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| Could this be a blue ribbon salsa? |
Do you ever get sidetracked and need a big motivator to pull you back on the road to creativity? I sure do! My May has been so busy, and now that I'm winding down just a little for a couple of weeks, you would think I would get right back into the middle of my creative projects.
Wrong. It is just not happening. I am functioning on the level of getting done what needs to be done, plus cooking and cleaning and shopping--and after that, I'm just lazy! My garden planting is overdue, and there are knitted squares and an adorable cross-stitch project calling my name! My play needs some tweaks, I owe my publisher a catalog intro for the script collection she just bought. And, then, there's my novel. Oh, the novel. I love that thing, and it too is calling my name. So I've been wondering what would jumpstart my creative engine. Then, it hit me.
My dear friend Helen happened to post a Facebook status about how she has filled out the entry form to enter her photography in the Fair again. That was the trigger. THE FAIR!!!
Back during the winter, I had entertained the idea of entering my canned salsa, canned tomatoes, zinnias, a fabric mixed-media piece, and some photography in the Fair! I imagined this whole scenario of seeing my entries on display with gorgeous ribbons tied onto them. It sounded like good old-fashioned fun.
My mind wandered back to the Victorian days of my Great Aunt Sis. She was a beautiful lady and I imagined her walking around the busy Fairgrounds in her long dress and little beaded purse, listening to the band music, oohing and ahing over the quilts, and peach pies and homemade breads with blue ribbons hanging off of them. She and I share the same birthday, so I have no doubt she was creative! The Fair had to be the highlight and social gathering of the season back then.
Not so much now. But, I think it could be fun to enter several different items in the "Family Living" categories, like trying my hand at a photography entry. Helen is actually an excellent photographer, and she has won many times, and she has what I would call a real camera. I do not claim to be a photographer, but once in awhile, I take a picture that makes me wonder if it would do any good. And every year, when the first crop of tomatoes come out of my garden, they go right into my first batch of salsa. So why not see if my salsa could win a ribbon? That could also lead to a baking entry--and this year they have a special prize for yeast breads that is not too shabby. Whereas, most of the cash prizes are definitely lacking. 
I think it's the idea, though, of seeing my creations displayed, the idea of being able to say, "Yes, that's my blue ribbon salsa!" Ha! But most of all, knowing that I need to make up my mind and turn in the forms by June, and actually show up with my entries by July, is my new kick-in-the-pants to get creating. Perfect. I need it. It's nothing that will make me rich, and yet, in some ways, it will.
Every year our Fair has a theme, and if I would have really been on top of my game, I would have entered the contest to think of the theme! Oh well. I think that entering the Fair itself is pretty good. And it's not my first time at the rodeo. Before my daughter was even born (and she's a teenager) I used to enter huge cross-stitch pieces, but never achieved above "third premium winner" and yet it was fun to get those ribbons and gift certificates to Michaels!
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| My mixed-media cross-stitch quilt might be a possibility! |
"After rain comes fair weather."
--James Howell
What fun to enter some items in the fair! I entered some cross stitch quite a few years ago and it was fun. I love going to the Minnesota State Fair and go through the homemaker building and look at the jars of honey, jam, cakes, breads and stitching. It is great fun!
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