Dear friends, colleagues, students, rivals, and anyone who has ever thought,

"Emilia is great, but imagine her with an even nicer sword…"

As many of you know, I’m already a HEMA instructor and competitor, and yes - I do, in fact, own swords. Several. Possibly more than is strictly necessary for a regular civilian.

But next year, I turn 40, and that calls for something special:

a sword that is not for training, competing, loaning out, or accidentally leaving in a student’s hands… but a Beautiful Birthday Blade worthy of this milestone.

Naturally, this kind of craftsmanship costs money (apparently the sword fairy does not work pro bono), so I’m opening The Birthday Blade Fund for anyone who wants to help me celebrate my continued survival on this earth - and my ongoing campaign to be both elegant and mildly terrifying. Your support would be received with the same joy I feel when someone finally gets their footwork right.

Contribute if you wish. Or don’t.

I’ll still turn 40. But with your help, I might do it holding something shiny, sharp, and spectacular.

Thanks for supporting my midlife glow-up;)

Emilia