100 days of A&S

Somewhere along the way I heard about the 100 days of A&S challenge. I even did my 100 consecutive days once already. Ending a 102 day streak on August 28, 2017. I have restarted many, many times since then. The most recent attempt has been my closest yet. I decided to keep track here, so I can see the progress I have truly made. I am counting consecutive days, and while I try to have the A&S be SCA related, sometimes it is not. Even my mundane arting helps me build skill and knowledge that will be used when doing my SCA arts.

Day 1 (1/12) to 13 (1/24): flat kumihimo, that i will never get to the end of. finished painting the craft/rec room. rigid heddle scarf that I might be making some progress on. pocketkerchiefs for my hubby. card weaving my daughter started and I finished, with pattern change. eyelets that I am starting to get the hang of. plus a dress pattern worked on.

Days 14-42; 1/25-2/23 Oops, it's been a month and I haven't checked in, but I have been diligently arting every day. On 2/4 I finally completed the flat kumihimo cord. Now if I can get to the end of the rigid heddle project started over a year ago, that would be great- I have worked on it 12 times to make sure I had my art time in. Last weekend was a long weekend at home, and I completed 4 dresses for the small child out of 2 flat sheets. I will be adding the kumi flat trim to one of them. I have a bag I have worked on 5 days. I have done research and ordered supplies for nalbinding and embroidery. I ordered and received the supplies for a largesse project. I have started a blog, which I plan to house my arting and service stuff on.

Day 43-52 2/24-3/5 I inventoried my Youth class boxes to prepare for a schola next month. I learned nalbinding, and practiced that 4 days before squishing my right thumb in a woodstacking accident. I haven't been able to produce anything these past 3 days, but I have researched how to use my rigid heddle loom to make viking leg wrappings, created a blog post about my A&S/Youth activity bag and re-started research on medieval flag throwing.

Day 53-59 3/6-3/12. Still unable to art because of my previously squished thumb. So I have been prepping for classes, largesse projects and personal projects. Printed templates. Ordered more supplies. More bookmarks and pinterest pins. Researched a new dress idea. Continuing to read my flag throwing book. attached is a photo of my lonely projects that want me to work on them (thumb did ok at work today, but still very sore- hoping to be able to art before the weekend)

Days 60 to 74, 3/13 to 3/27. 

Oops 2 weeks since I posted about my art. My thumb is still acting up, so I have been taking it a little easier than I would like. 
60 largesse options for my mom to do
61 flag throwing research
62 packed art activity supplies for next weekend's event
63 online preshopping, bookmarked items needed for classes/largesse
64 purchased fabric (velvet at $4 a yard)
65 researched dress pattern for my new fabric
66 cut out templates for paint project- actually used my thumb!!
67 started painting the project
68 painting project
69 finished painting project- thumb is happy that is over. 
70 started warping a new flat kumihimo- need more thread- confirmed dress style for my velvet
71 largesse list of potential projects
72 purchased dress pattern, and men's patterns
73 printed & cut pattern for new dress
74 discussed/planned household heraldic garb- work on new dress

Day 75-88: I messed up my numbering in my last post and lost 6 days. I have it back on track because I have also pulled all my entries together into a wonky blog post. 
75- 3/28: dress sleeve pattern
76- 3/29: finger loop braiding- how to
77- 3/30: flag throwing research
78- 3/31: Worked on my velvet overdress for coronation (still needs sleeves and lacing rings)
79- 4/01: Worked on pattern for husband's doublet and small child's overdress, and cut out
80- 4/02: Sewed velvet doublet peplums
81- 4/03: Worked on velvet outfits
82- 4/04: Pulled an all nighter working on the velvet doublet and small overdress
83- 4/05: Completed the machine part of husbands velvet doublet and small child's velvet overdress. 
84- 4/06: finished warping my flat kumihimo
85- 4/07: worked flat kumihimo
86- 4/08: Finger loop braiding for upcoming schola
87- 4/09: Printed stuffed toy patterns for largesse
88- 4/10: Largesse stuffed toy project- pulled all supplies together to work during open gym, but left my patterns behind- a couple of unsuccessful attempts made

89- 4/11: prep for Queen's favor making workshop held at my home

90- 4/12: Queens's favors workshop

91- 4/13: Planned for Largesse Wands

92- 4/14: Created FB group for the Riding's Largesse Challenge:

93- 4/15: Worked flat Kumihimo

94- 4/16: Finger looping class preparation

95- 4/17: Created boards with handles for class use for finger looping or card weaving projects (no gym night)

96- 4/18: Fingerlooping for demo at class

97- 4/19: Completed prep for tomorrow's finger looping class- found handouts, cut yarn

98- 4/20: Spring Schola- presented finger looping, assisted with kid's and kumihimo presentations.

99- 4/21: Repacked Youth activity bag: Compleat Anachronist books came in

100- 4/22: Prep for braiding night at Open Gym

**Yeah 100 Days!! Now let's go for 365!!**

101- 4/23: Kumihimo

102- 4/24: started a fingerloop braid for a largesse project, and taught someone else how to fingerloop braid

103- 4/25: promoted Largesse challenge
104- 4/26: cut out 24 backgrounds for Queen's favors
105- 4/27: cut out felt applique for Queen's favors
106- 4/28: created sticker template for applique for favors
107- 4/29: flat kumihimo
1108- 4/30: Prep for pouch making
109- 5/01: Local A&S night-
110- 5/02: kumihimo
111- 5/03: kumihimo
112- 5/04: completed first applique on Queen's favor
113- 5/05: Youth activity/A&S list drafted for upcoming Demo
114- 5/06: EK Wiki creation
115- 5/07: prepared for A&S night- jewelry making
116- 5/08: local A&S night- added aglets to kumihimo and fingerlooped cords

The creation of my blog

As a member of the SCA that has taught classes I have been asked a few times if I had a blog, or handouts available. Today I finally decided that it's time to jump in an get that blog started. I'll start off with a little about me.

My unofficial SCA name is Lady Calliagh of Ravensbridge. I attended my first Great Northeastern War in 2002. A friend invited me to get away from the mundane world for awhile. It took me a few years to realize that the SCA was more than this once a year weekend camping expedition, and I have been expanding out into the SCA more and more as the years go by. I am currently the Youth Clerk for the East Kingdom, keeping track of the various youth officers' background checks for the East, as well as the newly appointed Chancellor of Minors for the Riding of Ravensbridge.

I have 3 daughters that I have raised/am raising in the SCA. My older 2 are adults now, and off on their own. Both of them still have interest in the SCA, but don't have the time to do the multiple events throughout the year that I now attend. But each year at least one of them has joined us for our home away from home weekend at GNEW. My youngest daughter is currently 5 years old, so while she has no choice but to come to events with her dad and I, she complains in the dead of winter that she wants to go camping. I think she enjoys it.

My husband, Don Magnus Morte, is a fencer, organizer of largesse, and the Seneshal of Ravensbridge. He is also head of our household, House Knotty Snake (technically The House of the Knot and Snake- to be more historically accurate), an Inn in Ireland at about 1200. Over the years I have spent much of my time trailing him, and the children, to make sure they are hydrated, fed, and generally taken care of.

I myself am interested in primarily A&S and Service activities in the SCA. I enjoy many art activities such as sewing, kumihimo, rigid heddle weaving and tablet weaving. I am working on learning nalbinding- because I want to adapt a crocheted bag that I make to be more period, embroidery- to complete some largesse items, flag throwing- because if I wasn't doing SCA I would be teaching color guard and I am sooo excited that I can combine the two activities, inkle weaving- I have the loom for card weaving, so why not. Then there are so many items that I would love to try out, but I am refraining because there is soo much I am already doing. I am finally at the point in my SCA life that I am trying to up my game and get into researching my garb, and getting more historically accurate. I am also trying to make sure that I share my knowledge with others, whether it's with kids or adults.

In 2006 I taught my first class at GNEW. A kids class, cardboard swords and shields. It is that class, and reintroducing it for our 2015? Great Falls Balloon Festival Demo, that really started the push for a blog. We used markers for the cardboard, and handed out about 100 shields and swords that first year (the exact number is in my paperwork in the basement at the moment). I had a few people ask if they could do the same thing at their demo- and of course I said yes. I have learned a lot from the many years of preparing for the shield and sword class/activity, and I would love to share that knowledge with others. This is also true of the headdress class I have done, as well as kumihimo. I also have a kids activity kit that I carry with me to events, to pull out when needed. I would love to share that and to my part to keep the youth entertained at all events.

Other service activities I have done other than teaching and youth wrangling, is retaining, volunteering at GNEW gate, GNEW set up for a few years, and filling in wherever I may be needed, typically in an unofficial capacity. I do my best to support the events and activities within our growing Riding as best I can.

I recently decided to dedicate more time to my SCA life, and look forward to sharing this journey through this blog. I think I may have lots to share, and I hope that others can get some use out of my experiences.

Yours In Service,
Lady Calliagh of Ravensbridge