State Fair Update

I went to the New Mexico State Fair on Sunday. My family and friends rode the Park'n Ride from Coronado Center. Very Simple, very easy. It was $1.00 each way for bus fare, the bus dropped us off at the main entrance gate and picked us up there as well. The addmission fee was $5.00 each for 12 and older. So $7.00 each and no hassle with $5.00 and more car parking on the grounds.

We went to the Home Arts building first -of course :). The knitting, crochet, and needlework section was nice. There was a lot to see. The blue ribbon and best of show things were amazing and displayed in cases by themselves for the most part. Almost everything was beaded in one way or another(the winners that is). There was a best of show sweater hand knit in bulky Aran pattern -not beaded. I don't remember what the others things in that case were besides a shawl or scarf that was in lace and very intricate.

I found my crocheted bowl - vase on the bottom shelf of a floor display case kind of squished in a corner. The feathers look like they got bent or fell out and were put back in funny. There was nothing else like it -no bowl, baskets, or other decorative things. Next year if I do something like that again, I might enter it in the art or juried art section. I have to solve the "collapse factor" though. That's one of the reasons it looks so sad in the display this time. :(

My French Market bag is folded on a shelf of a display case- you can't really see what it is or how big it is.

Meg's baby hat is just down the shelf from my bag. Her hat is folded up as well, so you can't really see what it looks like either. A real Shame because it's SO CUTE in all its pink angora kitty-eared beauty. It deserved a ribbon, for sure and I'm definitely surprised by its non-placement. (Is that the correct term?)

I think Meg's hat was much better than my little "Hunter" baby hat and Ugg booties.
Someone else had a pair of suede booties too, and they won a blue ribbon. They were meticulously made and much tinier than mine. I liked how I trimmed mine better, but the winners definitely deserved the ribbon.

The biggest surprise to me was that my "Hunter" hat got a third place ribbon!!! I think it's interesting because the way it's displayed you can't even see the front white trim. Go figure. I don't have a picture of it to show either. I'll get it back on the 23rd or so and post pics after that.

I talked to one of the women who helps set up the handwork exhibits and she said it just depends on if there are like items to compare whether or not an item will be considered for a prize. And the things that don't get awarded ribbons or whatever are just put in the cases kind of at random and not displayed as carefully as the top items.

I'd like to see that changed. We all put in so much effort and time in our work, it would be gratifying to see it displayed more effectively. How does a pile of folded afghans show the creativity and joy of doing the work? Next year.....