Master of Defense - Mercedes Vera de Calafia

This piece was another one that I was simultaneously excited and nervous about doing. It's another one that I wanted to make sure was perfect, as the person that this piece was for was someone close to me. This piece was for my very own Dona, Mercedes Vera de Calafia. 

Silver Brooch - Magdalena von Kirschberg

Barony of Iron Bog - Rapier Champion (Number 2)

I was asked to do the Rapier Champion scroll for the Barony of Iron Bog again, which really pleased me. I had already had a piece in mind that I had wanted to do for some kind of rapier award, so I was really excited to be asked to do this one.

Herald Extraordinary

Barony of Iron Bog - Rapier Champion

Silver Crescent - Eldrich Gaiman

Continuing on the roll of getting scroll assignments for friends, I received a Silver Crescent assignment for my friend Eldrich Gaiman. And I got to work with another friend, Lorenzo Gorla, who did the words for this one.

Master of Defense - Sorcha Dhocair

I think one of my favorite things, in terms of A&S, is when I'm given an assignment for friends. While I give everything I have into each and every scroll, the ones for the people I know are simultaneously the easiest and the hardest. Knowing them means that I can always hide little things within the award that cater specifically to them, personalize it just that much more. Don't get me wrong, I try to personalize every scroll as much as I can, but sometimes the contacts don't respond and you can only use what you have.

Order of the Pasguarde for Wilhelm Grün

Earlier this year, I was given an assignment for a Baronial Award. It was another short notice scroll, when I was already working on two others, so I decided to make it one of my smaller scrolls, a 5x7 inch scroll. And, instead of my usual wheelhouse, I decided to use strictly paint.

Stagecrafter's Guild Charter

This particular assignment was definitely a challenge, but I absolutely loved it.

I was asked, with about three days notice, to do some quick calligraphy for a Charter that was to go out at Coronation. Now, three days isn't a lot of time, but I still wanted something that was going to make the recipient happy; which, to me, meant more than just calligraphy, which isn't my biggest strong suit.

This was actually the perfect opportunity to do something I had been wanting to give a shot to for a little while, now. A giant, decorative cadel!

A picture of the cadel, angled so the gold paint could catch reflection

Silver Brooch - Beatrice de Warynton

Normally, when a scroll assignment is sent out, the scribe is given a healthy amount of time to research, create and deliver it before the event with which it goes out at. This particular piece (along with one other that went the same time, post to come) didn't have that time-table. It was brought up that scrolls were needed for an event, Bhakail Yule, a week and a few days before the event itself. I volunteered to do them, because that's what we do to help bring a smile to people's faces.

And so, the scribal race against time began!

AoA - Rodrigue Ignis

Market Day at Birka (aka Birka) is always a big event; there's merchants, fighting and fun. Sadly, it's something like seven hours away from me, so I'm not able to make it most years; this year was no different in that regard. What was different, and amazingly exciting, was that I was given an assignment to go out during main court at Birka.

Yet to be Sent AoA

It's a bit late, but over the summer I was giving the assignment for an AoA; this was actually the first scroll I'd do for someone that I had met in person previously. And it would be handed out at GNEW (Great North Eastern War), but unfortunately he hadn't made it into court for the scroll to go out.

Brennan & Caoilfhionn's Ducal Challenges: Entry

So, last year I heard about Brennan and Caoilfhionn's Ducal Challenge, Teo made a cloak for it and was all excited about it when he told me. Describing it, I was super bummed that I had missed it, but determined that I'd go this year. And I did. 

What I particularly loved when I heard about it was the combination of martial arts and A&S. I loved that the entry fee was something of your creation (or something you commissioned from someone to make for you to use as an entry) and at the end, everyone would walk away with some amazing piece of art from a varying range of specialties. When I went this year, the prizes ranged between cheese to furniture. 

So, for my entry this year, I did what I love doing. I sat down with ink, paper and inspiration. 

AoA - Katerina Falconer de Lanark

On the heels of the MoD for Remy, comes the AoA for his wife. Katerina Falconer de Lanark. An inspiring warrior woman who I was honored to do this for. Again it was another scroll that I was actually requested for. Remy approached me at the end of Northern Region and actually requested a specific piece that I was in the process of working on.

He had seen it previously and knew it would be perfect for her.

Now, I'm no wordsmith, so I told him he had to get me the words, but other then that, I did the Illumination and Calligraphy. And she received the award at Pennsic 46.

Master of Defense Scroll for Remy Delamontagne de Gascogne

So, I've only been doing scrolls about a year and a half officially. In that time I've done a number of AoAs and a few blanks. Nothing so 'high' in caliber as a Peerage scroll. That being said, you can probably understand my shock, surprise and panic attack at being given a Peerage assignment. But, for me, it wasn't JUST a peerage assignment. It was also for a friend; someone I admire and even look to for help in matters of the martial arts. Furthermore, I wasn't just GIVEN the assignment, I had been requested for it.

Let's just ratchet that panic dial up to 11, why don't we. Because now it had to be even more than perfect.

But there was also the excitement that the first Peerage scroll I did would be for a friend. And I knew what it was I wanted to do. I remembered Remy mentioning like a year ago that he really liked the pen/ink style that I had started doing and just knew that that was the direction to start in.

It was just a matter of some research!

SRWC - Teo's Silver Rapier, Charitye's Maunche and Antonio's Silver Brooch Borders

This past weekend, the weekend of June 10th 2017, was the Southern Region War Camp. This was actually one of the events that I've been anxiously awaiting this summer. Primarily because I would finally be seeing one of my scrolls going out in court. You know, after over a year of doing scroll work I'd finally be able to see one! Three, technically; that is if we're counting scrolls that I worked with my lovely Laurel, Elizabeth, and my Apprentice Sisters. What made it even better was that the first scroll I knew I'd be seeing going out was Teo's Silver Rapier.

Calligraphy: Tola knitýr. Words: Master Frasier MacLeod and Alys Mackyntoich. Illumination by: Mýrún Leifsdóttir (Me!)

Architecture

The key to any art, skill, trade, etc is practice. Practice, practice, and more practice. So, that's what we do. This particular practice piece was focused on architecture. Inspiration drawn from THIS particular piece, in fact:

King's and Queen's Arts and Science Championship

Earlier this month, on February 11th, was the East Kingdom King's and Queen's Bardic and Arts and Sciences Championship. If that isn't a mouthful, I don't know what is. And, as so, my lovely Laurel, Elizabeth, tasked myself and my apprentice sisters with entering the A&S part of the competition. While she tried her hand, or rather her vocals?, at the Bardic part of the competition.

Suffice to say, I was a nervous wreck right from the start. Up to this point I had never even so much as BEEN to an A&S competition, never mind competing in one. And here I was being tossed into the deep end. But, my Laurel and my apprentice sisters had faith in me, so I knew I'd at least remain afloat. I just had to work through the nerves and focus.

King and Queen's Rapier Championship

This past weekend was King and Queen's Rapier Championship. It meant that there was lots and lots of fencing going on as well as seeing family that hasn't been seen in far too long. I didn't have a scroll go out at this particular event, so my brain was zeroed in on fencing my little heart out. That's not to say I didn't bring my art, in fact I had to hand off a completed scroll so that it could make it to its final destination.

Gilgamesh AoA

This past Pennsic I had an AoA go out, it was for Gilgamesh of Havres des Glaces. A scroll that I was actually quite pleased with. Granted, it would be another scroll that I wouldn't get to see go out, but as long as the recipient is happy with it, that's the part that matters to me. For this piece I wanted to try something a little different, giving myself a bit more of a challenge.