Queen’s Champion, May 2013

I’m getting better. I actually brought my camera this time. I’m trying to get better about actually taking pictures. Especially because my Mother’s Day present was a new 16 gig memory card for my camera. I’m heading out to a Scribal Symposium in June, and I wanted to make sure I had enough space for three days worth of pictures. Anyway, yeah, I took some pictures. Of friends:

Champion Trouney

And of Edmund and I (recognize the apron?):

Champion Trouney

And us and Poppet. I love how urchin-like she looks in this picture:

Champion Trouney

 

Some of our friends:

Champion Trouney

The babies even played nicely together:

Champion Trouney

Champion Trouney

The big kids didn’t hurt each other too badly:

Champion Trouney

There was jousting. The Knight of Flowers (any George RR Martin fans out there?) took the field:

Champion Trouney

Champion Trouney

I think most of the kids had this expression on their faces when I tried taking pictures:

Champion Trouney

Feast was delicious:

Champion Trouney

Even though my husband is incapable of making a serious face for the camera.

Champion Trouney

Tell you what, though. His doublet looked damn fine.

Champion Trouney

 

Calligraph all the things!

I’ve been trying to do as much calligraphy and illumination as I can. One of the really awesome things about tournaments is that most of them require you to submit a letter of intent, stating that you want to fight. It’s a chance to shmooze the Royalty and to show off your (or your friend’s) talents. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am that friend. I did a letter for my friend Marie:

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One for my friend RenĂ© (I’m particularly proud of that initial ‘W’):

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One for Nick (I still think that the shading looks a little chalky):

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And a last minute one for my friend Dena:

Queen's Champion prep

Queen's Champion prep

Oh, and I made the scroll for one of the awards for the Arts and Sciences competition (the one I didn’t win):

Queen's Champion prep Queen's Champion prep Queen's Champion prep

Celtic Snake Cup Cover

As promised, here’s the other cup cover I’ve been working on. It wasn’t for the largess competition, so I wanted to post it separately. I had a cup cover that I was using, and two of the Queens (well the Queen and a former Queen) started play- fighting over it. So I gave it to one of them, and promised to make another for the ‘loser,’ too. And since then, I’ve tried to make pretty cup covers for all the Queens that have come. So this is the most recent. Her colors are gold, purple, and green, and her persona is something Celtic. Ish.

Queen's Champion prep Queen's Champion prep Queen's Champion prep Celtic knotwork cup cover

Early and Late period Cup covers

So, I’ve been a little silent lately. It wasn’t on purpose, I’ve just been working on a lot of stuff lately, and it’s sometimes hard for me to balance the things I like to do (this blog) and the things I’ve committed to doing (the things I’m going to be posting about this week). It’s not you, it’s me. Or rather, my non-existant time-management skills.

We had a big to-do this weekend. It was an SCA event called Queen’s champion. The rapier fighters (guys who fight with light metal swords, all Princess Bride style, instead of big rattan swords, in roughly the style of Braveheart) get together and compete to be the one who fights for the Queen’s honor during her reign. There’s a King’s champion, too, but they’re the rattan fighters, and don’t feature in this story. Usually, all that happens at a QC event is the fighting, but this time, they held an Arts and Sciences competition as well. The items that were put in would then be donated to the basket of gifts that the Royals hand out as largess during their reign.

I made two embroidered cup covers. Although they’re not strictly period, they’re a nice visual touch that can conceal a soda can, and keep bugs and leaves out of one’s drink. I made one early period, based on Anglo-Saxon brooches.

Anglo-Saxon Cup cover Anglo-Saxon Cup cover Anglo-Saxon Cup cover Anglo-Saxon Cup cover

The other one is a later period design, with an Tudor Rose and an Ansteorran star, and the shading created by the use of blackwork fill patterns. I think they came out nicely. I’ve got one more cup cover, a ton of calligraphy, and pictures of the actual event coming up this week. And then, hopefully, we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled blogging. Blackwork Rose and Star cup cover
Blackwork Rose and Star cup cover Blackwork Rose and Star cup cover Blackwork Rose and Star cup cover