#Kelly Knight Craft

[the-forest-library]

September 2024 Reads

Never Date a Roommate - Paula Ottoni

Love and Other Conspiracies - Mallory Marlowe

My Salty Mary - Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows

In the Orbit of You - Ashley Schumacher

The Beast's Heart - Leife Shallcross

At First Spite - Olivia Dade

The Wall - Marlen Haushofer

The Book Swap - Tessa Bickers

Someone You Can Build a Nest In - John Wiswell

A Daughter of Fair Verona - Christina Dodd

Given Our History - Kristyn J. Miller

Fall for Him - Andie Burke

I'll Have What He's Having - Adib Khorram

Lips Like Sugar - Jess K. Hardy

The Grandest Game - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Such Charming Liars - Karen M. McManus

The Champions - Kara Thomas

Jupiter Rising - Gary D. Schmidt

Splinter & Ash - Marieke Nijkamp

Knight Owl - Christopher Denise

Young Hag and the Witches' Quest - Isabel Greenberg

Mismatched - Anne Camlin

The Truths We Hold - Kamala Harris

The Third Gilmore Girl - Kelly Bishop

The Striker and the Clock - Georgia Cloepfil

But Everyone Feels This Way - Paige Layle

Ambition Monster - Jennifer Romolini

Body Work - Melissa Febos

Rage - Lester Fabian Brathwaite

The Joy of Connections - Ruth Westheimer

Everyday Dharma - Sunned Gupta

Over Work - Brigid Schulte

Nothing to Fear - Julie McFadden

100 Ways to Change Your Life - Liz Moody

More, Please - Emma Specter

How to Piss Off Men - Kyle Prue

Shitty Craft Club - Sam Reece

Simply Julia - Julia Turshen

Bold = Highly Recommend

Italics = Worth It

Crossed Out = Nope

Thoughts:  I'll be thinking about The Wall by Marlen Haushofer for quite some time. It's a feminist, dystopian, survivalist tale with some truly harrowing moments.

Goodreads Goal: 334/400

2017 Reads | 2018 Reads | 2019 Reads | 2020 Reads | 2021 Reads | 2022 Reads | 2023 Reads | 2024 Reads

[scotianostra]

On November 4th 1864 Robert Stodart Lorimer was born.

The son of a law professor, Lorimer was educated in Edinburgh, but left university before graduating in 1884, to join the office of the Scottish Revivalist architect Robert Rowand Anderson. In 1889, he moved to London, where a spell working for G. F. Bodley helped shape his Gothic style and fired him with enthusiasm for the Arts-and- Crafts Movement. Here, he developed his commitment to the unity of art and nature in architecture, and his delight in materials and the richness of textiles and colour. Among his friends in London were young architect Walter Tapper and fellow Scottish architects J. J. Stevenson and James MacLaren. After the latter’s untimely death, Lorimer worked for his successors, Dunn and Watson, their influence left a strong impression on Lorimer, as seen in his roughcast cottages at Colinton, and other small houses in the Lothians of the 1890.

His first big commission, from 1891, was the restoration of Earlshall in Fife. In reviving this tower house as the atmospheric setting for R. W. Mackenzie’s collections, Lorimer was greatly influenced by his boyhood experiences at Kellie Castle, which his father had sensitively repaired as a summer home. At Earlshall, Lorimer designed fittings, furniture and a garden inspired by that at Edzell, all in harmony with the spirit of the old house.

He went on to do many more tactful restorations, his favourite being Balmanno, Perthshire (1921), with furniture and an elaborate compartmented garden also to his design. Lorimer’s earliest new houses were English (such as the Lutyens-like High Barn at Godalming), and in Scotland, too, early works such as Wayside in St Andrews (1901) absorbed English influences. But, in 1903, he started work on Rowallan in Ayrshire, the first of three country houses that gave full expression to his love of the Picturesque forms and romantic qualities of 16th-century Scottish architecture. Ardkinglas (1906) and Formakin in Renfrewshire (1914) followed, the architecture of the latter echoed by its outstanding group of ancillary buildings, which incorporate playful carved monkeys and humorous inscriptions. Lorimer’s gate lodges were his ‘happiest inventions,’ wrote Hussey.

As seen in the pics, the twin-turreted gate lodges at Formakin are characteristic, with their ogee roofs echoed by the garden pavilion, another favourite structure of Lorimer’s.

By 1919, Lorimer had been appointed an official architect to the Imperial War Graves Commission, and in this capacity designed over 300 memorials in villages, towns, and schools in Scotland and England as well as cemeteries in Greece, Macedonia, Italy and Egypt. The largest, and perhaps the best known of these commissions, was the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle.

My favourite memorial designed by Lorimer is the one in Paisley, which looks more like a memorial to the old style wars during the struggle for Independence, and reminds me of Pilkington's statue of The Bruce at Bannockburn, it depicts soldiers from the western front accompanied by a medieval knight on horseback and having noticed he did some work with Pilkington I can see where the influences came from.

It wasn’t all simple designs for Lorimer, one of his most famous work was the Thistle Chapel in St Giles, Edinburgh, the other pic is a memorial to Lorimer, also in St Giles.

Sir Robert Lorimer died at 12 Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh in 1929. He was cremated at the newly opened Warriston Crematorium and his ashes were thereafter buried with his parents at Newburn in rural south-east Fife, close to the family home of Kellie Castle. The grave (which he had designed himself at the death of his father) lies in the extreme south-west corner of this tiny and very remote churchyard, overlooking rural Fife towards the Firth of Forth, as seen in the last two photos.

[incorrectjane-andthedragon]

Dragon! Sir Theodore Ramblings from the Discord

*Charlie Kelly voice* Can we talk about the Dragon! Sir Theodore AU I've been dying to talk about the Dragon! Sir Theodore AU all day-

Okay so in a discussion on the JATD Discord, me and @thelightfantastik talked about an AU where Sir Theodore was secretly a dragon in disguise, and I love it so, so much, so here's some/most of it.

Yeah this AU is by no means concrete (yet?), it's mostly just a bunch of ideas that were floating around.

In my head, there are two versions of the AU: the "He Forgets" version and the "He Remembers" version.

Okay I'll stop with the intro and actually get to the meat of the matter now lol

-By some magic (possibly from a wizard or the Castle Wizard), Sir Theodore, born a dragon, is turned into a human. While this could be for any number of reasons, the most plausible of which seemed to be that it was enacted as a punishment, possibly for killing a dragon (or multiple).

-This is where the AU reaches a crossroads. In one version, he remembers his life as a dragon. In another, he has total amnesia of his time spent as a dragon and/or false memories in its place.

The "He Remembers" version.

-He remembers that he was once a dragon, but keeps it a secret from everyone. At first, he had no problem with this-why would he just walk around announcing willy-nilly that he's a cursed dragon? But when the titular Dragon of the series enters the picture, things start to get more complicated. Does he tell Dragon the truth and tell him he's not alone? Or does he keep hiding it, too afraid to upset the peace or to properly reckon with the weight of his punishment for murder? If we're going closer to the series canon, where he initially came to Kippernia to apologize to Dragon for being descended from dragonslayers, maybe he went to Kippernia explicitly ready to come clean and confess everything, but something delayed him from doing so. (Note: I'd also tossed around the idea of the dragons that he killed being Dragon's direct family, so...yeah, that definitely would add another layer to it.)

The "He Forgets" version.

-For whatever reason-an extension of the punishment, or a way of keeping the location of dragons secret-Theodore's memories were stripped along with his form as a dragon. He would probably only be left with really hazy, dreamlike leftovers of memories, which he would use to craft a new life and persona for himself. Maybe if he was turned into a human as a punishment for murdering another dragon, then that's why he would believe he was descended from dragonslayers.

-But then *something* happens, either the spell weakening over time, or something else more sudden, and his memories start to come back. He starts to think he's losing his mind for good, but then realizes his old memories are the truth.

The Reveal

-At one point I pondered that Sir Theodore's suit of armor was actually his silvery scales, but then I came up with another idea (not that the scale idea is a bad one)

-What if his suit of armor (or at least a part of it, as Thelightfantastik suggested) was the enchanted object keeping him in human form?

-Now it's really easy to joke: "Wouldn't people be like: 'why do you sleep in your armor?'" Armor is so impractical! But that could add another layer to it. If he was imprisoned in human form for killing another dragon then he could decide that the armor was a symbol of him fully committing to the life of a dragonslayer. If it made it easier for him to become a knight (or be seen as one) then it would be his tether to the human world and his new duty to it. It would be a sign of how he could never dismantle his emotional armor and never let anyone get fully close to him due to his inhuman nature. If it was simply an arm cuff then he could see it as a shackle, chaining him to his crimes, maybe even one he never meant to commit.

-And then the armor gets damaged.

-Something causes a conflict. Dragon snaps and breathes fire on Theodore while someone (Jane watching, probably) screams. The flames die down and he's fine, but he manages to grunt out a warning. Everyone is confused. The heat from the flames causes the armor to crack, a fatal crack, and boom.

-His true form is released.

-Dragon and Jane, too stunned by the extent of his secrecy to react, fly away. He slumps in rejection, lamenting the loss of his human form. For years he wanted nothing more than to be free of it, but now that it's gone he grieves it. I can imagine him clawing at the remains of his armor like "No! No! Turn me back! Turn me back now!"

-Next episode: Okay everybody we don't know where he fled too after we left in shock and we need to find Sir-Theodore-turned-dragon NOW before some villagers go after him with torches and pitchforks or far worse The hunt for him leads them to some important secret location for dragon society.

-So yeah that's the AU so far I guess

[furmity]

[George Hand Right, The Binding of Fenrir appeared in Hamilton Wright Mabie, Norse Stories Retold from the Eddas (Dodd Mead,1908).

Law degree part 3: Tyr  ᛏ

As a heathen with the ambition of earning a law degree, I am naturally a devotee of Tyr. I'd been aware of him before, but only started reading about his myths and worship while applying for university.

I was immensely drawn to the myth of his missing hand. The idea of self- sacrifice in lawgivers really left an impression on me. The resignation of “this has to be done and it must be me“. Honour and oath- making can be over- emphasised in heathenry, I don’t look on him as “the first oath- breaker” or any of that. This myth reminds us of the need for deception when we can protect ourselves and others. Honesty is akin to obeying the law: it’s the right thing until it’s the wrong thing, they have their reasons and limits. Tyr knows the difference.

So I introduced myself and volunteered to be a tool of his will. His shrine was on my desk. I prayed a novena in the lead up to my first semester, offering single malt whiskey. He was with me as I watched my first lecture. I’d give thanks for evidence that I was learning and laid good grades at his feet. His candle burned while I studied for exams. I dedicated last year’s Lent to him, but prayer cycles generally followed the academic calendar.

My UPG impressions are of a very serious individual who listens quietly and holds you accountable. I believe Tyr stands for democracy and local government. I'm all for strategic lawbreaking where obeying the law is wrong, and malicious compliance is a tool for change. Know the law to change the law. This stance feels right around Tyr, to me.

Tyr’s martial aspect is not something I really get into. I painted a Tiwaz icon on fabric patterned with medieval banners, saddled knights, and archers- but I’m a pacifist thank you so much. I’d like international law to really do something about keeping the peace and rounding up war criminals. Surely a lawgiving war god is the one to pray to for peace. He’s a war god who disabled himself! He nips problems in the bud. I should lean into that more: Please may diplomacy prevail, make Putin rot. Please may Australia always remain friendly with China, for the sake of Chinese- Australians above all.

At the beginning of last year I was absorbed by Lynne Kelly’s memory palace work (introduced by my dad, dammit, see part 2). I highly recommend her book Memory Craft and there are some good interviews with ABC. The various techniques are as useful for students as they are for remembering names and lists. My law notes were transformed into illuminated manuscripts on her instruction, and held up to Tyr. There’s so much law now that no one can remember it all, but I honour the oral lawgivers of old. I would really like to develop a devotional chaplet to him which works as a memory palace for law. Rosaries are mnemonic devices after all.

As a cultural Christian, my sky god of justice slots neatly into the mental space of a judging heavenly father. I recognise that may put certain people off. My moniker of “heretical heathen” has as much to do with being unbaptised in a Christian culture as it does with Norse gods. My pagan practice is synchretised with Christianity and I've noticed Tyr resists this. While I may dedicate a Christian period of sacrifice to him, divination tells me not to conflate him with Jehovah or Christ. The common law is very Christian and I don’t think that sits well with him. I respect that.

Just before my first year began, my sister stick- poked Tiwaz into my skin (I know, I know [1], I could well have chosen a hand), which I consecrated to my patron. Rather than waiting until I’d accomplished my goal, I did it to sort of bind myself to the path. I knew the degree was going to be difficult and unlike anything I’d done before... I didn’t want to drop out. Since I have dropped out and will not be studying this year, well, the tattoo seems to catch my eye a lot.

Of the many reasons I left, an important one was my ability to do the thing justice. It would surely not please my patron if I slid through like “Ps get degrees”. They do, but will you know your stuff? When I had to retake an exam I didn’t beg to get through, but asked for the opportunity to prove I know this. I didn’t pray to Tyr when I made my decision to leave (I didn’t pray to anything). I don’t seek his forgiveness, but I am sheepish about approaching him. I haven’t lit his candle in six months but his icon remains on the altar.

I have now decided to resume study next year... or part time second semester? I feel it is time to speak to the One- Handed and decide what I’m about. “I want a law degree”, I’d said. I got lost in the idea of prestige received for being a lawyer. I know I will be better placed with an ombudsman (one of few Scandinavian legal ideas we use here), a government department, or a union. I kind of toy with the idea of only doing pro bono legal work for activist groups. No small inspiration for studying law was hearing that organisations like the Satanic Temple (no, I’ don’t endorse) have in- house lawyers. There’s a niche somewhere for me, where I can be most useful and satisfied.

I want to read a couple of textbooks cover to cover this year, work on the manuscripts, get my base knowledge really solid. Program them into that chaplet.

Yes, it’s time for a blót.

[1] No frith with fascists! In re Tiwaz:

As you can see, these abominations don’t understand runes much anyway.

[joyner111]

Some of the top luxury furniture brands and where you can find them

When it comes to luxury furniture, there are several brands and retailers that stand out for their quality, design, and craftsmanship. Here are some of the top luxury furniture brands and where you can find them:

1st Dibs: Known for vintage and pre-owned furniture and decor, 1st Dibs offers unique pieces such as the iconic Egg Chair and Victorian dining tables.

Kelly Wearstler: This brand merges luxury with design expertise, offering items like the Superluxe Dichotomy Table. Prices typically start in the four-digit range and can go above $10,000.

Armani Casa: Armani Casa brings the brand's sartorial elegance to home goods, offering high-quality home decor that reflects the Armani world.

Moda Operandi Home: Known for luxury fashion, Moda Operandi also offers a home section with chic home accessories, dining settings, and more.

Novogratz: With several #1 best-selling items on Amazon, Novogratz offers luxury quality products at accessible prices.

Hooker Furniture: Available on Amazon, Hooker Furniture has a range of high-rated pieces for every room, with a mix of traditional and modern styles.

Mr. Porter Home: The sister company of Net-A-Porter, Mr. Porter Home offers a selection of luxury home goods, including diningware, home accessories, and more.

West Elm: A household name, West Elm offers modern and Scandinavian-style luxury home goods that are both stylish and functional.

Tov Furniture: Tov Furniture, found on Amazon, offers playful and timeless furniture with a mid-range luxury price point.

RH (Restoration Hardware): A trusted name in home goods, RH continues to provide high-quality furniture for those looking to furnish a grand space.

Perigold: Offering a diverse range of aesthetics, Perigold is a source of luxury furniture that can add a touch of excitement to any home.

Artemest: Known for contemporary Italian design, Artemest carries works that are functional and artistic, making it a favorite among industry insiders.

Nathan James: If you prefer wooden home goods, Nathan James offers highly rated products that are both practical and stylish.

Knoll: Collaborating with renowned architects and designers, Knoll creates expertly crafted pieces, especially for office spaces.

2Modern: Carrying pieces from iconic brands like FLOS, 2Modern offers a collection of contemporary coffee tables, living room essentials, and outdoor furniture.

Christopher Knight Home: Known for classic home design, Christopher Knight Home offers luxury at an affordable price point.

These brands represent a mix of high-end design and functionality, catering to those who seek luxury in their home furnishings. Whether you're looking for a statement piece or a complete overhaul of your living space, these retailers and brands offer a wide range of options to choose from.

[porterdavis]

Say hello to Kelly Knight Craft, Trump’s new UN ambassador, seen here explaining her views on climate change. It will surprise no one that she and her husband were major contributors to Trump’s campaign.

He had previously inflicted her on Canada as ambassador.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

President Trump’s choice for United Nations ambassador said Wednesday that Saudi Arabia must be held accountable for rights abuses and that humans have contributed to climate change, posing “real risks to our planet.”

The positions expressed by the nominee, Kelly Knight Craft,currently the ambassador to Canada, suggested she differed with Mr. Trump on two signature themes of his presidency: the strong alliance with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the causes and dangers of global warming.

Ms. Craft’s nomination has drawn criticism from environmentalists because of her family’s ties to the fossil fuel industry, considered a major contributor to climate change.

Her husband, Joseph W. Craft III, is a billionaire Kentucky coal magnate, and the Crafts were big contributors to Mr. Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Ms. Craft has not disputed Mr. Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord, which seeks to limit global carbon emissions and halt the global rise in temperatures. But at the confirmation hearing she tried to make clear she does not deny the existence of climate change.

“Climate change needs to be addressed, as it poses real risks to our planet,” she said in a statement. “Human behavior has contributed to the changing climate. Let there be no doubt: I take this matter seriously, and if confirmed, I will be an advocate for all countries to do their part in addressing climate change.”

Asked by some senators to elaborate, she said, “I believe climate change needs to be addressed and that carbon plays a role.”

When challenged on whether Mr. Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris accord had undermined the American position, she said, “we don’t need to be a member to show leadership.”

[allthecanadianpolitics]

U.S. President Donald Trump has named a top donor and fundraiser as ambassador to Canada.

Mr. Trump picked Kelly Knight Craft for the post in February and had the State Department vet her, but did not formally nominate her until Wednesday. Ms. Craft must now be confirmed by the Senate.

The Lexington, Ky.-based Ms. Craft runs a business-consulting firm, but she is best known in Republican circles as a prodigious fundraiser and generous contributor.

She and her husband, billionaire Joe Craft, president of coal company Alliance Resource Partners, together gave $1.3-million (U.S.) to Republican candidates and SuperPACs last year, including a $265,400 contribution from Ms. Craft to Trump Victory.

Continue Reading.

[deanlawrencekowalski]

Kelly Knight Craft confirmed as Trump’s next U.N. ambassador | Washington Post She replaces Nikki Haley. Wednesday’s vote was largely split along party lines, reflecting Democrats’ dissatisfaction with Craft’s qualifications.

[thecurrentaffairs-blog1]

Trump nominated Kelly Craft as U.S Ambassador to the UN.

[scotianostra]

September 13th 1929 saw the death of the architect Sir Robert Lorimer..

Lorimer was born in Edinburgh, the son of James Lorimer, who was Regius Professor of Public Law at Edinburgh University from 1862 to 1890. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy and later at Edinburgh University, and was part of a gifted family, being the younger brother of painter John Henry Lorimer, and father to the sculptor Hew Lorimer. In 1878 the Lorimer family acquired the lease of Kellie Castle in Fife and began its restoration for use as a holiday home

Robert Lorimer is renowned as being one of Scotland’s leading country house architects during the first two decades of the 20th century. He took a ‘traditionalist’ approach to architecture, drawing influence from the past whilst adhering to the Arts and Crafts ethos of simple facades built from local materials and rejecting the highly ornamental fashions of the mid-nineteenth century. Lorimer’s commissions included small domestic dwellings such as a series of cottages at Colinton, large country houses such as Rowallan in Ayrshire and remodelling of interiors at Aberlour House, Moray. It wasn’t all simple designs for Lorimer, one of his most famous work was the Thistle Chapel in St Giles, Edinburgh as seen in the third pic.

By 1919, Lorimer had been appointed an official architect to the Imperial War Graves Commission, and designed over 300 memorials in villages, towns, and schools in Scotland and England as well as cemeteries in Greece, Macedonia, Italy and Egypt. The largest, and perhaps the best known of these commissions, was the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle, see the second photo.

My favourite memorial designed by Lorimer is the one in Paisley, which looks more like a memorial to the old style wars during the struggle for Independence, and reminds me of Pilkingtons statue of The Bruce at Bannockburn, it depicts depicts soldiers from the western front accompanied by a medieval knight on horseback, as seen in the last

[votenet-blog]

Trump announces nomination of Kelly Knight Craft to be ambassador to United Nations Author: Philip Rucker / Source: Washington Post

[presseonline]

Botschafterin nominiert Trump hat eine Neue für die Uno

[wpanews]

Trump announces Kelly Knight Craft as nominee for UN ambassador | Fox News

Trump announces Kelly Knight Craft as nominee for UN ambassador | Fox News

President Trump on Friday announced Kelly Knight Craft, the current ambassador to Canada, as his nominee to become the next United States ambassador to the United Nations.

“Kelly has done an outstanding job representing our Nation and I have no doubt that, under her leadership, our Country will be represented at the highest level,” Trump tweeted. “Congratulations to Kelly and her entire family!”