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State Fair entries

BevG

BevG

If I can't remember it, it didn't happen
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Dec 26, 2015
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I decided to enter my layouts into our State Fair's scrapbooking judging. Here is the thing - they have all these different categories (maybe 15 or so) for traditional scrapping and only 1 category for digital. They need to get with the times. Anyway, last year there were like 6 entries in the Digital category, so I am thinking my chances of winning are pretty good. The Blue Ribbon last year was some photos grouped together on a blue page with no embellishments and just some journaling.

Their judging criteria is heavy on the story telling, then creativity. I can only enter 3 pages unless they are double spreads. So how do I decide what to enter? The entries must have not been entered before (easy as this is my first time) and must have been created within the past year. I thought about entering an art journaling page but I am afraid it may freak them out and be disqualified since it is "art" and not "scrapbooking".

So if you want to help me out, could you comment on a layout of mine that you think I should enter?

Has anyone else done this? Any tips?
 
No ... I have to be honest and admit I don't go to the fair much anymore. It's been years. My daughter went with her friend and her friend entered the photography contests and won 3 ribbons for different categories - my daughter said "Mom - there's even a contest for old people - you should enter next year!" lol. So I'm tempted to try for next year ... because like yours I don't think they get a lot of participation in some of that stuff. I haven't seen scrapbooking at ours though.

Since you can have 3 entries: I might try one that you think would win based on what they are looking for - sounds like strong photography - multiple photos on one page - clean style?
maybe something like these:




then enter one for the beautiful storytelling component? like this one :beat :


and then enter one just because YOU LOVE it! I say go for it with one of your Aj pages. Hey - could be all new judges this year. Or you could inspire them to create more than one digi category in the future?

Good Luck!
 
Thanks Jenn. I am thinking clean and simple might work, although I am thinking a messy, AJ sort of one with a pic might too. The other scrapbook categories are things like Travel, Family, etc. and people can enter up to 3 entries in each one.
 
Best of Luck with your choices but here is the ones I love:

full


full


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Bev, I never even thought about entering the state fair for anything, let alone digiscrap. You've got me thinking! I Googled my state fair and found out there are 52 categories for scrapbooking. Guess how many are labeled digital? ONE. They have categories like "elementary School, two-page layouts" and "Collector/Hobby Page," but only one category that says "Digital Page." I'm assume that means a digital scrapbook page and not "a page that has an electronic item as its theme." Anyway, the Scrapbooking category says "any color or size paper may be used. Any stickers, die-cuts or embellishments are allowed," so if I really wanted to be assertive, I could say "you said ANY embellishment or paper, so I chose digital papers and embellishments for my pages." Would I get in trouble? Probably. But maybe they'd open up the categories eventually?

As far as your own pages, I think you could win with any of them, but I think you're right to shy away from Art Journaling...although maybe that'd help "wake up" the judges to new styles of scrapping? IDK. Anyway, here are some I think are beautiful:
the blending and painty bits have an AJ feel without being too "much" for the fair:


 
How cool that there's a scrapbook entry for the state fair. It got me wondering and I checked my state's fair competitions. There's a broad "paper crafts" competition with one section for single page layouts and another for 2 page spreads. I don't think they would allow digital unless they think it fits the 80% paper qualification (I mean, a printed page would only be paper right?).

I was drawn to these layouts for possible entries:
Sibling Friends

Sibling Friends

  • Media owner BevG
  • Date added
  • Comments 3
Boone Hall Garden

Boone Hall Garden

  • Media owner BevG
  • Date added
  • Comments 4
Sunset At My House

Sunset At My House

  • Media owner BevG
  • Date added
  • Comments 5
(I like this for the art journal style with photos, also something that might stand out because you have to really look to be sure its digital!)
 
Never was able to find the information on our state fair which is in 2018 but last year they didn't offer digital although the year before they had a digital category but it had to be a double page spread. For the 2018 Strawberry Festival they have 4 categories: Traditional (double page layout), Digital (entire album), Mini Album (8x8 or smaller), and Pocket Page (double page layout). You can enter each category once. I also checked the art section (I think it was when I could find the State Fair stuff or it might have been for 2017) and they stated NO DIGITAL ART. Boo hiss to them! I say go for it in any case.
 
Ooo, fun! Good Luck - I love the Butterfly layout!

Tiff might be able to answer some of your questions. I believe she entered some layouts and won some ribbons for her work! I love her style, but maybe she can show you what actually won or provide some tips! @Tiff
 
Tree City said:
Bev, I never even thought about entering the state fair for anything, let alone digiscrap. You've got me thinking! I Googled my state fair and found out there are 52 categories for scrapbooking. Guess how many are labeled digital? ONE. They have categories like "elementary School, two-page layouts" and "Collector/Hobby Page," but only one category that says "Digital Page." I'm assume that means a digital scrapbook page and not "a page that has an electronic item as its theme." Anyway, the Scrapbooking category says "any color or size paper may be used. Any stickers, die-cuts or embellishments are allowed," so if I really wanted to be assertive, I could say "you said ANY embellishment or paper, so I chose digital papers and embellishments for my pages." Would I get in trouble? Probably. But maybe they'd open up the categories eventually?
Click to expand...

Sounds exactly like mine!!!! Get with the times people!! So if you do traditional, you could enter a buzillion pages and if digital just 3. Sigh... p.s most of the traditional ones were pretty over the top or just rather boring.

I was also considering entering Photography, but it is one - just 1 - uno - photo printed, framed, and ready to hang. I guess they get tooo many entries otherwise. No categories either - just one.
 
BevG said:
Sounds exactly like mine!!!! Get with the times people!! So if you do traditional, you could enter a buzillion pages and if digital just 3. Sigh... p.s most of the traditional ones were pretty over the top or just rather boring.

I was also considering entering Photography, but it is one - just 1 - uno - photo printed, framed, and ready to hang. I guess they get tooo many entries otherwise. No categories either - just one.
Click to expand...
At least you get to enter 3 pages per category: mine says only ONE page per category, which means (unless they allow my digital pages in the "regular" categories) that I can enter only one page, total, in the fair. The rules state that scrapbook pages MUST be in a page protector or in a 3-ring binder (or similar type), which to me means that you couldn't go too "over the top"? I figure I'll print out some pages and put them in a page protector. You should try the same thing--unless your rules specifically states "scrapbook pages must be made with physical items" or something like that.

As far as photography, I think you should enter one! Why not at least try?
 
I did enter in the California State Fair several different years. They were very paper oriented and some years quite anti-digital (ranging from specifically stating "no digital" in the rules, to actually disqualifying my entries although the rules were vague and I had been encouraged to enter- I gave up on them after that experience). I used "old" pages I had already made (within the rules), but I did try to make improvements to them to make them more competitive. The guidelines were it had to be a 2-pager and there had to be at least 3 photos.

I did get an honorable mention the first time, and then I think they gave me a 3rd place the second year I participated. After that it went downhill.

Here are the pages I saw in your gallery that I think are strong:

I think this one has great journaling in a creative style.


This one has great journaling and photos, and is just so pretty.


Great journaling, a fun and interesting story with lots of details, and fun pics too:


Very creative and artistic, with unique journaling. Not sure if photo-less is something the judges will be looking for, though:


This one is just really fun and happy, and it reminds me of a traditional paper style, which the CA judges really liked:
 
I need to read through all of the responses... but also look in the photography category. I used to enter digital scrapbook pages under "photo collage" in the "creative photography" section at the fair.
 
I tracked down my entries that won.

This was the first year, and I got "Award of Merit" There actually had to be at least 4 photos. This was originally just the left hand side, and I added the right side just for the fair.
Lighthouse_statefair.jpg


This was the second year I entered, and I actually got 2nd place:
Tiff_Barn_october2page600.jpg


If they have fewer digital categories this year, that might mean they didn't get a lot of entries last year. One of the things I picked up on was that they would be happy to offer a digital category if they though they'd get entries. But then, when you go and say "no digital" that doesn't really encourage anyone.
 
Oh Drat!! I just read the rules again --->
"Due to volume and space, there is a limit of three entries per person. PICK YOUR BEST 3 DIFFERENT LOT NUMBERS
OUT OF THE 11 LISTED BELOW. .... All entries designed on a computer using software for pages must be entered in the digital category regardless of theme. Scrapbook pages should include journaling - they should tell a story."

So just 3 entries per person - unless you are digital and then you only get one.

Ahhhh - but I can enter 4 ATC in the Cards category using the "artist's preferred style and medium".

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I have a few week to pick out one.
 
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Oh gosh, it's a good thing you looked at the rules again! But that's still unfair to Digital scrappers! Out of courtesy, they should either open up ALL scrapbooking categories to ALL scrappers (paper and digital--and hybrid!) or they should allow DS contestants to submit three pages in one category.
 
I second (or maybe it's third??) the layout with the tractor, I LOVE that one!!

Maybe I'm totally cliche', but what about the layout with the cute little goats??

 
I used to enter paper layouts in our state fair when I did a lot of that kind of scrapbooking. They don't even have a category for digital, though, so I don't enter any more. I also found that the judges seemed to prefer kid/family (okay, mostly kid) related layouts, where most of mine were about travel or documenting little bits of life.

Sometimes it comes down to the person in charge not being knowledgeable about different types of scrapbooking. I don't know if you have the time or the desire to do so, but they might welcome some help setting up categories and rules in the future if you were to contact them to volunteer!

I took a peek in your gallery, and these jumped out at me as potential entries:







 
Well, for one thing you are going to blow them away so I hope you do enter. If nothing else, it will open people's eyes to how good digital scrapbook pages can be. So please do! I can see have so many gorgeous suggestions for pages already - and the hardest thing will be to choose!
 
Wow, this is pretty cool. I had no idea that scrapbooking was part of the state fair. Too bad you only get to pick one.
I love this one for storytelling and layout.

 
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