March 16, 2008: It is reported that Baroness Suzanne Beraud receives a perfect score in the A&D competition at Gulf War! Her entry is a small book after the acanthus leaves pages with text and illumination from the Gottengen Model book, made with period inks and pigments, on vellum.

February 25, 2008: Sable Scroll (to TRMs Aaron and Vanessa) Mistress Sara Penrose, provides these thanks: "I just wanted to extend my thanks to all the groups that have turned in scrolls since the beginning of thereign (my apologies if I've inadvertantly left anyone out!): Emerald Keep, Bryn Gwlad, Wiesenfeuer, Mooneschadowe, Bjornsborg, Elfea, Loch Soiller. Special thanks are due to Celestria le Dragon, Bianca della Vittoria, Hedwig von Luneborg, and Anne atte Rydeford, who have been particularly prolific. :)"

February 11, 2008: Kingdom A&S : Our Star Signet provides the following message: "Greetings, scribes! As many of you know, the Kingdom Arts and Sciences competition was held this past weekend in the Barony of Northkeep. There were several scribal and scribal -related entries, so I wanted to give wordfame to the following: Scribal/ C&I entries: Lillias MacGuffin, who entered a celtic knotwork Pelican scroll that she designed and illuminated for Mistress Gilyan. Their Royal Majesties also called Lillias into court in the evening and welcomed her into the Order of the Iris of Merit. Vivat to the Honorable Lady Lillias! Annais Eleanor de Montgomerie, who entered a calligraphed piece, "A Poem to a Lover". This was a lovely piece that she created with quills and oak gall ink on calfskin ( I believe) vellum. The final scribal entry was entered by myself, Suzanne Beraud, which was a quire of foliage pages from the Gottingen Model Book created in period pigments and iron gall ink on calfskin vellum. For those of you not familiar with the term, a quire is a bifold of 8 or 16 pages, (in this case, 8), gathered and stitched together. This is one of the steps in bookbinding. If you are interested in more details on how to create a quire, please feel free to email me privately. Scribal-related entries: Clairiandra Delamere displayed a beautifully-drawn silverpoint self-portait. Her display was interactive, with a gessoed page that people could sketch on to see how the silverpoint reacted with the gesso. Mistress Therasia von Tux, a Laurel who has recently relocated to Ansteorra from the East Kingdom, entered a sample of ceruse, or lead white pigment), that she created herself. (editor's note -Don't try this one at home, kids!) Thanks and congratuations to all who entered, and I hope to see even more scribal-related pieces next year! ~ Suzanne, Star Signet"

February 04, 2008: Alden, Star Principal Herald announces: "I am pleased to announce that AHSS 2008 will be held in the Canton of Westgate on the weekend of June 27-29. I would like to thank Lady Alisone MacCay, Westgate Pursuivant, for her bid. Please remain posted for event information, including class sign-ups from the event steward. I greatly encourage heralds and scribes to attend and teach! The site has a good number of class rooms, so let's get the schedule filled."

January 24, 2008: Mistress Hillary Greenslade provides the following wordfame: " A brief bit of wordfame for Lady Carletta da Nicolosi, of Rosenfeld, for the lovely King's Champion scroll she created and presented at Coronation. The piece was fashioned after a page from the Visconti Hours (one of my favorite), and was a vision to behold. Kudos to Carletta for completing the piece on time, and beautifully done...AND while being the autocrat of the event as well."

January 15, 2008 : Lady Zubeydah Jamilla al-Badawiyyah, Scribal VScribe, provides th following wordfame: "I would like to share some word fame for Anne atte Rydeforde, who recently sent me several *exquisitely beautiful* scans of charters for use in the scribal digital charter library. I expect to have these posted soon, to give you all the opportunity to 'ooh' and 'ahh' just as I did. They really are incredible. I expect to see a lot more out of this up and coming scribe, and hope to be posting her original work (nudge nudge) some day soon!"

January 12, 2008: Countess Deanna della Penna receives a Sable Thistle in Illumination!

January 8, 2008: Mistress Hillary Greenslade announces two competitions to be held at Coronation on January 12: "Ansteorran Insignia Contest: Two Categories: Quality and Quantity. Bring your best quality insignia's for this contest, items to be judged on quality and heraldic accuracy. And those those who are prolific in making beautiful art, the person/s with the most (usable) insignia will win as well. All insignia submitted for the contest will be donated to the Crown at the end of the day. A prize will be donated to the winner. Populace Vote Scroll Contest: Come view the best of Ansteorran Scribes and pick your favorite single work for this populace vote contest!! Scribes may enter a single original scroll created during the last two years, the original or a color copy maybe displayed. Documentation is not required, but encouraged; scrolls should be in frames if possible, for protection. Additional scrolls or scribal portfolio's maybe on display, space available. The prize will be an illumination book. I look forward to seeing the beautiful works from the artisans of Ansteorra, Regards, Mistress Hillary Greenslade."

December 25, 2007: Alden Drake, Star Principal Herald, makes the following announcement: "It is with great pleasure that I announce Baroness Suzanne Gabrielle Marie Beraud as the new Star Signet of Ansteorra. Star Signet is the deputy to Star Principal Herald, in charge of the College of Scribes of Ansteorra. Baroness Suzanne will assume the office at King's Round Table, taking over for Mistress Hillary Rose Greenslade. I would like to thank Mistress Hillary for her outstanding service to the kingdom over the past two years in this office. The College of Scribes produces some outstanding art, and performs a much needed service to the kingdom, and we are fortunate to have such individuals stand up in these leadership roles. Thank you."

December 6, 2007: Alden Drake, Star Principal Herald, announces that a new revision to the College of Heralds handbook is now available online: "You can download your copy from http://heraldry.ansteorra.org/publications.php. This revision was started under the tenure of Baroness Druinne, and I would like to thank her for her contributions."

November 20, 2007: Kaithleen Hamilton, the principal scribe of the Barony of Bordermarch provides this news: "Greetings, I would like to thank all those who helped with the scrolls for Fall Melees. Lady Libby who did the wonderful illumination on the Bardic Scroll. Lady Lillian the Poetess for the Youth Bardic Scroll. Lady Ellen the Quiet of Bordermarch for all of her hard work on the Shakey Knees, she painted most of the scrolls that were given out this year. Lady Lisabette for her assistance in writing names on scrolls. Lady Sabine and Mistress Hillery for their assistance at scribes point through out the day. I would also like to thank the two musicians who sat in the corner of the pavilion providing wonderful music for us to work by, it truly made the day fly by. I would also like to thank those who helped to remind the fighters to come by and leave their names. Thank you to all who stopped by to ask questions about what were doing and for those who sat and painted throughout the day. There were also two wonder full pieces of illumination included in the A&S display one by Lady Ellen the Quiet and one by Mistress Hillary."

November 15, 2008: Mistress Hillary Greenslade, Star Signet, provides the following wordfame: "Many thanks to Kaitlan Roisendubh, Emerald Keep, for the creation of an original championship scroll for the Premier Bard of Ansteorra competition to be held in December. This is Kaitlan's first kingdom commission, and I'm sure the recipient will be very pleased to receive an original scroll. Vivat! "

November 14, 2008: Mistress Hillary Greenslade, Star Signet, provides the following word fame: " This last weekend the Defender of the Rose Artisan competition was held, along with other competitions. Several scribal pieces were displayed, and HL Brenna has already posted her images link; so here's a chance to share the images with you all. This competition was judged by the Ansteorran Roses, who were granted three beads each, as I understand. Oksana Goncharova, Bjornsborg, new to Ansteorra from the East Kingdom, displayed a lovely Romanesque column illumination on parchment with gold leaf. Baroness Suzanne Beraud submitted a page after the Mira Calligraphia book, with a large still life rose predominate on the page. Kaitlan Roisendubh, Emerald Keep, showed an early period piece, her first champion scroll. Also, yours truly, with an acanthus leaf scroll, for a former 'Guardian of the Queen's Hope.' And although not directly a scribal piece, the gallery images behind the medieval dolls in equestrian tournament, depicted the Ansteorran Roses... can you guess who is whom? The dolls and gallery were by Alexandra Doyle, Bjornsborg. The scribal community was well represented at the Defenders of the Rose! Keep up the beautiful work."

November 9, 2007: Mistress Hillary Greenslade, Star Signet, announces that the following positions are open: West Region Scribe, North Region Scribe, Golden Scroll Scribe, Scribes Website Admin.

November 2, 2007: Mistress Hillary Greenslade, Star Signet, provides the following word fame: "Congrats to Zubeydah Jamilla al-Badawiyya for the Ansteorran nomination to the William Blackfox Webbies award for SCA websites, in the category of 'Best Content' !! A lot of scribes have contributed articles, text, images and artwork to build these scribal pages over the past years; and I'm excited that Zubeydah is recognized for that effort on behalf of all of you. Zubeydah has spent the last two years developing, organizing and maintaining the Ansteorran Scribe's Website; a project that I know she has put her heart and soul into. I'm sure Zubeydah joins me in reminding you all that she needs More Content! ... to make that site very informative, educational, fun and a great showcase for your scribal work. Where else can you easily show your scribal artwork without having to build the pages yourself? Images can be sent to Zubeydah. Articles can be sent to Star Signet for approval before posting. Don't forget to include the required permission forms. Congratulations again to Zubeydah for the nomination for the Blackfox Webbies award!! Way to go! Holding my breath and Crossing my fingers that you win!! (drim roll, please...opening the envelope....and the award goes to....)"

October 24, 2007: Lady Sabine Dubois, the Coastal Regional Scribe, announced a competition! "In honor of our newest scribal guild for the coastal region, I would like to announce the beginning of a Coastal Scroll Competition. Just as before, whichever group turns in the most useable scrolls will win one of two fabulous prizes. It will be a gift certificate for either art supplies or books. The winning groups choice. The deadline for this competition will be coronation in January. They must be turned into myself, or my upline with notification to me, by that time. If you have any questions please do not hesistate to contact me. Also, please let me know if you are in need of any scrolls. I can't wait to see what beautiful work I know you will produce!"

October 06, 2007: Lady Rosalinda de Salerno receives a Sable Thistle in Illumination and Henri le Hibou du Bois receives a Sable Thistle in Calligraphy!

October 2007: After His Grace, Duke Patrick Michael wins Crown Tournament, he assembles his Entourage and names his Sable Scroll: Lady Carletta da Nicolosi. In the October Black Star, a request is put forth by Mistress Hillary Greenslade, Star Signet. "New Ansteorran charter designs are wanted for a number of awards, specifically: Arc D'Or, Rising Star, Sable Talon, Star of Merit. Other award designs will be welcome as well. Please check with Star Signet if interested in designing new charters. Crown Tourney will be held this month, and with new Heirs comes new opportunities for creating Ansteorran Champion scrolls. If interested in working on an original, please contact Star Signet. From October, you have 3-4 months to work on the project. Champion Scrolls wanted: King's Champion, Queen's Champion, Guardian of the Queen's Hope, Royal Huntsman, Premier Bard of Ansteorra, King's Lancer, Kingdom Artisan. This is a great opportunity to show your skill set to the Kingdom, as well as a great service to Ansteorra and the Crown."

October 6, 2007: Rosalinda de Salerno is granted a Sable Thistle in Illumination, and Henri le Hibou du Bois is granted a Sable Thistle in Calligraphy!

September 26, 2007: Lady Carletta da Nicolosi, Rosenfeld Scribal Guild Principal, reports, "Rosenfeld Scribal Guild members have completed 20 charters so far this month. We still have a few days left to bring that number up, so keep painting those charters!" Rosenfeld is sponsoring a competition: "The winner of the September Charter Contest will be announced October 1st. It is a close race again this month! The prize is a book titled Celtic Illuminated Manuscripts. For those of you who are still painting for this month's contest, I will be collecting the remainder of the September Charters at the next Practice/Populace Gathering in the Park. Remember, anyone needing blank Charters to paint, please contact me and I will get some to you."

September 02, 2007: Mistress Hillary Greenslade provides the following recap of the Ansteorran Heraldic and Scribal Symposium: "Greetings Scribes, Finally unpacked some of my files from the August Ansteorran Heraldic and Scribal Symposium 2007 and wanted to pass some of the scribal items discussed during the common meeting at the event. 1. Permission Lists: There are two permission lists on the Scribal website. Please be sure you use the right form for the right purpose. Charter and Original Work Publication Permission Form: to be used when granting approval to the Star Signet for Ansteorra to use your original artwork for an Ansteorran Award Charter. Publication Permission Form: to be used whenever submitting an image (such as a digital picture of an original scroll) or an article for use on the Ansteorran Scribal website. Please note that if you submit an image for the Scribe's Gallery, there is another form to fill out that provides the web-admin. information about the scroll you wish to display, such as what the time period and country the design is from, materials used, who created it, and other information. That form is found on the Scribe's Gallery page. 2. Classes on Saturday/Sunday: I asked the populace at the event if they would stay over a second day if there were classes schedule both Saturday and Sunday. Only a few hands were raised from the hall of 60ish. 3. Website is in need of more images: The Web-Admin. Zubeydah, has requested more images for the Scribe's Gallery of original scrolls, as well as nicely painted charter designs to show examplars of how to paint charters. Please send your digital images, most all digital formats and sizes acceptable, along with a web Publication Permission Form, to the Web-Admin. 4. Star Signet is requesting new charter designs. If interested in creating a design, please contact Star Signet for further details, requirements and guidelines. There are two articles on designing new charters under the 'Education' menu item. 5. Scribe's Guild vs Charter Painting Guild: Most Ansteorran Scribe's Guild's primary programs are painting charters, with the occasional class or workshop on a scribal subject for original scrolls. So, Charter Painting Guild's and Scribe's Guilds are the same thing. If you have a guild called 'Charter Painting Guild' it is a 'Scribe's Guild'. Please contact your Regional Scribes Deputy for information about obtaining charters to paint, Ansteorran painting guidelines and recommendations, and how to turn in completed charters. 6. Ansteorran Approved Papers for Charter Awards: The three approved papers were discussed and new reams were passed to the Northern Regional Scribe, HL Anya. Scribes were able to pick up blank charters to paint. 7. Scribal Officers: Western Regional Scribe is due to transition at Crown Tourney in October, applications are being accepted now till Sept. 22nd. You do not have to live in the region, so long as you can support it. This is a warranted office, so a membership card copy will be required with the application, to be sent to Star Signet with a copy to the current Western Regional, Lady Simone. Golden Scroll has taken a deputy; Countess Deanna, will be assisting Countess Sara with that offices duties. Northern Regional Scribe and Star Signet offices will be transitioning in January, 2008. If interested in serving in those offices, please consult the current officers for information. 8. Gulf War's Scribe's Point: Many wonderful classes were presented at AHSS 2007 and they are welcome at this next Gulf Wars (GW) I've been asked about the teaching of kingdom specific classes at Gulf Wars, such as 'Ansteorran Charter Design Guidelines' or 'Ansteorran Insignia' - and the answer is a resounding 'YES!!' What better time to share Ansteorra class subjects with a lot of Ansteorran populace, than at Gulf Wars. Those from other Kingdoms are welcome to take the class, they may perhaps learn a trick or two to share with their kingdoms. The Autocrat from Gulf Wars has promised Scribe's Point a tent to be setup outside the current Scribe's Point building, with tables, chairs and white board.... so there will be more room for classes. Mstr. Hillary will be the GW Scribe's Point coordinator in 2008, so let her know if you are willing to teach a class (early birds...). I believe that covers it. Let me know if any questions. "

August 20, 2007: Lady Lillias MacGuffin, Autocrat of the Ansteorran Heraldic and Scribal Symposium provides the following word fame: "Thank you to everyone who helped make Ansteorran Heraldic and Scribal a wonderful success, and a pleasure to autocrat! Please bear with me while I give much praise and word fame where it is due! If I do not get anyone, my sincerest apologies, for it is due to tired mind and lousy memory, not any lack of gratitude! Blessings upon HL Estrill, for organizing our classes schedule and beating the bushes to find our wonderful instructors. Thanks to Lady Liliana for organizing (and making much of the food for) the sideboard, and those who helped her with food: Lady Elsa and Svetlana, and those wonderful people who donated food as well: Lady Zubeydah, Lord Ivo, HL Sabine, and the delicious breakfast donated by Jean-Paul. More thanks to Lady Isabella for organizing Gate, to HL Sabine for the 'beautiful' site tokens that she designed and made! Thanks also to those people who sat Gate! Thank you to Mistress Gunhilda for having a charter painting table available. To the many wonderful Heralds and Scribes who helped me out personally, with wisdom, experience, and assistance when asked, and/or taught classes at the Symposium; HL Druinne, Mistress Hillary, Master Diarmaid, Lady Siobhan Mistress Serena, Mistress Stella, Lord Reis, HL Etienne, HL Gilyan, HL Haldane, Countess Deanna, Fatthiopap, Lord Ivo, Sieur Jean Paul, Lady Liliana, David of Skarrgardr, and HL Emma. Heaps of love upon my dear Province for helping set things up, take things down, run items around as needed, supplying spiffy technology, and for being supportive and all around helpful and great! Thanks to Fratistan for the wonderful Post-Revel! And, of course, thanks to all who came and had a wonderful time at the event, and to those who also were kind enough to stay and help us clean up the site afterwards!"

July 7, 2007: At Coronation, HRM Deanna presented two scribes with awards for their efforts: Lady Katarzyna Nikolaieva recieved a Sable Thistle in the area of Illumination and Lady Prudence the Curious received a Sable Thistle in the area of Calligraphy and Illumination. Also, as a special note for the new reign: TRMs Ulsted and Ebergardis have requested to be styled 'King and Queen' on all original scrolls made during their reign. The College of Scribes does not change the scroll texts on charters per reign; most are written with the latin version of 'Rex et Regina'. So if you are hosting court, please verbally change the text as you *speak* it to 'King and Queen'.

May 1, 2007: The Society year changed! We are now in Anno Societatis 42 (XLII).

April 25, 2007: Mistress Hillary Greenslade, Star Signet, had this wordfame to share: "I want to send a huge thanks to Lady Celestria Monelyght leDragon, Southern Regional Scribe Deputy. Celestria completed a special project to retype all the scroll charter instruction texts into word documents, so that we now have a digital archive. The data file will make it much easier to modify the instruction tabs in future, if format or text changes are required. Also, the custom instructions by the artists can be sent to the web-admin. to be included on the charter gallery, to avoid retyped. I want to thank the three other scribes who offered to assist in this project, I'm sure there will be other tasks in the future. (hum, must start a list). While I'm sure scribes typed these documents in the past, sadly none of those data files have been forwarded to this office, so thanks for your past efforts as well. Vivat to Celestria!"

March 28, 2007: Lady Sabine DuBois announces the winner of the Coastal Scribal Competition! She notes, "the Barony of Bordermarch completed and turned in 60 scrolls to claim the prize! Vivat to the scribes of Bordermarch, and thank you for you hard work! This was an amazing submission since they had just over a month to complete them."

February 15, 2007: Lady Celestria LeDragon provides the scribal community with a great link for a website that provides a tool for creating your own custom graph paper for calligraphy.

February 9, 2007: Mistress Hillary Greenslade, Sable Scroll, provides this information on the scribal competition at Kingdom A&S: " There were several wonderful entries at the recent Kingdom A&S this last weekend, that were wonders to behold indeed. What also amazed and thrilled me personally, was the artisans stretching to include more period materials and tools in their creations of scrolls.

Oriana della Francesca - Illuminated Manuscript Folio : Oriana created a vellum page with two illuminated boxes, heavily gold leafed on a gesso base, which had been embossed so the detailing showed through the gold leaf. The images in the boxes were period style medieval people, with faces and fabric garb painted in a period style, using the colors of the vellum to assist in the colors on their faces.

Rhiannon Redwulf - Paleographic Analysis and Music Reconstruction of an Antiphony Page: Rhiannon's display took our breath away, as she has borrowed an actual Antiphony page from the university she's affiliated with - can't believe they let it out. The page had been previously uncatalogued, so Rhiannon researched the calligraphy style, the music and it's notations and, as I understand it, was able to identify where the page originated from, as well as finding the name of the scribe who created it. Also, she played the music of the page.

Lyonette an Leyden - Artist's Proof of a Relief Printed Block Book : Lyonette created multiple blocks for text and image, printed onto a number of individual pages that will eventually form a book. The images were very time consuming as each page is done in reverse texts in order to print in forward, regular text; there were about 20 individual pages. Well done.

Clariandra Delemere - Beowulf Calligraphy : Clariandra prepared the vellum skin for calligraphy. She took beeswax candles and burned them to make carbon ash, used to make her own lamp black ink, which turn out quite nice I thought. I don't recall if she used a quill or dip pen; and I believe during the wordfame in court, it was stated that she did a translation of a Beowulf passage as the text. This was Clariandra's second arts entry. While a simple artwork piece, I believe it was the extra period process steps that Clariandra took with the surface of vellum to prepare, the handmade ink and the period text in translation really made the total presentation score well.

Druinne de Salesberie - Letters Patent to the Laurelate for Master Oxlade Lachlan MacKinnon : Didn't realize our Star Principal Herald could write - will wonders never cease! And a really nice piece of work it was. Druinne spent many hours curing and cutting feather quills to find the one that she was happy with for this project. She then told me that it took an hour to do the calligraphy - it was a very nice script with flourish and an even hand. I think this gal has a future as a calligrapher.

Suzanne Gabrielle Marie Beraud - Kingdom Artisan prize scroll : Suzanne presented a lovely bar border and ivy vine scroll that was designed to the Kingdom Artisan prize, with skilled whitework over blues and reds, and a lot of gold. Suzanne created this work on a faux vellum, she called 'elephant hide vellum' that acts more like vellum than pergamenta or opaline; originally found while in Germany, Suzanne says she has a US source to share. The scroll was very elegant and the new Kingdom Artisan was thrilled to receive it.

Carletta da Nicolosi - display of prize scrolls for Rosenfeld : Carletta treated us to several scroll copies that she has created over the last year for the Shire of Rosenfeld, in the display area in the outer hall. The designs included Celtic knotwork, bar borders and ivys and a Romanesque styles and were a delight to view.

There were a few other graphically inspired presentations from the diamond engraved glass objects to the brass effigy rubbings. It was a good day to view scribal arts at Ansteorra Kingdom Arts and Sciences.

All of these entries were great fun to review and learn from. And all the artisans who submitted scribal works definitely have something that can be shared about their processes with the rest of Ansteorra. So, I highly encourage the scribal artisans to consider presenting their processes with us at the next King's College or Ansteorran Heraldic and Scribal Symposium so we can all learn."

February 2, 2007: The announcement of several scribal classes at Gulf Wars is made. Some of the classes include: Uses of Poetry and Poetic Form in SCA Scribal Arts, Curing and Cutting Feather Quills, Celtic Book Art Appreciation, Beginning Carolingian Calligraphy, and Drawing Figures for Scribes.

January 27, 2007: A Scribal Contest is held at Coronation, with four scrolls displayed. Nicoleae MacFionndlaigh and Danielle de Marseilles of Namron win, with their display of the two Duchy scrolls for Aaron and Britta. Also shown was the 'Kingdom Artisan' scroll by Suzanne Gabrielle Marie Beraud from Bjornsborg. The Queen herself, Deanna, displayed the 'Queen's Champion' scroll and all were impressed with the scroll and the rapier community was quite pleased that the Queen took such care to provide a scroll by her own hand. Her Majesty also provided the Guardian of the Queen's Hope scroll too, though it was not displayed. On display was the Royal Huntsman scroll, calligraphy by Leofwine of Sumersaetum, the current Royal Huntsman, with the pencil drawn illumination by his daughter Angela. The scroll is currently being painted by Katarzyna Nikolaieva 'Kat' of Emerald Keep. Last but not least, the Insignia contest winner for 'Quantity' (really nice Rising Stars) was Brian O'hUilliam and the 'Quality' (spun, dyed and woven Star of Merit ribbons) was HL Wyllow MacMuireadhaigh, both of Loch Soilleir. Vivat to those who won, and most importantly, Vivat to those to participated! (news gleaned from an email by Mistress Hillary Greenslade posted to the Ansteorran email list on 01/31/07)

January 11, 2007: Our new Sable Scroll, HE Stella Silvanis, reports that the Kingdom is low on Rising Stars, King's Archer, Golden Bridle, Sable Talon and Arc d'Or charters. We are also low on the following insignia- Golden lance garters (like the old Centurion garter, but with a lance embroidered onto it instead of a Star), Arc d'Or bracers, and Centurion cloaks.