The 2012 Iowa State Fair Coloring Contest Entries!!

Okay, so for the past couple years, Livie has been entering the Iowa State Fair's kids' coloring contest. (Here's the 2010 entry, and here's the 2011 entry, where she won 2nd Place for her "Anything Goes.")

Well, she's entering the contest again, this year, and she's really excited about it!

Each year, they hold a coloring contest for kids ages 3-10. They have age group categories (3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10), and an "Anything Goes" category.

For the age group, they are to use crayons, markers, and/or colored pencil to color their coloring sheets (each age group has its own picture).

The "Anything Goes" division (one picture for all ages) is where they can use anything to decorate their sheet - glitter, stickers, crayons, markers, felt . . . whatever they can imagine!

Each year, the pictures' themes change.

Last year, since it was the 100th anniversary of the famous Butter Cow, each division's theme had something to do with the butter cow. (Liv won 2nd Prize for her "Anything Goes" Butter Cow!)

This year, the theme has to do with some very tasty fair treats. For the 5-6 age group, the coloring sheet showcased the Fair's famous chocolate chip cookies.

Here's Liv proudly displaying her finished 2012 age group entry, having chosen to use crayons only (though she briefly considered using either her markers or colored pencils):

Yes, she added smiley faces on the "tablecloth."

These cookies at the Iowa State Fair, by the way, are SO GOOD!! Mmmmm! You can get them by the cup, or by the bucket (as seen in the picture)! When you buy them, they are warm and chewy, and the chocolate chips are gooey, and you can't eat just one. They are the best!! I don't know if it's because we only get them at the Iowa State Fair, or if they are really THAT GOOD, but we've never had better!

(Can you believe that I don't even remember whose cookies they are?! This year, when we stop at the Varied Industries Building, I'm going to take a picture and tell you all about it.)

Okay, enough about the cookies.

Alright, alright . . . back to the coloring contest.

So this year's "Anything Goes" division showcases a delicious three-scoop ice cream cone. Liv used crayons, ink stamps, glitter glue, sequins, and specially decorated art paper.

Here's her 2012 "Anything Goes" artwork (she especially loves the glittery "cherry" on top):

And here's where she wanted to display them both, together:

We're putting them in an envelope and taking them to the post office tomorrow, first thing. They should be in Des Moines by Tuesday (or Wednesday, at the latest); the deadline is July 30th.(Come to think of it, that's a bit earlier than previous years, if I remember correctly. I think the first year, it was early, early August. Oh, well - not that it matters - we'll get it in with plenty of time!)

Wish Liv luck! She's really hoping to top last year's 2nd Place entry by winning 1st this year. (She really, really wants that blue ribbon!)