Why do you like markets?

Right, since I'm at home at the moment (and yes, it's a Saturday night at ten to nine and my life is so wildly exciting that I'm blogging .....) - let's leave that aside for the minute - I have decided to post a few photos that have been longing to make it into the big wide world.

In order, they are "Up All Night" Hoot [primary fabric Tablecloth something or other by Anna Griffin], "There's A Butler In My Garden" Hoot [primary fabric Lotus Garland by Amy Butler and Sway by Heather Bailey on the wings' reverse], and "Mirabella Magic" Hoot [out of Mirabella by Alexander Henry plus some Vintage Dots by Michael Miller on the inside of the wings and Bijoux in Cinnamon on the outside, by Heather Bailey].

I made these Hoots up for my recent Rose St Market, which was a bit of a rubbish day in the end because I was fighting a massive headache on the day. The kind of headache where you try to stay as still as possible - as much to try and not throw up on anyone as to reduce the strobing pain in your skull. Coz, you know, throwing up on a prospective customer is not a good look. It's really not.

I find that on the market days where I can't really engage with people; either because of the sort of incredible pain which is capable of killing a small pony (truly, I never really had an appreciation for what a migraine means, before I had one) .... or simply because I've had a hard week at work and I'm tired, or because it's a cold day and the wind is blowing and I can't feel my fingers anymore, or something equally banal ..... those are the days I don't make as many sales.

Is it because when I'm bubbly I'm naturally more engaging, a better salesperson?

I don't think so. I think it's because when you go to a market - ok, let's take that out of the third person - when *I* go to a market, I like to look at all the stuff on the stall, sure. But what I really like is hearing the artist's story. Why do they make their own particular sort of crafty stuff? What gives them their ideas?

I enjoy hearing about all the curiosities that make up a certain person's approach to things. That's what makes a market personal to me. And so when I'm feeling rubbish, I don't chat about my own individual stories to my customers, and so there's no connection there for them. Just products. And products on their own ... well, they're lovely of course, but it's the stories that bring them to life, don't you think?

What do you like best about markets? I mean, aside from the fantastic and marvellous products we all create, obviously. And our clear and stellar talent, of course. And our patent good looks.

But besides that - what do you love about visiting markets, whether you're a crafty maker yourself, or simply someone out to enjoy the adventure?

A minor brush with fame

Yay! I've just packaged up "I Ate Too Many Buttercups" Hoot, who is flying off to a lovely bloke in America tomorrow.

He was looking for a present for his niece and thought my Hoot was just the ticket. Hip hip hooray!

I made up a little drawstring bag for Hoot to go in, too. It's bright yellow with white polka dots, and I've threaded it with a lovely pink ribbon. That should brighten up the parcel a bit.

Right now though, I'm off to make a few new ones for the Made N Thornbury market on Saturday. I want to make sure I'm all stocked up with gorgeous little toys. I really love this market, it has such a nice community vibe to it and there are always lots of people who come to visit.

It's going to be a squeeze this Saturday, because after the market finishes at three in the afternoon, I've got to pack up my stall like lightning, shove all the boxes in the back of the car My One True Love will drive up, and then together we will spin off to the airport with tyres screeching and the wind in our hair.

I'm catching a plane to Sydney, you see, a little more than an hour after the market finishes. I'm off to Sidders for a girls' weekend with Mountaingirl and the Sister Of My Heart. There's Avenue Q in there somewhere (the Muppet musical), and hopefully a whole lot of Project Runway - Mountaingirl's taped the en-TIRE series and - bless her - is waiting to watch it with me, I so admire her restraint as I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to demonstrate such self control!

Hey, that reminds me - the guy from the last series, the one who styled like Vivienne Westwood, the one who came second? I saw him at the Rose St Artist Market last weekend! He was wandering around looking at things (not my stall, probably not a lot of call for children's items in his life I'd say) and if I'd been capable of moving or speaking past the massive, massive headache I was trying not to vomit through, I'd have run up to him and screeched You Should Have Won!!

Lucky for him, I was rooted to the spot. Maybe next time .....

I Ate Too Many Buttercups

This is "I Ate Too Many Buttercups" Hoot - and he's coming with me to my very first Rose St Artists Market tomorrow!

I'll be glad of his company, because I'm not sure how many people I'll know there, and it'll be good to have a friendly face around. He's made out of some fantastic new material that recently arrived at Chez Flickettysplits, and which I have already forgotten the name of (sorry for my crap memory, it's one of my less endearing traits).

He's bringing a friend, too - let me introduce you to "In My Gothic Garden" Hoot, who at least I know is made from Amy Butler's Gothic Rose in Burgundy on the front side, and Denyse Schmidt's Pear Medallion from her County Fair range, on the reverse.

I'm in the process of photographing four other little lovelies who'll be coming along for the ride too, so watch this space for an update later today .....

In which I apologise for an unexpected absence ....

My goodness it's been a busy couple of days - so much to tell you about!

I've been absent from blogging (here is the apology: I'm very sorry, I really am) as the Sister Of My Heart has been visiting me in Melbourne - and we've been flat out doing lots of sitting around, reading, chatting, and eating bits of chocolate. Okay, that's not all we've done - there's been a bit of shopping, sewing and cooking thrown in there too.

Today, for example, we went to the Rose St market so I could do a reconnaisance of the venue - I'm exhibiting there at the end of August and wanted to check out the facilities so I can plan the best stock to bring and think about how to put together my stall. It was lovely running into the gals from Scrumptious, and seeing Babushka Baby and the lovely Fontok, plus a few familiar faces from other markets around the traps. And I've got some good ideas for how I can put things together on the 30th, so you'll just have to come and visit me to see how it all pans out.

Along the way we also scoured a few op shops and I scored two fantastic vintage dresses I'm going to tweak, plus an amazing orange belt I promise to show off in an upcoming post. I'm taking inspiration from the amazing Gina at Clutterpunk, whose talent for refashioning clothes is awe-inspiring. I'm not quite at the point where I can renounce all new purchases for six months, but I'm certainly impressed by her ability to do so.

Speaking of Gina, she has also won herself a little prize by being the first person to donate to my Great Apron Gathering call - I received a lovely little parcel in the mail on Friday, and inside were the two lovely pieces here in the photographs.

The one to the left here is a little waist apron made from a pillowslip, with two cute pockets in the front (beautifully modelled by the Sister Of My Heart).

And the picture at the top of this post is a fabulously colourful tablecloth which will make an IDEAL apron, being the exact perfect size for it - again, modelled by the Sister Of My Heart (yes, those are her eyebrows you can see behind the tablecloth .....).

I was going to start on the tablecloth this weekend, but then we got sidetracked with another project I'll post a photo of tomorrow ...... so check back then to see what it is!

A collection of random thoughts

1. Walked to work this morning and in the park I saw a red weimeraner with a big smile on his face and his tongue flapping about as he had a lovely time scratching up the new grass. It gave me a smile too.

2. Wanted to ring my parents recently for a chat, except I can't because they're on holiday at the moment and no way to reach them, and I thought: this is what it will be like when they're dead.

3. Keep forgetting to post new "About A Boy" Hoot I've made for a colleague's son

4. The heels on today's pretty red shoes are too high. I think I'm giving up high heels except for special occasions. This will decimate my shoe collection. Therefore, must work on increasing the proportion of ballet flats. Will visit http://www.frenchsole.co.uk/ for inspiration and ahem, assistance in this measure.

5. Miss My One True Love, who's doing a lot of travelling for work at the moment. It feels like we've spent hardly any time together over the past few weeks, what with endless market days on the weekend and his work schedule during the week.

6. Too fat. Must stop eating cherry and chocolate slice.

7. I'm looking forward to the weekend, because I'm going to start a new skirt - the Study Hall Skirt by Anna Maria Horner.

8. Am very happy about being accepted to the new Sunday showings for the Rose St Market. I will have to make some new things - any ideas out there that you could give me?

9. Do ducks get cold in winter, swimming about on the cold water?

10. There really should be some kind of limit on the amount of Disney pink a young girl is allowed to wear. We should legislate.