The Utah State Fair

This year completed one of my goals in my life.  Ever since I've been entering my counted cross stitch work to the fair, I've secretly hoped that I could win a sweepstakes reward.  Every year I had hopes and every year it didn't happen.  One year I got a runner up for the Sweepstakes but it didn't make it.  This year Neal and I met the Gertsons at the fair.  I asked them how I did and they wouldn't tell me.  I was afraid that I hadn't done very well and they were trying to not get my hopes up.  We entered the Fine Arts building and this is what I saw:  A blue ribbon on my Singing Polly Wolly Doodle All the Day.  I loved doing this project.

 From there we found this one.  I got a second prize - red ribbon - on this one.  I don't know why but will have to look when I pick it up.  There are always comments on the back of the name card that tells you why you didn't get a first.  I might add here, that everyone seems to know who this will be given to except the person that it is going to.  How funny.  Family members just figured it out the minute they looked at it.  In fact one of the Gertsons said, "I know who that is going to."  Just that sure.  And her guess was absolutely correct.

 This next one was a first place for a Christmas stitchery.  I love this one.  It is very quiet and very subtle.  One of my favorites.  Who will get this one.  Don't know yet.  So there was one more to go.  Annie made some comment about they couldn't find the 4th one and we would have to go look for it.  Emmi took my hand and they all carefully led me around to the center of the hall and there to my surprise . . .

 was my family cross stitch with the Sweepstakes ribbon!  I was brought to tears.  This is probably one of the hardest and one of my very favorite stitching projects I've done so far.  It deserved a Sweepstakes Ribbon because it is about my family.  It represents all of us and the journey we have been through and are continuing on.

 I have to say "thank you" to my sister Lila Mae who started me stitching at the young age of 8 years old.  Every summer she would get me doing a project when I stayed with her.  Thanks Lila Mae for your patients in teaching me.  It paid off!!