If you follow Bellamerclay on Instagram or Facebook you would've noticed over the Labour weekend (21st oct) I managed to make it to the Ohope Market for the first time in almost 2 years (since Levi was born) !
I had no intention of doing the market over the weekend at all, like not even a thought, I knew it was coming up to that time of year again and happen to be scrolling through my personal Facebook and noticed a post from our local holiday park just down the road from the Ohope market location asking for a food truck to park up near them other the weekend due to over 600 visitors booking in, which got me thinking.
I was half joking talking to Ryan about the market thinking it would probably been quite a good market to test the waters again but couldn't imagine being ready intime, at this stage it was already Wednesday night and we had thrown all my market stands away when did some house renovations because they got water damaged and looked nasty.
Ryan was instantly in he convinced me and said he would have something ready for me Friday night, and when he says he's going to build something I know he will get it done.... unless it's our house! all jokes aside he's very supportive of Bellamerclay so I left him too it.
I got my butt into action and started organizing what I wanted to take to the market in my travel containers, making labels and prices as all of this was so outdated or completely gone, setting up my Eftpos and trying to workout how to juggled the kids as Ryan works Saturdays.
Friday night as promised Ryan was just finishing up my stands, I was expecting some slapped together bits of scrap wood just to work for the day because he didn't get to start on the stands until Friday after dinner,
around 9:30pm I started to get worried and checked on him in the shed, I was so pleased and so thankful for the stands he had built, they were so much better than my old stands, as usual he said I will make something better when I have more time because they're a bit rough" but I love them.
We both loaded up the truck ready for an early morning and off to bed with the hopes of a great day.
Like a flash it seemed to be market day, up before the birds to try get one of the good spots.
Not enough coffee later and we were ready to go all set up and very happy considering a few days ago this was not a thought, but it felt so good to finally be back at a market.
It was so lovely to chat to people and finally be social, although the market started out with a very slow start, quiet unusual for this time of year but it wasn't until I notice a guy being dragged along to the market while he watched the All blacks play the semi finals!! I clicked of course it was going to be quiet!
Lucky for us the All Blacks won and the market started to filter in more and more people and before we knew it, it was back to a normal market, and around this time Ryan dropped the kids off with me as he had to get to work, they were absolutely amazing considering being stuck behind my table and let me continue to sell at the market, it was an amazing day well worth the effort and getting to see peoples reactions when they purchase and get to wear my handmade earrings fills me with so much joy, everyday it still blows me away that I can make earrings by hand that people actually want to purchase and wear and I’m so thankful for all my loyal customers and the new customers I’ve made.
overall I wouldn’t say it was my best market but it felt so amazing to get out and do a market for a change, parent hood is amazing but has definitely made events like this near impossible and I can’t express it enough just how amazing it was to get out and talk to real life customers, hear real comments and see peoples expressions.
So what this market has done is make me excited for the many more major markets over summer, so for my local friends stay tuned to the market dates and pop in and say hi at my next market.