Autumn Has Been Unavoidably Detained...

It's a weird Autumn here in Paradise..no leaves turning beautiful colours, warm days where folks are still in shorts and sandals...
The only evidence of the season so far is cold mornings, and it's a good thing that I make big comfy circle scarves...I needed one  while setting up my booth at the Duncan Farmer's Market this morning...
Thought I'd share a  few pictures of the people selling near me...the colours of all the lovely vegetables and fruit will have to stand in for what is normally going on this time of year..we aren't sure when, if ever, the rains and cold weather are coming, but our lakes and rivers are drying up too...so the only people happy about what is happening right now are the farmers..it's been especially nice for pumpkins...
Right next to me from the local corn maze and pumpkin patch farm is McNab's, and Halley is covering cashiering while Bruce is BSing in the back with another farmer...isn't the colour wonderful?
Then there's Ben's Backyard, with Ben nodding and smiling behind his bumper crop of tomatoes, etc.
Finally there's Dina, who has been at this Market for many, many years..she makes beautiful sheepskin-lined slippers and polar fleece  Canadian Maple Leaf  Flag Coats, baby sized to big adult...
Finally, a glimpse of my Autumn/winter booth (last two images)..no jewelry this time of year, strictly hats and scarves...
To my few but fabulous readers, have a wonderful Thanksgiving..we celebrate ours on October 8th..early I know, but then we are farther from the Equator, and have a shorter growing and harvesting season than the US...

Waiting, Hopefully Not For Godot...

I have been remiss in posting here, but that's because I'm waiting..
Waiting for the Post Office lockout to be over, waiting to be able to finally draw a name for my give-away, waiting to open up my online shop again on ArtFire...and waiting for a decent day selling at Farmer's Markets, just to have something to be happy, and blog-chatty, about.
Problem is, it's been dreary here for everyone, and the weather is matching up wih the economy in general.
No one I'm talking to who also vends at these Markets is doing well - seems like hard times are catching up with us, and, when you have a mostly seasonal range, it is doubly hard.
But, thankfully, babies are born in every season, no matter what the weather is doing, and they truly have been the only thing selling - not babies per se, baby hats - ...not in great numbers, but at least they are keeping the groceries in the cupboard..
So thought I'd share with you what I did yesterday, since I was a bit astonished at myself..the crochet hook went into overdrive, for some reason, and the pictures around this posting are what happened after that...
a new-style ladybug hat to replace another one I sold last Saturday, and an idea from a potential customer.
She is a photographer, and was asking if I could do cocoons..I never had, but they're just a step away from a really long slouchy tube, so I said sure...and she said she'd send some "examples" of what she is looking for. I'm really not interested in copying someone else's work, plus, she says she wants a really plain, basic brown..not the most interesting thing to make for this colour junkie..well, haven't heard from her (that's normal) but it got me thinking about cocoons..so I made this little pea-in-a-pod coccon and cap..it's really newborn-sized, and my 'model' is more like a 4-6 month old, but you get the idea..
What do you think?

A Weird Day at the Market in the Square

Granted, yesterday wasn't my first day back outside, maybe my third or fourth, but the weather was so strange that it seems the average shopper thought better of it and stayed home..
It started out gray and chilly, but here on the West Coast of Canada we dress for that, this time of year, and a very grim Spring made us wary of throwing on the shorts and sandals just yet...
Later it was cloudy, windy, with the odd peek of the sun, lasting maybe five minutes, maybe less..and then it got downright epic.
The fun started- hail, and plenty of it, impossible, in an open canopy, to dodge or protect against it..what had already been a not so great day, financially, got worse by the minute, as everything was soaked..remember, I sell crocheted stuff, and it sucks up moisture in the air like a thirsty sponge, and rain and hail don't help either..great for keeping you warm and mostly dry, but...
I am currently sitting here surrounded by hats, on every available surface, that had to dry out overnight..just one of the many joys and sorrows of outdoor selling.
Because I sell alone, I can't always wander around and see what's going on, but it was slow yesterday, so took a few pictures to bring to you so you can get a sense of the people who create things to sell..a bit too early for the farmers to be here with their vast bins of produce, but i will produce more images as the season progresses..happy creating!
The first image is a side view of my little booth, no point in boring you with details of that. The next is Danusia and her wild mushroom booth - we are kinda famous here for having a wide variety of wild and edible mushrooms on this Coast- and she picks, dries and sells these in a dizzying variety.. the next is a booth of the woman who makes beautiful dyed silk scarves..and if you look to the left, you can see, besides their smiling faces (Mum and daughter) little whales and some other toys- so cute!
On to the main stage, where musicians, some good, some loud, regale us at every Market Saturday..then the woodworker behind me, whose little 'stove' would have made my heart sing as a child..love his stuff..
More later, as the season and the variety progresses.

In the Rain Forest, No One Can Hear You Scream...

Just kidding...sorta. I am a constant subservient victim to the weather forecast- I have Environment Canada's widget on my Home Page, I watch two different newscasts (with totally different weather reports about 50% of the time, both often wrong) and every online newspaper I glance at daily (quite a few, actually) again have their own educated but wildly differing opinions about the weather..
This is usually only critical to farmers and skiers, but for those of us who attempt to sell weekly, outdoors, the ever-changing weather of the Northwest Temperate Rainforest can make me intemperate at a moment's notice..
This week, my entire apartment has been draped in hats, in a canopy top that is 10'X10', 11'X11' bug curtains that go around the sides of my tent and marginally protect from showers, but not heavy rain, and all of them needing to be dried out following the disaster that happened last Saturday, about half-way through the Market, when a perfectly acceptable cold but clear day turned into Noah's flood..
The thing about yarn is that it absorbs moisture from the air, so even if, technically, it doesn't actually get wet, or rained on, there is still a bit of the wet stuff trapped within it's folds, so each and every hat on display had to be left 'out' in my fortunately overly dry apartment until all traces of dampness were excised..
This Saturday, our last outdoor Market until March of 2011, the weather has been predicted to be, from Monday to today (Wednesday, Dec 15) by turns rainy, sunny, windy, and now showery..and I have to reserve a spot three days ahead..not really doing anything but guessing what the weather will be doing..hoping against hope that, whatever the prognostication, they will either be very wrong in the case of rain, or very right in the case of clear and possible even sunny (the forecast for Friday, of course!)
The ancient Romans gazed upon the entrails of birds, or you can cast coins and avail yourself of the I Ching, but even the Farmer's Almanac is strangely silent on long term guessing games for my locale..
A fortune teller with her crystal ball or Tarot cards would probably be just as accurate..
Fingers crossed...

Taking a Moment to Consider..

As the craft fair season winds down, and I'm back outside for my Farmer's Market for 2 more Saturdays, I have noticed an odd thing..I keep selling camouflage patterned hats and scarves..
I try to consider that this is nothing new, and like animal prints, camo has been trendy for a few years..but never so much with women as now..
I've illustrated this posting with my 'tools', and two types of camo yarn, as well as some finished pieces, available from my Artfire shop or at my Farmer's Market on Saturdays, but I would like to spare at least a thought for what camo represents..in reality.
This season, as so many before it, my country and other countries are at war; now I really hate everything about war, but with just as much passion, I support the women and men who go and serve in our Forces..
This year, let's make it stylish to think about our troops, and hope against hope that we bring them all back, alive and well..
Now that would be a Christmas present worth having...

The Last Craft Fair of 2010..

Well, at least, my last craft fair, as far as participation goes..
This fair, or market, is at Providence Farm, another wonderful organization here on Vancouver Island..not only do they have locums from all over the country, learning about market gardening, but they help those who need it most..
Providence Farm also has therapeutic horseback riding, and sells their produce at my Saturday Farmer's Market..the two pictures above, and the one at the right, are all from their website...
I really appreciate the fact that so many of the craft fairs I participate in are benefit events for organizations that give back without being preachy, or demanding anythng of those they help..
Saturday is supposed to be (dare I post this?) sunny and clear! After the early winter weather we've been experiencing, it would certainly be nice not to have to struggle down the highway in pelting rain or chilly fog, dodging black ice for 20 miles...
So if you are in the neighborhood, stop by and say hi..

It's That Time of Year Again!

I'm very excited to be planning out my holiday craft fairs..what about you? This year I have three, one on the 12th,13th and 14th of November.. a benefit for the Women Against Violence and Transition House organization. I did their first one last year and it was a wonderful event..met many vendors who have since become my 'pals', and who also sell at the outdoor Duncan's Farmer's Market.
Then, on the 20th, I am signed up for the Ladysmith Olde Fashioned Christmas Fair, which is supposed to be a good one, and handy- a few blocks down the street..especially nice if we have snowy weather-which we might this year...
My last fair is at a wonderful place called Providence Farm, which I think I can provide a link to- it's a beautiful working farm that provides jobs and assistance for those who are challenged or troubled, and they have onsite counselors and management from the neighborhood, as well as locums who come from all over Canada to learn their agricultural techniques..they sell produce, flowers and eggs at the farmgate, as well as being fellow vendors at The Duncan Farmer's Market..this one, too, is supposed to be well attended, and is in early December, perfect for all those last minute shoppers....
I do love selling outdoors, but in the season, there is something about a cosy little fair and the wonderful friendly energy a bunch of happy poeple, buying, and selling, can generate..it can be magic.
I'll still be selling outdoors, too- we go til Dec 18th-then restart indoors for the months of Jan-Feb...then back outside in March, and a New Year begins.
Are any of you selling at a holiday fair, or planning on attending? It's a great place to find seasonal gifts as well as something wonderful for yourself, and knowing that you are buying from the person who created the item feels good too- no middleman, and supporting individuals in my community is something that I always do-as well as selling, I often end up spending far too much at these fairs-but enjoy every minute of it!

http://www.providence.bc.ca/craftfair.html

and here is the link for the CWAV craft fair:

http://cwav.viviti.com/

The Wages of Guilt..more Random Rants

I admit that I'm feeling more than a bit guilty about neglecting my blogging duties; normally, I have to control myself and not go on and on here, but lately, the frustration with life's little zingers has temporarily got me down..
This weekend there is a wind and rain warning, so no Farmer's Market for me..
I do love selling outside, but the weather can play havoc with your capnopy, your stuff, and your temper..not to mention the fact that almost no one comes out for the Market in bad weather. It's doubly frustrating because my hats are seasonal, to say the least, and I only have a four month window to make any sort of sales...and the weather takes away a good half of those...and summer? Well, some jewelry, but really, can't take the heat and it gets very, very hot here, believe it or not (and doesn't snow much, usually - there, all your illusions about icy Canada shattered once and for all!)
So I'm left with a 'free' weekend, and that means I need to straighten stuff out around here, maybe take some stuff to the flea market..yes, my name is Wendi, and I'm a stuffaholic..
Every few months, I get brutal and wander around my place, picking out the stuff I know I can, and should, live without, and take it to whatever swap meet or flea market is going on..luckily we have a few, though usually I'm a customer, not a seller..
I usually try to go to sell there alone, because it keeps me from wandering around, finding things to buy...what is that about, some bizarre need to acquire stuff? True, I use most of it either for my home or to improve my selling space at the market, but...it really does get out of hand, sometimes..sound familiar?
I'd like to at least wish for fair weather and wonderful finds for my readers, since I cannot hope for either...♥

It's Holiday Fair Application Time..yippee?

There is nothing so frustrating in the world as a volunteer who isn't interested in volunteering..
Last year, I had so much trouble just getting volunteer 'organizers' to respond to me by e-mail that I was literally tearing my hair out..why is it that small town benefit-type fairs, which are mostly all I can afford, are run by people who are at best, disinterested, and at worst, totally incompetent? And, when I had the temerity to try and volunteer myself and all my experience with fairs (30+ years) I was rather bluntly refused..
Last year was one disaster after another, and the only way, seemingly, I could get into most of the ones I was trying for, was by phoning the 'co-ordinator' (and I use the term very, very loosely) and enduring several minutes, in one case running to half an hour, of what bitches everyone else on the committee is, and how they have to turn away dozens of people not in the 'catchment' area (shades of enrolling children in school) and how they can 'squeeze' me in, no, we can't let you pay by credit card, or personal cheque, you have to drive the 45 miles to where I am (at home!) and drop off the application and money..oh, okay, send the application and you can pay on the day of the craft fair..and that one in particular turned into a financial disater as well.
It was my first year, and of course, in trying a bit of everything, I found out what worked, and what didn't..and most of them didn't..
I had two fairs that were expensive to enter, and they had almost no visitors, and I sold literally nothing..
Thank goodness for my Duncan Farmer's Market..which now even has a Facebook Page, so getting very sophisticated around these parts..
At this juncture, think I'll stick to the tried and true two or three fairs, plus the Duncan Market, and leave the others to those in their own darn 'catchment', thank you very much....
Anyone out there in blogland have any holiday craft fair stories, wonderful or otherwise?