#lyondemere

[kryssieness]

My first two pillar candles. Two different techniques and brands of wax. Both are soy wax; the one on the right was done in a double boiler (Northern Lights Candles wax and dye); the one on the left was done in a candle melter (Wicks). Same dyes were used in each.

So! About these candles, specifically! I play in the SCA in the Barony of Lyondemere, Kingdom Caid. My Barony’s colors are green and gold. The Merlion is our proper heraldry, but the populace badge is a seashell. At our anniversary event, I was given a Kingdom award called a Harp Argent for my Alchemy & Perfumery. These candles are scented with the blend I developed specifically for the Barony of Lyondemere, called Lyonsong. It’s a blend of Vanilla, Cypress, Clary Sage, and Bergamot. Smells a like a warm day in the SouthBay. :)

Not pictured: The seashell soaps made from goat’s milk glycerin, scented with Lyonsong. Also not pictured, the Royals soaps I made today.

[cayswann]

My lovely Champion, Sir Andrew Baird 💛💛💛 #MySCA #Lyondemere #Caid

[kryssieness]

#baking my favorite #holidaycookies GINGERSNAPS!!! For The #Lyondemere Cookie Exchange tomorrow evening. #sca

[kryssieness]

Did an SCA event yesterday. It was fun, but it was massively overwhelming, which resulted in a lot of pain. I figured, other people with pain issues were doing things, so I should do things, too. Still recovering. ;) But it was a lot of fun.

[andnowimaviking-blog]

Shoot all the things!

That was pretty much the motto of this weekend, between two back to back events featuring archery. If only shooting all the things could resolve the other things that happened to make this weekend less than fabulous. Oh well.

I've been having some interpersonal conflict with another SCA friend for the past week, and things certainly didn't improve on that front on Saturday, where an altercation occurred that left me feeling so sad and hurt that I actually started crying, which is really unlike me- usually I manage to keep things together a little bit better than all that. At this point, I'm not sure things are ever going to be satisfactorily resolved, but at least I have my friends, and they were wonderful and lovable and supportive and the best friends anyone could ask for, so there is that.

The weather down in Calafia for Friendship Tournament was nice, a little cold almost but perfect for fighting and shooting, my friend Keinvryd got authorized in rapier and then got asked to join the Gyldenholt grovers at closing court, and I had a nice conversation with Robert, the man who was running the archery program of the day, who is new and awesome. Plus, my parents came out to visit, and got to see and meet all the awesome people I tell them about all the time, and see just what drinking the SCA kool-aid got me involved with!

Sunday at Lyondemere's Arts and Archery event, it marked a full year anniversary of me being an authorized competitor- A&A was my first competition event last year, and it was great to have so many of my friends be out shooting with me, when last year I'd been nearly alone among strangers. Gyldenholt was well represented- 14 out of the 44 competing archers were ours! I had a great time shooting at things, talking to my friends, and being the group that is, consistently, no matter where we are or what is going on, being told to be quiet!

[andnowimaviking-blog]

Gyldenholt-Lyondemere Yule

I ended up coming home from the medieval feast with the plague (seriously, I managed to pick up a virulent cold from somewhere and am only now recovering) but it was still a pretty fun event.

Court was a reasonable length, food at the feast was pretty good, but the best part about it was just how all my friends seemed to be feeling the same thing I was- this thankfulness and celebration of friendship.

A year ago, I was just dipping my toe into the pool of SCA life. I only knew a few people, and was barely getting started on finding my groove in costumes and arts and everything else. Sitting at the table at Yule, listening to friends' college tales, stories from wars past, jokes about too much coffee consumption and bad life choices, always being the loud group that gets shushed for laughing too much... I was filled with such a sense of joy, cheesy as it is, at being surrounded by so many awesome people.

I have some crazy amazing friends, and if I'd never started doing this medieval craziness, my life would definitely be lacking. In and amongst the shenanigans, the Krampus carol and being smacked with birch rods for being a bad child, sampling the offerings of the brewing contest and trading awkward innuendos with my poorly-kept-secret-crush... I had a couple minutes to reflect on and be thankful for friendships, and it was pretty magical.