Instructables.com

So, I found this fan.tast.ic. website, www.instructables.com.  It is literally DIY Heaven (I think that's actually their motto).  You can create a tutorial and post it to their website, you can view a tutorial for EVERYTHING on their website, you can enter contests on their website, you can vote for contests on their website.... Y'all probably see where this is going :)

I entered a tutorial into 2 contests - the First Time Authors Contest, and the Fall for Yarn Challenge.  I was wondering if y'all wouldn't mind heading over to their website at this link (like, click this text right here. It should be purple or blue or something.)  and voting for my project, which is a Crochet Bobble Beard.  It's really cool :)

If you do take the time to click the link to go vote (which doesn't take more than 3 min) follow these steps:

1.  When you click the link, it will go straight to the contests page.  However, you have to sign in to vote.  If you already have an account (it would be, like, really cool if you did) just go ahead and login at the top then A) click the "explore" button at the top of the page next to the search bar, B) click the "contests" button on the top left of the menu that will come down, C) scroll about halfway down the contests page, click on the "Fall for Yarn", scroll down to the entries, and click the "vote" button at the bottom of mine (which, once again, is this super cool Crochet Bobble Beard modeled by my lovely younger sister :D)  If you don't already have an account, you can...
2.  Sign in with Gmail, Facebook, or Twitter.  Do this by scrolling down to the entries on the contest page and clicking  the "vote" button.  A window will pop up with sign in options.  When you choose your sign in option, you'll sign in and it will take you to the main page of the website.  After that you can just follow A, B, and C of numero uno up there (number 1 :D)

When you figure that out, you're more than welcome to do the same for the First Time Authors Contest (there are quite a few more entries, almost 400 - mine is only a few rows down though bc it's more recent).  You can find it on the Contest page as well.

Well, that was an incredibly long blog post.  I have some super cool Nail Art and Crochet DIY's/Photo-Showcase-whatever thingys, plus the results of the 2015 TN Valley Fair (!!!).  Thank you all soooo much for reading all this and voting for my project!  I'm really excited! Stay tuned...

** Please feel free to share the link to this post with your friends, on social media, etc.  I'm trying to spread the word as much as possible! :)

... and the results are in!!!

Hey guys!!! Here are some of the creations I entered in the Tennessee Valley Fair this year.  I work on these projects all year round and take 'em down to the fairgrounds every September!!!  They stay on display for about two weeks them I pick them up and bring them home to enjoy!  So here they are!

Painting, "Tree of Life" - First Place:  I did this in a school art class over the course of three-four weeks.  Everyone did something similar to this and all the variations were super cool!

Painting, "Seasons" - Best of Show:  I did this at home over the course of 2-3 weeks.  It is supposed to be kind of "abstract-y" with the four seasons depicted in different sections of the canvas: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall/Autumn.  

Skirt - Best of Show:  I made this at home for Easter.  I think I actually made it over the course of about 2 days because I was so excited to finish my first clothing project on my own ;)

Dress - Best of Show:  This Dress I made at 4-H Sewing Camp this summer.  The Extension Agents put it at the top of the display so it wouldn't get stolen so it is kind of hard to see ;)  I will post a better picture after I get it back.

Photography, Building - Second:  This is the top of a Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic.  I went to Prague back in October (2013) and took this picture while I was there.  I accidentally cut off the top of the tower... I'm actually not sure how that happened ;)

Photography, People - First (the blue ribbon!):  I went outside the day before the drop-off deadline and randomly took this picture.  It actually did pretty good!!!

Baking, White Chocolate/Butterscotch Cookies - Best of Show:  Ok, so the Fair Staff had to change the tag on these cookies I entered.  For some reason they put them in the "lower calorie cookies" category which didn't make sense... These cookies contain 2 sticks of butter, 3 cups of sugar, and a ton of other un-named high calorie ingrediants... I don't think any further explanation to my confusion is necessary ;)

Decorative Bottle - Third:  I made this at a 4-H project group night during the previous "4-H year".  I added the (fake!) flowers to match my room and put it on my dresser.  You can do lots of fun stuff with these and use them for practically anything!!!

Painting, "untitled" - First:  My mom went on a mission trip to Ethiopia back in July.  While she was there, she took a LOT of pictures.  One of them was of an Ethiopian sunset.  I painted the sunset for her birthday in August and "borrowed" it back to enter in the fair ;)

Vest - Second:  Back in the Spring, I was visiting my cousin and we were playing around with some fabric.  We ended up designing and sewing a vest entirely on our own!!!  Sadly, her sewing machine messed up right at the end and we were unable to finish the vests together before I had to go home... but... I brought the piece(s) back with me and finished it to enter!!!  Yay!!!

Cross-stitch - First:  I also started this cross-stitch with my cousin (we do a lot of crafts together ;D) back in the Spring.  I meant to finish it over the Summer but I was so busy with swim team and 4-H camps that I didn't pick it back up until around the middle of August.  The one time this Summer I was able to work on it, I couldn't find the pattern!  ;(  Oh well, it's finished now ;)

Salsa - Didn't place:  This summer I also attended a 4-H canning class.  It was super fun and we learned all the basics of making/canning salsa.  It tastes really good too!!!

Quilt - First:  I made my first quilt this summer at a 4-H summer quilting camp.  I'm telling you, 4-H has camps for EVERYTHING!!!   Seriously!!! ;)  It was super fun learning how to piece the quilt top... the worst part was probably waiting to pick it up from the store where the lady put the design in it!  (I strongly dislike waiting ;D)

Table Top Demonstration: How to Sew a Pillow - Best of Show:  Every year, 4-Her's in the 4-8 grades put together some kind of demonstration on how to do something or informing people of something.  I presented mine at Local level where it then went on to County and won, Regional and won second, then back to County to win again!  (You can't advance to state until high school)  Now, It's on display at the fair... I wonder how many people have touched my pillow in the past 5 days???

Painted Gourd - Second:  I entered my painted gourd over in the adult entry building.  I have pictures of the 4 "sides" (it's round so I don't think it really has sides ;D) at this page (scroll down some).  Here you can pretty much see the bird on one side and part of the tree.  You really have to see the flowers up close to tell what they are.

Hope ya'll enjoyed this post!!!  The fair only comes once a year and I make the most of it when it does come!  Also, you are pretty much getting paid to display your stuff so that is a bonus ;)  More coming soon!!!