riverside markets

I have told you about my sister before. She is ace. Did you know she makes gorgeous bags? You can see them here. She has a blog here. And is on facebook over here. We did the markets on the weekend, right next to the river. It was cold in the shade. Then hot in the sun. Then cold in the shade again. Oh then the sun came out and it was hot. Then.It.Was.Cold. The crowds worked a bit like that too, and came in waves from the restaurants and cruises. We had a nice time, and are getting ready now for the handmade expo. Do come along!

upcoming markets! almost-ready website!

You know that thing you do when you suddenly look up and realise you haven't posted on your blog for almost a week? Yeah. Oops. How did that happen?

I've been madly preparing for my first Brisbane markets! I will be with my sister Amanda from Red Pear drinking tea and chatting with all of our lovely wares at the Riverside Markets (Eagle St, Brisbane) this Sunday 19th of June, then next Saturday 25th we will be at the ace Handmade Expo (Brisbane Rd, Ipswich). So we are stitching and emailing and breathing deeply.

Plus I am working on my very own website! It is nice, I think, and will have links to all the important bits, like this blog, and facebook and twitter and flickr and a gallery and online shops and stockists and upcoming market dates and a bit about me too. Phew! If your bookmark says 'pepperstitches.com.au' it will go there; use 'pepperstitches.blogspot.com' if you'd like to come straight here. I hoped to launch it today, but my computer keeps freaking.out. and needs a bit of a rest. I will be nice to it, I need it to be nice to me, too.

So I am busy you see, but will post again soon. With pictures and everything. Hope your week is going ace!

Hide and Seek Market

My stall last weekend at the Hide and Seek market, and the market mascot that I made! My mum and a friend were there to help out, and we have never seen quite-so-many pregnant women in one place. I suppose if you’re starting to get clucky, making baby and kids toys and being surrounded by babies and pregnant women may not help. Hrrmm. I think I need to visit my niece and get my fix vicariously.

I bought a beautiful ring, and a doll (see more here), and a dozen cupcakes with flavours like Caramello, black forest, lemon curd and almond and berry. Yummo. (I'm eating one in the photo there.. That's what that bemused look is.)

You can see more about the markets here.

markets!

Last Sunday I had my very first Pepper Stitches market stall. Here it is early in the morning before the markets opened, when I stood back, rubbed the sleep from my eyes and sipped tea from my thermos.

Things I did:

- set up the table in the loungeroom first to check it out and sort out signs and extras. It was so much easier to set up when I had done it before.

- brought extra stock. It's nice to replace stock on the table when it goes

- sold out of antler boys and babushka rattles!

- made friends with neighbouring stall-holders

- brought pretty ribbon for free gift wrapping

- had business cards on the table

-didn't forget to bring plenty of change!

Things I learnt:

-2 thermos of tea is enough. Any more and too many toilet breaks ensue.

-bring a market umbrella (lucky I bought one from this gal) to shield me and my table from the sun which even in winter almost gave me sunstroke

- bring product packs with wholesale price lists for interested peeps (and there were a few!)

- don't bother bringing knitting or the paper. You won't have time.

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Thanks to my lovely friend Ange who awoke so darn early to drop me and my suitcases off, and my new housemate Louie who picked me up (and will ferry me to and from future markets in return for jean darning and sewing services!). Thanks to everyone who said I should do it, and everyone who came by. You made my day!

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I will be there again this Sunday, at the Addison Rd Organic Markets in Marrickville, if you are in Sydney do come by. They have lovely coffee and so many pretty things.