Monday, September 29, 2008

Inkling along

I'm not sure about the awards.... It seems I misread the design and purchased enough gold thread for an inner stripe. Well, as I'm sure you can deduct, it's the OUTER stripe (and with it the weft) that is gold. Can I hear an "EWWW." No matter, I'll pick up some gold crochet cotton soon. I've been relearning how to inkle weave anyways and am rediscovering that maintaining even sides is a bitch. phooey.

Monday, September 22, 2008

The OTHER Challenge

Yes, technically I'm doing two challenges for A&S 50. One is the German persona bit I've already mentioned (having trouble with :\ ) in a previous post. The other is making 50 bits of award stuff for Meridies. One big hurdle I jumped recently was contacting the Bagatelle herald and asking what I could do and how. I've got a little bit of information and will attempt to weave bands for two awards, the Meridian Majesty and Sovereign's Pleasure. I think those are the two woven award regalia thingies. Heee.....

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Finally

I got my photos uploaded from the camera. I even resized some of them for the blog. Woot! I'm not feeling so ambitious as to give you photos of my knitting wips or the copious amounts of art I've collected for costume and crafting reference. Instead I'm treating you to pics of the fambly.

From the left: little girl I don't know, Avalee, Griffin (Alex's middle son), Drake, Nicky



















My hair and makeup committee: Hester (grey) and Persephone (on toilet)


















Oh yeah, Alex and I at Ruby Falls.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

If I was turning Japanese...



Sorry if the song is now stuck in your head. *grin*

For the A&S50 challenge, I have to admit I'd have a much easier time coming up with stuff to fill the challenge list persona-wise. I'll make a list here just because.

1. make outfit for a low caste person, for bad or hot weather.
2. embroidery
3. shibori
4. calligraphy
5. kumihimo
6. make a better heian era garment (this counts for alot, but i'm just lumping it together for simplicity's sake.)(The super simple version that you see in the photo above is minus the two blue-green layers. It was just too dang hot.)
7. make a better kamakura era garment (counts for a couple too, unless I cheat like I did last time *grin*)(Kamakura in this instance=my Heian minus all layers but the bottom kimono which was tucked into my hakama.)
8. go ahead and make that yayoi (i think this is the correct period) era garment i want.
9. learn how to walk and move correctly
10. recipes
11. learn to recite poetry of the time
12. paper making
13. weaving
14. read more accounts from the time
15. read noh plays
16. read kabuki plays (eh, it's pushing the "time limit" but so what)
17. dances? these would be hard to find.
18. learn more about the religions
19. archery
20. study the weapons
21. study more on the siege equipment
22. learn more about the armor
23. oh yeah, learn more japanese... :D

Monday, September 8, 2008

Actually planning my Persona challenge

1. Do the persona questionnaire found here (link later.)
2. Research the coins of the time
3. Research trade and guilds
4. Figure out if she would have read Tristan, Parcival, or the Nibelungenleid and read those.
5. Weave some belts.
6. Learn at least a bit about Opus Teutonicum.
7. Figure out the garb and make some. (This will be broken up later.)
8. Learn the writing style used at the time.
9. make the neat purse I've seen in many paintings.
10. shoes of course
11. Learn more about calligraphy by Heinrich RĂ¼dinger and illumination by Albrecht Glockendon as seen in the book 'Geomantie' (Geomancy) - Codex Palatinus 833 Germanicus. 'cause oh my god!!!!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

An Account of a horrid and barbarous murder

AN ACCOUNT Of a Horrid and Barbarous Murder, COMMITTED On the Body of a Young Person supposed to be of a good Quality in the Fields beyond Whitechappel-Church, in the Parish of Stepny commonly known by the Name of Tom-turds Field where she was found, on Munday the 16th. of March, her Throat Cut, and several wounds upon her Body, which was there left stark Naked in one of the Pits belonging to the Field.

DId we not by the too often repeated Instances of this kind behold the Barbarity of Man's Temper, when left of God Almighty, we should be more Astonish'd at the Bloudy and Savage Cruelty in the following Relation, which is enough to draw Tears from the Eyes of the most Unconcerned, and raise Pity in the Breast of the worst of Men: But not to detain the Reader with too long Exordiums, I shall proceed to the Story it self:

In the Fields beyond White-Chappel Church, commonly called Tom-turds Fields, some Children were on Munday the 16th of this Instant playing near the Pits, and one of them casually striking his Ball thereinto, the Lad endeavouring to reach the same with a Stick lit upon a Foot as he concieved it, and so it proved true, of a Person that had been there Murdered; whereat calling his Companions they came about it, and the Croud increasing, they quickly pull'd the Carkass to the side of the Pit, and by that means perceived it was the Body of a Young Woman strip'd stark Naked, except the Lyning of an old-Gown to Cover her, and on her Right Leg a Mans Stocking and Shoe; she was Bruised all over her Body, and had several Wounds which were seen thereupon; to wit, one in her Right Breast, another upon the side or her Right Eye, and another in her Throat, which was cut half through, with several other Barbarous Gashes in several parts of the Body, The Person is as yet unknown, but by the Conjectures of most Persons that have viewed her, she is supposed to be of some Quality, and the rather for that she hath a very Clear Skin and soft Hand; she seems to have several good Features, and is as supposed not above the Age of 16 or 17 at most: on her little Finger of the Right Hand she had a Cornelion Ring, but how long she hath lain in that Place is not yet known, tho it cannot be very long, for that her Wounds are fresh.

And upon the removing her from the Pit where she was first found, to Mile-end-Green at the sign of the George, where her Body now lies, she Bled a fresh: The Field where she was, hath been always looked upon as very Dangerous for Passingers, after Night is shut in, and several Persons have been there Robb'd, but the Barbarity of this is hardly to be Parralleled, not only in Relation to her Sex, but also her Youth; And how Malice: it self should be so Trancendently wicked in the perpetration of so Horrid and Abominable a Murder, it can scarce enter into the Breast of Humanity to Imagine: Murder in any degree hath been always lookt upon as the most Crying of all Sins, and seldome is it that the same scapes Unpunnished, the Vengeance of the Almighty pursuing the Criminal generally to hss Punnishment even in this World, much more may we hope that in so Horrid an Instance as this is, where neither Beauty nor Youth could work Compassion on the obdurate and Cruel Hearts of Accursed Perpetrators thereof, that in God's good time the same will come to a Discovery, and the Criminals to their deserved End: Which that the same may come to pass, is the Prayers of all good People, who cannot but upon sight thereof compassionate the poor Innocent, and look upon the Authors of this Tragedy with more than common Detestation.


LONDON Printed by George Croom, at the Sign of the Blue-Ball in Thames-street, over against Baynard's Castle. 1684

(from Early English Books Online; actual text held at the Bodleian)


Okay, so I found this the other day while perusing the EEBO database for cool things. Not that murder is cool of course....no matter how old.
I did find some things rather interesting, striking even, definately telling, about the account.
Such as:

-She had to have been killed shortly before being found if she bled again upon transporting.
-No mention is made of a search for perpetrators, calling for constables, or anything legal at all.
-Why on earth did she have on a man's stocking and shoe? How were they different from women's shoes?
-The carnelian ring keeps it from being a robbery (unless the ring was added later to 'show' that the girl was of gentle birth).
-What was she doing back there?
-You mean to tell me that Whitechapel was a bad neighborhood for over 200 years??! (Also scene of Jack the Ripper murders fyi).

Master of the Legend of St. Lucy

You can find more paintings online. Let me know if you find a link to the legend of St. Nicolas done by this guy. I flipped through a book that included a painting of some crazy guy beheading 3 other men. But the dresses were awesome. :D

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Snooze my friends! Snooze!

That's about how I feel this a.m. I do indeed have other things to do right now, which prevents me from writing much here....and I have many things travelling in the brain which prevents me from doing much of what I should here.