Verdigris, a journey from copper to green pigment.

 

I decided to start with copper wire from the hardware store because I'm cheap and impatient.  No buying plates online... I'd have to wait and pay shipping!  

Flattened using an anvil and hammer then punched a hole in the end with a nail.  Now it's ready to thread onto hemp twine and hang in the pot.

I found a glazed, covered pot at Goodwill and borrowed hemp twine from the archery box.

  

I filled the bottom of the pot with about half of a bottle of organic, unrefined apple cider vinegar.  It smells...more fun than the cheap non-organic!  If I don't end up using it all I'll have to try cooking with it.

I covered it with a spare piece of linen dipped in melted lard to help seal it.  Then I buried it in a pile of goat dung and hay, straight from the barns at Creeping Thyme Farm.  We wonder what the neighbors will think!

Before it rained I thought twice about letting the dirty water seep in and covered it with an inverted plastic bag.  After letting it sit in the warm pile for fifteen days with one more addition of dung and hay,  I dug it out with excitement!

 Look... green!  ...ish.

 One of the sources says lay it out in the sun so I did that for an hour.

 After sitting out in the sun for that hour it darkened a little bit bit I thought what the heck.  I put on my gloves and dust mask and start scraping!  This results in a blue green flecks of 'stuff' on the slab.  I decided that the 'stuff' on the slab was was too chunky for paint so I dipped a few drops of distilled H2O over it and tried to break it up with a muller.  Since it pretty much made the pigment disappear I assume that you need to start with way more and resolve to try again later with.. way more 'raw' verdigris.  I'm a little concerned that it's going to be too acidic for painting and will remember to consider seeking council from the medieval sources and online friends regarding this dilemma and their thoughts.

All in all it was a successful first attempt and I've learned that I need to be patient.  Doesn't real life always have a way of reminding us of this important pursuit?  Until next time, Adrienne.

Leon dSaint Aubin - Order of the Tygers' Cub

Recipient:      Leon d' Saint Aubin
Award:            Order of the Tyger’s Cub  
Date:               August 23, A.S. XLIX
Event:             King’s and Queen’s Equestrian Championships at Quintavia Summer Celebration, Shire of Quintavia
Royalty:          Brennan Augustus and Caoilfhionn Augusta (Emperor and Empress Orientalis)
SOSN:            BC14-219
 

Assigned to:  i: Adrienne d'Evreaux, c: Alexandre St. Pierre

Order of Honor - Tyger's cub

Be it known that We, Brennan Augustus and Caoilfhionn Augusta, Emperor and Empress Orientalis, have seen and heard much of the good works

of Our noble young servant,

Leon d' Saint Aubin, who has, like the watchful crane, become a shining example to his brothers and his fellows and brought much gladness to Us and Our people. We are pleased, therefore, to welcome him unto Our Order of the

Tyger’s Cub and bestow upon him the position of page to the Crown of the East, that all shall know of his virtues. Done by Our Hand this twenty-third day of August, A.S. xlix at the Summer Celebration in our Shire of Quintavia.

King’s signature space Queen’s signature space

Severe Backlog, Grand Master Bowman for Deormund Wulfscyld

Achieved: 12/1/1987
Awarded: 8/16/1989 Pennsic
King Morguhn & QueenMaurya
Grand Master Bowman

To all the patient and faithful of the East to whom these presents shall come,
We Morguhn and Maurya, King and Queen of the East, give joy and greetings.
Exultation and joy mark this day We delight in the display of skill demonstrated
by all the archers of the East and we are surpassingly impressed by the skill of
Deormund Wulfscyld in earning the rank of Grand Master Bowman,
such status was attained on 1 December 1987.
This accomplishment, attested to by the scorekeeper and
Captain General of the Archers, is a rare occasion and as such We wish
to laud this achievement in the presence of our subjects
on this 16th day of August, anno Societatis XXIV at Pennsic War.

Calligraphy and white work by Lord Alexandre Saint Pierre, Illumination by Lady Adrienne d'Evreus.  Inspired by Luttrell Psalter.

Miron d'Allaines le Comte AoA

One and all to whom these presents come, greetings. Be it known that we, Brennan Rex and Caoilfhionn Regina, have found the many good works and services of Miron d'Allaines le Comte to be of much merit. Most especially for picking things up, putting them down and for herding cats.

On this Feast Day of Saint Vincent of Collioure the nineteenth day of April, Anno Societatis xxxxviij we are moved to Award unto him Arms and make him a lord of our court.

[Space for blazon.]

Done by Brennan and Caoilffhionn at Balfar's Challenge in the Barony of Dragonship Haven

 

 Based on and traced from many pages from the hours of Catherine of Cleves.

German Vine Black

Grinding German Vine Black from Natural Pigments

Heathen Peas

Heathen Peas or “Heidenische Erweiz”

2 cups sliced almonds
2/3 cup honey
A squeeze of lemon or lime
1 tsp water
"Good" spices-
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp black peppercorn
Pinch mace
1/2 pinch clove
1/2 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Method:
1. Whisk honey, water and lemon in a small sauce pan. Simmer on low, stirring occasionally, until it caramelizes.
2. Grind almonds in a food processor until they are very fine and look a bit oily.
3. Grind pepper, add all spices to almonds and pulse to incorporate.
4. Add almond mixture to caramelized honey and bring back up to hard ball stage (250-266F).
4. Pour out onto granite or cutting board.
5. When it's cool enough to handle, roll into small balls.
6. Enjoy!


The translation from: https://guoterspise.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/recept-63-heidenische-erweiz/
http://amostpeculiarmademoiselle.blogspot.com/2013/08/heathen-peas-14th-century-sweets.html
Recipe from: http://www.food.com/recipe/heathen-saracen-peas-199187
and another https://eldrimner.wordpress.com/tag/almonds/


The first time I tried to make these I attempted, by weight, to redact the translation of the mid 14th c German text.  "A third as much honey" So... 12 oz almonds, 4oz honey?  It didn't work, so I went back to the internet and found other attempts, redactions and recipes.  Using these gentles trials, errors and successes as a basis, I made my own.  Several times.  People liked it!  As funny as these little balls looked, they put them in their mouths and said "yum!".

It won Queen's Choice at fall Crown A.S.XLIX.

Mulling Yellow Ochre

"To approach the glory of the profession step by step, let us come to the working up of the colors..." (Craftsman's Handbook 20)

Cennini's father brought him close to the borders of Casole '(Craftsman's Handbook 27) and my lemon yellow ocher is from Natural Pigments.

"Each color calls for the same method of working up with clear water (and to) work it up thoroughly, for it goes one getting better" (Craftsman's Handbook 27).

I measured 1g then added two more grams for a total of 3 grams of Lemon Yellow Ocher from Natural Pigments.  I worked it with the muller on my prepared slab with distilled water.

I'm not sure if the manufacturer intends a lot more (3 Tbsp was suggested and ignored by their handout) but a large volume seemed wasteful.  After working up for what felt like a long time (@20min) I scraped the mulled pigment into my straight sided jar and dripped distilled water onto it.

I cleaned my muller and glass slab with a plastic bristle brush, dawn and tap water.

More experimentation and painting with it to follow.