More From the “What Was I Thinking?” Files
Celebrating New Year in 15th Century Bruges
As we usher in a new year, I thought it’d be fun to take a step back to 15th-century Bruges. We can see how Jehanne Bening might have celebrated. Spoiler alert: no champagne or midnight countdowns! But there was plenty of food, faith, and fellowship to go around in her bustling city. Let’s look at…
From Craft to Courtesy: Exploring the Role of a Laurel in the SCA
Hey there, fellow SCA enthusiast! To continue our series on peerage, we will dive into what it really means to be a Laurel. A Laurel holds a significant role in our beloved Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). Think of a Laurel as a living library of knowledge about the SCA’s ways, history, and traditions. This…
My Week’s Highlights
My week… Listening: barbershop on YouTube because it makes me smile. Watching: Hamilton for about the 30th time Following: @meidastouch independent news and politics network. Reading: “11/22/63: A Novel” by whom else but Steven King Crafting: finished updating the Baronial Role of Arms Doing: preparing for the coming Kingdom of Calontir Coronation event hosted by…
Perplexing Pictures In Manuscripts 4
Cambrai Channsonier, MS. 126B fol. 132v, Bruges 1542 Bibliothèque Municipale, When you look through this 16th-century songbook made for a Bruges aristocrat you see it’s filled with artistic, decorative daily life images. But it also includes many that are bluntly bizarre or crazy. It’s the Cambrai Chansonnier, MS 0128 dated 1543. Its fun pictures are delicately drawn in…
Creating Award Scrolls: Illuminating Light and Shadow
Hey there, fellow SCA scribes and all who follow this blog! Recently I discovered, to my delight, that the issue I had with my hands — peripheral neuropathy — has subsided enough I can return to painting award scrolls again. After 5 years without using a paint brush I’m rusty. So I’ll be learning some…