helwen

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Finished the scrolls for Coronation, which seem to have been well received :) No pics, wasn't time for it. 14th c. for the Tyger's Cub (Taliesin), Book of Kells for the Irish fella's AoA (Diarmait), and a combination of a Scandinavian capital and a border drawn from tablet weaving patterns for the AoA for one of our up-and-coming Vikings (Magnus). The 14th c. one was one big spaghetti letter with some of the lines forming the tyger cub, and more little spaghettis for the lesser caps. For the Irish one I managed to find a couple of capitals that were suitable and entwined them - one's got blue and green alternating on the fill (he wears blue&green a lot), and the other is a golden/mustard cat (nickname of honeycat - no, I don't know why). And I got in an under-the-wing bit in the calligraphy. The Viking one, well - Viking cultures aren't really known for their artwork on paper/parchment, so you kind of have to wing it. The recipient does tabletweaving, among other things, so I decided to feature a band of it for the border. The capital was a lucky find in my book on Anglo-Saxon art.

Incoming royalty, who we were going to be doing the music for, are early 15th c, so I dug out a couple of houppelandes that would be relatively suitable, and cobbled the underlayers together from other outfits. The houppelandes are from 17 years ago and aren't typical to what

fitzw and I usually wear, so not much else from those days has survived (and still fits). Seemed to work pretty well, and I even got a chance to play with my 'angel wings' before the end of the night (they may _great_ shadows!). Fully-lined and 7-9 yards per layer, these aren't for the fainthearted to wear, but I think we managed quite well :)

We didn't manage to remember everything we wanted to bring to the event, but it was all survivable stuff.

Hmm, should I list all the LJ people I saw there? Perhaps not, as this post will be long enough as it is. A few will be, but not all I think.

I missed part of the last court of

lucanusdux and

swanduchess. Would have liked to be there for all of it, especially as I ended up missing seeing the Laurel elevation (Angharad!), but needed to spend some time doing my baroness-thing, and I knew

fitzw would see some of the parts I was missing. I like to take time during parts of an event to check in with people I don't see as often, see how they're doing, if anyone needs anything, etc. I find these little moments can make a great difference in how the group as a whole fares, and I'm happy to do what I can to make someone's day a happy one. I did do a tiny bit of shopping at

ladypeyton's and

murdersmurf's tables. I hadn't seen either in a few months and wasn't sure when I was going to see them again, and I like to support their businesses when I'm able. The herbs and spices from the former will be used as part of a spur for inspiring projects in the local herbal and cooking guilds.

Fortunately

fitzw did find me in time for Tamsin's and Bianca's Silver Crescents, who have done much good work for the archery community. Other things happen that I don't remember now, but I do remember that I was sitting doing a little bit of spinning while watching court, when the Order of the Companions of the Pelican got called in, and of course

fitzw had to go up, being a member and all. And of course I was listening intently because like everyone I wanted to know who was going to be called in to join the order. His majesty

lucanusdux and

fitzw were having a conversation(!), wherein they discussed fitzw's work as a landed baron, and how he didn't do all the work himself, but with someone else, and so their majesties thought that perhaps that person ought to be called in... well, I haven't been a member for this many years without knowing what the first half of the conversation might mean, so down goes the spindle and the glasses into the basket, as I mutter to my friend Sarah Langtoft "I think I'm in trouble...." and went to meet fitzw on the the way to escorting me :D

Of course I can get quite emotional about these sorts of things at the drop of hat it seems, so on the way up I'm quietly muttering "composure... composure...", which got a few chuckles from those we passed. And then there I was kneeling in front of the king and queen!

For my LJ friends who aren't in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), the Order of the Pelican is our society's highest recognition for service, given for many reasons, but in my case primarily for my service to our local group (a barony). I am, apparently, not sufficiently reluctant or lazy to have escaped notice ;)

Witnesses from the various peerage orders spoke on my behalf: Master Iheronimus Bruekner for the Laurel (Arts & Sciences, of which I'm also a member),

harpduchess for the Ladies of the Rose (former queens of the East), Sir Geoffrey fitzGalen for the Chivalry, and

mizpagan for the Pelicans. Wonderful, moving words were spoken by all of them on my behalf -- I retain the feeling of them, if not all the words. It is indeed difficult to maintain one's composure during such a time as this, and thankfully their majesties and their staff are wise and have a box of tissues kept behind the thrones, as I had need of one.

Their majesties also had kind words for me as well, some of which I even remember :D

The regalia was put on. I'll have pictures later this week, but it's quite dark out right now (woke up around 4:30ish and couldn't get back to sleep).

There is a lovely hat by my apprentice Una (

sorcieredeneige) - black wool with the gold Bergental star repeated around the sides (lines up nicely with the stars on the coronet), and an embroider pelican in its piety on top, within a laurel wreath (to indicate both of the peerages that I'm now a member of). The inside top of the hat is lined with some of the checked fabric she's using for a new dress, so even without being told I would have known who it was by :)

The cloak is the one that

ellid made for my Laurelling, with the pelican added within the wreath. Because I'm usually the one who gets things like clothing ready for events,

fitzw hadn't dared to remove it from the house until he could be sure I wouldn't go looking for it. Once they determined it would be warm on Saturday, he got it out to the car without my seeing, then handed it off to

ellid, who appliqued the pelican on that morning! She would like to have it back to couch a bit of blue around the edge, but it's still quite lovely already!

And, there was a rounded enameled medallion/pin, also the pelican within a wreath, set in a silver frame by Mistress Ygraine of Kellswood. She's doing amazing work these days - hard to believe she only started doing enamelling a few years ago. I expect her training in other arts has helped, but still...

And then there the scroll, by Mistress Sunniva Ormstung. Another wow. Words really can't do justice to all of these lovely things, so I promise that pics will go up soon.

Then I got up and greeted all my fellows in the order (well, the ones who were able to make it to court -- the nature of service being what it is, some folks had to be elsewhere at the site). It was wonderful seeing them all and an honour to be counted among their number. I did run into other Pels in the hall later in the day, as well as many other well-wishers :)

I'm sure I'll be absorbing this experience for a little while!

But now, it was time to go up to the choir loft and ready ourselves for the end of Last Court, as we would be singing for the processions. Their majesties L & J had a bit more business - special thank yous and recognitions for various folks who have been key to making things happen during their reign (it's a big job, being the king and queen, and many hands are needed for a successful reign).

I think I'm tired enough now that I'm not going to report the transition correctly, and there's still First Court and sundry other things of a very full day, so I'll sign off for now. A few more hours sleep would be good, and then we have breakfast with some of the local folks and some visiting friends, then off to the Sundered Lands and up to the farm from there.