Farmer's Market Adventures!

The weather breaks, and there is that certain something coursing through your veins. The breeze is blowing through the newly opened windows, the trees are budding with fresh new blossoms. I just love spring and everything that comes with it. That new life coming out of the destitute cold of winter. The SMELL of spring. Everything is new, everything is fresh. I love that first couple of weeks when the weather is warmer when everyone wants to head outdoors and go hiking, biking, to the park, or any other outdoor activity. One of my very favorite spring things is the FARMER'S MARKET!

Fresh herbs and produce, homemade soaps, locally baked goods and coffee, singer-songwriters playing for the passers by.......and if you go to the Cooper Young Community Farmer's Market in Midtown, Memphis, you will also be obligated to buy delightful tamales from the lovely Latina woman who sells them for a dollar. You might, infact, need like, 5 of them.

Anyways, I have always loved the farmer's market, soooooo.......Sam and I decided to go out on a limb and set up a vendor table at our local farmer's market on Saturday! It was a BLAST. We set up the table with a Indian Mandala tablecloth (much wow, very yes) and covered it with inventory from our respective Etsy stores!!

Sam had some awesome stretchy fabric headbands (in sweet prints for spring, hellooooo yoga attire!) and also some dreamcatchers and some rad wooden plaque signs that her and her hubby made, my favorite one reading "I found the one whom my soul loves." My side of the table was full of handmade jewelry, and I also brought along some dreamcatchers! It was seriously so much fun.

I have set up at this farmer's market only one time before, in the fall. Except that experience was nowhere near as cool as this one was!

When I set up before, it was freezing and hardly anyone came, and I didn't sell one dang thing. I was pretty discouraged. But since then, I have been revamping my products galore! In the time between then and now, my Etsy store has taken off, and my products have gotten a lot more developed. This time, Sam and I both were happy to see a lot of our handmade creations going off to new homes. I guess I just needed to not give up and continue to strive to make the very best handmade jewelry that I can make...I'm constantly trying to scheme up new designs. It really is something I love to do as a hobby. It's so nice to do something for fun that other people really enjoy being a part of too. It's nice to see your hard work pay off. I have learned a lot through my Etsy journey so far, but I think the most important thing that has stuck with me is that failure is BOUND to happen. I even took long haituses in my Etsy endeavor since it's creation in 2010. But eventually, I figured out my niche and learned a lot about the marketing side of being the owner of a (very) small business. I'm so glad I never gave up on it.

Sam and I plan on soing this farmer's market in the future! Maybe once a month or so, so if you are a local Memphian, we would love to see you!! Check out the CYCFM page for more info on seasonal times for the market.

~~DREAM ON~~

Nicki

The Faint of Heart