Clackamas County Fair 2016

Smiling pigs, Floppy rabbits, Cocky roosters, Bedazzled llamas and a spotted cow.

I almost didn't go. We finally got the hots as in 100 degrees hot. The Clackamas County Fair wouldn't be complete without the paramedics taking someone out for heat stroke.

One of the vendors handed me a free ticket so I went between work shifts on Friday. At 9:30am, it was already 90+.

Once inside, I got wrapped up in my agenda of looking at Hobby Hall, a quick walk past vendors downstairs, then out to the barns for the cutest rabbits and piggies.

My kids and I would enter our creations and then endlessly speculate "WHY?" as to what the judges picked to be ribbon-worthy.

 The lights weren't on yet when I climbed up to Hobby Hall where the textile entries reside (early). Even with low lighting, this scrabble quilt is amazing.

 "Oh No You Didn't" was the title of this adult professional painting.

 Clothing entered. My work shorts won a red ribbon - not a blue ribbon like I expected. This just means someone else entered an adult pant or short that was even better than  my work shorts.

Actually, it's just sadly ridiculous how easy it is to win a blue ribbon. There were even less entries this year than last year. I am on a mission to encourage people to take the time to enter their makes into their county fair. 

County Fairs are one of the last ways to enjoy our agricultural heritage and they are fading away.
 

 My table runner won a blue ribbon! 

All of my items won ribbons which means I can splurge on more fabric once I collect the premiums! Blue pays out $4. We can enter our items at our county fair for free. The ribbons won pay out in cash. Woot!

 Happy dance to someone else showing off their collection of little airplanes.
I might have most, if not all, of these. Ahem.

My airplane items were all together in the same case with the airplane collection. 

My echino blue airplane bag in the back got a blue ribbon, the others a red.

 

Franny the cow. Yep - she had a nametag on - attached to her ear.

Newly shorn and bathed goats.

This smart aleck llama was in the same pen as a spotted llama. I know Teresa would like a better photo of the spotted one but he wasn't cooperating on this super hot day.

Cow butts.

 
 Also, on this super hot weekend was Junk Refunk, an event started last year by my friends at Big White Goose.
This years Junk Refunk was even bigger.

I had a couple of friends working as vendors on Saturday. I loaded up a cooler after work with frozen Otter pops and sunscreen and made the rounds offering vendors a cool treat to either use around their neck or actually eat.  I even had one vendor, who was by herself, avail herself of me as a booth minder while she searched out a bathroom.  

 Lots and lots of people, most of them from out-of-town, came through Junk Refunk and they were buying, in spite of the 90+ temps.

 My friend I went to school with and her younger brother. Their mom still lives across the street from my mom & dad's old house.

Their booth is Farm Vintage.
Out of Sherwood.

Today, it's a tad cooler, and I spent most of the day watering everything outside. I also  rearranged my guest room and straightened it up with fresh sheets and a dusting as well as throwing my kid's stuff willy-nilly into the closet to hide it better.

Hoping your summer is amazing.

Flock And Fiber Festival Canby 2014

Yesterday, I met for the first time, one of my favorite Oregon bloggers, Teresa Kasner.
She writes over Corbett way with stunning views of Mt. Hood, Crown Point & Multnomah Falls - where she does volunteer work every week.
She is a gorgeous photographer and showcases a lot of iconic Oregon scenery.

She made some crocheted bunting that I just love. She used it on her annual family camping trip and it made the canopy very bright and happy.
She has shown Multnomah Falls in all seasons. This one is from last Fall.
She also likes to photograph flowers which I enjoy seeing.

She treks over to Canbyland for the Flock & Fiber Festival most years and I suggested we meet up.

The Flock & Fiber Festival is all about flocks of sheep, goats, alpacas, etc and their fiber.
How to spin it, dye it, knit it, crochet it, felt it.



Felted purses. I liked the felted 'leaf' flap with the burn outs.


Teresa coveted these baskets.


While I need to pull out my felting supplies and do some needle felting.



For the Bunting Queen, Benta,  over in the UK - apparently this trend has made it's way to Oregon. Quite a few booths featured bunting for decoration.

Vendors were selling wool, roving, felted creations, knitting paraphernalia - stitch markers, hand-turned needles - anything to do with sheeps, goats, rabbits, alpacas and llamas.
 
The Spinners were set up outside where the sun finally broke through the clouds and people in their wool jumpers suddenly got hot.

I rather liked the dude on the right with his hair-do.

Teresa brought her husband and two grand kids along. Her husband used to raise goats and told a few stories about how they get the horns off while still babies. These goats with the horns escaped that.
Her husband also flew helicopters in the Vietnam war and afterwards on the oil rigs and I enjoyed those stories too.

It was fun to watch the boys with the goats and alpacas. I miss having small children around.



These boys reached right in to pet these goats and alpacas.











This is for my bloggy friend Gene Black. The denim strips were woven along with some shiny silver  mylar and yellow ribbon to create this large shawl.

The Flock & Fiber Festival is a free event that comes to Canby each September at the fairgrounds. You can register for classes online or just come and watch the animal judging and vendor booths.
People come from far and wide with their creations to show off and talk to fellow fiber artists.

The spinner below in the video was telling me about the "2:00 pm   Spinner’s Triathlon Competition – Central Lawn" on Sunday.

 I've always gone on Saturday after work but next year, I think I'll make time for the Spinner's Triathlon - a fun way to show off your spinning talents.

If you've ever wanted to spin fiber into yarn....