Grand Prize Winner!

I am very proud to present the grand prize winner: Cindy Palmer!

She has wanted to learn how to make glass beaded Christmas ornaments for awhile now. Loving glass beads myself, I was more than happy to indulge her. On our journey across I-40 this summer, I brought the glass beads and instructions she requested, and was delighted in how quickly both she and Juanita picked up on the "how to" and made their ornaments. We were running out of time, so I didn't get to see the finished product in person.

They finished making their beautiful ornaments, and have since moved on ahead to make several more, and are trying new patterns now! Great work!! It was a lot of fun to sit and bead together, can't wait to do it again.

They entered many things in the Randolph County Fair in Pocahontas, AR, in August. Between Juanita, Cindy and Betty, they won several ribbons. First and second place ribbons for canned peaches, tomatoes, peach pits, and more. Betty won first place for her tie dyed shirt and grand prize for a beaded doll dress. Juanita won First place for her ornament, see below! And Cindy...won first and grand champion prize for her beaded ornament in the youth division!

Next, the winning items qualified to go ahead to the District Fair in Jonesboro, AR, last weekend. Cindy placed grand champion, again!!! Now she gets to go to the State Fair in Little Rock, AR, in October! Good luck, Cindy.

There were other winners, but Juanita still had to go pick up everything to let us know who won what the last time we talked. Don't you just love county fairs? Brings back fond memories. Mom really loved to make unique and interesting crocheted projects and enter them in the St. Mary's County Fair, and she really got "tickled pink" when she won! Makes me smile to think of her telling everyone, and how excited she was to do so. She never gloated or bragged, she was just happy to share what she loved to do.

As for the ornaments, here are the winners:

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Cindy's beaded Christmas ornament

The dark pink are actually buttons that you sew the beads through. These are extra special, because they came from Mom's button jar last summer.

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Juanita's beaded Christmas ornament

ditto on the purple buttons, from Mom's button jar. thanks, Mom!

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Cindy learning how to make the ornaments

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The girls and Chris, all trying out making tie dyed shirts for the first time. We can't wait to try it again now that we know what to do and what to avoid.

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All the tie-dyed shirts, prepped to set and soak overnight. Betty's winning shirt is the one in the middle with the peach and green colors. .

Juanita resting after a very busy weekend. She is feeding Lisa (the red piggie), who is also very shy and, up until that moment, had never eaten from a hand! I warned Juanita that Lisa wouldn't eat anything, and there she sat making a liar of us all. I tell you, my sister has a healing touch.

Happy Fall to everyone!