Decanting for Pennsic

Six boozamahals have been steeping for this year's Pennsic!

MIXED BERRIES CORDIAL
I did the first sitting for about a month, decanted and refilled with vodka and let sit for another month.  Today I checked the flavor and bottled it and I'm not in love.  I don't know if it is that I used a different vodka than previous years (Platinum 7X instead of 360) or I just need epic fucktonnes of sugar and some water.  But it is lack luster anyway so I just left it as is with about a cup of white sugar.

BLACK BERRY CORDIAL
I only had one vodka pour of about two cups and five or six weeks.  I ended up adding about two cups of white sugar and a cup of water.  It's drinkable, but not my best work.

BLUEBERRY CORDIAL
This one had only been going for a week. I poured out about 12 oz of liquid, then combined the blueberries with more vodka and brought it up to a simmer since I'm only going to be able to leave it for a couple of days.

COLDBREW KRUPNIK
So far, so good!  I had about 3.75C of liquid after pulling out the coffee beans.  It could have been ok to just add potato vodka as is, but I'm greedy and filled it up with coffee grounds again,

MANGO HIBISCUS KRUPNIK
Is divine! Got two cups of liquid put aside, and added two cups of potato vodka to the solids for a couple of days before adding to the first pull.

OM KRUPNIK
This is also amazing in how it brings out all of the spices.  Same process as the mango.

I have no idea when I'll be headed to Pennsic (sometime this weekend? whenever I finish sewing) but I'll probably decant everything right before I leave to allow for maximum steepage.

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In egg news, I rejarred a bunch last week and added a can of sliced beets to that batch.  They tasted ok at first, but I am glad to say they did pull in more of the beet flavor in only a few days.

100 Days of SCA lite

A bunch of friends do A&S challenges, but as much as I love crafting, I also love service.  So after having taken an LOA from derby for the month of May, I realized I had done something SCAdianish every single day.  Here are some of the smaller things and a calendar I will be updating as I go.

1.  Done on April 30 instead of May 1st because I had to give out my final exam. 
• Started to plan a Spanish Trenzado coif.
2. Researched bobbin lace patterns.
3. Pulled out my pillow (purchased and last used in 2008 >.> ) and made my first foot of lace!






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4. Saturday, went to Queen's Rapier Championship
• Did some kamikaze calligraphy over someone else's art.  Not my best work, but I blame it on not having my own equipment and having to cram too many words in a very small space with a failing marker.



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5. Found out that the hat I want to make follows the pattern for a St Birgitta Coif.
6. Found patterns and fabric for the coif.
7. Went to the Spinners Guild meeting and talked with some weavers about the AEWP class I was planning. 
• Hunted down tubers for soups for sideboard.
8. Pinterest hole researching bobbin lace.  
• Found sources for weaving silk.
9. Nithgaard business meeting
• Sliced up All The Tubers.
10. CLEANED.  
• Hardboiled 90 eggs for Crown Tourney. 
• Worked on blanket stitching the edge of the braid case.
11. Crown Tourney, worked kitchen and setup, shenanigans.
12. Peeled and steeped lemons for Limoncello. 
13. Drafted Venetian bodice from saturday's fitting, realized I missed a couple of points >:[
14. Bought some embroidery books at the PSU book sale
• Went to Joanne's for bobbin lace thread.
15. Got 10 books out of the library to use in my weaving class. 
• Decanted and refilled limoncello peels.
16. Nithgaard A&S meeting.  
• Drafted up my weaving class while Andreas taught calligraphy. 
• Finished up limoncello and balanced the flavors.
17. Went to Æ War Practice!  
• Taught my first class "Whatcha' Wanna Weave?".
• Participated in the Brewer's Competition, won the Cordial category (only participant), got good reviews.  Volunteered to start the Boozy Food category.
• Was the Resident Scribe and found supplies for Maddoc to sign in an apprentice.
18. Worked the Scribal breakfast.
• Carved my first soap stone medallion! Thoroughly enjoyed Shea's class and giving him just enough hell for a new teacher to learn. 
• Went to the Brewer's mead tasting class and learned how to give an evaluation.
• Got great tokens at Court for teaching and winning the competition, and a nifty bar towel that I want to embroider the event on for participating.
• Found amazing pickling recipe!
• Made contacts with a pig farmer.
19. Worked the Scribal breakfast, again.
• Caught people to measure for dresses.
20. Made AEWP recap post.
• Researched linen for dresses.
• Made a list of all the projects I need to complete for Pennsic -____-
21. Started making scroll cases from leftover breakfast bread boxes.
22. Bought and washed linen for two kitchen dresses and two chemises.
23. Cut cardboard for 8 scroll cases.
24. Test out camping equipment for Pennsic.
25. Bought fiber for project
26. SCAdian family party.
27. Spent way too much money I don't have on stuff I will probably only ever use for Pennsic (got a roof rack!), dried out the tent.
28. Beet pickled motherfucking three dozen eggs.
29. BLOG ALL OF THE BLOGS!
30. Get 50 cigar boxes for scribal retreat.
31. Sew scroll cases.
    
32. (June 1) Scribal retreat: Macclesfield Psalter Pg 161
    
    
33. (2) Scribal retreat Part 2: Macclesfield Psalter Pg 170
34. (3) Put away everything from the past three weekends, start coordinating feast
35. (4) Ball up weaving silk
36. (5) Emotional Support Drea, talk through summer plans
37. (6) Nithgaard meeting, continue balling up silk
38. (7) Make a bliaut
39. (8) Scarlet Guard Inn
    
40. (9) Go to Pittsburgh Pride, scare Heavy fighters
41. (10) Make SCA resume
42. (11) Warp and start weaving
43. (12) Weave
44. (13) Nithgaard meeting, weave
45. (14) Didn't want to tame my hair, so I made a Birgitta coif and inset the first bobbin lace.
46. (15) Æthelmearc Æcademy 
47. (16) Beer Pickled Eggs
48. (17) Weave
49. (18) Finish weaving!
50. (19) Research "Ancient Deviled Eggs" and krupnik
51. (20) Meeting with Italian White Vine class! Start Om krupnik.
    
52. (21) Try to sell helmets
53. (22) Read about wild fermentation
54. (23) Read about Basque names, order library book
55. (24) Hood class outline
56. (25) Hibiscus mango krupnik, name research, print old handouts
57. (26) Coffee krupnik, Vigil organizing
58. (27) Spicy pickled eggs
59. (28) Make new shirt for Dave
60. (29) Kingdom For My Horse (so much fun!)
61. (30) 
62. (July 1) Buy way too much linen
63. (2) Cut out Helga Ball dress
64. (3) Sew together Helga Ball dress
65. (4) Hand finish seams
66. (5) Pack for PAX, fit dress
67. (6) PAX Interruptus, retaining
68. (7) Add gusset to Helga Ball dress, hunt down pizzelle press
69. (8) Jump on Jen's elevation dress
70. (9) Meet with Jen for fitting
71. (10) Orangello, dress bodice lining
72. (11) Honey Anise eggs, dress kickplate, Nithgaard potluck
73. (12) Bog Three Day, kitchen prep
74. (13) Bog Three Day, kitchen and retaining
75. (14) Venetian bodice
76. (15) Soy eggs, bodice
77. (16) Blueberry cordial, bodice
78. (17) Bodice
79. (18) Chipotle honey mango eggs, bodice
80. (19) National Museum of Art: 16c research
81. (20) Drive back from DC, post pictures
82. (21) Line bodice
83. (22) Line bodice
84. (23) Finish lining bodice
85. (24) Sleeve panels, viking underdress
86. (25) Decant boozes, Sleeve panels, viking underdress
87. (26) Class handout, Sleeve panels, viking underdress
88. (27) Tiki!viking dress and underdress
89. (28) Last viking under dress, and PENNSIC!
90. (29) Æthelmeark hospitality
91. (30) Get weighted loom form Hrolfr, start new set of garters.
92. (31) Take classes (Aztec Illumination)
93. (August 1) continue weaving
94. (2) Morning Troll, airport
95. (3) Archery, Process at Opening Ceremonies with BMDL, man radios at the Watch
96. (4) Finish apron dress, stamp cabbages on 28 aprons, HOLY SHIT SERVE VIGIL
97. (5) Finish weaving garters, stage makeup for Comedia
98. (6) Retain for TRH at Great Court
99. (7) Teach class, Cartridge pleat Venetian, serve Seven Pearls dinner
100. (8) Attach skirt to bodice, party like a Roman
101. (9) Tear down Æthelmeark Royal, host krupnic "competition"
102. (10) Close up camp and drive home.
103. (11) Three loads of laundry, two of dishes, put bulk items away

Plus so many things I forgot at Pennsic. I took Owen's whitework illumination class, Nicola's died parchment class, Aztec illumination and costuming, and German hats!  It was exhausting, amazing, and probably going to continue.

Tall Collar Cranach pt 1

This weekend was the Region One 12th Night: Fire & Ice celebration and it was amazing!  I spent twelve hours in the kitchen with some great people, stood through court while Cas got awarded arms, and all in all had a fabulous time with all the shenanigans.  What I didn't do was wear the Cranach gown I made in six days >.>

I'd never previously made a Cranach dress (nor researched them) nor had I ever made anything with a collar, so I was very neurotic trying to get started.  I figured I could try to modify a Simplicity pattern for an Elizabethan coat/gown, but still just continued to freak myself out through Saturday.

I then decided to roll pleat my skirt Sunday until I could find knowledgeable help. Five yards of silver velvet that I found at Surplus City for $1.99/yard, minus 20% through January. Yay!

Monday I finally managed to pounce on the most wonderful Kiera (aka Baroness Seley (aaka my favorite Feathertwat)), who makes Cranach dresses in her sleep, borrow her basic bodice pattern and get it perfectly fit in a matter of hours.  

The next few days I proceeded to encase the front of the bodice and realized just how much I hate encasing.  And I managed to shove a needle into my finger, eye first, 1/4", and bleed on the fabric >:[

I decided to help myself out with the sleeves and use Elmer's fabric glue before cutting the slashes so that the fabric wouldn't fray.  After my final fitting on Wednesday, I decided to only slash the elbow and not the shoulder, but there's always a chance that might change in the future.  

The last thing I made was a "back up Brusefleck" just out of the contrast flocked satin, in case I didn't have time to bead the one I wanted to make out of black velvet.  Which of course I didn't make because I got home at 1 am and woke up at 7 Friday to get things ready and on the road.  I don't have a finished picture of the dress with the sleeves attached or of me wearing it, so I guess I'll just have to find another event to go show it off!

There is also something to be said about Landsknech and miles of linen protecting my crotch from incinerating while making grilled cheeses for 160? people for a whole hour.

Happy 2 Year Housiversary!

In true form, I have been over committing myself all year to do a bunch of stuff I barely had time to do, including derby, SCA, the house, and maybe even my job.  Over Winter Break, we tore down the wall between the middle room and the upstairs hall and put up drywall and five power outlets and painted it Shark Fin and Dark Currant. We also installed the same floor as in the back room, and it has been quite pleasant as Dave's office.  And, because why not, we found live knob and tube in the floorboards that ran the fans downstairs.

We spent New Years with friends, only to come home to a frozen water meter.  This prompted the next project: replumbing the house.  Over Spring Break we bought a new water heater and Dave replumbed everything with PEX.  It is quite nice to have an all inclusive manifold that can turn off every individual output in the house.

Over the summer, I am supposed to rewrite the book for EMCH 316.  Hopefully I can also finish off the hall-side of that wall >.> and the rest of the flooring upstairs.  The only things that will be missing then will be putting in useful shelves in the bathroom and a couple of lights that were disconnected from the knob-and-tube.

Oh! I'm supposed to be getting a new roof in four weeks, if the contractor gets his shit together.

Digging up the walkway

A couple of weeks ago, we finally took advantage of the weather not sucking and got back to fixing up the walkway.  Dave rented some tractor thing, and then the neighbor was nice enough to jump in for a bit.

The ground was pretty even with the neighbor's grass, held in with the red bricks.

Dave plowed all the way to the back yard and evened out the terrain.

Then came a lot of gravel that had been collected from last year.

I was asked to dig a trench for rain collection where the house ended, so of course I hit a 4" rusted pipe as soon as Dave left to pick up the grate from Home Depot.  Luckily it was only 1' long and the rest of it was terracotta that I was able to dig out.

We used some of the grey stones that were retaining the herb garden (now the ramp to the back yard) to retain the neighbor's yard and my staircase.  They have a lip on the back, which is why they aren't making a clean corner, but I should be able to resolve that soon if we decide to leave this permanent.

All in all, Dave only drove into the house twice.

Sometimes

you just really need to break shit first thing in the morning.  Like this very inconveniently placed shower.

Under that drain is the main staircase to the basement.  You know, the one you would use if you needed to replace a water heater.

Who knows how long this stall has been in place, but it is extremely brittle.

 And parts had rusted off/together.

At least the wall looks intact behind it and there is no mold.

Too bad the sink is on this side of the shutoff valves, so now I need to try to take those last fittings off the end of the pipes to cap them off, and they are not cooperating.

This is why you never leave me unsupervised.

No, like seriously.  Don't leave me unattended or I pop the bubble in the old paint and try to remove all the flaking wallpaper.

And then the old and ruined plaster crumbles off and I have a 12x8" hole.

And then I end up at Home Depot ten minutes before they close with a five gallon bucket of plaster.

A few layers and a week later, it fills in nice.  Meanwhile, I find another mass of loose wallpaper near the door and obviously pick at it.

The archaeological dig is fascinating!

Eventually I manage to get paint on the actual walls.

And stain the wood for the trim.  I am beyond happy with how this looks.

Three layers of paint later, I try to hand the wainscotting.  Welp, metal nails don't want to go in through the plaster, and the walls aren't flat enough for Liquid Nails to make enough contact.

That is a full tube of glue.  I ended up taping it to the wall and maybe the top left third ended attaching.  Will the next pieces manage to stick up?  Who knows!  But I haven't burned the house down yet.  I just want something that will survive 3-5 years while I restore some of my savings and redo the kitchen (which takes much higher priority).

Oh, the flooring has finally started!