All Things Nice - By George

Have you been making your way through the wonderful list of stallholders that will make up our July 22 Woodend Market?? If you haven't yet, make sure you do - it will make drafting that shopping wish-list all the more easier :)

One new, upcoming, super talented business that will be making their Sugar & Spice debut at the market is - By George. A lovely mother and daughter duo who create gorgeous knitted and crochet treasures for little people.

Thank you Kim for giving us an 'All Things Nice' perspective on your business. We're looking forward to showcasing your range in July.
Sherryn & Jackie x

Kim from By George with her gorgeous little people

Are you more sugar or spice?

Definitely more sugar, a little sweetness always brightens the day :)

What inspired you to start your own business?

Mum (George) has always loved knitting and has been creating gifts for family and friends for over 50 years – not that she would like me admitting it :) We have both always adored all things handmade, and with the arrival of our own little munchkins really focused on beautiful products for little people. When my interest in crochet developed, we thought it would be fun to combine our skills and share our passion with others.

How did you name your business?

When my son Oscar started making his mark in the world, as first child and grandchild, he nicknamed his Nanna ‘George’. Seeing as it is her creativity and talent behind so much of what we do, it was only fitting to name it after her.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

That’s very difficult to choose. It’s hard to go past a warm snuggly beanie, and I think the pixie style hat is probably one of our most favourites.

Where else can we check you out? 

http://www.facebook.com/knitsbygeorge

Stallholder essentials

July market shoppers are in for a real treat. Our retailer list is close to being fully locked in and it's looking like the stalls on the day will be a diverse range of fresh, beautiful, some well-known and some new and upcoming businesses. We thought some tips on how to get the most out of your Sugar & Spice experience could be handy for those retailing. So here's Katie from 5 Star, Baby! with some essential market day advice. As a regular retailer on the market scene, and with many, many market days under her belt, Katie's advice may be just what you need. Enjoy! Thanks so much Katie :)

Sherryn & Jackie
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Wow!! What an honour to be asked by Sherryn and Jackie to do a guest post on their blog with some handy tidbits for stall holders.

• First things first…DISPLAY! I can not emphasize this enough. This is your chance to draw someone towards your stall, or have them walk right past.

• Think carefully about your display. Always practice your set up at home. Take photos to get perspective on how it’s going to look and make sure you fit into your allocated space.

• Most of the items I take to a market are purely for display. Think outside the square and make it different, creative and super appealing. Use different heights to create multiple levels of interest.

• Make sure you have good signage so everyone can see your brand.

• Your stall needs to be well stocked so there are no empty spaces, but not so cramped that it’s overwhelming.

• Be friendly. A smile is free and will entice customers over to browse.

• Try to stand behind your stall rather than sit, I know it can be exhausting, but trust me, this small difference will invite customers over to browse.

• Write yourself a checklist of must haves. Some things I try to remember on the day are paper bags, (which I have on occasion forgotten!!) people like to have a bag to protect their precious purchase.

• Your float. Make sure you have a few of each note and as many gold coins as possible. I find many people come to the market via the ATM and only have larger notes. So be prepared!!

• Some plastic drop sheets or something similar to cover your stock on the trip in and out of the hall in case it rains.

• One last thing to remember is your coat! Woodend is freezing in winter. The hall gets nice and cosy, but trust me, until you thaw out, you will need to be rugged up nice and proper!!!

• Most of all, have fun. Relax and enjoy the day!

Katie
5 star, baby!