don't diss the little local market events

Greetings all,
So you might do big markets which are proven, tried & tested success, but don't diss the little local market events too.  They are usually inexpensive to have a stall or it's a free stall + donation to a raffle.  You have nothing to lose, other than time & energy to set up & stand by your stall. The atmosphere is fun & festive, take your children along, you'll meet new people from your local community who can discover you & they're normally short events. 

This is the MOCCA (Manuka Child Care) Spring Fair i did on Saturday, i know, a market just hours before my handsome soldier flew in??!!  It was a good distraction.  I just set up a very small, easy stall with an umbrella & took lots of my on line shop products which i can't take to genuine handmade only markets. 

My little rule is that you should have $ sales of 10 x your stall fee as a starting point.  I took my 2 youngest as i knew they'd love the petting zoo but boy, with a cake stall, hot chocolate, zoo, games, activities, face painting, BBQ - i ended up spending over $60 + a Dumpling Dynasty Bunny Kit to keep someone happy, NOT something i normally do at any maket but this was a fundraiser & i was a bit giddy with the excitment of my husband coming home that afternoon. 

A little sneaky - when you're not sure of your allocated space or position at a market & don't want to take extra tables . . . using large baskets are a handy 'next to stall' cheaters way to spread your wares.  These giant baskets are the largest of 2 sets of 4 baskets at $50 each set, from Lincraft in August.  Perfect for my fabric sale, otherwise, they look amazing filled with small cushions or eventually in my dream home filled with logs for a fire - i'm a tax deductible planner & a dreamer you see!! 

The always lovely Tania McCartney did a book reading too, my 3rd daughter took some shots - there are also 25 images of the petting zoo, i contained her enthusiasm to just one on the blog!! 

So if you can fit in the little events too - do them!!  Thanks Jenny at MOCCA who organised this event, it was delightul.  They are also a fantastic way to do PR for your website, Shop, other larger markets you do where you'll set up a larger (proper) set up. 
While you're reading this i'm on the road doing hand sewing on our way to Nanna's funeral in Sydney.  I hope the 'delay' post worked, sounded simple enough to use.  Have lovely weekends everyone.  Love Posie

market stall merchandising . . . i'm going with my Euro theme

Greetings all,
Busy sewing up a storm this week for Handmade Canberra's UpMarket on Sunday, very excited as it's the first for the year.  It's normally on a Saturday & the next 3 are all Saturdays, but i can't tell you how handy it is to have a day up my sleeve to pack & prepare.  Then it will be time to crash on Sunday night, revive myself for Easter Egg decorating at school on Monday. 
So check out this handy wooden medicine cabinette i bought at our local Revolve centre at the tip, $25 & it's a fantastic size.  I instantly thought of laying it on a table, open & using it as a craft  First Aid supply centre at markets.  So i've filled it with . . .

Art Viva 1960's newspaper tubes (60mm & 40mm), Dumpling Dynasty sewing kits, Cavallini stamp kits, Jurianne Matter paper craft, children's learn to sew card kits, Lark knitted pin cushions, Craft Books, Tres Divin ribbons & MT washi masking tapes in all their pretty colours from Japan. So now i have all the non-handmade-by-me things in one spot!! I'm allowed to sell these things as they promote your own sewing & handmade, the rest of my stall is fabric & handmade products - um, all 4 trestle tables worth!!

Onto themes . . . i've continued with my Euro direction & purchased a subtle Eiffel Tower & matching planters to display products & look eye catching on my stall.  They will be filled with products in French fabrics.  Also used a damaged hula hoop, wrapped in pale pink polka dot fabric & with 7 x $2 sticks of faux flowers from a $2 shop, i tied them to the hoop with organza ribbons to make a pretty hanging feature for the centre of my marquee.  Can't wait to put it up!!

I'm using up some gorgeous European prints from AGES ago, time to share them.

Of course it's the weekend before Easter so i have some Lark knitted eggs to sell & the cute wooden bunny is from Bed, Bath & Table (they're having 30% off Easter things in store).  The lovely open handled basket was a whopping $2 from Revolve!!  Also, see that huge tool box, it was $5 from Revolve & is still empty, trying to work out the perfect product to display in there.  Finally, more $5 letters from Typo, to spell out POSIE on my table.  I'm aware i bought a T for the I, i thought an upside T would be more stable as the table gets bumped.  Um, realised the P is not self standing, so P is propped up by a cute wooden mushroom, ahhhh, thank goodness for blue tack!!

 
Yippee, new Kristen Doran prints, love her!!

This is how Canberra looked on the way to school . . . brrrr . . .

 

only to look like this an hour later??!!  Canberra pretty much has beautiful blue skies all year round, even when it snows, looks gorgeous until you go outside & loose feeling in your toes. 

So i went shopping on the way back to school - um, shoes $130 original price, but i got ALL of this haul, killer peep toe heels & cute grey sneakers for me; hat, body wash, black sequin beret & silver headband for my girls, the lot was $80!!  Nothing like a further 30% off all sale items at Sportsgirl.  The black shoes are really comfortable too, i can reach the top shelf in the pantry now!!
Have happy weeks everyone, see you at My Creative Space on Thursday, until then, sew sew sew.  Love Posie

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

Greetings all, no i'm not 3 months early it's just that when you go grocery shopping & your children are pointing out Christmas decorations, you start to see your last quarter of the year flash before your eyes.

Well stocking up on fabrics over at Retro Mummy, bless her fabulousness . . . i'm also stocking up on organic cotton baby suits, cotton singlets & Ts for my new cookie cutter screen print range to launch in November. It's easier to sell one off cuteness at markets rather than on line, but we'll see what i can do for non ACT locals.
I have booked in & confirmed all my markets for November & December, i haven't confirmed Old Bus Depot yet, so fingers crossed i'm back there in mid December, as for me last year - December was the ONLY decent trade i ever did at that place.
So this is my Christmas Market schedule, pretty busy but wow, the Canberra (& Sydney) market scenes have really stepped up. Sticking to the high end markets like Handmade & school fairs that i'm associated with, i'm keeping it sensible. I wish wish wish i could make it to Allie's Attic in Sydney, that concept is so much fun, but it clashes with Mathilda's weekend which i booked 6 months ago. My market motto is "there is always another market" so maybe i'll sneak up to do one of Allie's great events next year with a family visit??

. . . November 2009 . . .
Ravenswood School Fair at Ravenswood School for Girls, Pacific Highway to Cecil Street, Gordon NSWSaturday 7th November 9a.m. to 4p.m.
Campbell School Fair at Campbell Primary School, Blamey Avenue to Chauvel Street, Campbell ACTSaturday 14th November 10a.m. to 2p.m. Mathilda's Market Canberra at the Bradman Room, Manuka Oval on Manuka Circut, Manuka ACTSunday 15th November 10a.m. to 2p.m.
Handmade Canberra's UpMarket at the Yarralumla Woolshed,Adelaide Avenue to Cotter Road, Yarralumla ACT Friday 20th November 6p.m. to 9p.m. & Saturday 21st November 10a.m. to 4p.m.
. . . December 2009 . . . Ginger Lane Markets at Old Parliament House,Canberra ACTFriday 4th December 5p.m. to 9p.m.
Hall Markets at Hall Showground,Barton Highway to Gladstone Street, Hall ACTSunday 6th December 10a.m. to 4p.m.
MOCCA Manuka Child Care Centre Fair,Manuka Circuit to Flinders Street, Manuka ACTSaturday 12th December TBA
Old Bus Depot Markets, outside stall Wentworth Avenue, Kingston ACTSunday 13th December 10a.m. to 4p.m.
Old Bus Depot Markets, outside stall Wentworth Avenue, Kingston ACTSaturday 19th December 10a.m. to 4p.m.
Old Bus Depot Markets, outside stall Wentworth Avenue, Kingston ACTSunday 20th December 10a.m. to 4p.m.
Remember at markets i sell a full range of handmade original pieces, imported fabric, Meet Me at Mike's Craft book & depending on the market style or stall size, i also bring my Dumpling Dynasty, Lark, Lady Bird vintage tin range plus Rosie Flo colouring in books. Oh & a whole lot more. EFTPOS available, your goodies are popped in super cute bags & most packaging is biodegradable or post use recylced from Green Wares Australia.
Would love to meet you at any of these events, love Posie