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Robert Aspirin talks about the SCA

2008-08-05T11:21:00.004-06:00

I know I promised you more about the start of the SCA. Robert Aspirin was a famous author in the SciFi/Fantasy world and he was also known as Yang the Nauseating in the SCA. Sadly, he recently passed away, but here is a clip of him talking about the beginning on the SCA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJZER9Rlxcs&feature=related

Carry on Yang. We miss you.

Kim the Office Goddess

What is the SCA?

2008-07-29T10:58:00.003-06:00

Some of you might be wondering about the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). You've probably heard about it in passing or have seen references to it on television or even on our website. So, I thought I'd take a quick look on youtube and see if there might not be a video or three that could explain it better than I could. Wouldn't you know it?.....There are only a couple thousand of them.

I am putting up links to a few that I think might give you a good idea of what you might expect if you took an interest in the SCA and went to an event or two.

These first two links are general information about the SCA. One from the United States and one from South America, I believe. Enjoy:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FfX9uUg9Szg&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2V2rS00ot5E

The next two highlight a couple of larger events that are held each year in the SCA.

Here is an overview of Pennsic War held in Pennsylvania every August.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EkXG5ObwuJc&feature=related

And next is an overview of Great Western War which is held in California in October every year.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=B0Di74aUc6Q&feature=related

I'll take a look around and see if I can find some more interesting videos about the SCA or maybe other Medieval Recreation groups.

If you have a fabulous link that you'd like for me to feature here, please feel free to contact me and I'll take a look.

Enjoy everyone.

Kim the Office Goddess

Mongul is worth the time to see it.

2008-07-24T10:29:00.004-06:00

Mongul

By Kim Matzke

Mongul explores the life of Temudgin (Tadanobu Asano) who will eventually become the great and fearsome Ghenghis Khan. The story begins when he is only 9 years old and must already choose his future wife from a neighboring tribe. He takes the journey with his father, the Khan, who has been painstakingly grooming Temudgin to take his place….eventually. Well, “eventually” comes sooner than either expected and we are given a tiny look into what could possibly have been the harsh reality of life as a Mongul, out on the plains and exposed to the elements and the enemies of one’s family.

Young Temudgin eventually finds refuge with Jamukha and they form a bond of brotherhood that will last well into their adult lives.

Eventually Temudgin reaches adulthood, although sometimes you might question his survival considering how the odds were obviously stacked against him. Now is the time for him to come into his own, collect his wife Borte (Khulan Chuluun) and begin his life anew. Well, we all know that nothing is ever that easy. More family enemies arrive and steal away his new bride. Needless to say, this does not sit well with Temudgin and he makes plans with Jamukha to retrieve her.

Thus begins his adult lessons in adversity and strength that will eventually form him into the great leader that we’ve all come to know, love and fear.

While this is a foreign film with subtitles, don’t let that scare you off. Halfway through the movie, they’re hardly noticeable anymore since you are easily drawn into a well told story surrounded by picturesque scenery and well executed battle scenes.

I have no idea if this movie is historically accurate, but I do know that I came away with a feeling that I learned a considerable amount about the Mongul culture. I also thought the costumes and sets were wonderful and gave a feeling of accuracy to me that added to the entire movie experience. The battle scenes had just enough gore to add realism without going over the top with guts and yuck. At one point, I really could feel Tengri’s (Mongul god) anger as he made his contribution (or did he?) during a particularly important battle.

If you’re into history and like a good period flick, then I would say that you definitely need to put this movie on your “must see” list. Personally, I think it needs to also be in your home library right along with “Lion in Winter” and “13th Warrior”.

Arizona Renaissance Festival 03/08/08

2008-03-10T11:11:00.010-07:00

Good day gentle readers!

I spent this past Saturday at the Arizona Renaissance Festival and had a perfectly fabulous time. The picture to the left is of my tall, handsome boyfriend Todd and myself of course. I am wearing the Irish Dress, which I had specially made in the lovely blue brocade, with the Italian Chemise in black. Todd is wearing our Pirate Shirt in natural (3X too, can you believe it, it's hard to tell in the picture but he is 6'7" and has very broad shoulders, it can be difficult to find sleeves long enough for him). He is also wearing the Long Breeches Twill, and our Men's Suede Side-Lace Boot, which he dyed black to match his outfits. We are both wearing the super-long belt, his is the wider men's version and mine is the smaller women's version. (See Men's Super-Long Belt, & Women's Super-Long Belt)

Going to the Faire is such fun, and going dressed up is even better!

We enjoyed many shows, the jousting, the ded bob show, and here is a picture of some bagpipers and drummers. They were really very good but I can't for the life of me remember the name of their group.

We were seated in the section that was cheering for the EVIL Black Knight. He was delightfully unsportsmanlike. He even attacked unarmed men.

This lovely young lady named Jen came by our store here in Tucson last week and she works at the Renfaire. She works in a photography studio, and gave me a nice discount because I promised to display the finished product in our local store. I will probably post about her again when she stops by to provide us with the studio information.

If there is a local faire in your area I highly recommend you go, and go dressed up! There is much fun to be had.

Laurel

2008-01-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Have you seen our new fabulous sale? Wow, every item that we have in stock right this minute is on sale!! Every single item!

If you've been putting off ordering your special outfit for the faire, now is definitely the time to do it. Check out this link http://www.renstore.com/currentad.asp?ErrURL=Redir and find your favorite items and see how big your discount will be. 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and even 50%! That's even better than our employee discount!

This is the time of year that I save my pennies too. Here are a couple of things that I plan to put in my basket.

Our Kingdom and Baronial colors are blue and gold so I thought the Head Scarf W/Coins in blue and gold would look good with my new middle eastern costumes.

Then I was thinking about the Celtic Unicorn Cushion Cover, but there are only two left. Don't you think they'd look great on your bed with the Celtic Unicorn Tapestry?

Maybe I shouldn't have blogged about them. Now everyone will want them and I just miss my chance to get them at this great price!

Oh well, we'll see who gets their order in first. :-)

Until next time, well met!

Kim the Office Goddess

2008-01-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Happy New Year! Wow! It's been a little crazy around here. We're getting ready to do inventory tomorrow, so pardon us if we're a little slow, but we'll definitely take care of you as soon as we can.

On the heels of inventory will be our annual King Day Sale. This is the one time each year that we put practically everything on sale, so make sure you take a look and place your orders for events or Faires during this once a year event.

Gotta run and prepare for iventory.

Talk to ya soon,

Kim the Office Goddess

2007-12-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

Whew! Now that the holidays are almost over, we've started thinking about the coming new year. One of the first things we're going to do is Inventory and as a result, we're going to have our King Day Sale. You'll have opportunity to get some killer deals on some of your favorite stuff.

So keep checking back as the sale items will change daily.

Right now we're having a huge T-shirt sale. Check it out here http://www.renstore.com/currentad.asp . Some of these shirts are going away forever, so make sure you get yours now!

Well met and Wassail!!

Kim the Office Goddess

Some of my Favorite Things!

2007-12-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is my first time posting on our blog and I thought I'd take the time to share with you a few of my favorite products here at Chivalry Sports.

On the right is a picture of our Box Wood Celtic Design. I love it's simplicity, the top has a wonderful celtic design carved right into the wood, and best of all it's only $4.95! It's the perfect size for storing many of your small trinkets.

This lovely Silver-Tone Anklet W/Small Bells is a steal at only $3.95!
As you can see I've got a real eye for a bargain. I appreciate nice, inexpensive things. Everytime I wear my anklet I get positive comments from co-workers and customers about the tinkling, jingling noise I make when I walk. It's a lot of fun, especially during the summer when you can pair your anklet with sandals.

As for clothing, nothing beats our Irish Dress . I'm a new member of the SCA and at my first camping event (Southern Crusades), I found that I just wanted to live in my Irish Dress. It was easily the most comfortable and flattering item I had in my wardrobe and it wasn't impossible to lace myself up in it while in a tent.

I'm ordering an Irish Dress for myself in one of our new brocades, it really dresses up an otherwise simple garment. I plan on pairing it with an Italian Chemise. You can see the different brocades that we have available here. Most of our garments can be made in any of the brocades, but they are in limited quantities. However, once we run out of the current brocade styles we will offer new ones for our customers to choose from.

I've run out of time today, but I'll be back to share more of my favorite items later.

Whew! Last-minute shoppers stop here!

2007-12-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

It's not too late. We're busy as bees here, sending out all your last-minute holiday orders!

Here's a cute gift idea ... mini-helmets, for the hard-to-please person on your list. Historical replicas from many eras, made with the same durable steel and accents as our full-size helmets. Stand is included - although the teddy bear, who serves as our in-store model, unfortunately is not.

We have a range of unique gifts for everyone on your list. Maybe one of our tee-shirts would be a perfect fit - and select styles are 30% off. There's still time for your gifts to arrive on Christmas Eve, too, if you order before 2 pm MST on Friday, December 21st. Imagine the smiles when that special someone receives their package!

And how could you go wrong with a Chivalry Sports gift certificate? We can fax or email gift certificates up to 3 pm on Christmas Eve.

Happy holidays from all of us. Here's hoping it's a happy one!

2007-12-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

Wow! Finally our wooden feastgear shipment has arrived! We now have the ever-popular Wood Noggin (Handled Bowl) in stock! We also have our other wooden feast gear items in stock too like the Round Wood Plate 10 In, the Square Wood Plate 10 In, the Wooden Mug 8 Oz, the Round Wood Bowl 5½ In, and the Wooden Goblet 8 Oz.

I love the wooden feastgear not only because it's so afforable, but it's also lightweight and durable. And it looks soooo cool on the feast table!

Keep in mind the the noggins always go fast and it takes us a long time to get more in stock, so don't miss out on your opportunity to get one now.

I take my noggin with me to most events. The convenient hole in the handle makes it easy to carry on one of our Tankard Strap Large. Just hang the Tankard Strap Large from your Women's Super-Long Belt or Men's Super-Long Belt and then hang your Wood Noggin (Handled Bowl) from the tankard strap. Voila! Where ever you go, you have a container that you can either drink from or eat from and it helps make your costume look even more authentic.

We all know that the cold weather usually brings indoor activities and therefore more feasting. Don't miss your opportunity to get the feastgear that you want while it's in stock.

Okay guys, gotta run. Until next time....

Merry meet and happy feasting!

Kim the Office Goddess

Tis the Season

2007-12-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

We'll be coming up on the deadline to get your gifts shipped out in time for Christmas pretty soon. Have you finished your shopping? Personally, I'm partial to dragons. We've got quite a few in stock right now. Check out the Dragon Candleholder, the Dragon Pc Topper, and the Mini Dragon With Orb Set (that's 6 gifts for the price of one!).

T-shirts make great gifts too. And right now, we're cleaning out our old T-shirt inventory to make room for a bunch of new ones. Grab your discontinued T-shirts now, before they're gone forever. Don't miss out on the No *#%! There I Was T-Shirt, the Medieval Mayhem T-Shirt, or all of the Ultra Cool Color-Changing Shirts. They're on their way out so don't miss your chance to have one.

Check back here tomorrow for some more in stock gift ideas. Order your gifts before the end of this week to ensure you get them in time for Christmas without having to pay extra for expedited shipping.

Merry meet and happy Yule,

Kim the Office Goddess

2007-12-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

Wow! Check out Laurel in our new Special Edn Ghawazee Coat Var-J. Doesn't she look fabulous? We only have a limited amount of this lovely brocade fabric, so this particular ghawazee will only be available until we run out of the fabric. If you like this flattering middle eastern garment, you may not want to wait to get one for yourself.

Here are some ideas on completing your Middle Eastern outfit. It looks really great when you wear it with the Erica Blouse Long, the Peasant Drawstring Pants, the Rayon Skirt W Ribbons, and the Women's Mary Jane Velvet Shoe.

Then, of course, you'll need some accessories like the Scarf Triangle W/Coins & Beads, the Long Georgette Scarf, a Silver-Tone Necklace W/Bells, a Hand Flower Bracelet Silver-Tone, a Silver-Tone Anklet W/Bells, a Silver-Tone Headpiece W/Stones, and some Earrings W Coins.

You'll be the belle of the firpit as you start your dance to the beat of the drums in your new, inspiring costume.

I like to wear my ghawazee even with my mundane clothing. It makes for a unique suit jacket and opens up the options for accessories when dressing professionally. I can be bold and use larger jewelry, like a large beaded necklace with dangling earrings. Or I can be more reserved, but stylish with gemstone posts and a silver chain.

Experiment with yours and send us some pictures. You might just make it onto our blog!

Gotta run and see what else is new to talk about tomorrow.

Until next time..... well met.

Kim the Office Goddess

Christmas Sale!

2007-12-07T09:42:00.000-07:00

That's right! We just put quite a few of our clothing items on sale for 10% off! Check out our new Sale Ad. It's very exciting. We all just love the Holidays and here is your chance to look your Festive Best and get a good deal at the same time.

You don't want to miss out on your last opportunity to own a Guinevere Gown Twill. Quantities are limited and once they're gone, then they are gone forever.

The Lord's Cotehardie Twill is a very handsome garment. It really looks great with the Renaissance Shirt and a Venetian Hat Velvet. What a festive outfit!

And finally, there's the dapper Horseman's Tunic. This is my favorite of the men's tunics. It is just so flattering on any man I've ever seen wear it and it only needs a couple of accessories to complete the outfit. Try it with a Wide Stainless-Buckled Belt and a Scottish-Style Leather Pouch. You will look absolutely unresistable.

Come back and check out our blog often. We're going to start a new feature that gives instruction and more complete information on featured products. We might even have a few guest speakers every now and then.

See ya soon,

Kim the Office Goddess

What's new at Chivalry Sports

2007-12-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

What's new at Chivalry Sports.

It's been a little while since we've posted an update from Chivalry Sports. You may be wondering what's been going on.

We celebrated our one year anniversary at our new location. So now we are all nice and settled in. We're really liking the store location and so are our customers.

We've also been initiating our new sales staff to our products. Laurel loves to play dress-up. Here she is modeling our new Viking Short Sleeve Gown and Inga Viking Apron Dress. Doesn't she look fabulous? She's also very helpful whether you call us on the phone at 800-730-5464 or come in person to the store.

Leah also looks great in our products. Here she is modeling the Limited Edition Catherine Dress Var-D. We told her she was going to have to wear the Medieval Veil Set for the rest of the day. That's why she's laughing so hard. Leah also handles your phone calls and helps you in our walk-in store.

I'm about to celebrate my ninth anniversary with Chivalry Sports. Wow! I can't believe it's already been nine years since I first became the Office Manager for this company. While I don't usually handle phone calls or work with customers, I still enjoy playing with our products too. Here I am modeling the Lady's Bodice Twill.

As you can see, we do have a lot of fun here, but we also do a lot work to provide you with the best products and customer service that we can. Speaking of work, I should probably stop chatting for today and go finish up some work.

Thanks for stopping by and come see us again real soon.

Well met,

Kim the Office Goddess

Be Bold

2007-03-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

It's time to leave behind the drab colors of winter and break out with the bold colors that gleam in the sunlight! Bring out the bold colors, shiny jewelry, and flashy fashion. Wear bold jewelry like this brass tone Afghan Belt (IND3011) with red glass stones and pressed coins. These belts are on clearance now for only $39.96! Boldly wear a royal purple Irish Dress (CHI1055) over a white Italian Chemise (CHI1040). That's like putting corned beef on a pizza, but, hey, why not? The Italian Chemise is now available in black as well.

Color Changing T-shirts

These bold new T-shirts from Ultra-Cool Ultra Violet change color when exposed to sunlight or other ultraviolet light sources! Then, like magic, they change back again when you move away from the light. They can be washed and dried over and over without damaging the effect (but you can't use bleach). Click on the pictures above to see them change colors. These shirts come in Adult sizes M-3X or baby sizes 18 month and 2 toddler. The Pirate (UCV10003) is on a black shirt, the Dragon and Griffin Battle (UCV10004) is on a natural shirt, and the Fairy (UCV10005) is printed on white to show off all the luscious color. The Baby Dragon and the Pirate-in-Training Baby shirt (UCV10001) are printed on white and come in baby sizes only.

Going Green for Spring

2007-03-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

As the rays of the sun warm the land, all that was dull and brown turns to green. Celebrate Spring with shades of green ranging from light moss to deep forest green combined with floral shades.
Pick up on the subtle greens in this Tapestry Barmaid's Bodice (CHI1062) by combining it with an olive green Peasant Skirt (CHI1033) and a naughty little black Sweetheart Chemise (CHI1011).

Have fun with underclothing. Wear a Renaissance Corset on the outside.(CHI1042) with a pair of moss green Bloomers (CHI1061), a matching Moss Green Erica Blouse (CHI1024), and a black Peasant Skirt (CHI1033).

His Lordship looks grand in a forest green English Doublet (CHI3002) with a burgundy Renaissance Shirt (CHI3016) and a pair of Long Breeches in burgundy (CHI3013).
He is wearing an Ardagh Brooch made of the finest Sheffield Pewter from St. Justin's (STJ1011).

New Blog for sharing photos

2007-03-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

Every week we set up displays in our store to feature new combinations of clothing and accessories. We have started taking pictures so we can share them with you to give you ideas. You can click on any of these pictures to see larger views or click on the item code to go directly to the item in the online catalog.

Here we see a tan Barmaid's Bodice (CHI1026) over a burgundy Peasant Skirt (CHI1033) with a white Full Drawstring Chemise (CHI1036).

The cross on the ribbon around the waist is a new item of jewelry. It is an Ornate Cross with Enamel and Stones (BXG10001) .
The next item is a black Country Dress (CHI1046) worn with a moss green Country Chemise (CHI1045) .

Here is a lovely combination—a woad blue Irish Dress (CHI1060) over a saffron yellow Irish Chemise (CHI1035).

Both of these traditional garments are shown here in the most common colors found in Irish clothing. The Irish loved saffron yellow, and you can see why. Imagine this on a red-haired lass. The necklace is a Saint's Cross (AZG20032). It is based on the carved Celtic crosses found in Ireland that are carved with images picturing the lives of the saints.