October Parade of Entries for 2011

OK - here are the completed entries DONE in October 2010 for the 2011 Iowa State Fair.  You can also view the photos on the State Fair Challenge Flikr Group.

Here we go:

Heritage: -- an old pencil with ISU on it.

Heritage: Milk Glass (maybe not this exact piece but definitely some milk glass.

Fabric & Threads: little squirrel and pumpkin.  No, it isn't completely finished in frame yet; however, after some comments from the 2010 ISF I think I will have all of my stitched pieces professionally framed (so I am waiting for Micheal's or Hobby Lobby sales on framing).

Foods - Spritz Cookies

Foods - Caramel popcorn

Grand Total:
4 Food exhibits (both fit in two classes) 2 x 2 = 4 exhibits
2 Heritage exhibits
1 Fabric & Threads exhibit
7 Total for October

If anyone else has entries they have ready and want to show them off join the Flikr group and play along!

The Old Girl's Back Home!

She's back home!  Just in time for sewing projects tonight too!  Grant and I picked up grandma's Bernina from the shop yesterday morning while Clark was at preschool.  It will run through all the stitches now.  They showed me the tension spring which was pretty much no more (that spring had SPRUNG) and they replaced a belt.  I was told as long as I am gentle with her she's still got some good stitches left in her!  I also have to mention that when it rains it pours - my aunt recently e-mailed me to see if I had found a serger yet.  I actually  had stopped looking for the moment.  She has graciously offered me her serger to use - I am so excited!  What a fabulous surprise and so very much appreciated!

I also picked up a cute little gift courtesy of my sister:

I have seen this cute little book in blogland so thanks to a Borders card I received as a birthday gift from sis I decided it would make a cute addition to my craft books.  I have had a chance to glance through it but am looking forward to some quiet time to give it a good read.  And since this will probably come up - I realize I have a house full of boys; however, sometimes you just need some girly stuff around.

Last night while watching some TV with hubby I finished off this cute little squirrel:

Once this little guy is finished off, this piece will go in as one of my project finishes for the state fair challenge (at least until I finish something in the same size category that I like better).  It was a pretty simple stitch but I think he is adorable.  He was Clark's pick for the next pumpkin piece to stitch up.  This was actually the first time I have tried stitching on linen.  I was a little hesitant at first but love the finished piece.  The suggestion is to make this into a scissorfob - not sure if that's what he'll become or not.

Brittercup Designs - Autumn is in the air (scissorfob pull out from the larger design).  Stitched on 32 count linen - oyster, using suggested DMC threads.

The following are just a couple random shots from yesterday:

This month I am serving on the church's Altar and Chancel Guild.  On Thursday mornings while Clark's at school Grant and I go and do some prep and cleaning.  Grant found the little broom and was cleaning away.

And just because:

 Happy Friday!

Participate in the 2011 State Fair Challenge!

OK - here it is!  Your chance to participate in the 2011 State Fair Challenge!

Details, details:

1. To participate you must be a follower of this blog (if you aren't already please sign up).
2. Post a comment on this post ONLY telling me your own personal challenge for a. entries (could be by month or total) or projects you want to complete and b. which fair you plan to enter (can be state, county or other local/regional fair/expo)
3. From now through September 2011 share photos on the 2011 State Fair Challenge Flikr site to show off your progress and to be entered for monthly prizes (still working on this but there will be prizes).
4. Any type of entry that would be allowed at your fair would be great!  Foods, fabric and threads, great vintage finds for heritage, horticulture, floriculture, livestock, creative arts/crafts, etc.
5. This challenge is open to adult and youth entries (open class, 4H and FFA).  However - NO using this for marketing purposes!  Keep it fun and encourage others.
6. Grab a button (on my sidebar) and let others know about the fun!

What else do you need to know?

1. Each month I'll do a parade of my favorite projects in the blog and highlight your work - if you have a blog I will link back to your blog.
2. Each month you'll be able to choose a favorite project from the Flikr site (People's Choice sort of thing).
3. The People's Choice winner will receive a small prize.  Since I have no sponsors I'm working this out - it may be a simple Border's Card for now or something I made - but there will be something!

Anything else exciting in the works?

Glad you asked!  Coming Soon:

1. The last Wednesday of every month you will be able to submit your favorite Fair Photo or Story in a Linky Party type format (yeah, I'm still working on figuring this out but should be fun).
2. A Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange (right now thinking just recipes but if anyone wants to do an actual swap comment or e-mail me)

What - still not fun and interesting enough?  Well, send me your comments  and suggestions (be nice please) and we'll see what we can do!

Now my brain is fried for the evening; plus you're too busy figuring out my above notes to want to read more.  Here's a sneak peak of tomorrow's blog.  Can you guess where I went today?  All I have to say is it was so very AWESOME!

New Challenge! - 2011 State Fair Challenge

As promised in yesterday's blog I mentioned there would be some changes coming.  I have been thinking about my new challenge/direction for awhile now but wasn't sure how I wanted to commit.  After all it is pretty hard to top 100 entries for me personally.  Although this time I would have more than 100 days to complete them in.

The other factor keeping me from committing is the fact that my husband and I would like to add to our family in the year 2011.  But that is God's will and we're really not sure what he has in store.  Plus, I feel a lot like Sara (Abraham's Sara) right now since I laughed out loud when the doctor told me he needed a pregnancy test before my surgery last week.  Trust me if you knew our back story it is rather laughable.  But then again miracles do happen.  Right now God is once again trying to teach me patience in the whole family realm of things.  I guess I don't learn my lessons well.  I digress . . .

My Personal Challenge:

For the 2011 Iowa State Fair I am committing to completing 3 projects every month beginning in October.  This does NOT include Heritage entries (that would be too easy).  So I am allowed 1 - 2 Heritage items each month but they are in addition to the other 2 entries.  For a food entry to be considered "completed" it must be either made and ready (like canned goods) OR the recipe must be formatted and typed up in my computer ISF recipe file.

So count that up in 10 months there will be 30 completed projects - add in the Heritage and I will have 40 completed projects.  Add in the horticulture and floriculture (it can't be hit as bad as last year, right?) and I may be right up there at 100 again!  But let's not count chickens before they're hatched.  I'll get through the winter months working on Fabric and Threads, Foods and Creative Arts and see what I feel like come spring.

My Challenge to You:

Come join me this year!  If you would like to participate in the 2011 State Fair Challenge I'd love to have you along for the ride and see what you're up to!  This will include showing off your completed entries in my new Flikr group, a monthly parade of entries (with winners and prizes), and some other fun things in the works.  Yes - you can participate in any state fair across the country (or county fair).

Come back tomorrow to see how you can join the challenge!

Now - to work on some blog buttons, find some prizes (maybe some sponsors), figure out linky parties, finish some projects .  .  .