Post Market Review

Another Homegrown Vintage Market under my belt, another day that we couldn’t have asked for better weather, another one for the books…or blog, as the case might be! 

Here I sit, body parts aching from moving furniture, coffee close by in my new chicken mug, listening to the rain.  But it’s perfect.  Third season of Homegrown Vintage Market is behind me now and I couldn’t be more thankful.  I feel as though I didn’t have any huge moments of panic { well, except maybe when there was the issue of finding a plug that worked for the food truck…. } and that things ran fairly smoothly.

There were no crazy ditch/flip flops stories like previous years.  The signs were up early and in daylight so that was a huge help.   😉   I am learning the skills I need to make things run a little more seamlessly.  This year I was set up in the hall, so that allowed me to set up the night before and not have to move everything out the morning of.  Plus, I had a great team of helpers this year.  My girls are getting so much older and able to do some much more for me, plus the handsome Mr. Byrne wasn’t working so he helped a whole bunch, too.  And I had Emma with me and she was a great help, too.  { Sidenote: if you find a teen you can lend a hand in their career path, do it, mentoring is such a good thing!! }

Here are things I contribute the success of HGVM to:

1. Two previous years experience of this market and about 5 years of market experience all together
2. Support from my family – they helped with the lifting, moving, and the messy house and lack of meals…
3. Support from my on-line community – you guys shared the crap outta my posts, watched the videos and spread the word like champs and then on market day, you showed up!
4. Curiosity of the people – this isn’t your typical market and that’s a draw
5. Amazing Vendors – without the top-notch vendors and their willingness to put themselves and their products out there this would never work!
6. Support of my local community – my neighbours stopped by, chatted with me and browsed around and offered their words of encouragement
7. It wasn’t raining – when I started watching the ling range forecast, it was calling for thunder showers….not good market weather – but we had gloriously sunny day!
8. Use a unique location – could this old community hall be any cuter!?!?
9. When you use your God-given gifts – there is reward in it.

Guys, seriously – without all you and the bits you did to promote and support this market, it wouldn’t be possible.  I would be me sitting with my stuff in the corner of a little community hall in rural Nova Scotia, all alone.  But instead, I was surrounded with friends, makers and collectors {we won’t say hoarders 😉 } and strangers and I couldn’t be more thankful.

There are two groups of people that I would like to call special attention to.  There was some of you who couldn’t make it to the market and yet throughout the day and days leading up to HGVM, I was receiving notes of support and encouragement from you.  You will have no idea how much that meant to me.  One dear friend even went as far as attending a local  market were she was since she wasn’t around to be at mine – how sweet, right?

The other group of people, got up early, piled themselves in a mini van and drove all the way here from Margaree.  Janice, my dear, sweet girl, I know you were instrumental in that roadtrip, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that.  Girls – you made my day. I hope there was room for everyone on the way home….you piled that van pretty high with treasures! And apparently I didn’t get the memo about wearing sunglasses….

Well, off to send some thank you emails to my wonderful vendors!  If you were at the market – thank you!  If you purchased something from one of the vendors – thank you.  If you spread the word – thank you!  You are appreciated!

To be continued,

Lori