Hi everyone! It's been almost a week since The Coal Loader, but I really wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who stopped by, including some familiar faces! (I am not very talkative, but believe me, I do remember a few of you) - and hello to Winter! It's absolutely freezing this year.

I was worried the entire week re: the forecast, as rain and wind really don't go well with my packaging. My first ever market was a combination of these both (and pumped up in rage mode), and as a result I had to replace the majority of my packaging, which is not only a waste of time, it was a waste of resources too as I make all my packaging by hand (yes, those little earring cards are glued together by yours truly). Eventually I might go down a printed earring card route, but for now the packaging works for me as it's so clear what it is, what it's made of and fits right into the little black box (which I will phase out - the boxes were actually upcycled too... and they have a looong story).

The night before The Coal Loader we rushed out to Bunnings before they closed to grab two other gazebo walls (I was going to bring my gazebo - and I did, it was in the van), but thankfully when we arrived on site, there was not a single drop of rain, and the 30+ km/h winds did not come. There was an occasional gust of wind, and a very gentle spray of rain at random intervals (though for not more than 2 minutes at a time) - don't forget a lot of my setup is windproof, because I learned to clip things or buy deeper trays in the event of wind. So the weather went from the most of my concerns, to the least of my concerns.

I'm really glad that my setup and products were well liked and my new upcycled box was put into play. I think it was something fun on the table and I hope you all liked interacting with it. The upcycled box has a bit of history to it - it was owned by a couple who left the country, and it was sitting in a rented storage room for about a year. We were asked to help clear out the storage (there was a pool of items we could keep or sell whatever we could), and as the box needed some work to sell (think bumpy glitter that needed sanding), I asked if I could upcycle it for my market display, as I was looking for something sturdy to elevate my mirror on. Perfect height. 

I digress too much - but I had the absolute best day at The Coal Loader. I loved the location and it was just such a lovely atmosphere. Chatted to some really experienced stallholders and they were invaluable chats. There were so many amazing stalls - all handmade - and I would absolutely love to do it again and again. My stall location was warm and sunny, I wasn't cold at all which was an absolute blessing.

My paper earrings were nearly wiped out, so I've been busily restocking those. If I make it to another Coal Loader, I'll definitely stock up on those, because I did sell out quite a bit during the Mother's Day campaign, but due to that horrible allergy I didn't have the courage to wear a respirator for hours doing the resin coating (eep). So I admit I was a bit low on stock for those to begin with. My allergy's gone now - it was a bad reaction to a skincare product (facepalm). I just finished off a huge batch yesterday, and the resin coating alone too 2 and a half hours in one sitting. Don't get me started on the cranes... they'll take another solid 2 hours too. But I really like working on paper every now and then, because the possibilities are endless. For instance, two pairs can be similar, but never the same.

And scarves - they were a bit of a hit too - the Medley scarves were well liked and I'm on the fence wondering if I should make some more. Each time I order from the supplier it does take a little over a week, but I might get some done ready for July. I've run out of the crepey navy lining (the crepe lining by the way is actually pretty warm!), so I might need to source something similar, or see if I can find stock elsewhere. 

My next market is at Kirribilii Markets on Sunday 13th June 2021. It's the long weekend! Hopefully it'll be bustling as usual and if you missed out on anything from The Coal Loader, be sure to come around - or check out the new paper range. I've been proven that colours and patterns of any combination will surely find an owner (after all, everyone's interests are different), so I've made LOTS of new funky patterns and colours that are still featuring Japanese prints, but they might be a little more on the modern side, as mostly I have been using traditional prints.

I haven't put up the RYUMA earrings yet - sorry, it's just been hectic. I will eventually sometime this week once I take photos and get the restock under control. I'm also currently waiting on a few outcomes from applications I've been sending out, so I'll get news back probably by the end of June. Hopefully I will have good news and more exciting locations to share with you all.