Blue Ribbon at the County Fair!

It's time for the San Bernardino County Fair!  This year opening day was the busiest in 7 years - record crowds!  And I was one of them.  There was a good reason - I was checking to see if any of the three art projects I had entered had won any ribbons.  Jeff and I scoured the Community Building filled with hundreds of projects --everything from gems to quilts --baked goods to antique collections -- woven plastic to fine jewelry.  It is a huge building!  Finally we found my stuff.  There is the case was my little folded book called "CREATE" and along side it was a blue ribbon! I was thrilled!  My second item a necklace called "Apple Valley Memories" didn't win - too much competition, but my third item, a encaustic painting called "Bloom" (inspired by my friend Thea) won an Honorable Mention ribbon.  Not too bad over all.  I was pleased!

The reason I decided to enter the fair this year was for old time sake.  When I was a kid growing up here in the desert I belonged to our local 4-H club.  Instead of raising animals I did the homemaking stuff - cooking, sewing and home decorating.  Each year we were required to enter our projects into the fair.  I made baked goods, clothes, aprons, placemats--all kinds of things.  It was a great experience and fun winning ribbons for my work.  It gave me a real sense of confidence and pride.  And the part I liked most was going to the fair with my Mom and looking at all the booths and seeing all the ribbons.  It was a special thing we shared.

So this year I did it to celebrate that memory and I am glad I did!  It was so much fun that I think I will do it again next year!

In the spirit of good old times and creating new memories,  Cindy