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!

Capture December: Day 4 - Joyous

Today I am joyous to have my Snowman collection out. When we first started adding decorations to the household as a couple we decided to do snowmen because it seemed like everyone was doing Santas and my sister collected Nutcrackers. Snowmen were also around and different. So we added either an ornament or a decoration each year. We didn't get one last year, but I hope to knit one this year.

These aren't all of them, I have a couple on the fireplace and I don't have the decorations on the tree yet. We have a strand of lights out, so need to replace either the bulb or the strand. Need to figure that part out still.

I'm also happy that my new phone cover came. Its a little more girly, but it was really cheap and had a design that I could live with:

I was able to do something tonight for a mother that I didn't have when my son was small, I went over and sat at her house while her little ones were sleeping so she could get out of the house for 'me' time. That meant going to the gym and working out, but was what she needed/wanted.  This is something that gave me joy because I knew she appreciated it and I wished that I could have had someone in my life to do a simple thing like that for me when my son was small.

Yule Gifts

I had hoped to do a bit more than I did for the Yule gift exchange. I still think what I gave was nice. I knit a little soap sack and included three bars of home made soap - Castile and Vanilla scented. Then I sewed the red bag that I put it in. Red was the color for gifts for ladies, green for men. So a reusable bag that they can give as a gift or use for other items.

The two little bars of castile soap are inside the soap sack

Ignatius made a hammer as his gift. Walnut head and turned/carved handle in oak. He carved the three phases of the moon. Its a substantial hammer. Funny thing is, our friend Finn picked it. He picked the wooden box that Ignatius made last year. ;-)

Ignatius picked out a box that turned out to be a hibachi that folds down. He's inclined to give it to Will to use in a future apartment. I don't know, I think it might be cool for camping and steaks. ;-)

I picked out a tissue wrapped package that turned out to be a hand made basket. It kind of looks like a basket that might have been made at the Embellisher's College we went to earlier in the year.

Its very nicely done and I look forward to using it!

We'll have more Yule gifts to make for the upcoming Dragon's Mist Juletide event.

Capture December: Day 2 Holiday Movie

My favorite holiday movie is one I can watch anytime of the year, Love Actually.  I don't have a copy of the DVD available to take a pic of it, but I found the YouTube Official Trailer for it:



Have you seen it?  If not, you really should!  Brandon who isn't really into romantic comedies will watch it with me. I think because with the little mini, overlapping stories, there's one or more that should appeal to anyone. He of course loves the end of the wedding scene with the musicians.

What's your favorite holiday movie or movies?

Then because I was told that I had to have a picture, I took one of the folder on the TV:

Lucky guy ;-)

Capture December: Day 1 Your View Today

My view:

My dear husband receiving his "You Rock" charter that wasn't ready at Honor Feast from Baron Alfric and Baroness Jill in their last official court as Baron and Baroness of Three Mountains. He really does rock. ;-)

Capture December

Rachel posted this as a challenge on Facebook and looking at the different things, I think I might be able to manage most, if not all, of the days. Anyone else want to join along?

2012 Beach Trip!

We made the drive to Manzanita, we like the beach there. Its often not as crowded as the others but this trip it had more people than we usually see. I think it was everyone trying to escape the heat. ;-) It was in the low 60s while we were there, compared to the previous days 99.

Brandon running them together

Leeloo's face said that she thought the beach was a blast

The boys have fun going in the water, the girls, we stay out - its COLD!

Towards the end of the beach there is a hillside of rocks. Brandon started climbing, Norbert followed. I took Leeloo off leash so that she could clamber around freely. She seemed to enjoy the rock climbing too, until she realized I didn't come along.

Checking out a log and back on leash. I waited until after we got home for a bath and haircut for Leeloo. Norbert still needs a haircut.

It was a lovely afternoon and we'll have to take them for a weekend at the beach house in October. Hopefully, early October when the weather is still nicer.