Mirrors for princes updated

I've updated my blog Mirrors for princes with some new resources, with an eye to next year's reading.

How's the Book of the Courtier going for everyone?

30 day scribing challenge

Lady Kerttu has set a challenge to the scribes of Drachenwald, to take on a new skill or hand, and practice it for 30 days.

Her original challenge is on FB, and I am not, so I'm repeating what I've read on Dragonscribes.

My own challenge will be to improve my gilding skills. I've talked about it a lot, and it's time to quit yakkin' and just do it. It's holding back my ability to do the scrolls I want, because I'm continually working around my weak gilding.

SO, plans include:

• second try at slaking plaster, this time armed with 5L of 'purified' water
• using said slaked plaster in a gesso recipe recommended by Mistress Oriane (she is, of course, a confirmed gilder, and has tried many gessos, and this one, she says, has never failed her) - near-identical to the one on Mistress Yvianne's pages.
• making some test pieces, probably bookmarks to go into the regalia

My starting point is a recent scroll (will post when it's presented), and flat gilding I've done over the summer. These pieces are, at this point, the best I can do, and I'm not happy with them.