I Came for the Clothing; I Stayed for the People.

Greetings and salutations! Before we explore all of the fascinating exploits of this modern Elizabethan, let me tell you a bit about myself.

I am Lady Olivia Baker of the Barony of Concordia of the Snows of the East Kingdom of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). I was introduced to the SCA in August of 2007. It was pitched to me as, "a place where we can dress up year-round!" You see, before I found the SCA, I was a renaissance festival patron (commonly referred to as a "Rennie"). I had these lovely Elizabethan outfits that I would get to wear once or twice/year and I wanted more. So, I happily attended my first event, Harper's Retreat, in the Barony of Stonemarche (in NH), wearing one of my aforementioned outfits. Some people were kind and complementary. Others just stared in disgust at the audacity of someone to wear such an outspoken frock. Overall, the positive outweighed the negative, so I attended several more events and eventually found Concordia.

I came for the clothing. I stayed for the people.

So, then, what is it that makes me tick? What keeps my fires burning? It all starts with the clothing. When I first stepped into the SCA, it was my love of the dramatic Elizabethan style that brought me. I make all of the clothing I wear, as well as my hats. Sewing and embroidery are my home. They are where it all began.

My second flame is music. Music makes my soul fly. It brings light where there is dark. It paints my sepia life in technicolor. To say that I love to sing would be a gross understatement. I don't love to sing. I live to sing; I sing to live. It's said that when an artist paints, he leaves bits of his soul on the canvas. When I sing, my soul echoes through the rafters. It's a gift I have not previously shared freely. Though, now that I'm Concordia's Bardic Champion, I suppose I will have to share it upon the request of our new Baron and Baroness.

Last, but never least, I am, by trade, a baker. I own a bakery in Albany, NY. While I am not classically trained in the art and science, I have learned through many years of working in kitchens, starting as a dishwasher and ending as a pastry chef. I have just recently begun venturing into the realm of period pastry. You should expect to see a great deal more on this in the future.

In all that I do, there is one common thread: beauty. It's been said that I have an aptitude for creating beauty in all things. I can take the purely mundane and make it extraordinary. I can transform the extraordinary into the exquisite. The lily is stunning on its own. I gild it.

So, there you have it. I have laid the primer. What will come next? Walk with me and we shall learn together.