First days of the Renaissance Festival

So, we have had the first weekend of the Carolina Renaissance Festival, now in its 18th year.  What a beautiful weekend!  The weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold.  Last year, I was taking my hat and bodice off backstage and sticking them in the freezer during breaks.  This year, it was somewhere in the 70s, sunny and breezy.  And we had 11,000+ people join us on Saturday.  As far as I can tell, the shows all went well, the joust was great and everyone seemed pretty happy.  Here am I as Countess Batista Nadasdi and my husband as my manservant, Lickspittle.

One of the things I lovelovelove about festival is all the crafters and artisans who are there.  I just adore walking the lanes and seeing all the pretties.  I naturally have my favorites.  Christoff is partial to pottery, of which there is plenty.  I admit, that is not my favorite, but I don't dislike it.  I love the jewelers and the metal-working.  We have everything from molded and cast pendants to hand woven chain maille, wire-wrapped pieces to ceramic/pottery pendants, epic examples of beadwork, blown-glass delights and even more.  It really is grand.  And then we have the woodworkers, furniture builders, the sculptors, the puppet makers, the blacksmith, the bookbinder!  So many things that you just don't see everywhere these days. 

I am hoping that I can have some of these crafters featured here.  But I must also say that the participants are also a crafty crew.  Something about having to make all our own clothes, assemble our jewelry and accessories makes us rather creative.  We have a handful of really excellent drapers, tailors and seamstresses who work on the royal, noble and lesser garb and show those of us who are not as sewing-machine savvy how to build decent clothes.  Many of us are leather-workers, embroiderers, beaders and can more or less hold our own with the sewing.  This is my 13th year performing and I have learned so so much in that time.  Again, I hope to feature some of these talented individuals here.  I have sent out requests (please, oh, please) to a group of my friends in an attempt to entice them to let me interview them and feature their work.  So, while the posts are still pretty bare, I hope you will stay tuned.  I think we'll have lots to share very soon!