A&S Blog

Arts and Sciences Blog

The Southron Gaard Arts and Science blog is a place to collate and display the A&S works of our populace. Here you will find pictorial and written articles of people’s entries to competitions, latest projects, research notes, trials (and errors!), musings, ponderings, and accomplishments across all forms of Art and Science.

When we say all forms of A&S, we mean all forms of A&S! Woodworking, sewing, metalworking, cooking, dancing, music, jewellery-making, leatherworking, weaving, heraldry, scribal work, research of all kinds – if it’s an Art or Science, it has a place in this blog. No article too big or too small, no topic too broad or too niche, we’d love to see them all, and all can send them in.

If you would like to contribute a post, please contact the A&S Officer, who will upload it on your behalf.

Latest Post

  • UFO Challenge
    by sganschallenge

    Southron Gaard has a long and excellent tradition of Arts and Sciences Challenges; we’re world famous in the Crescent Isles and throughout the known world for our challenges!

    After a break in 2024-2025, your premiere challengers, who have brought you such previous challenges as the Baronial Heraldic Challenge, the Second Baronial Heraldic Challenge, the Persona Gubbins Challenge, and the Event Embellishment, Elaboration, and Edification Arts & Sciences Challenge, bring you: the UFO Challenge!

    Our theme for this Challenge is to finish some of those projects that have been sitting in the naughty corner, or hiding in your stash, haunting and taunting you. We were much inspired by our discussions with you at Faire: you asked for it, and here it is!

    This Challenge is brought to you by The Ladies of Hous Amberherthe (Baroness Christian Baier, Baronessa Isabel María del Aguila, and Baroness Joana de Bairros); with the gracious support of Their Excellencies, Angus and Joana, Baron and Baroness of Southron Gaard, and the Southron Gaard Arts and Sciences Officer The Honourable Lady Amabilia Thexton, and the Southron Gaard Baronial Council.

    What is an Arts & Sciences Challenge?

    Challenges are not competitions; a challenge is intended to be fun, no pressure! The only person you are challenging is yourself; challenging yourself to set aside time to make and craft, and to follow your passions.  And once completed, you can share the wonders with the Barony.

    What is a UFO?

    A UFO in SCA (and crafting) terms is an UnFinished Object: a project conceived or started but not yet completed or stalled for some reason.

    What to Enter?

    You may enter the challenge by making or doing one (or more) items which fit any of the categories below, and telling us about it.

    • Entries can be as tiny or as grand as you choose, and may include “small”, “medium”, “large”, and “gosh, look at the size of that thing” projects.
    • Items can be completed or progressed further during the challenge.
    • Entries must start as unfinished projects, i.e. they are either:
      • Started, but have been on hold or not been worked on, since before Canterbury Faire (CF) 2025 (i.e. since 18 January 2025), or
      • Some or most of the materials and tools have been acquired prior to CF 2025, but the project is still not yet started, or
      • A project from any previous challenge which had not been completed in that challenge.
    • All items should be related to, or for use in, the SCA.
    • Items may be for you, for another SCA person, or for an SCA group (e.g. for the Barony).
    • Entries can be made by an individual or by a group, by young or old, by Southron Gaard citizens or by any citizens of another group who would like to join the fun.
    • The projects must be re-started at or after Baronial Anniversary 2025 (22 March 2025), and completed by Baronial Anniversary 2026 (approximately 23 March 2026) – that’s one whole year!.

    How to Enter

    Submit the following information to aandschallenge@sg.sca.org.nz

    • a photograph of the item
    • the category (or categories) that best fit the entry
    • a few brief notes about the entry (full documentation is NOT required, but welcome if you would like to do so):
      • what the item is
      • any information you would like to share about the item, its historical context, and its making
      • any information you would like to share about the item’s (or your) journey from start to UFO to further along the UFO journey / to completion

    Your Recognition:

    As with previous Arts & Sciences Challenges in Southron Gaard, all entrants will be awarded a special token at the completion of the challenge

    UFO Challenge Category

    • Why didn’t I just finish this?  The least amount of work required to complete the project / project closest to completion
    • Old enough to drive, vote, or retire…  A project that has spent the longest time from inception to completion
    • Finally, knocked the b*stard off!  Your most longed for project / most relief on completion
    • UFO : UFO  The subtle inclusion of UFO (unidentified flying object) theme, in an otherwise SCA / historically appropriate item
    • Bored now!  A project downsized for completion
    • The ship has sailed..  A project finished but rendered redundant by time
    • I just couldn’t wait!  A project that has been used unfinished, which has now finally been finished
    • Sorry its taken so long…  A gift that’s been constantly nagging your guilty conscience
    • U-turn!  A project that started life intending to be on thing, and has finished as another

    Check back regularly for further information and works in progress, which will also be shared on all the usual Southron Gaard socials!

    Also check out Hous Amberherthe’s Arts & Sciences Challenges for a look back at previous A&S Challenges issued by the Ladies of Hous Amberherthe.

    Blue banner with text stating The Ladies of Hous Amberherthe present the UFO Challenge, bookended by period images of a man sitting inside a white comet.

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Arts and Sciences Blog The Southron Gaard Arts and Science blog is a place to collate and display the A&S works of our populace. Here you will find pictorial and …