I apologize for my absence. The Grandmother my last blog entry was about passed away suddenly on January 20th - not even two months after her husband passed away. We were told we had 3 - 6 months to say goodbye to her and she barely lasted a few weeks. It is hard for us to say goodbye, but I know she is in Heaven with God and with her husband and I am glad she was not separated from him for very long.

While I still want to do the costume she described, all my costuming has temporarily been put on hold. I need time to regroup, catch up with school work, and start the rather slow healing process. This year has been very hard since losing my dog in June, my Papa in November, and my Grandma in January.

Any and all prayers and thoughts would be greatly appreciated during this time.

God bless,

Jenna

Hello!  Long time no post...

2008 hasn't been very kind to my family. We lost our dog at the end of June and my Grandfather passed at the end of November. Now my Gradma (the wife of my Grandfather that just passed) has been diagnosed with lung and lymph cancer. She doesn't want treatment because she wants to go be with her husband in heaven. The doctors have given her 3 to 6 months and are going to send her home with hospice.

My Grandma is the one who instilled my love of all things Celtic in me. She has always supported my love of costuming and horses. She got me some tartan fabric not too long ago and wrote a little description of a costume that she pictured as the mascot for my college (we are the Fighting Scots of Gordon College). I won't be able to convince Gordon to have a mascot on horseback, but I figure I can at least try to make the costume and take pictures on horseback to send or (hopefully) bring to her next time I get to visit. Here is her description:

    " I was thinking of the brown Gordon tartan in trews and tam o' shanter, and the same plaid draped over the left shoulder and fastened with a cairngorm (of course).  Tall brown riding boots and a white poet's (laced up type, very full sleeves) finish the outfit, and you (and how many others, should you wish) mounted on a tall blood bay.  Very striking, don't you think?  Of course, the boots and the bay should be about the same color. What a great  mascot for Gordon College!  With or with out sword!  I love it!"

This is the plaid that she got me: It is the Gordon weathered tartan and is absolutely beautiful. It's a little lighter/softer colored than this picture.

 I don't have a blood bay at hand, but a friend of mine does have a big bay she said I can take pictures on. This is not him, but it is about his color:

I have a friend helping me make the trews and tam o'shanter. The poet shirt will be easy to find and I already have a couple ciarngorms that my Grandma gave me as well as a claymore (no way to strap it on myself though...).

My biggest questions concern those of you who are Scottish garb folks. Does anyone have any suggestions for boots? I'm not sure whether to go with modern tall boots or if there are more traditional Scottish boots that would look better. Also, for the saddle does anyone know or have suggestions as to whether I should use a normal English hunt saddle in dark brown or fold some tartan to make a bareback pad? I am trying to do my own research on these things, but I figured I would ask here as well.  Any advice, helpful hints, sites you can direct me to, reference pictures, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thank you very much!

I hope all of you had a good year and that 2009 proves to be even better!

God bless!