A 5.30am decision!!

When my alarm went off this morning at 5am for Ford Market, I didn’t even have to look out of the window to know that it was blowing a gale and absolutely chucking it down! I sleep with the window open and the curtain was billowing like a ship sale out through the window … and my bed covers were wet!

Ever the optimist I decided not to snooze the alarm and turned on the TV in the bedroom, switched my laptop on and climbed back into bed to figure it out. Car was loaded last night so I was ready to go …. I was a veritable “in bed” weather station! No matter which website I checked, or which channel’s weather report I was looking at … it said the same thing. Crappy shitty weather until mid afternoon – and as Ford market closes down at 3pm … well …. decision made (after 45 minutes of indecisiveness!)

Soooo I did this instead … LOL yeah I know – hair looks BAD and I look WORSE (puffy bleary eyes) but it was about 5.45am by then in my defence!! I was pretty awake after I’d made the decision, so I made myself a cup of coffee, took it back to bed and watched some early morning TV while I checked my email sitting in bed. Had to get a photo for posterity because it’s only ever on market days that you will see me up that early!! I finally got out of bed around 9am

I don’t want to be a “fair weather trader” and only turn up when the sun is out because if that were the case I’d NEVER be out there! LOL! I’m happy to be out there from early till late working hard, carting all the stock back & forth and putting in the effort come rain or shine. Unfortunately my stock isn’t so happy (the labels all get damaged) and I am not prepared for trading outside in bad weather and the wind … yet!

I did make a productive use of the day and I went up to the market at Ford anyway as a visitor. I introduced myself to the market manager, got all the info I need about trading there and spent a couple of hours chatting with some of the traders. It was definitely worth looking around because I had a much better idea of what I need for next week (tarpaulins, clamps and weights for starters!) to get up and running. At Worthing they at least provide the EZ up canopy for you which has at least a hope of staying put in the wind!! I only have a gazebo which isn’t as strong and weather proof as one of the purpose built ez-up tents or market stalls… so I am going to have to look at investing in one of those. I’ve done some research and they aren’t as expensive as I first thought – and certainly to do Ford Market – will be well worth it!! Fingers crossed I can organise something ready for next Sunday

After I’d got back home after my “rekkie” round the market, I started blitzing my wardrobe! What a difference! I took everything out, sorted it all, threw away anything that doesn’t fit me anymore (plus discovered I’m back into my “skinny jeans” – yeah!!) and had a major enormous shoe cull. I didn’t take a picture of the shoes I chucked out because it’s too depressing! Why I hung onto some of them I don’t know! Some of them were falling to pieces so much, others entirely impractical and I never wear anymore, and others I looked at and thought WHY? LOL

 The top shelf has now got my boots, bags and accessories (doesn’t show in the second pic) – ohh and that empty shoe rack in the RHS pic? Err it isn’t empty anymore – I have a downstairs shoe cupboard that I’ll be re-organising a bit later on … but now ALL my shoes are exactly where they belong in my wardrobe!

THEN I tackled the ironing! My house – which yesterday was spotless – now looks like a laundry service with clothes hanging up everywhere! My iron actually BROKE part way through and I had to phone Mother for an emergency “can I borrow your iron?” visit! I’ve finished for tonight and am chilling out now so I’ll put it all away in the morning!!

It was WEIRD waking up to an empty house this morning! Normally on market day – which is normally a Wednesday and a school day for kids & work day for Hub … I have to creep around like a mouse to try not to wake anybody up but this morning the whole place was mine! I didn’t have to worry about the volume control on the TV (I always have the news & weather on when I am up for market!) or making too much noise tripping over the dog … or the cat whinging outside to come in because it’s been raining! LOL It was all such a novelty! I struggled with the decision NOT to go to market today, but I’ll secretly admit it was really nice to climb back into my warm (albeit slightly damp!) bed with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning all by my lonesome!

Just call me Ms Productive!

Well, first of all there was a shopping mission for Nathan to get him some new school shirts, new shoes and underwear – all checked off with minimal fuss by a trip to Marks & Spencer!

Then I managed to wangle 5 solid hours at the workshop and I had the most blinding idea about completely re-working my display to give me MORE stuff in HALF as much space. It’s complicated to explain and basically involves doubling up with two votive fragrances in a basket as opposed to a single fragrance, but it works … and it works brilliantly! I tried something different with my stock shelves that I cart to events and back … and again I’ve managed to re-work it so it means I’m taking less shelves and making better use of the space that I have got! It’s just all good! I’ve been working on some new packaging ideas and the display is going to look fantastic!!

I’m nearly all prepared for my first attempt at Ford Market this weekend – and trying something different has given me a renewed sense of motivation to really crack it all out and give it a real push. I feel a LOT better about things and I have one of those weird sneaky feelings that Sunday is going to go really well! Shhh don’t tell anyone incase I am wrong!

And …. Miss Megan is back from Brownie holiday! She had a brilliant time. It is SO nice to have her back home even if the volume level in the house has increased by a few notches again! Mind you, not that I’ll have chance to enjoy seeing her much as hub is leaving with them from about 10.30am in the morning!!

A good day – I feel positive – I feel happy

Well it just got interesting!

The market today was a total wash out – I didn’t cover my costs so I made a loss for the day. It’s never a good day when that happens.

I think I give up. Well, the Wednesday market anyway! The thing I really noticed today is that although there were plenty of people in the middle of town … hardly anybody was carrying shopping bags. There were also three shops within my line of vision that were closed down, and in my chat with some of the staff in the shops, they all said they were pretty dead too. It’s only the shops with huge great big sale signs and closing down signs that are doing any business and that is purely because they are literally giving the stuff away.

People just don’t have the money to spend … either that or it’s just that Worthing on a Wednesday is a pile of plop! That market used to be absolutely heaving with people when I used to go down there myself years ago and it still does have it’s regular following … BUT and although I have nothing against older people … a lot of the regular visitors are bussed down from the local elderly groups in the area. The problem my BUSINESS has with older people is that they are too afraid to light candles incase they forget to put them out… and they tell me this themselves AFTER sniffing everything and engaging me in conversation.

I have to admit - after getting up at 5am and suffering through a slow day in trading … the last thing you need is people showing interest, picking up, looking at and smelling your stuff … asking you a ton of questions so you have to ignore other people nosing around the stall (who may ACTUALLY want to ask a question and buy something) … then telling you that they aren’t going to buy anything!!  

Every trader says the same thing! Seriously people – if you aren’t interested … then just walk on by. Don’t give the stallholder false hope of a sale incase they have had a lousy day! It is SO disheartening and gut wrenching.

Or maybe I am just too cynical! There was a new guy on the market this week (says she after only being there 6 weeks herself!!) that was so up for it this morning. I looked at him with a “yeah right, don’t expect that from THIS market” look on my face. By mid morning he was asking me why he hadn’t believed me … and by mid afternoon when there was only a couple of hours worth of reasonable trade left, I was wondering what the fuck I was doing there myself.

Sooooo. We have new plans. About 30 mins away is Ford Market.

This is a really busy Sunday market that has been going for years and a few of the “hardened” traders that I spoke to today that go ALL said it was a good market. Lots of stalls and lots of trade. Sounds good to me! It’s LESS money than the Weds pitch and it’s on a weekend so no childcare issues as hub has the kids.

Hub is taking the kids away this weekend to visit with his family in Cornwall. Megan is back from Brownie holiday on Friday and then he is leaving Saturday for at least 3 days away with the kids and I am here totally by myself!! Instead of peace and solitude by myself at home, or getting together with girlie mates and getting drunk … I’m instead looking at hiring a van for the weekend so I can go to the Sunday market and possibly another market at Brighton Racecourse on the Bank Holiday Monday and pouring / packaging every spare minute inbetween!

I must be crazy!! Dagnamit (see, new word) I am just bound and determined that IF I go down then I go down kicking and screaming all the way!!!

Market Day

The sun was shining – it was a lovely day and I covered costs and made some profit! Even getting up at 5am wasn’t so bad today.

I have so many ideas for stall display! Last week was utter shite because of the weather so it didn’t really count … really this week is counted as my first week, so all things considered I did okay … Next week will be even better! Last week I had two pasting tables that pretty much fell to pieces – this week I had my proper stock shelves and it looked so much better, but still so much room for improvement!!

Ohh here’s a pic of the votives! with their new labels! See, I remembered and I got the pic sorted eventually!!!

Ohhh and because it was outside and the sun was shining … I got a nice tan too!

More rain in a day today than in a month!

Well that’s what the radio said this afternoon anyway!

I was up at 5am and all motivated to go do the market! I got there early, got a pitch, got set up and was absolutely drenched by around 8am! Had it not been for another trader who loaned me a tarpaulin and some clamps to protect at least ONE side of my pitch then I would have been totally screwed! At least I was only cold and wet! LOL

Technically NOT a good day to try out the market! The rain was just ridiculous and when the other traders started packing up by 11am – I knew it was pretty pointless sticking around! I stuck it out for another hour, but gave up at that point!

The people that were out braving the rain just weren’t browsing … they were carrying umbrellas with heads down and walking very quickly – I couldn’t blame them for not wanting to stop and have a sniff!

Anyway, it wasn’t a total loss – although I am out the pitch cost, but I learned a lot! I already know exactly what I need for my display now – and it shouldn’t cost the earth AND I may even be capable of building it myself with some hardboard, wood batons and some nails! Have hammer – can travel! HAH!

After taking the stock back to the workshop and picking up the kids, I pretty much spent the afternoon asleep on the sofa. It’ll be hard doing that every week with the early start, but fingers crossed for better weather next week!!