Walking up to the sign-in table at the fair last week, I bounced. I was so excited to have finally, finally, finally followed through and brought (not one, but two!) items to enter in the fair. I knew competition wouldn’t be too steep since our county is a small county. I’d seen the fair entries in years past and knew I’d probably only have a few competitors in my categories. I wasn’t prepared for the empty exhibit tables. Oh sure, there was a ton of photography thanks to the local camera club, and the horticulture exhibits had a decent number of items (relatively). There were even probably eight or ten knitted pieces. But, only one crocheted item. Two art pieces. No weird toothpick structures. No crazy leather wallets with butterflies stamped on. No burned wood plaques. And not a single baked good. Yup, you got it. No cookies, no banana bread, no cakes. What is that about?

After I registered my stocking and quilled flower, I got my assignment as co-judge of one of the categories. (I don’t want to say which one for fear of retribution by the angry people who didn’t get a blue ribbon. I was volunteering in my role as Master Gardener, in case you are curious.) As we were judging, I thought to myself that there wasn’t anything super amazingly stupendously difficult about 99% of the items I was seeing. Not to belittle the people who made them or their work…I’m not saying it is simple to take a beautiful photograph or put up a tasty jam. I’m saying that all of the categories at the fair are for things that most anyone can do at least average on with some effort and patience and stick-with-it-ness. So, where were all the entries?

Leaving judging night, I was hit with a burst of inspiration! Now, if you know me, you know I get crazy bursts of inspiration all the time that usually fizzle out pretty quickly. I figured this one would last maybe a week tops. But…well, okay, it hasn’t been a week yet, but still…I continue to be excited!

Okay, here it is… In the footsteps of weirdos like that Julia/Julie chick, I plan to enter every category in the fair next year (except the two senior categories and four of the six honey categories) and blog about it. There were 200 categories in the fair this year. I’m going to use the same list, and with my exceptions, that is 194 items to create. I’m on number three.

I’m already behind on recording my adventure, so here is a quick re-cap of the last few days:

Day 1 (Fair Day 2011): Went through this year’s list of categories, made an excel sheet to list them and when I should work on them, and started picking patterns for the crafts. (If the categories change next year, I guess I’m screwed.) Keys for pattern selection: easy enough to be able to do without spending weeks learning, simple enough list of materials that I won’t go broke, and nice enough that the final product is something I wouldn’t be ashamed to give as a gift (to someone I like, even).

Day 2: Completed entry for 157: Craft | Holiday Decorations | Christmas. Added start and end dates to the excel list, and put in today for this item. I felt a little silly working on my item (got some strange looks from Andy), but I also got a bit of a rush by having completed an item. It was easy (though I have made it before), used items on hand, and turned out pretty enough to give as a gift.

Day 3: Completed entry for 142: Craft | Handicraft | Button Crafts. I tried something new and felt proud. I’ve probably made a craft with buttons before, but I believe I was in the single digit ages at the time. It was easy, used items on hand, and turned out pretty enough to give as a gift.

Day 4: Began 117: Needlework | Cross-Stitch | Misc. Cross-Stitch. I could hardly wait for school/work to be over, so the kid and I could go to the local fabric/craft store and pick up cross-stitch supplies. I haven’t done this craft since I was about 12, and I remember sucking at it and hating it equally. I was nearly overwhelmed by all the threads and fabrics. Too bad the helper person I asked to help me was more like an un-helper person. But Anya and I figured it out, Anya picked a handful of DMC floss, I grabbed a hoop and some Aida cloth, and we were on our way. Alas, when I got home and reviewed my purchases, I realized the hoop I bought was so big my project (113: Needlework | Cross-Stitch | Christmas Item) would fall through it. Good thing I got supplies for two projects!

I started item 117 by reading up on cross-stitching and examining my pattern. Another “alas”…I didn’t read the fine print on the pattern and assumed my “easy” descriptor in my google search would have weeded out advanced-level projects. (HAHA! I have horrible google-fu.) I decided to give the project a whirl anyhow. It didn’t look too hard, and it turns out it isn’t. The pattern just uses a lot of different stitches, but if I take them slowly and follow directions, it’s no big deal. It was realizing this that I also realized how big an effect knitting has had on me. Knitting taught me that I can do lots of things if I just practice patience and perseverance and believe I can do it.

Day 5 (Today): Anya and I went back to the store and exchanged the hoop for one the correct size. We ignored un-helpful lady. Instead of nap-time, I let Anya play computer games while I finally started writing all this stuff down. Then, instead of nap time (still), Anya watch cartoons and I pulled out #117. I was about to get started when I realized I was working upside down. (Yes, for this particular project, the fabric has a top and bottom.) I grumbled. I snarfled. Then I wung it (winged it?…is wung a dirty word?), and just moved one pattern’s position and picked up where I’d left off but going in the correct direction.

I think this project is about half done. I’m not sure if I’d say it’s easy, but it isn’t hard. It didn’t cost all that much for the supplies (Maybe $5-6?). And I really like it. If I thought I’d use it, I’d keep it, but since I probably wouldn’t, it will make a cool gift.

Hey, guess what? I can do cross-stitch. Also, I think I lost about a million parenting points today.