Springtime in Paradise....

 The weather seems to be changing rather rapidly here in Paradise...although it is, of course, still a rainforest, with the requisite almost constant drip drip drip of early Spring...
We are now 'applying' as we have to do every year, for our little spot of  retail at the weekly Farmer's Market that  I attend, sometimes haphazardly (because of the weather)...
This year, have to decide if I want a permanent spot by paying seasonally, or if I want to drop-in...
Last year I had a permanent spot, but it proved to be a bit of a disaster...the powers that be decided to emphasize another section of the Market, naturally, the one I wasn't in, and it cost us much of our foot traffic...
It's a very difficult thing to find the spot that works for you in a large Market, but very frustrating to  be inadvertently sidelined, while paying the same amount as everyone else..this cost me last year, so trying to prevent a recurrence this time around by requesting a different location, although, technically, we are not allowed to do that.  *Sigh* not sure what will  happen, but stay tuned...
I have switched from  selling only hats and scarves to fewer of those, while still emphasizing baby hats, and added jewelry, which I'll sell alongside my crocheted items until Fall is upon us...
Surprisingly, at least to me,  still sell quite a few hats even in the  hot hot heat of summer..I assume, to tourists, who know that when they need them, they won't be here...
I also have applied, as usual,  for a  weekly Wednesday Market in a nearby town famous for its murals,  busloads of tourists there...
You  need to figure out where  (and when) your most successful  Market is - what works for you.
Social media (can you say "Etsy") has never worked for me...I leave a few things there, mostly to have a 'website' to refer to when applying at one-time fairs and holiday craft markets, etc. but really, I rarely sell anything there..I tried ArtFire (don't ask) and Zibbet, too, which I like for the wonderful people who run it, but never had a single sale from there, so just letting my 'shop' lapse, and I'll stick with a much-reduced 'studio' on Etsy for practicality's sake...
Many of the other Bloggers I follow seem to do quite well online, don't know their secret, but for me, it's strictly face-to-face that works...so, since I actually enjoy retail (I hear the screams out there!) guess I will continue until I am too decrepit to put up a canopy or haul boxes, etc, in and out of my truck....

If Anyone was Wondering..

I recently deleted all my items from my three Etsy shops; an act that was overdue, since i had almost no sales in the two years i was there, and since last March, almost no views..
I've gone to ArtFire-made several sales in the three months since joining, get tons of views and have joined an all-Canadian Guild there, rather like but not as limited as the Teams on ComeNGetsy...
No major snark in the Forums, just good solid information, if you need it, and , oh my, the tools! I pay a flat rate of $5.95 per month, no sales fees, no "relisting" fees, no getting two-dimed to death just trying to get noticed..and Admin there is friendly, helpful, and jumps in right away if a discussion on a subject is something that they can clarify...got to say, it's like night and day at AF as oppposed to E...happy I made the change!

Random Stuff #1 ('Cuz That's The Way My Brain Works Best...)

The picture above this is my first entry into what I'm gonna affectionately call my "Rogue's Gallery", because it's the first actual picture of someone wearing one of the hats I've been selling for years...many have promised, but few have come through, and I thought, once I have a few (if that ever happens) I would start a bit of a scrapbook to display at my weekly Market for the inspiration of customers who like my hats, but aren't sure what it will "look like" on whoever they are buying it for...
This little cutie is the niece of a fellow crafter, a marvelous jewelry maker I sell with at my Saturday Market..

I really wish someone would move to this damn Island who knows how to make proper Chinese cuisine, specifically, but not limited to Szechuan...I was, I admit, spoiled for choice in Vancouver, a definite Foodie's Paradise, but nothin' here for miles, and some who have lived here say, not anywhere at all on the whole Island...
I found a great little take-out sushi place a few miles down the road in Chemainus, but miss my Chinese food terribly...going through hot and sour soup withdrawal...I have a recipe for it, but there are 3,847 ingredients, practically none of them available here...
C'mon, someone on the Mainland, we need you here, you'd make a fortune because all the expats here (and we are legion!) complain about this..I'm talking the Central Island area, not Victoria, which, I'm sure, has decent restaurants, but way too far to drive..

Etsy certainly seems to be slowing to a crawl these days, and I can't help but wonder why...supposedly the economy is improving for everyone...but Market sales are slow too, so don't know what the answer is-maybe tax time?
And for all you Californians who read my blog (and I know from my little visitors widget that you do!) nice save! Between your earthquake and our windstorm, seems we pay a heavy price for living on the West Coast...but totally worth it.