R is for ...

RIBBONS!

Growing up in the Raleigh area has always put me at the heart of many North Carolina things – the Legislature, Governor’s Mansion, the Capitol Building, but most importantly the North Carolina State Fair. I have always had a fascination and love for the Fair. It is one of those prime events that no matter what is going on in my life, I will rearrange my entire schedule not to miss a day or two or even the entire ten days of the State Fair. As a child, I remember always walking through the exhibits and seeing all the ribbons that individuals won for various entries they had submitted. I always wanted one of those ribbons, but as a kid, I didn’t really understand how to do all the entries and compete for a grand prize. I used to dream of winning a ribbon of any color; just to have a ribbon from the North Carolina State Fair would be the icing on the cake to me! Of course, deep down, I always desired to have a Blue Ribbon aka First Place, but I kept thinking to myself “what in the world am I good enough at to win a blue ribbon for?” Starting in 2010, I finally got up the nerve to enter some entries in the North Carolina State Fair; and each year since, I have been blessed and honored to win a number of ribbons – including two blue ones!!! I thought I would use this blog (letter “R”) to share my ribbons and the stories that go along with them! This is not meant to be a bragging rights blog, but one of admiration and honor of achieving an accomplishment I have dreamed of since childhood.

2010 – Honorable Mention in Scrapbooking, Category Theme: Kids

As I mentioned above, 2010 marked the first year I ever entered any item in the North Carolina State Fair, and I was no longer a child – I was just shy of turning 28 to be exact (now you know how old I am, but it’s just a number and the Fair makes me a kid at heart!)...Anyways, I had joined the scrapbooking craze that was sweeping the nation, but by no means, did I consider myself very good at it. The State Fair allows you to enter scrapbooking pages based on Hobbyist, Professional and Youth, and they have up to nine different themed categories to choose to enter, so I decided that I would give it a shot and test the waters. In 2010, they allowed us to enter in two different categories. I chose to enter in Travel/Vacation and Kids. I did not even anticipate winning anything; I was just going to be honored if they even chose to hang mine up (at times, due to the volume of entries, they cannot display them all). My Travel page was on a trip I had taken to Bald Head Island and it was displayed but did not receive a ribbon. I was okay with that because I did not consider it to be any of my best work. My Kids page was based on a friends’ little daughter. I was tickled pink to say the least when I saw that I had a ribbon. It may have only been an Honorable Mention, but hey! that was a ribbon from the North Carolina State Fair!! I felt like I had accomplished something in life!

2011 – Fourth Place in Scrapbooking, Category Theme: Kids;
Second Place in Cakes, Category: Flavored Mock Pound Cake

After winning a ribbon in 2010, I just knew I had to continue entering. I decided that may not ever achieve the blue ribbon, but that was okay. The fun and thrill that comes along with walking through the State Fair looking at exhibits and seeing something you made hung on display for the thousands and millions to see, is just overwhelming. I think I got a wee-bit carried away in 2011 though because I entered in scrapbooking, card making, photography and cake baking – a little bit extreme, huh?! This year, for whatever reason, we were only allowed to enter in one scrapbooking category, so I chose to enter in the kids category again capturing Makayla’s first trip to the rodeo. I was surprised and honored to have won Fourth Place and a Pink Ribbon – the ribbon even matched the page. My ultimate surprise came when we went over to the building containing all the baked goods. I was nervous as a cat because the rules and guidelines for how you are judged on your food is very strict and I did not have high hopes; plus, I had just started experimenting with baking cakes, so I thought what is there to lose. Staring at all the cases of cakes I wondered how were you ever to able find your own cake since they all looked so similar. Someone asked one of the ladies working there if she could help us locate my cake. She told us what case it was in and said it is the one with the RED Ribbon. I just stopped in mid-step and thought “did she literally just say RED?” Sure enough, I found my cake and hanging down proudly was a RED ribbon. I had just won SECOND Place at the State Fair for my made-from-scratch cake!!! That was the most unbelievable feeling in the world. I will likely never make a cake like that again my whole life!

2012 – Third Place in Scrapbooking, Category Theme: Travel/Vacation
First Place in Scrapbooking, Category Theme: Military/Tribute

To say 2012 was overpowering was likely an understatement. I entered three items in various baking categories, none of which placed but all my critiques were positive and very helpful. And, additionally, I entered in three scrapbooking categories: Kids, Travel/Vacation and Military/Tribute. I had been perusing thru a magazine and saw an idea for a poster to display on your wall to chronicle all of our travels, and I decided to turn that idea in to a scrapbook page, as I had already had a lot of adventures over the 2012 year. I was so honored to receive a Third Place ribbon on that page. It was a lot of hard-work to make that page, and it was such an honor to continue to my climb each year. My Kids page did not earn a ribbon that year, but that was okay, too. As I continued to view my competitors’ pages, I could not locate my Military/Tribute page, so disappointment hit me as I thought that maybe had not displayed it. That was until I turned around and ran smack in to a blue ribbon at my eye level hanging astutely on my Grandfather’s page. Immediately tears welled up in my eyes, tears not for winning a First Place, Blue Ribbon, but tears for the page itself and the story behind it. My Grandfather, William “Bill” Foster, was a quiet man who helped many a person but shied from all honor and recognition. He was a very humble man, to say the least. I decided to take a collection of his photos from his World War II days in Europe and make a page to honor him. When I realized I had won a ribbon on the page I did in honor of my Grandfather, I was overcome with emotion – and to realize it was a First Place ribbon, I had no words. I had to leave the building before I burst in to tears, but I immediately got on the phone with family and friends to share my excitement. During the Fair that year, each time I went, I would go see my Blue Ribbon to touch it; I just could not fathom that I had won an actual Blue Ribbon at the North Carolina State Fair – what an honor!!

2013 – The Year of the Trifecta
Third Place – Scrapbooking, Category Theme: North Carolina
Second Place – Scrapbooking, Category Theme: Pets
First Place – Scrapbooking, Category Theme: Military/Tribute

After winning a Blue Ribbon in the 2012 North Carolina State Fair, I seriously pondered not entering anything during 2013. I had started a new job and was extremely busy; so time was going to be an issue and I had accomplished my dream many times of over of winning a ribbon at the Fair. But ultimately with the thrill of it all, I couldn’t resist. I set a new goal for my scrapbooking competition – second place! I had already obtained the blue ribbon, now I needed to aim for Second Place, as that was the only ribbon I had not received in Scrapbooking – rather odd to aim for Second Place, huh? I went in to the 2013 State Fair with the realization that I may not win anything at all, and that was fine with me because I had my blue ribbon and I was content. Little did I know that 2013 was going to surpass 2012 and just completely floor me – I nailed the trifecta, so to speak, winning a ribbon in each category I entered – it honestly cannot get much better than that! I received Third Place in the newest category a North Carolina theme, which I did a 30 year look-back of my adventures at the Fair from a child to the present. I received Second Place (yes, goal achieved!) in the Pets category on the story of survival of my sweet Bernie Puggles (which has been previously blogged about). But most shockingly for the second year in a row, I won a First Place ribbon in the Military/Tribute category. It was such an amazing experience and feeling to do a page dedicated to all those servicemen who sacrificed so much during World War II, and to win another ribbon for that was just incredible.

Through all of my experiences, I have learned to never give up on a dream, as one day it may come to fruition. I dreamed as a child of winning one ribbon at the North Carolina State Fair; never in my wildest dreams would I have realized that I would have won eight! I am extremely honored to have won so many, no matter what placing they were in. Many have already asked what am I planning for 2014 – will I enter again? If so, what categories? Will you continue your reign as the Military/Tribute queen? The answer to all those questions remains unanswered. Usually by now, I would have a game plan laid out for my entries, as we have to sign up by September (which is still a little ways off), but I will seriously have to do some planning this year. I would love to three-peat in the Military/Tribute category, but I believe it is time to pass the torch on to someone else (not to mention, I am running out of black & white WWII photos, ha!). I am already contemplating another cake, but we shall see. But to each of you readers, take a step out of your comfort zone and try something new – enter in a competition or just try something new, you never know when you may be rewarded. Dream big and aim for the sky! Never give up on your goals, dreams or anything – keep trying!