Off to first market in Zonks

[starduster]

I show my age now.Its 20 years or so since I seriously packed my hopes and dreams into my car and headed off to a market.Probably 28th of September.
I have to organise my shade cover which means carting 3 concrete blocks in car to secure one of those umberrellas that hang from center pole.Adding some other covers to it.
Getting all pricing bags etc.
Next most important of all I will have to go hunt up my confidence.You know how it is, getting out of my comfort zone.
Well I dont have more than about 8 types ready but I will give it ago.
Wish me luck.

 

[Deda]

Good luck! and have fun!

 

[topcat]

Hey - have you been to your first market in zonks and if so, how did it go? My mum sells jewellery at markets and has offered to sell my soap too.....I may just check out where you found your confidence and get in my own fresh stock!

 

[starduster]

It's all quite exciting

Thanks for asking.I didn't get to the market.I wasn't quite ready and not quite up to it so I rationalised my energies by not attending that one.
This has paid off because I was able to get well in to getting better prepared for the next one and also things are getting up a bit of steam locally with my soaps.Plus I have been able to spend a bit more time learning to set up my Congo Cart site which will be the focus of my long term user friendly Soap Shop.
http://s203.congocart.com/product.php?VP=2
There is a peek at it but no shopping carts are set up.
That soap showing first up "Almost A Sin" chocolate peppermint drew me in to it's own world as I took as much time as neccesary to create that look.I think it looks like icecream.Perhaps 'Le Soap chef could recommend a nice glass of Red with it.
My confidence is returning now.My stomach churned the first 2 times I went to the local Tiaro Tea and Coffee lounge to check up on my little display area that Christian the owner had kindly allowed me.But now I get an excited flutter as I approach.
Thanks again for asking.

 

[starduster]

Another go

Well I never got to that market or the following months one due to health issues etc. :cry:
The planning stood me in good stead for all future activities .
Cost $10.oo
I have just paid for a years market inssurance and booked to a friday night market that is on this week.

I was too late to get an indoor stall but am to be outside with my car under brand new $15000.00 outdoor lighting the school has setup.
We can arrive 3pm, must be set up when it starts at 5pm.Closes 9pm.
I think I am going to have fun.
Oh yes, it is only half an hours drive.
I will try and get piccies.

 

[digit]

Woo=hoo!!!!! Go sprinkle your star dust everywhere!!!!

Digit

 

[starduster]

Thanks Digit

I am really quite excited at the prospect.
I guess that means that all will go well.
I really wasn't ready before.
Spread my stardust eh Digit?
I shall ponder on that one.The world does need a little extra joy.
Thankyou.

 

[starduster]

Sharing the Butterfly magic

I am getting ready for fridays market with great excitement.Lableing,pricing ,working out how to arrange things.
One thing leads to another...
Taking a coffee break on my top balcony looking out at the veiw and a butterfly kept fluttering arround me.Eventually I focused in and it was the Josephs Coat day flying moth, which not only is it beautiful it's catapillar is a striking little fellow.So whats this got to do with markets?
Just the other day a keen conservationist rang me for a report on the present Butterfly activity up here on my mountain top.
I watched my little Josephs Coat and his girlfriend dance arround almost skimming over my hand for some time, then :idea: ,yup it took a while but I rang and gave my report on this first seasons sighting.
The chappy concerned said he was going to a local festival Sat arvo and having a stall on Saving the Bird Wing Butterfly ( http://www.tft.csiro.au/news/features/b ... erfly.html )
I asked him if he wanted to sell some of my soaps with the butterfly on their lables http://www.stardustsoaps.com/soapbox/we ... ust-soaps/
Giving their society some proffits of course.Of course he said yes.
Wow, I guess the ball is staring to roll.
Now come Sunday I will have two markets to report on.
It is so much fun to share.

 

[digit]

Woo-hoo! Looking forward to reading it! Gotta love those 'chappys" and butterflies.

Digit

 

[starduster]

Whisps of Magical Mists gathering

And now I am getting all carried away for the Friday night market.I have been trying on some old long magical dresses,scarves, beads, the whole Stevie Nicks Retro thing and I have come up with.....
Introducing ,Stella Stardust, purveyor of Fine Magical Handemade Natural Soaps. Perhaps not adding capable of turning little brothers and such into toads. for a fee

 

[Tabitha]

OMG! I LOVE Stevie Nicks!

 

[topcat]

Yes starduster - we will be excited to hear how Friday night's market turned out for you and then feedback on Saturday's offering 8)

Topcat[/img]

 

[starduster]

zzzzzzzz

I will tell you more tomorrow.
I am so tired.
I can say this much,I had a grand time and I want more of it.
I was so scared to go I really had to phsyce my self up with liberal doses of Cher and Stevie Nicks DVD'S just to get myself out the door.
Now while big dollars weren't made it was worth it.
More tomorrow.
Nite Nite from the sleepy one x

 

[digit]

Can't wait for the details!!!! Now.......about the little brother thing........can ya really do that? 'Cuz I got me a little.................

Digit

 

[SoapyScrubs]

I'm soexcited for you! Must let us know how it went! Good luck!

 

[starduster]

News drop

I have added some photos and a bit of a low down on that wondeful ,first day out ,to my blog
http://www.stardustsoaps.com/category/soapbox/
I am still very weary but happy.
Last night I took a very big woven vine basket of soaps with the butterflies on to our local annual Bauple Nut festival. They were added to a display on saving the Birdwing Butterfly.
None sold there but they had their photo taken a lot and I talked during the evening to many people about them, handing out quite a few cards.
I wore my lovely white shirt that my sister Pauline of www.candlesbymail.com.au had very kindly used her proffesional embroidery machine on that says on the back Stardust Soaps.
It was a great conversation opener.
Of course the event was about so much more ,competions, music and the most beautifull fireworks I ever remember seeing.
Perhaps I will mention here that I do have a mobility challenge ,not always being able to walk. Soap is the perfect outlet for me to indulge my artistic skills ,a bit of a wharped sense of humour and my love of meeting people. Not to mention a sense of usefulness that comes with knowing that we hand made soapers are providing a beautifully helpfull product.Soaps are patient, they can be done in stages .
Okay ,thats it me off to laze arround and daydream some more.
Most of all thankyou for your support.
Of course now I can't imagine why I was ever nervous.

 

[starduster]

Soap glorious Soap

Oh and the actual sale of soap numbers at that friday market was 5 .Yes 5 bars.
Having started 4 buisnesses before ,although I consider this a Life Style , not a buisness, I know that at first you are continually putting in enormous effort until the critical mass thing tips over and the project has a life of it's own. A truck load of sticakability is a big help.(Otherwise known as pig headed determintaion).
Soap glorious Soap.

 

[starduster]

2nd Time at that Market

Off to that same market for the second time.
Not nervous, just excited this time. So glad I braved that first step .
I was more organised but you cant control everything and as soon as I got there my umberella broke. With mulit coloured ropes I managed to use it that night.
New type of stall cover for next outing.
See my laundry baskets ,that was my idea to have soaps all ready here and load , show and sell, bring back and refill and store ready to go again.
They were very user friendly ,so easy for me to load and very appealing for people to wander around and pick up soaps and smell. Not to mention buy a few more this time.
It was a very quiet market but I was pleased to try my wings in that situation again.As for being able to set up beside my car that is heaven.
The sign writing was from a previous buisness and as you can see I simply took off the phone number and part of the name. Will It read Soaps one day?
Just a learner in the mean time.
It made all the difference that I had you sweet soapers to report back to. There is a lot to be said for accountability and just plain sharing.
Thankyou
Heres some photos





Thats a picture when I was trialling the baskets.As you see I have pulled them up together with the ribbons.
Different set up at the market as I had bought a proper fold up table.
Next time I would set the table parallel
to flow of traffic
as I had to direct them to the back ones.
Live and learn

 

[Deda]

Love the pics! Looks like you had a blast!

 

[topcat]

The baskets look amazing all set up - very inviting My Mum says, on going back to a market regularly, it may start off slow yet people begin to expect to see you there and 'budget you in' when planning their spend at that event. Now she gets phone calls with special requests to fill :wink: