Every year about this time crafters get extremely busy finalizing their entries for various state fairs.  There are few honors higher than winning a state fair ribbon for a craft.  Many magazines feature state fair winners in special issues and if you are lucky, the patterns for their projects are available in those magazines.  I generally think of this for crochet and sometimes knitting and usually with incredibly beautiful afghans.

If you have a creation in a craft and would like to enter it into competition into a fair, it is time to get the entry submitted.  It isn’t very difficult and could be wonderful exposure for you should you wish to go professional with your work. 

Go to Google.com and type in the state fair you are interested in.  Each fair, of any reasonable size, has its own official site.  Then go to the section that addresses competitions, find your category, and read the rules and regulations.  These are usually in .pdf files so have your Adobe Reader installed.  Applications are often available on the sites as well. 

Give it a shot.  It could be fun.  And even if you don’t win anything, you will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Well, until you do it again next year!  And I can promise you will meet new people and make some forever friends.

Much of the joy in crafting results from the community that is formed by crafters.  Do you have a crafting community where you live?  Do you know other crafters?  They don’t have to be crafters that do the same exact craft as you; in fact, it is more interesting if crafters pursuing various interests know each other as well.  Of course, finding groups of people who do the same crafts is valuable as well because of the available information and experience.

I found a Web site that is for people who live in a city in Texas.  You may live thousands of miles from Texas and be unable to participate, but this is a great matrix to form a crafting community for your own area.  This particular set of clubs is formed around the passion of quilting, but imagine it with knitting, crocheting, painting, stained glass or any other craft; better yet, imagine it with a bunch of different crafts. 

Take a look.  I think you will like what Stitchin Heaven is doing.

Stitchin Heaven’s Quilt Clubs

School is out for many a child.  That means total joy for a few days, and then the refrain starts.  “I’m bored.”  That makes me crazy.  I don’t see how anyone can ever be bored - I have never had time to be bored, even as a kid.  But I’ve heard it more times than I care to admit it from my own kids.  This is a good time to collect up some crafting ideas for the kids - get some they can do alone and others they require an adult - family crafts are fun and this one will be especially fun because it will be a wonderful gift for your cat and super entertainment for you as you watch kitty play with it.

The Kitty Climber is a wonderful craft.  I have had similiar objects for my cats and they go nuts over these things.  It is also good for them as they get exercise.  They tend to act completely insane on them (Here’s a tip - rub some catnip on the climber when it is done - watch your cats go completely wacko!).  It is so much fun.  Get the camcorder out too - you might make it into one of the home video shows.

Remember this craft takes adult supervision.  It isn’t appropriate for kids alone.  But bring the kids along to choose the carpet scraps; get lots of colors - the cats won’t care but it adds to the entertainment.

And yes, this is a photograph of one of my cats.  Her name is Precious and she truly is.  She weighs all over 4.5 pounds and is a holy terror.  NO ONE crosses Precious.  But she is not at all spoiled.  *discreet cough*  Not even a little bit.

Kitty Climber

Woodburning really fascinates me.  I must admit.  I have not done it.  But my interest is still there.  I think it is one of the most intriguing crafts that people do.  People with an artistic ability make a piece of wood into something magical.  But what I think is the best part of woodburning is that you don’t need to be an artist.  There are templates and patterns all over that you can use.

Finding the equipment to begin is not difficult.  My local Walmart has most of what a beginner would need.  A hobby shop or craft store would have even more.  And of course there is a lot online for more experienced woodburning artists.

I did find a site I think would be of interest to many people brand new to this craft.  The front page has a tutorial; read through it - you might find this is a craft you can really get into.

Woodburning Tutorial on Classic Carving Patterns