Ok yes as it happens I am doing what every other blogger does and procrastinating about doing an update...It’s been over a month and I guess I better do something about that again!
Anyway, so what’s been happening you ask? Well you know, this and that. I’ve been frantically working on my market stall lately. Last week was my first time at the Strand Night Markets. This is a very different market to the one that I do on a weekly basis. It’s held on the first Friday of every month and is much bigger. There is still a range of types of stall at this one, homemade food, handicrafts, small businesses promoting, some even travel from out of town to have a stall set up. So sure it’s bigger but then that also means much more pressure to stand out! So leading up to the date I was getting extremely nervous at having my table ready in time. Thank fully though my stressing and staying up late nights before didn’t go to waste as it was a good night and I had fun doing it. Next time I will know what to expect so I shouldn’t be as freaked out.
Anyway, so what’s been happening you ask? Well you know, this and that. I’ve been frantically working on my market stall lately. Last week was my first time at the Strand Night Markets. This is a very different market to the one that I do on a weekly basis. It’s held on the first Friday of every month and is much bigger. There is still a range of types of stall at this one, homemade food, handicrafts, small businesses promoting, some even travel from out of town to have a stall set up. So sure it’s bigger but then that also means much more pressure to stand out! So leading up to the date I was getting extremely nervous at having my table ready in time. Thank fully though my stressing and staying up late nights before didn’t go to waste as it was a good night and I had fun doing it. Next time I will know what to expect so I shouldn’t be as freaked out.
We had to set up differently to how we normally do at the willows markets as our site is a slightly different shape and isn’t on a corner. The three of us sharing our stall made our tables into a U shape so people could walk into the area. You will also see that my table is evolving as I learn what works and what doesn’t. My dad being the awesomeness that he is made up the wire grate that I was able to hang my paintings off (There is another one on the way to for the other side). It also worked a treat for hanging my photo frame which I hang some of my earrings on. I had noticed that poor frame often got over looked on my table but this seemed to help it a lot more.
It was a massive change from the willows markets in types of people that you see coming past and looking. Two of the different types you see are lookers and buyers. They always have a different look to them when they are browsing around. Often you get people walk up and you can see them looking back and forth between items, sometimes their wallet even comes out early so you know for sure they are after something. Other times they will look around and point to everything they like, sometimes call over a friend they are with have a smile at what they have seen and then move on. I think to myself when that happens that hopefully they will remember me when they have something that they do need to buy. This is when it helps to have my card on the table as these people sometimes take it as the move on. Whoever it is that comes and visits I try and say hello and greet them with a smile (although during my morning markets it’s a bit trickier to do that when it’s 6am hahaha, I at least smile).
It’s been good though I’ve already learnt a heap doing the markets each week and this one was a massive change. I don’t think I will ever stop being nervous about it though because having all your work on display let alone for sale aswell you always wonder what people are thinking when they see them. It’s always nice to have people come up and get a surprise when I tell them I make everything on my table, especially the tiny origami cranes (I get a heap of “gee you must have a lot of patience” comments with them haha). So yeah back to my old weekly market now until next month :)
