AE Academy

Well other than gushing over my Sycamore Scroll, I did alot for AE Academy. I put up my doll castle for display, which barely fits in the backseat of the car. Its magnificents is too much for my little car to contain I suppose ;-)

 Had to get to the Academy site at opening time to get it and the playroom set up. Which took sometime, then trolled in. Though the castle displayed nicely and such, was able to get it back to my front bedroom all by myself at home though, its easier with two people.

A&S Display at Aethelmearc Academy

Managed to get dressed and wondering why my waist is being trudgy in this weather, which is my summertime specialty. I managed to get in my gown and looked most amply put to place, which was  challenge with sweating so much. 

I started the day with my Elizabethan jewelry course attened by 8 lovely persons. The class is inspired by the Cheapside Hoard now displayed at the British Museum in London. Gave a full color handout showing detail of pieces from the archeological at 1015am. I also explainded looking for similar motifs in costume jewerly as in the pictures.  Explained the benefits of mixing matching, price points of replicas vs costume jewels. Shared my entire jewel collection to show my adaptions in late period jewelry. It was very warmly recepted and got lovely compliments about it all day.

Tudor Doll Castle at Aethelmearc Academy

I was so happy folks liked it and was suggested to do a make and take class to make a set of earrings and necklace. Which I am thinking of a English Hood class and the make and take for Fabric Fiber and Fighting for the fall. I will schedule playtime around those courses, depending on my decisions to teach.

 My afternoon course was well attended by 6 and lots of good questions. I had detailed images of the children at play painting done by Brugel. I want to find more on the political significance of  this painting to beef the content more. It just became an image search and discussion on the games shown really. Folks were kind about the class but I know I can do better.  Plan on changing a few things to get things a bit more interesting. Its a good topic and the pics were really good but needs more beef in the reasearch.

Abhainn Ciach Ghlais Shrine 

 



The food was superb as usual, the weather was warm the warcollege broke a new attendence record, you could tell how touched the organzers were with the turnout. I know the organizer of the Academy classes was happy with the wide range of courses for folks to try, which I was happy with the selection as well. Got to attend the heraldic fan class and the Henry VIII valentine course, both excellent! Was able to get handouts on the others I missed due to confict with my teaching, but its all good.  I wished there was A/C in the venue, it would have helped cut some of the humidity.

I was able to get time to shop, though I really didn't need to buy anything. Bought a book on English Royalty, a netted cault to add to an Elizabethan hat, some decorated pins and earrings. I saw my lovely needlecase full of needles, though I didnt need to get those. These items were to be sold and given to the Royalty for their travel expenses. So my $17 goes to a good cause, will show how the hat looks now in a future post. I plan on wearing it to FFF with my black Elizabethan with Erimine puff sleeves, should be epic.

Teal Tudor Gown

 



During court I was called up for thanks with my many efforts and escapades with the shire children in keeping them entertained.Their Royal Highnesses I know appreciate my efforts, wish I had something more organzied for the day but teaching consumed alot of my time. I did oversee some games and provided the playroom, didn't get used but was still there. Though folks told me the effort and space was thought out and that makes a difference. It is very nice to be appreciated {-D

I have a few pictures from AEcademy these were taken by Lady Livia Valenti, thank you for these.
The last one is an Lewisburg Arts but this is typical me, Tudor rose purse and all. This the wonderful Teal Tudor gown. Will be making another unique compliation soon. I thought you would find picture amusing. Speaking of the Tudor Rose purse, I have gotten more complinents over my creative use of craft felt, than any single piece of garb created. On that note time to get back to sewing I am currently in the midst of garb creation, pics forth coming.

Regards

Lady Mairin

Success is sweet

Well I have gotten back from the Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon for 2011. Tired and stiff from lots of walking but happy with how things turned out all in all. I only entered the doll castle since I was fussing with it for a while, there was no more time to enter anything else and I didn't have much done besides. Though there is always things to make and research for my Tudor habit, lol.

My documentation won me a blue ribbon and captured first place in toymaking, second year in a row:-D I also recieved a favor and recognitnion in court from the Princesses Royal for the doll house, they are very sweet good girls and a delight to be around. Jaqueline got a green ribbon for her unicorn blue velvet embroidered pillow and a red ribbon for her pearl bedecked red velvet hat. Though she was very suprised to win Kings Favorite for her hat, which I was happy to see. Wonder how my full scale marionette will do when done for next year. Its funny but it seems to help getting a start before the winter, gives me less to do when the spring comes to finish my project. I think I am getting the documentation down to a science, thanks to Mistress Alicia for her tips on documentation writting. Its helps keep my papers simple and answers the questions the judges are looking for in a proper research paper. Hope I do this well next year.

Well onward to local events there is Penn College Demo on April 10, Lewisburg Arts Festival on April 30th, and Wills Revenge on May 6-8. In the fall there is Ladies Event, Fabric Fiber and Fighting so very excited things are more spread out which is helpful to me don't want to take alot of time off from Justin's fantasy roleplaying games. Looking forward to participate when I can.

Smiles,

Maureen of Abhainn Ciagh Ghlais

It is finished

Hi all,

Yes the doll house is in a great stage of completion am waiting for a few miniature pieces to come in the mail this week but for the most part it is done. Though I feel I will be fussing with my creation for years to come. Right now I am working on the writing my documentation and trying to get it in the right chronological order. Hope to have it all done by this Wednesday because I leave for Ice Dragon sometime of Friday.

Though I almost didn't make it there this year I had a scare with Jasper my cat. He had about of bad diarreah and I have a few suspictions on the cause. It was 3 days before he had a solid bowel movement yesterday and I was worried my money for Ice Dragon was going to be spent at the vet instead. Yesterday he turned the corner and seems to be back to his old self. He was leaving marks where ever he sat and was licking himself sore trying to keep clean, right now he is on a cat food and rice diet. He isn't wild about it but there isn't any loose problems or stains all night. So a great sign, he never lost appetite and was drinking steadily so all good signs it was going to pass. I can tell he is on the mend for sure, huge sigh of relief for me.

My heraldry passed for society so the lovely heraldic device you see on my page is officially mine, yeah! Got one more puppet purple, white, black with silver gryphon named Coudersport.

In the mean time, have gotten some jewelry supplies for making a earring and necklace set, supplies for the embroidering of the Elizabethan shirt, cloth covered hat boxes for my renaissance luggage( lol), and ideas on several more embroidery and accessory projects. There will be more to come as I get things completed. Since the dollhouse is done I am thinking of making the three garb outfits I have floating in my head, so lots of sewing in my future. Guess we will see.

On the wedding front Justin and I have our locations picked out and now am working on a plan to get them all reserved and paid for by next April, though we have a year and some help so right now its the First Baptist Church in Williamsport for the Ceremony and the Genetti Hotel in Williamsport for the reception.

So all in all good for the most part other than Jasper's health scare. Hope the next few months are active, productive, and profitable.

Smiles,

Maureen

Puppets On Parade

Well here they are, the cable shoulder puppets I described in my last post. They are made from sculpy polemer clay for the the head, and legs, rabbit fur for the body, feather for wings and accents, they have marble for eyes and stiffened felt in areas, and jewelery accents for collars and bracelet.

They work by a cable system attached inside the body the make the head move up, down, and side to side. The movement is very life like and really neat to observe. I saw these awesome creatures on a site and couldn't afford the price, though I took some consideration to have one made was in my mind.

So I made my own version,these are in no way to copy the original ones. My puppets are sculpted differently and from different clay material, they use something like an acrylic wood material for the originals I saw on a website: http://www.fantasypuppets.com/.

The puppets on this site are called woodbabies, and are found at several renaissance faires, festivals, and conventions all over the US. I do have plans to have a puppet special made by the same company, its going to be a unicorn puppet made in my heraldry colors, as soon as it all passes through. So for right now my homemade version's will suffice the children of the local shire. Also I plan on using them in my Puppet research paper as a form of modern version and show the progression from Puppet and Marionette origin.

I do have some plans for the dollhouse, the puppets were a light side project. Setting things aside when I have time with projects lets me get a new approach to them when I return back to them, this prevents monotomy and boredom with topics. So I right now I have plans to put the stained glass in soon and finish the details on the center tower like painting, that is most of the construction portion. After that there is lots of embroidery projects to decorate the inside of the castle. So soon will be time to storm the castle, again.

A Busy Bee,

Maureen

O'Cadhla Castle Pictures

Well here is O'Cadhla castle so far, in its various stages of construction. This is a dollhouse that I am making for and Arts and Sciences project, showing that there are roots for this eventual toy in the 16th century.
Which there is documentation I found in an inventory of Duke Albrecht the V of Bavaria showing he had a collection cabinet of miniatures, inventory was taken by his chancellor Johann Baptiste Fickler in 1598. In this period from the affluent noble class, had collections of what was interesting to them and eventually founded alot of museums all throughout Europe. Duke Albrecht actually has most of his art collection in the National Museum of Antiquities in Munich, Germany. The dollhouse replica I am making is meant to look like a castle, though in period these were kept in regular cabinets of the time period. The height of the rooms are meant to accommodate 11 dolls or smaller and I hope it have it finished by Ice Dragon next year 2011. It will contain furniture and decor all in a medieval Tudor theme and meant to look like a 16th century castle. There is lots to be done yet hope you enjoy the progress so far. Thanks for looking.

Blessings,

Lady Mairin O'Cadhla

So Far So Good

Well I got to a reasonable point on my Tudor castle done. Its not finished by any stretch of the imagination. Probably not til the end of summer at least, though it is keeping me out of trouble, lol.

I am pleased with all the progress that was made this week. It was just a pile of plywood with lines drawn on it last friday. Now it is nearly all complete and painted. I have yet to finish making cushions, bedding, curtains and the other plush features of the castle. Plus finishing touches on the decor and furniture. I have it completed enough for display. Which is how I wanted it to look in progress or under construction, whatever fits your fancy.

I will write a small amount on what I am building and why. Let alone the details yet to be finished on the castle, its purpose and its creation in the 16th and history there of in turning into a child's toy.

Everything is packed and in the car, thank goodness. I am not sure if I am going to change on site or not at this point. Though I am as ready as I am going to be. There is now way that I am going to get my bookmark embroidered in time for this event. Really sad about that though kids things came up quickly for a general plan on what they would be doing and such. So I had to look to my office first and then to my A&S display that was already in progress.

Wish I had time at work to craft, though it would be frowned upon. Alas living the dream can be hard when the mundane interferes with the imagination. I am sure that is a very Scadian feeling that crosses the minds of others like me from time to time.

Excited for my class tomorrow, hope it goes well. Got lots of information and visuals for the class. I know the A&S display will got well, just got to get the small article done. I am taking my Tudor Barbies for the class and for the A&S display they are always a hit. I know the kids will have fun there is lots of things I have in mind that will be good for them to do.

Well that is all for now. Hope to have more pictures and such to post soon.

Blessings,

Lady Mairin O'Cadhla