When you think back on your life, there are some stand-out days and moments. Have you ever thought about those days? You know the ones...the days you can revisit in your mind like they just happened. Yes, there are bad ones that will always stay with you but there are also the good ones. The days that you would like to relive over and over again. My top days are my college graduation, wedding, the birth of my three babies, playing my flute with the Greater Shore Concert Band at Carnegie Hall, watching our first born graduate from college, and winning the Rhinebeck logo in 2019...
Now to top it all off, I won the art contest for Rhinebeck "NY Sheep & Wool Festival" 2024. I got the news a few weeks ago while throwing the ball to my dog, Buddy, in the pumpkin patch field. I had a REALLY good feeling about this one. I love to enter the contest and I have entered many times. When I sent the "VW Bus" design I had the same feeling as I did this time. I just knew the bus design was special and I thought people would love it. It's hard to top that one. I've tried. The past year, I started drawing more and did a few drawings with an animal and big knitted shawl around them. So I went with it...but added some color to the original pencil drawing.
We were heading to a wedding in September. I don't get fancy too often and was putting off getting ready. So naturally, I grabbed my drawing paper and a pencil and started drawing. As my husband kept "reminding" me that we needed to go to the wedding, I said, yup. I know. Hold on. I have a good feeling about this one. I drew it with pencil and then scanned it to make it digital. I added the color in Illustrator. I wanted to make everyone feel included. So I added a muted LGBTQ Pride rainbow and transgender colors in the shawl. After a few different font treatments, I settled on the final one and sent it with my fingers crossed.
My artwork was picked as a top contender an visitors of the 2023 festival had the opportunity to vote.
People voted and I was chosen as the winner. What a thrill. It's hard to explain. My two worlds get to collide again...graphic design and yarn, knitting, all together as one. It's one of those days that will stay with me forever.
My sister, Andee is working on a beautiful shawl pattern to match my logo. Yay!!! She's so talented. Can't wait to see what she comes up with (spoiler...I've seen the prototype and it's fantastic!) I also casted on my official "Rhinebeck Sweater" using some yarn I bought at Rhinebeck 2023. I am making the Cold Sunshine. I just started but I'm thinking about our upcoming trip to Rhinebeck every stitch I make.
i knew you were going to win, i knew it!! there were some really good ones, you had great competition, but yours was the best!! i can not wait for october and this years festival, it's going to be awesome!! every single stitch in my sweater is knitted with such intent. i know the sweater is for me and that i am going to wear it with such pride. thanks for all of your help and encouragement!!
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