Barony of Dragon's Mist Juletide 2012

Saturday was the Barony of Dragon's Mist Juletide event. We had a day long event with a potluck feast. We even had Queen Astrid spend the day with us!  She lives in Salem and since there wasn't a conflict in her schedule and the late invite, she chose to come spend the day with our Barony.

Baroness Svava and Baron Refr

The Baroness proposed a Half Dozen Largess Contest for the event. Make six of something and have it judged with the others and the winner gets one of each of the competition and the barony gets the rest as largess. I entered in hand sewn pouches with i-cord drawstrings along with soap bags containing handmade soap, hand/lip balm in a tin and wood hand mirrors. Yes, I even did the wood work on the mirrors! Ignatius did help with cutting the wood so they could have the forstner bit cutout for the mirror, but the rest of the work on the mirrors I did myself.

Lady Lissette had a sword/blade cleaning kit - very useful and for the men!

Lady Lissette also embroidered little needlebooks

My personal toilette kit. If I had started earlier, I would have tried to embroider the pouch and also make a sleeve for the mirrors

Lady Amelia made beaded hair pins

She also made pretty beaded necklaces

And some journal books

Her daughter Rose made some little booklets too

Just before court the Baroness pulled us all together and it was announced that I won the competition!  How awesome was that?! So I got to pick out one of each of the items for myself (I didn't take one of my own contributions). Then we were told that we would present our largess as 'paying taxes' during court.

There were a few classes taught, Italian Hair wrapping was one. I saw Petra do a couple people's hair, but I think the actual class time wasn't set and so more people didn't take advantage of this class. It was kind of at the same time as the Head Covering class I took. I'd suggested that Luitgard teach such a class. It was very enjoyable and the four or five (the numbers changed if someone had to leave for other responsibilities) of us that took it thought it very interesting, though hoped that she would go past early 15th century.

Lady Luitgard putting on her Laurel's robe. Wild headgear - huh?

Lady Helena being a model for the pleated toque, wimple and  veil started in the 12th century and worn for several centuries

The other class that was going to be cancelled because the headcovering class ran long was a Kumihimo class - Japanese braiding. I also suggested this class because I've had interest in learning how and thought this would be a fun place to do it. Lady Lissette was the instructor and I found out that Lord Finn also had an interest so she taught us. She had prepared things before the event, but things disappeared on her, so we spent some time preparing the bobbins and being interrupted for one reason or another. We did get a basic idea of how it works and I'll try to get more of my braid going to show. She also plans to get us some nice foam circles instead of the cardboard ones she made. Both Finn and I have ideas of making the nice wood ring stands that we've seen.

While we were getting started we watched Queen Astrid doing her needlefelting. She made little colored heart ornaments for each of the children as gifts during court:

Queen Astrid in her pretty red Italian dress made for her by Countess Ilaria

Ladies Amelia and Osanna were the event stewards for the event:

They've expressed the desire to do it again next year too!

Our court with our Champions and Retinue behind

Baroness Svava had activities for the munchkins earlier in the day. They made peanut butter bird seed feeders on tp rolls. I bought oranges and cloves for the Baroness so that the kids could make them into pomanders. The leftover oranges and cloves will be made for pomanders to become largess. She also pulled in the teens later with the kids to do some carols during court - kazoos were involved!

They did an awesome job and it was a fun activity to include.

Lady Larissa was involved in kid wrangling during the different activities and the Baroness recognized that in court by presenting her with a Baroness' Favor, a handmade and embroidered haversack:

There was a rapier demonstration, but I was downstairs in the kitchen, so missed that and I'm not sure where Ignatius was with the camera.

Lady Petrona from the Barony of Adiantum has been making the drive once a month to do dance practice with us at our first of the month Revels. She also came to help with the dancing at Juletide. There was dancing before court and after the feast.

I was responsible for cooking the meat for the feast. I bought a large round roast (18 pounds if you're curious) and a rotisserie duck from Uwjimaya's. I tried to do half of the roast with just salt and pepper as seasonings and the other half with the salt, pepper and an herb crust of olive oil with garlic, shallots, marjoran, rosemary and thyme. The herbs all fresh from my yard.

Last year we had other meats brought, so it was a surprise not to see some chicken in the potluck. We had just enough meat for everyone, but not enough duck. Next year, I'm getting two if I'm doing the cooking again. I made a couple of soups for the fruit/vegetables for my potluck contribution and glad that I had. I did an apple-curry and carrot, fennel and apple soup. Both were well received. I was disappointed in the quantity of items brought to the potluck. We had more people than items brought.

Overall it was a fun time and I think a success for a day long event. Hopefully we'll do something similar for next year!