Surfaces again.

For the 40th odd year, we were off to the LA County Fair this weekend. It has changed a lot over the decades, but since the county still has a few agricultural pockets, there are still the animals and the various contests. I miss Irene Whatsherface. and her Wall O' Jam. That woman dominated, I tell you what. And then there's my stomping grounds, the Textile Division. AKA Hand-made garments.

Used to be, there were many divisions, and I learned early on how to game them. Boy's clothes? Ain't nobody who does that. But since I had a couple of sons, that was my jam. Until they got old enough to give home-made the side-eye. But basically I stuck with clothes I made for myself, and got many a ribbon.

So for awhile, things got crazy, and I didn't have the time, but I reentered the fray about 5 years back. But alas, it is a different scene these days. First of all, only 2 divisions. Clothes. And costumes. Then it's the Danish judging system, wherein there is more than one blue ribbon, etc. Since there are only 2 categories, I guess. And worst of all, I think they've lost their little old lady judging panel who used to leave little notes for you. "Buttonholes could have been a little straighter, but those were some sweet seam finishings, sweetie."

So the upshot is that the orange linen dress that had a hella engineering got a blue ribbon, and the Halloween dress (Jane Austin meets La Dia de los Muertos) got a red, which I'm chill with since I basically threw it together in a weekend, and a top that I randomly threw in, becuase I always enter 3 things, also got a red. So I'm pretty chuffed. :)