paternosterladies

Paternoster Ladies Attends Squire's Revolt, 2011 (Lansing MI)

2011-08-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

Paternoster Ladies had a wonderful time visiting Squire's Revolt this year, and I just realized I have not yet posted the photos of most of our events this season. Thus, some catchup! These photos are from Squire's Revolt, an SCA event located in Lansing, MI. It was held in the spring/summer of 2011. Enjoy!

Here is our wonderful tent, full of goodies. You can see many of our Paternoster Ladies in garb. This event we were lucky enough to have Jolen Sher, a local fiber arts expert, join us and bring her lovely hand-dyed wool to offer for sale.

There I am in the blue, helping a customer. Our wares are spread far and wide!

Our tables are full of beautiful paternosters and other hand-crafted artisan jewelry and rosaries. We have much more available than what we list on Etsy, and we love custom orders, so feel free to contact us anytime for more information: paternosterladies@gmail.com.

As always, if you have seen something you like at one of our shows and don't see it on our site, email us and we can let you know if it is still available!

Paternoster Ladies Featured in Treasury List

2011-08-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

Out of the midst of the fire... the resemblance of amber. Ezekiel 1.4, Rosaries.

Here is a photo of the Paternoster Ladies Rosary which was featured:

To view the rest of this wonderful collection, visit here.

Featured in Etsy Treasury List: Autumn Leaves

2011-08-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks very much to exaustedcreativity for including one of our beautiful artisan paternosters in her beautiful Etsy Treasure, entitled Autumn Leaves...Olive, Copper and Charcoal. The paternoster she chose is pictured below:

Visit the rest of this beautiful treasury here.

Link to Fabulous 15th - 16th Century Book on Medieval Prayers

2011-03-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

The illustrations in this text are not original, but a Victorian/Edwardian take on Durer's pictures for the late 15th/16th edition. This is set in a modern type, but with the period spellings. Here's the page on "How we ought to saye our houres and prayers."

The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre
made to his doughters (1902)
http://www.archive.org/stream/bookeofthenseygn00latoiala#page/22/mode/2up

I definitely will be spending some time wading through this interesting resource!

Scribal Terror: Religion

2011-03-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

I ran across this site today, which gives an interesting timeline of the history of the modern day rosary. Take a look!

Scribal Terror: Religion

Paternoster Attended Val Day - Photos!

2011-03-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

Paternoster Ladies attended Val Day in Kalamazoo this year (2011) and had a blast! Here are a few photos of us from left to right, Antoinette Flammond, Grace Martin (me!), Connie Harriff, and Leslie Wilbanks (not pictured: Laura Messer.)

One of our special customers sent us a photo of her hubby wearing his new paternoster, below:

We had a great time and look forward to merchanting there again this year! A few more photos for your enjoyment...

How I Got Started with Paternoster Ladies

2011-03-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

Hello! Some of you may wonder how Paternoster Ladies got started - well, it all began with a little project I started for a group I belong to called the Society for Creative Anachronism. This group has events all over the world for people interested in Medieval Re-enactment (kind of like Civil War re-enactment, but without the guns!)

During an event 2 years ago, (Val Day in Kalamazoo) I heard about something called the Arts and Sciences 50 Challenge! This challenge is a personal one meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the SCA. In it, you challenge yourself to make or do or learn 50 things before 2015 that relate to medieval life. You could make 50 buttons for a garment, or make 50 garments! Or 50 different types of garments - or medieval furniture, beads, etc. You get the idea.

I had just started making paternosters for my group, and figured I would make 50. Once I did, and everyone in my group had one (we do 14th century European reenactment, btw) I decided to sell them. I loved making them so much, I needed to sell them to be able to buy more beads! I was very keen on making sure I understood what a period paternoster was, so I spent several months studying everything I could lay my hands on, including my favorite source to date, Chris Lanings wonderful Paternoster Blog. The study continues to this day - and so does my little business, which has merchanted 5 larger SCA events in the past year and a half, and has donated 19 paternosters to the Midrealm thus far (one of my sub goals is to donate a total of 50).

One thing I have to mention, is that I would not have the great jump off that I did were it not for Vista Print's awesome services. I was able to get many of the basics, such as business cards, banners, and even a photo book of my work, made for free. It is a great resource for a new business, or an old one looking to save some money. If you wait for their big Mega Blowout Sale (which happens 1-2 times a year) you can get most everything you need to start a new business in terms of advertising for a song. I included the link, so you can get a jump start like I did!

Save up to 80% on custom printed products at Vistaprint. Order today!

New Paternosters Now On Etsy!

2011-02-13T11:57:00.000-08:00

This lovely "Tenner" or Decade Paternoster is created with 10 palm wood beads, brass hardware and a loop to hang from your thumb. It was a popular medieval style for men in the middle ages, and is highly documented in medieval paintings and wills.

A perfect gift for you or your lord!

Visit our paternoster ladies etsy shop at www.paternosterladies.etsy.com for information on this and other paternosters for sale. We do custom rosaries and medieval paternosters too!

Paternoster Ladies to attend Val Day in Kalamazoo, MI

2011-02-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

Greetings all,

Hope you all have had a wonderful winter!

Paternoster Ladies will be kicking off our season early this year by attending VAL DAY on Feb. 12 in Kalamazoo, MI! Mention this post and get a special discount!

We will have tons of beautiful paternosters there for both you and your lady, plus stop by to take a look at some of our research materials! Paternosters will range from $12 - $185, something for every budget!

Bring cash, or make sure your smart phone has the paypal app (hint: I can take paypal ie credit cards . . . if you have access to your email.

We will also have tons of SCA Heaven, as our ladies thin out their own garb (too large, too small, child outgrown, etc) to make room in their closets for a new season of sewing! I even hear there may be actual stash fabric, leather and sheepskin available!

Plenty of new Paternoster designs, including a few of my newest creation, our BATTLE READY line! All the paternosters in this line are created with the field in mind. Crafted from bone, horn and metal beads and fittings, these are the toughest Paternosters made to date!

Those of you who may need restringing work done, feel free to bring your items by. I also have restrung items available for pickup.

And if you are having a period wedding this year, get on the wait list to have special paternosters made as gifts for the wedding party, bride or groom. A great departure from flowers for the bridesmaids, and very attractive and period appropriate. Doubles as the bridesmaid gift. Wedding packages available for every budget!

Paternosters make great ascension gifts too! Give one to your favorite Laurel, Pelican, Knight.

Take a look at a sampling of our paternosters at www.paternosterladies.etsy.com, or do a search for paternoster ladies and see our previous posts and reviews here on AA.

Hope to see you there!

Tokens, Reliquaries and Pilgrim Badges

2010-03-26T09:52:00.001-07:00

Tokens are easily attachable to any of my paternosters.

You can either send them to me and I will attach them for free, or I can tell you how to do it - It involves 1 jump ring (or, for you guys, one chainmaile link ;) ) and 2 pairs of fine nose pliers. It is really simple.

To look at some of these examples, paternosters are almost like a medieval version of a charm bracelet! You can attach pilgrim badges, reliquaries (like little lockets or bottles with pieces of stuff like bits of the true cross, powdered saint's bones, etc), charms and heraldic badges. There are examples with bells too.

Here are some photos of historical example with tokens attached:

The Coral Paternoster

2010-03-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

Coral beads were among the most revered and valued of all beads in the medieval era. Countless documentable examples in art of that era consist of coral colored beads with an assortment of other types of fancy gaud beads such as rock crystal or precious metals.

I used these for inspiration for my latest paternoster - I call it the 3P: Perfect, Period Paternoster! Take a look:

The 3P Paternoster is available at http://www.paternosterladies.etsy.com. Come visit the store, and favorite my blog for updates on new period creations by Paternoster Ladies!

What is a Paternoster?

2010-02-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

For those of you in the cheap seats, a simple summation of the Medieval Paternoster follows:

To answer your question, what is a paternoster:

A paternoster is a very early version of a rosary. They are very well documented from the 1100s onward, but the number and composition of the beads varied up until the 16th century, when the Vatican standardized it to the rosary you may be familiar with today.

Paternoster were as much a fashion accessory and status item as it was a religious tool. Although it's main purpose was to keep count of prayers, the noble and wealthy often used them as a sign of status, especially after the sumptuary laws were enacted (paternosters were not regulated, as using rich materials was a way to show honor to God). Women and men alike owned many strands, often in heraldic colors with heraldic badges, holy reliquaries, and other charms and knick-knacks that held personal meaning.

Different holy orders of monks, nuns, and even knights were apt to have their own set of prescribed beads, that counted out special prayers meaningful to that order. Even saints often kept beads of differing numbers, most often divided by 10s or 3s by gauds, with any number from 10, 33, 60, 100, 150, etc.

Many paternosters did not have a cross, instead ending in just a tassel, or some other charm or badge. Documented examples include fleur de lys, roses, stars, and just about any other common medieval symbols.

Paternosters were made from materials available in the day - early ones were as simple as a bag of pebbles or a string with knots, but later paternosters included leather strips with bone or wooden loops or sticks stitched on, strands or loops of wood, bone, amber or horn beads, and gauds of agate, jet, emerald, pearl, coral, precious metals or rock crystal. Glass beads were especially popular, and was often used to mimic the look of more expensive materials (ie, golden glass was used to mimic amber).

Paternosters were so commonplace and so essential that an entire street in London sold nothing but paternosters, and the materials necessary to construct them. Still called Paternoster Row today, it has since been used for more modern purposes, but the street name still remains! Paternosters indeed were so plentiful that the merchants of the day had many different guilds, divided by the types of paternosters you made - thus wood bead paternoster makers were belong to a different group that those who made glass, or metal beads.

Paternosters in current medieval re-enactment serve to add that little extra something that often seems to be missing from even the best crafted garb - the little medieval accessories and niceties that everyone, from commoner to king, would have carried on their person in that era.

Hope this brief history helps - take a look at my latest creations at http://paternosterladies.etsy.com! I went ahead and included my latest listing below. Enjoy!!!

Paternosters and Val Day

2010-02-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

Had a great time at Val Day in Kalamazoo, MI. Found some very special beads, and had the opportunity to take some photos of paternosters I have made, and the people who currently wear them, so you can see first-hand how they really enhance your medieval look. I will be downloading those photos this week, so you can look forward to seeing them this week. Keep checking back!

In the meantime, I reached out this week to the group called Dagorhir to see if there were those interested in paternosters, and I have had a warm response!

In any case, I posted a few photos of my latest creations, all available for sale on http://paternosterladies.etsy.com. Enjoy!

Another Great Paternoster!

2010-02-11T07:46:00.000-08:00

Another fantastic paternoster available at my etsy store! This gorgeous 5 decade strand paternoster is lovingly crafted from vintage sable black glass beads. These beads have a slightly uneven texture to them, making them even more appealing to the eye.

The spacers are heavy cast brass beads, and I used one of my very limited supply of filigree locket beads to give you a place to put scented wax, or perhaps a piece of hand felted wool, with a few drops of essential oil. Two dainty mini-heart charms dangle with the pomander, and the other side is heavy with a flowing golden tassel.

A beautiful piece - the pictures don't do this one justice! Well, I am back to crafting my A & S project. I'll update you on that tomorrow! :) See more photos below . . .

Paternoster Recipes Series: St. Dominic, or the Penitent Knight's Paternoster

2010-02-11T07:30:00.000-08:00

The researcher dreams of finding exacting descriptions of how beads were used because by the time they make it to us, most strands have beads have either lost their original configuration due to the cording rotting away. Sketches and artwork could be considered inaccurate because no one knows how important it was to early artists to portray the correct number of beads, and it is almost impossible in most cases to tell the material used to construct the beads. Statues have the added difficulty of being "black and white," thus rendering bead identification difficult.

So when a documented piece of writing is found that describes not only the color of beads, but also their order, it is a medieval bead enthusiast's dream! Almost like a recipe for art, a guideline or "how-to" on construction which challenges me to recreate that object so I can hold it in my own two hands.

The "Knight's Paternoster" is such an item. Described in a book written in 1483 by Alanus de Rupe called the Unser lieben frauen psalter, the particular rosary was prescribed by Saint Dominic for a penitent knight.

Chris Laning from Paternoster Row obtained a translation, which follows:

"In the next-following figure is a paternoster that has five large stones, and after every one large stone should be ten small. The first large stone of the five is many-colored and signifies the multiplicity of your sins. The second stone is light colored, and signifies the uncertain death that is in your certain future. The third stone is red, and signifies the Last Judgement at which you must give an account of your life. The fourth stone of the five is black, and signifies hell. The fifth stone of the paternoster is gilt, and signifies the glory and joy of the saints: which glory and joy is promised to those who keep the commandment of God."

Now it is just a matter of finding the correct beads to recreate this wonderful paternoster. Perhaps once I finish my version of the emerald rosary in the Munich Museum . . .

As a final note, I included a photo of one of my new listings.

Come by my etsy store called Paternoster Ladies to see even more of my work. New items every day! Because paternosters are the BEST accessory.

Going to Val-Day On Saturday

2010-02-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

For those of you who find my paternosters appealing, I am working on getting to Val Day this year. I will not have a table, but I will have many of my paternosters on my person, if you would like to see some of my work, or pick up a paternoster for yourself.

I am very busy putting together my A&S entry, but I will put up a photo of my latest paternoster available on paternoster.etsy.com:

Uploading Trials and Tribulations

2010-01-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

Resized a bunch of photos today - it took quite a bit of time.

Luckily for me, I was able to use a fairly easy program called Picassa to do all my basic edits. Picassa even allowed me to batch edit my photos, which saved me a ton of time. Still, I should be able to do this step much faster as I gain more familiarity with the program.

The Paternoster pictured is a 6 decade (60 bead) paternoster. I used jade, bali silver beads, and a solid jade cross. The silver gauds are surrounded by jade beads, and the spacers are also silver (I think sterling - they are vintage salvage findings, so I cannot be sure). I have not been able to find visual documentation of this particular shape of bead, but I know many shapes, including cylindrical ones, were fairly common. This is really a handsome piece, and I am proud of it.

This was one of the paternosters I listed today. I thought you might like to see it. Turning in early tonight, to get a jump start on the morning. Have to retake a few photos, then I will be posting my absolute favorite paternosters.

Until tomorrow!

What Paternoster Materials are Period?

2010-01-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

Beads of wood, coral, shell, seeds, glass, ceramic and stone have been documented since well before the medieval era, as has metal castings techniques for pewter, silver and brass/bronze/gold. Thus, the materials in this case do not limit for time period.

Lampwork beads would be the only exception, as they would be later period (Venetian glassmakers consolidated in Murano, Italy around the 1270). More information on dating specific glass beadmaking techniques is available through Chris Lanings website, paternosters.blogspot.com.

Single strand paternosters have been documented through various period artwork to have been extant from around 1100. I quote Chris Laning, paternoster expert:

"From at least as early as A.D. 1000, rosaries, paternosters or similar strings of prayer beads have been a common accessory carried by men and women, old and young.

Indeed, the small round objects we know in English as “beads” were named from this practice; the root of the English word bead is the same as for the word bid, and originally meant “to pray or request.”

The practice of counting prayers using a string of beads is very old. There are legends of St. Anthony in the desert counting his prayers with pebbles in the third century, and a string of beads is preserved in Belgium that is said to have been buried with the saintly Abbess Gertrude (d. 659). Other religions use prayer beads as well, but we cannot be certain whether Christians, Muslims and Hindus invented the idea independently or borrowed it from each other.

Among the early mentions of prayer beads in England is the will of Lady Godiva. She actually did exist (although her naked ride through Coventry is mythical) and died in about 1041. She left to the monastery she and her husband had founded, “a circlet of gems that she had threaded on a string, in order that by fingering them one by one as she recited her prayers, she might not fall short of the exact number.”
From paternoster to rosary

The first prayer medieval Christians recited on prayer beads was the “Our Father” (in Latin, Pater noster...) For those who could not read, reciting 150 paternosters was regarded as equivalent to reciting the 150 Psalms. The beads used for counting were called paternoster beads: usually a string of 10, 50 or 150 beads, with or without dividing markers."

If you are looking for other examples, take a look at Chris Laning's blog on the web. It is probably the most comprehensive I have seen. If, however, you are just trying to find out what paternosters during your particular period may look like, then give me your date, and I will help you, or I may even post a period example from that date, if there is one available.

Hope all this helps - I have been researching the history of paternosters for almost a year now, and have compiled over 1000 pages of information and photo clips, so I am happy to field any questions that you may have.

Grace Martin

http://www.paternosterladies.blogspot.com

PS: I have included a photo of my latest creation - a duplicate of the paternoster seen in Saint Jerome in His Study. This particular example contains 17 beads - an odd number, but accurately reproduced from the portrait. I chose amber glass beads for this project. Let me know what you think!

The Example:

My Version:

(the beads are much more rich than in this photo - I think my color settings were off on my camera)

The Next Step in Building My Etsy Business

2010-01-27T10:37:00.000-08:00

Today I will be posting several more handcrafted paternosters from my workshop.

My goal is to be able to begin posting photos of my work on blogs and forums by the end of the week. I spent time going through my collection of vintage and antique beads and finds this weekend, and feel inspiration knocking on my door, so I think I will begin work on my next batch of paternosters this coming weekend.

It's funny - while I am in the midst of my creative flow, I seem to find it harder to write on my blog. Once this whirlwind of creation passes, I will spend a bit more time adding content here.

Take a few minutes to browse some of my newest pieces at http://paternosterladies.etsy.com.

Gracie

What is a Paternoster?

2010-01-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

Paternosters are a medieval version of Rosaries. Paternosters were as common in medieval times as a cell phone or a car would be to us in the modern day. And much like a phone or car, paternosters were a highly visible statement that reflected status, wealth and piety.

Both men and women owned and wore paternosters. They varied in material and length depending on many different variables. The meanest of peasants might own a simple knotted hemp string to represent beads, while a wealthy noble would have owned one made of the most precious of stones and displaying the best workmanship available. The number of beads varied as well, with documented examples of 10, 12, 33, 50, 100 and 150 bead paternosters. In fact, it seems as though the number of beads could be practically any number at all, as paternosters were frequently restrung, and beads were sometimes lost.

Beads could be made from almost any material available in the medieval era. Common bead materials included wood, bone, cinnabar, glass, amber, precious stones, coral, mother of pearl, pearls, rock crystals, gold, silver or brass. In fact, paternoster beads were made from any of the materials available at that time period.

Paternosters served as a valuable tool to both rich and poor alike. Peasant were often illiterate, and paternosters (sometimes called "chaplets" or "prayer beads") allowed them to track the number of prayers they had recited. For the wealthy merchant or noble, paternosters allowed them to display their wealth in a way that was both pious and humble. This became increasingly important for social status as the sumptuary laws of the 15th century limited how a merchant could be dressed, as there were no limits set on the richness and quality of a gentleman's or lady's paternoster.

Paternosters were the ultimate in medieval fashion accessories. They were worn slung over a belt or hilt, or pinned and draped over the shoulder in the case of a woman. Some paternosters were made into a necklace that resembled an early rosary, and these were worn around the neck. Paintings from this era of history heavily document the existence and commonality of the paternoster, and evidence of the multitude of these Christian prayer beads exists through digs and medieval documents listing possessions and their distribution after death.

There is even a street still named Paternoster Row in England. This street was filled with paternoster vendors long ago, and retains the name to this day, although now the wares sold there have changed.

Many medieval re-creationists and living history enthusiasts often missing adding the accessories that lend authenticity to their garb. Possessing and wearing a paternoster aides in completing that authentic look, and provides an opportunity to embellish with style!

I recently posted this lovely paternoster, made from wood beads with porcelain gauds and silver toned spacers and cross into my Etsy store at http://www.paternosterladies.etsy.com. It is strung on a natural fiber cord, and has a nice solid feel in the hand. Tell me what you think!

It's All About Light

2010-01-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

Photographing tips all boil down to one thing: Light.

Without enough light, your photos appear dark and unappealing. Who wants to buy something that they cannot see?

Thus, finding a way to light your products for photographing becomes very important - low light, low sales.

I have been working on my photos, and have found that even in cases where my photos come out darker than I first thought, I can still correct through a simple and easy program called Picassa. Any photo editor can accomplish the basic light adjustments you may need to make - I just happened to have Picassa already loaded on my computer. I like it because it allows you to make basic light changes on entire batches of photos at a time, resulting in less time invested in fiddling with the computer, and more time for you to craft!

My small term goals for the week are to list at least one paternoster each day, and at the end of the week, to post links to http://www.paternosterladies.etsy.com on several of the message boards and sites which my SCA group frequents.

Until tomorrow . . .

Gracie Martin

The Next Steps to Building my Etsy Business

2010-01-23T10:21:00.001-08:00

So, I found a ton of useful tools that helped me finish up my store quickly, which I think might be useful to anyone looking to create an online business.

First, I was asked to create a banner. While some people suggested that I purchase a package with one, instead I found a sight which will allow you to make a banner easily by uploading a photo, then playing with it until it looks the way you want. It then provides the banner code, as well as a .png file which you can use on Etsy. I found this wonderful tool at this site, and best of all, it was free!

http://www.bannersketch.com

Next, I needed an avatar. I notice most successful Etsyians us a photo of their products for an avatar, so I needed to find a free site that would create one from a photo. I found one here:

http://www.sherv.net/icon-maker/

I was also struggling yesterday about how to price my items. I found on Etsy a free Excel document provided by Chris Parry (his Etsy shop is http://chrisparry.etsy.com). You do not even have to have Excel to run the file - it runs from Google Docs on the web! It has the pounds sign as a default, but you can plug in your numbers just the same, and just pretend the pounds sign is actually a dollar sign. Here is the link:

http://www.chris-parry.co.uk/pricing.xls

I heard back from Basil the Cat (http://basilthecat.etsy.com) and she provided some helpful advice. I also spent part of the day browsing Etsy for supply sources - you can find almost anything related to crafting there!

My biggest struggle yesterday was taking photos of my items. It takes time to figure out what to use for a background, learn the settings on my camera, and get everything downloaded to the computer. But that is all done, so today I can actually begin listing items.

All in all, I had a pretty productive day yesterday, so I hope I can get everything I need loaded today so I can get working on Adwords tomorrow.

Gracie

Starting up a Business on Etsy

2010-01-22T07:45:00.000-08:00

I've been directed to Etsy as a great place to show my stuff. A few years ago, I had a successful business going on Ebay as a Powerseller, mostly selling antique items from my Grandmother's estate.

My Grandmother was a Railroad Heiress, and had never in her life thrown anything away. I sold her 1930's platform shoes, her designer couture dresses, silver, jewelry, and antique glass. It was simple because researching prices on antiques was fairly easy to do.

On Etsy, selling my own creations, things get a bit more complicated. Setting a price on something you create with your own hands is difficult. It is common to see many who completely undervalue their work, while others charge outragous prices for theirs. I kept questioning myself - is it arrogant to ask for this price or that? Am I being fair not only to myself but to my potential customers? Can I actually make a living selling my art?

I searched far and wide to find someone who is selling successfully on Etsy, who could perhaps help me with my concerns. I am hoping that I have found that with Rachel from BasiltheCat. I wrote her yesterday, and have receive a reply that seems promising. That is one thing I like about my current Etsy experience thus far - the community seems full of people who are much friendlier than your average ebayer.

So Etsy account opened, check. Flickr account for hosting photos, check. Gathered the items for sale, check. Next step, taking photos of my work.

Home-Grown, Hand-Made

2010-01-21T07:51:00.000-08:00

It is a wonder to see how few handmade products are currently produced in the United States. These days, if you want anything handmade, you are often forced to settle for products produced in places such as India and China.

It is amazing to think of the number of hours of our lives are spent surfing the web and watching TV. While some intrepid entrepeneurs manage to produce a product, or gain income from their indeavors, the vast majority write off those many hours of "leisure time" participating in activities which show no result for their efforts (or lack thereof).

I actually miss (in a vicarious, before-my-time sort of way) the idea of gathering together to actually make something - to leave a social event with tangible evidence that my time was well invested. I long for the longer, slower days where people would actually create something from basically nothing.

Perhaps this is where the many scrapbooking clubs and the drive to make handmade greeting cards comes . . . not only from a sense of thriftiness, but also from the idea that creating something by hand is actually a valuable skill.

Just thoughts to ponder over the course of the day - how much could one accomplish if time spent in front of media devices (the pablum of the current generation) could be somehow otherwise spent in productive pusuits?

To Reenact a Lady

2010-01-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

I've been a reenactor for over 16 years.

I've done the LARP thing, the Renaissance Festivals. I graduated to the SCA thing.

But to my surprise, my favorite activity became the PREPARATION for an upcoming event. Sure, it is wonderful to arrive at an event, in enviable garb, period accessories, towing mountains of period furniture and tents and preparing period food. But the true joy I have found is in those happy moments leading up to the event - the research, the planning, the shopping, and the crafting! Friends and family (often the family chosen not born) gathering together for hours, sharing good times and bad, trading useful advice and valuable materials.

First I learned to sew, those many years ago. Beading and needlework followed. Then later, it was the woodwork and furniture that my husband built. We branched out into leathercrafting, and now are exploring casting and metalwork, even creating armor! Each step along the way has been a joy - from the research all the way up to the final snipping of threads and polish.

Nothing can express the fascination which comes from re-creating an item from historical times. It feels like I have reached back through the centuries and touched a piece of the past, or travelled down a stone road worn smooth with the passage of thousands of feet over hundreds of years. Plus, these activities have sparked an interest about history in a person who had never before enjoyed the study of the past. I learned about life hundreds and even a thousand years ago not from books about the battles and plagues, massacres and monuments, but through creation and study of the common implements of everyday life.

I hope you will share in my journey as I document research and show photos of my projects. I plan to offer items for sale on Etsy and possibly ebay as well, in order to financially accomodate my burning desire to own bigger and better (and by no coincidence, more expensive) books about my hobbies, and to one day fund a website.

In the meantime, I welcome you to my blog, and hope you will be a frequent visitor!