From Lady Anne...

Greetings from my alter ego, Lady Anne Elizabeth Morley. My participation in the Society for Creative Anachronism is feeding my need for creativity in life. Here I am, standing in Court, at my very first event, an Arts & Sciences competition. I not only won in the costuming category for my embroidery, I became the Arts & Sciences Champion for my Barony. What a shock! I started with a bang, and have a lot to live up to. My Baroness is speaking to a very stunned me! At this point I did not have the title 'Lady.'

At my next event, Kingdom Arts and Sciences, I entered an original composition in the style of my persona's cousin, Thomas Morley. I won that category as well. Here I am in full period garb at the event.

What I do in the SCA is scribal activities, meaning calligraphy and illumination or illustration, and making period clothing. I strive to do these things as much like they would have been done in period as possible. That means that for our award scrolls I study ancient manuscripts to learn to recreate the lettering and illumination styles. Being the over-achiever that I am, I don't stick to one style, I work on the whole range of calligraphy, anywhere from 600 - 1600. Here is a page from the Bible of Nunnaminster which I had the honour of being able to study in person at the British Library in London. Handling the original manuscript was amazing. One is not allowed to take photos, this photo is from the Library's website. This manuscript inspired my first scroll for the Society. Mind you, I have been studying calligraphy since high school.

The script and illumination style that I am working on right now is from the Luttrell Psalter. A wonderful manuscript, the script is awkward as the feet of the letters are flat. This will definitely take some practice to perfect! I will be teaching a class on how to write this script soon, so I had better get it learned!

On to my third event - the Coronation of the new King and Queen of the Kingdom of the Outlands. I was totally stunned as the lovely Qwene Cecilia, whom I had met when she, as Crown Princess, judged my composition at Kingdom A&S, gave me my Award of Arms. She had commissioned the scroll especially for me in the style of a music manuscript. The Award of Arms allows me to use the title 'Lady.'

That was last May. Since then I have been at more events, made many scrolls and several more outfits. Tudor garb (the period of my persona) is very elaborate, difficult to make and difficult to wear. I cannot get dressed without help! It also is made up of many layers, most likely due to the year-round coldness of the stone buildings. That makes for very warm garb, too warm for summer, especially summer camping, so I have some alternative garb of earlier periods which are fun to wear. Here I am, just a month ago, becoming an apprentice to a Laurel (a Peer in the Arts & Sciences). I am very excited and honoured to be working with Mistress Briatiz d'Andrade (Bri).

Enough from the Known World as we call it. Next time I will talk about being an Adult Third Culture Kid. Having found that out has explained a lot for me!