After Mom and I left the Illinois building on the first Friday of the fair we headed over to the Hobbies, Arts & Crafts building.
But first we stopped off at the Village of Cultures, formerly the Ethnic Village, for a Saganaki. Last year the Saganaki was disappointing because they didn’t cook it long enough.
It sure looks delicious in the picture. This time it was cooked perfectly, but…way too salty. I haven’t been eating as much salt lately so I guess my taste buds have changed. Oh well, next year I’ll get a delicious gyro.
And then, the HA&C building. This is my favorite building and the one where I’m likely to take too many photos. I just like going in the building and seeing the rows and rows of corn and tomatoes and stuff, and the cases full of fruits and vegetables.
We stopped off at one of the Award booths which contained many Grand Champions, and this suit won a whole bunch of awards. I realized this isn’t the best photo because of the glare. But it won for “Adult casual three-piece outfit,” “Adult’s garment made by an adult,” and “Best wool garment.” I’ve been trying to study the lengthy textile competition rules online and I can’t figure out how it was awarded CHAMPION. I think that’s the “Best wool garment” one. Many categories, but not as many as in Floriculture.
Bird houses and bird feeders. I liked the one made of corks and also the one covered in shiny beads.
I can’t look up this creation because the number is cut off, but I believe it must have won third place for “most hideous ceramic item.” I think it’s an alligator wearing sunglasses? Maybe it’s in the junior category? I bet if I made something this ugly when I was a kid, Mom would still have it on display at her house.
I’m spending waaaay too much time on this Saturday night studying the Hobbies rules. It’s funny that there are many different kinds of handcrafted stuff; woodworking, ceramics, basket weaving, holiday crafts – but only the ceramics category has a senior class with either “Any piece” or “any piece, glazed.” Plus the senior category starts at age. 55. I could have entered YEARS ago.
I thought this was quite cool, a jet made of Legos. In the rules it said it had to be made by an adult, and not from a kit. Lots of work, I’m guessing?
Best cookie! Best in show! This is very cool, a bunch of cookies in the shape of the state with various Illinois things on them. For sure I’d have given this a grand prize.
French dang bread. I believe I wrote about this last time (and I’m sure I wrote indignantly many years ago when it happened) but I entered French bread so many years ago and got no ribbon whatsoever. I know my French bread looked at least as good as these two entries, definitely better than the second place one, plus there were only two entries this year so I could have at least won third place!
But like I wrote before, it’d be a big waste of a delicious loaf for only a stupid ribbon that would just collect dust. The cash prizes for French bread are $12, $8, and four measly dollars.
I need to get over the loss of a French Bread Award. It’s suddenly occurring to me that I have a problem letting stuff go. Let it go, Grace, let it go.
Both of these were so darn cute.
I thought the decorated cakes were lovely, but in poring over the rules, it says that decorated cakes MUST NOT BE MADE OF CAKE. it reads NO REAL CAKE IS ALLOWED. I find that a little odd and also funny, but I guess they must have had lots of entries in previous years that couldn’t withstand sitting around in a case, and they probably sagged down in a very unappealing manner. Not real cakes, who knew?
One other interesting thing I discovered in the very strict Culinary rules starts out with “Goods sent by parcel post…” Really? People mail in their cookies and pies and cakes? Obviously somebody somewhere must do that, because it says they have to be sent prepaid, and lists an address where to send the stuff. I sure would like to know more about that, and what those culinary items look like when they arrive.
And that wraps up the first part of the Hobbies, Arts & Crafts stuff. More excitement to follow!
Ok then,
Mrs. Saturday Night Whooping It Up Hughes.