Hey Plain Jane

Lookie! On Saturday afternoon I got John to pick up a new trestle table for me from Bunnings on his way home from work. I was all a-flitter and decided to stage a practice run of how the stall would be put together. The above photo was taken on our back deck that leads off our bedroom, late in the afternoon of a very long day, the culmination of a very long haul of stitching, for what seemed like months, but possibly was only six weeks.

Then the day of the inaugural Hey Plain Jane market debut, I was so excited to turn up at silly o’clock at the the market place. John packed up the Ute with me and we hooted off. The market location was the grounds of the Tank Art Centre, a converted WW2 oil tank storage site—some five massive concrete oil tanks— set in amongst the lush rain forest. It is a pretty special place. 

My three friends Soo, Kevin and Sarah were holding two stalls as well, and we all bunked in together. I don’t know what I would have done without them there. All three of them are old hands at flogging crafty, groovey stuff at markets, so they were so supportive of my first foray. 

Jack, bless him, had a Limonade stand (no, limonade, made from limes from our prolific back yard lime tree). Aged four, dressed in his best Norman Rockwell impersonator gear (jeans, stripy shirt and baceball cap turned backwards). He was milking the nostalgia factor without even knowing it. Japanese tourists were taking his photo and coo-ing over him. I must admit he was a champion; he was barking out his wares, accosting people left right and centre, working the cute factor, pouring out the limonade with a host’s aplomb. John was standing by to help.

I had a great day. Seriously. Friends rocked up. I got a few good support purchases from my friends, bless them. But complete strangers were enthusiastic as well. I worked it too.

Soo Kevin, Sarah and I were all buzzing with customers, constantly. Good feedback, good vibes. Hey Plain Jane had a lovely first outing. And wow, a nice financial profit that cannot be sniffed at! All goes to the mortgage.

Best sellers? George the Swimmer sold okay, the collage covered books, and a lot of the ‘hot bunnies’. Not a single cushion was sold. How sad.

Next month’s markets have a children’s toy theme, can you believe it! Right!!!!