Altered Books Club swap #5

Greetings Everyone!

I finally finished my 5th offering for the Altered Book Club swap. Just in time as the December meeting is tonight. Yikes!

This time I have Maria's book: Rennaisance Faire. Its wierd because Maria teaches great journalling classes and I found myself unconsciously tapping into some of the journalling techniques she has taught me. It also helped that this book is almost like a scrapbook for me.

When I look at all the other offerings so far I see Romance, great artists, jewel tones and gold everywhere. All the things that would pop in a person's mind when they think about the Renaissance right? Unless of course you are or have been a participant in one of the many local Renaissance Faires as I have. I see it a little more earthy that most. I started out in high school and college ( a very long time ago now) and continued on for a few years when I lived in the Cental Valley. I have been a musician, street performer, guild member and craftsperson. Since these faires take place around the time of Henry the eighth and Elizabeth I most of my knowledge is centered around this time period in England. The Elizabethan age was full of life, color and excitement not to mention evil smells and bawdy language. It seems alive as no other age has been since. I thought all of this was always captured best by the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Novato. The Novato Faire is now extinct but it opened in the mornings in glorious pagentry and closed at night with the color and excitement intact. I wanted my spread to reflect this yet still keep it real and immediate. In the morning the workers would wet down the powdery dirt throughout the oak forest. This fragrent earthy smell mingled with the smell of cooking food and made your mouth water for steamed artichokes, mushroom pies and churros. On the first page of my spread above I show the opening parade amidst the colors, symbols and traditions of the old English Faires. A lovely peasant lady rounds out the collage with a cup of Ale to toast your partaking of the riches of the shire. And of course no Renaissance Faire experience could be complete without a visit from Queen Elizabeth. You can see her in the second page and it was not for nothing that she was named Gloriana. "See how the Queen doth carouse!"

If you've never experienced a Renaissance Faire, make an effort next year and attend one. Step back into history for just a day and you will come out with a whole new perspective.

Huzzah! God Save the Queen!