Laurel Scroll for Marguerite Honoree d’Cheneau

I've been kind of slow on taking major SCA projects right now. After merchanting at Birka, I definitely needed the rest, and honestly, as I'm wedding planning for my nuptials in October of this year, I don't really have a lot of time for SCA projects. Though, sometimes, an opportunity presents that's too good to …

Compounding Colours: Purples

The last few weeks post-Birka (which, yes, has been a blur) have been spent going through everything. It was a great trip! I got to see people I haven't seen in years, made some new friends, and got to take home some excellent swag. All the swag! Check out the beads from Heart of Oak …

A Tale of Three Blues

Over on the Other Social Media place, a video is circulating (I think it was originally from the clock app) of a Chinese gentleman making ultramarine pigment from rock to almost paint. I got a ton of shares on it, and it was great to watch while I was preparing for A Marketplace at Birka (come …

Grimwulf’s Cross

I got a scroll commission from our Royal Scribe to do a scroll for my friend Grimwulf, whose service towards creating hundreds of digitized award badges for the Knowne World was the impetus for his Calon Cross (GoA-service, Calontir). When I start off doing scribal work, I start by researching their persona, along with items …

Will It Paint?: Lucia’s mixed dye lakes and Samii Orange

Straight outta Boukoleon. I had an excellent visit to Northshield at Knowne World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium '23 in the Barony of Caer Anterth Mawr, which was located on the Marquette University campus. It was a lovely time, including seeing some gorgeous exemplars in Marquette's special collection library. One of the things I most love …

Egyptian Rainbows

One of the Egyptian pieces I saw at the Nelson-Atkins dating from the same era as the palette. See the cat under the chair on the left. Some things never change. While doing research for another paint-making based project, I stumbled upon a couple of Egyptian palettes dating from the New Kingdom era, and with …

Will It Paint?: Master Alan’s Fireplace Gunk/Spinel Black

A little while ago, Master Alan here in Calontir told me that he had some sort of black powder stuff that he got from cleaning the fireplace/forge and asked if I wanted some to see if it would paint. Completed Master Alan's Fireplace Gunk paint. I said yes, and during the long weekend, I played …

Omphaloskepsis: In Defense of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The SCA can be a wonderful, transformative organization, teaching others medieval arts, courtesy, and other skills that can affect not only their in-game life, but their world outside of the organization. However, like any modern organization that contains people, the SCA has a DEI puzzle to solve. When studying the medieval world, its class systems …

More about Volunteer Retention

To add to volunteer retention: if people don’t feel appreciated or that their service is needed, they will stop volunteering. People also will not serve if they feel like they have no support systems. (And no, handing someone a handbook on how to do a job does not equal support.) This is how we lose …

Volunteer Retention in the SCA

People are far more willing to give if they are invested but not abused; cherished, but not made a pawn; loved for who they are while also giving them space to find ways to grow and learn. Don't badger people for why they don't have awards or things you think they need, but be willing to make space for them to figure things out on their own. As long as it's not destructive, harmful, or hateful, let people be.