Craft Markets

As my long suffering reader will know, Last year I met my better half. Well on Saturday it was our first anniversary of being together. However, while this post is not about that, it is relevant as on Saturday night Sunday morning I did not get to get to bed until three in the morning.

Therefore, on the Sunday when I had to get up at seven in the morning, it may be a revelation to some that seven O’Clock occurs twice in a day, I think I must have left my brain in bed. I was doing another market with my herbs and spices. Fortunately, it is a down hill walk and as there are no buses at that time on a Sunday, they are still asleep like any sensible folks, I was grateful when one of the other regulars spotted me and gave me a lift for the last half mile. Carrying forty kilos of spices is still 40 kilos even when divided between many packets.

In the hall the tables are set out with the names of the folks who are allocated the spaces, mine was marked with the legend “The Ever so Fragrant Wood Mouse” It was a reference to the incident where some less than enlightened person was offended by the smell of the spices. And even on Sunday, I had someone tell me that they heard I was going to be there with the spices and they were expecting an “Indian gentleman”. It seems that folks will always want to stereotype. At least this time it was not done in an offensive manner.

I had been placed in the entrance area, of the hall. Initially I had wondered if it was to avoid the aroma causing offence to others, but actually I think I was really being rewarded with a prime position. Not least because I am so positive about the way I conduct myself at these sorts of events. I know that the footfall at this venue is not great, and Sunday was the last there, but I see no point in just sitting there being miserable nor standing around moaning as that puts people off. Additionally, I don't go in for the hard sell.

An example of this was while talking to a young woman who had cycled to the venue, was accosted by one stallholders who threatened to let down her tyres unless she bought something. It was meant as a joke, but not well taken or given. With my best diplomacy (not something I am always good at) I was able to calm the situation and ensure the stall holder was aware of my disapproval.

While I understand that the fairs have not been that well attended with customers, the main difficulty is that there are just to many folks selling (or trying to sell) cards, or jewellery. Equally, if folks just sit there frowning rather than smiling at people, folks will not want to stop and browse. I do understand that it is difficult to be positive when you have not sold anything, but equally if the stall holders were to think about the image they project, they may start to think and project something more positive. Anyway, a new venue has been found that should be a better location with more people about, so who knows more folks may sell.

I know that what I am doing is rather unique and I do attract a lot of attention and a reasonable number of sales, but it is one of the things that I have never understood about people that do many crafts, is why they seem to copy what everyone else does? Why not try and do something a bit different? The standard of the work at the markets has on the whole been rather better than most fairs, yet so many of the stalls are doing the same things.

I do wish the folks well, and there are some very talented people there, but cheap jewellery and cards have a limited market. And if people were actually carrying out there craft in some form of demonstration way, I am sure it would have attracted more people too. While not everyone likes the aroma of my spices, on Sunday I actually saw one woman stop, sniff and turn around to come in because of the fragrance of them, and yes she did buy too.

I know the organisers were worried about the footfall at the old venue, and that is why a new one has been found. Yet there is a limit to how much folks will spend on items that have limited use and value. If only more people actually made items that have use like cushions, or children’s clothes, or something that people might actually need, I personally have never needed a fridge magnet, then the crafter too would benefit.

Even in my somnambulism state on Sunday, I managed to do well, and I even have been doing my homework set by a customer who wants a particular blend of spices. But on the whole while I really enjoy doing the markets, I will try and avoid doing them when I have been out celebrating the night before.