The First Market

Since the first Farmer's Market is all I have managed to talk about for the last month, I thought you wouldn't mind a wee post about the day.  It went just fine - tourist traffic was low, as expected for mid June and cool, rainy weather, but there were lots of nice compliments and we covered our costs plus a wee buffer.  All in all, a successful start to the season, and it was enormous fun just to be there - it really is a happy and "happening" venue.

A couple of overviews:  (Picture quality is less than usual because it was drizzling and I didn't want to risk getting the SLR wet, so I just brought the point-and-click.)

What do you think - too wrinkly?  (Not wrinkly enough?)

Colour by colour (I promise not to do this every week!):

Blue:

Green:

Yellow:

Orange:

Red/pink:

Purple:

Shawl pins and other plain silver work:

Next task: get on with all the really cool and innovative stuff I'm dreaming of and ramp up the inventory in time for the big July 1st long weekend.  While also attending all the myriad end of school functions, meetings, etc.  And prepping for the kick-off to ArtWalk - did I mention that all my crocheted and knitted silver work will be on display / for sale at Ruby Tuesday for July and August?  (Since I am not permitted to display it at the Farmer's Market because there is a senior vendor who crochets silver, this is most fortuitous!)  Oh, and because several folks have asked, all the work you see in these photos may also be purchased online, though it may take me a little while to get around to getting the new pieces into the website shopping cart system.

I also want to say a huge thank-you for all the support and encouragement from you guys (especially Kerri, the world's greatest SIL), particularly since I have done a spectacularly poor job of reciprocating for the last month. I have been pretty focused on preparations for the show - to the point where I have had entire conversations with my husband of which I have NO recollection.  (Possibly he is just messing with my head, but he swears they happened.)  I do hope life will return to some semblance of normal now! 

Comments

[Cara]

Your stuff is so so gorgeous! I can't wait to buy a crochet/silver piece!

[Pam]

Thanks for sharing the photos of your beautiful stuff!

[Rabbitch]

So beautiful -- all of it!

Can I be you when I grow up? (This isn't meant to be insulting, just to subtly hint that I find your genius and output intimidating).

[Lee Ann]

Holy...(insert family-unfriendly word of your choice here)...

I cannot believe how much you did in such a short time, how beautiful it all is, and...

WOW.

What's that behind the three silver beads that look like peas in a pod? I love that necklace.

And Rob? A wee smile would totally detract from the fact that you didn't iron the tablecloths after all ;-)))

[Arianne]

I LOVE the layout of your table! I love that it's in rainbow order...I love love love it.

If you were in my farmer's market I'd certainly not be able to walk away without buying something!

[--Deb]

Your stuff looks fabulous--I love that swirly, curly silver work. (But then, I'm partial to earrings and such that mimic the curl in my hair.) (grin)

[Teej]

I really love your display - it's so very inviting and clearly was designed with some thought; so many craft show displays I've seen just look thrown together which I think shows a lack of respect for what's being sold by the artist. This displays the pieces beautifully and is quite welcoming! Congratulations! Best of luck this summer with your shows and sales, and please do keep us posted!

[Kim]

Beautiful work, fabulous layout, and the tablecloth is just wrinkly enough!

[Ronni]

Gorgeous! There's no way anyone is going to notice the table cloth wrinkly or not with all that lovely stuff on it. Every time you show something you're making for the market I get more eager to force the family vacation to go north not south (the kidlet, at 8, is still a Disneyland girl).

I'm sure you'll do very well. I only wish you were at our market.

[Juno]

too many wrinkles. Sorry.

But I LOVE the color by color arrangement. Eye catching and beautiful.

[Sou-Ying]

I love your pieces. Especially the tiered ruby necklace? In fact, I was wondering, how much is it? I want it!

[Kerri]

WOW! Very cool display indeed!! (inspite of the fact that my baby bro appears to have forgotten how to iron since his retirement from the Air Force - - just kidding!) The cloth looks just fine and the spectacular display upon it is much more eyecatching than any wrinkles. Ruth - you outdid yourself! Way to go SIL!! I am surrounded by SIL's with creative talent but you top them all!! You should be very proud of yourself. I'm glad to hear it went so well and no doubt it will get better each weekend.
One question...what's that string of black flowers in with the silver stuff?? And I love that curly-looking silver bracelet above it - awesome!

Yaaayy YOU!

[LaurieM]

Your table looks wonderful. I like how each color has spots of interest in it. Like the orange beads on the necklace in the blue section. I hope you do really well!

Seeing the Daffodil purse in another setting, I still get an impression of monstrousness. Perhaps because it's disgorging the ribbon? ;-) Please don't take it as a criticism, I find it kind of funny. I think there were some nasty flowers in Alice through the Looking Glass that it reminds me of. Weird, eh?

[tiennie]

I think it looks fantastic! Truly, your art is beautiful!

[sarah-marie]

If this display were by anyone other than you, I wouldn't believe the amazingness of the purple scarf on the right-hand side. But as it's you, the stunning colors and pattern and texture are believable (after all, we did see it before in a post).

[Judy G.]

Regarding your first picture, he doesn't look wrinkly at all.

[Kathe Lewis]

What a great display! It really looks good, and the crinkling is just right! :-)
I look forward to see pics from Ruby Tuesday...
I hope you have a good sale!

Kathe

[Anna Lee]

Your display is incredible (I have run out of adjectives) let alone the products of your creativity. Going with the rainbow color scheme makes it soooo much more effective than if you had put it all down at random, or displayed it in a different fashion. I am thrilled with it all. Rob must be sooo proud as well even if he gets ribbed for his ironing skills. How neat that he can be a part of the display and selling part and enter into all the fun and adventure,to say nothing of the fact that you really need 2 people behind the tables. I wonder how you can keep up the production pace!