sciences, martial pursuits and services to the various groups and Kingdoms.  The awards themselves vary from Kingdom to Kingdom, Principality to Principality, and Barony to Barony.

More often than not, awards stem from recommendations that have been written to the Crown, from members of the populace who are best placed to see the contributions of the individual in question – the Crown can not be everywhere, and will not necessarily know personally of the individual’s works and achievements.  It is for this reason, that it is really important for all members of the populace to take the time to write recommendations for the people they deem most worthy of recognition.

Writing a recommendation is simple and can be done from any member of the populace, from the newest of newcomers, to the longest standing peers of the Realm.  I have devised an easy proforma that can be used as a guide.  However, try to make your letters to your Crown, personal and detailed where ever possible.   If you are writing recommendations for multiple individuals, write a separate letter for each person – the Crown may give out awards to some, or all of the individuals that you are recommending, or they may choose to pass the recommendations to Their successors to peruse and possibly act upon.

Unto Their Royal Majesties, the Most Gracious <insert King’s name> and <Queen’s name>, of the fair Kingdom of <insert Kingdom name>, does your affectionate servant <insert your name>, send warmest Greetings.

I am writing to You this day, to bring to Your attention, a member of Your populace whom I believe is most deserving of recognition from the Crown for their exceptional <works of service/proficiency in the arts and sciences/prowess of the field etc,.>.

This good gentle’s name is <insert person’s SCA name> (mundanely known as: <his/her modern name>), who resides in Your fair Barony of  <insert local group name>.  I would thereby recommend him/her unto Your consideration as a worth recipient of <insert name of award*>.

I believe this fine gentle to be deserving of the <name of award> because <give information on why you believe this person deserves the award you are recommending them for; be specific and detailed and give examples. If you are recommending the individual for an arts and sciences award – include information on the degree of the person’s skill, if they teach in their particular field of endeavour, and mention any articles or websites they may have published.  If a service award – include information on officer positions held, event participation, works completed etc,.  If a martial award – mention the skill level and/or presentation of the intended recipient.  Be sure to include the personal qualities that you feel the individual possess that enrich the Society as well>.

This good gentle, <insert first name>, has been active in The Society for <insert length of person’s time in the SCA> and demonstrates the type of activity/qualities deserving of Your Majesties attention and recognition.

I believe <insert first name> will be attending the following upcoming Crown events <list upcoming events the individual may be attending>.  I thank You for considering my recommendation.

Yours in service to the Crown of <insert Kingdom name>

<Signature>
<Your full SCA Name>
<Your SCA group’s name>
<Your modern name, phone number & e-mail address (if applicable)>

parchment quill sca recommendation

So look around you and observe who you believe is contributing to the Society and making it a better, prettier, stronger place for everyone.. then put pen to paper to ensure that they receive the recognition that you believe they deserve.  Remember that making people feel appreciated for their efforts is a big part of what makes the Society such a wonderful place to be.

* Be really specific about which award you are recommending the individual fore – look them up on your Kingdom’s Order of Precedence, see what awards they may already have and decide which award best matches the the acts/works that you have observed.

November Crown

Well Crown has come and gone and talk about a busy weekend. I flew down on a horror flight on Friday which saw me sitting beside one infant whose parent was allowing her to smoosh banana covered fingers all over the place including on me and another infant behind me who screamed the whole way and seeming to scarcely stop long enough to draw breath the whole trip.

But we got here in one piece and there was a little uncertainty ok that point at one stage as I don’t think I’ve ever been on such a turbulent flight. Innilgaard is a slightly larger, slightly more picturesque and slightly less sleepy version of Toowoomba. The site was fantastic surrounded by actual oak trees and beautiful green medows (yes it was a very pretty meadow) and the weather was fantastic for the fighters – overcast and about 19 degrees.

Sir Philipe did exceptionally well in a rather strange tourney format (no one except the King seemed to know what was going on at any given point on time) and we were all very proud of him for being in the final… I admit as his consort I was quite nervy through the last bouts but it was great fun and I can’t wait to do it again.

Funniest bit was watching MrC pace like an expectant father in a hospital corridor in a bad seventies sitcom… I think he was even more nervous than Sir Phil or me!

Anyway more to follow and perhaps some pics when I get home.. cos I am positively stuffed!!!

You sew and sew…

It’s well overdue that I make my poor  sir_phil a new tabard.  I can’t quite date when I made the old one (maybe about five or six years ago?) but we’re off to Crown in Innilgard this weekend and I figured it’s high time that I replace the old dodgy one.   It never used to be dodgy of course, but years of it being smucked around with big sticks and being left in sweaty armour bags have taken it’s toll.

I decided last week that I’d make it, had dramas at Spotlight trying to find black cotton drill and there was no red damask available in their stinking stores for love or money.  So we’re plain red this time and hopefully the new pattern will prove more durable as it has more space around the sleeves.  Started making it on Monday and was finished by Tuesday afternoon… how’s that for getting stuck into a project – if only my embroidery projects went from inspiration to completion with the same speed  🙂

Mr Ray has no idea I’ve made it for him, so I’m writing this on Wednesday night and won’t be marking it posted until after he has it… so Friday I guess.  Here’s some pics:

and the obligatory bee… of course!!!

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