There's something special about a market day.
The early start, the anticipation, the careful planning and that moment when everything is finally set up, ready for customers to arrive.
It's been a while since I've taken Buttons by Brooke to a market, so when the opportunity came along to attend the Lake Primary School Fete, I was excited to get back into it.
I'd spent a couple of weeks preparing. Making new stock, sorting through products, checking prices, organising displays, packaging accessories and trying to remember all those little things that make a market stall work.
If you read last week's blog, The Other Side of the Desk, you'll know just how much work happens before a handmade product ever reaches a customer.
Well, this week I was reminded that the work doesn't necessarily stop when the market is over either!
I packed what felt like half the house into the bigger family car, because my little car certainly wasn't going to accommodate everything I thought I needed.
And yet, despite all that preparation, I managed to leave my additional market wall at home.
Thankfully, Julie from the neighbouring Wild Arlie stall came to my rescue, lending me a beautiful white backdrop that made my stall look wonderfully neat and professional.
Sometimes the things that make your stall look its best aren't even yours!
Dad was there helping me too, and between us we managed to get everything set up. The Christmas decorations came out, the wooden displays were filled with colourful hair ties and clips, and my little handmade shop was ready for visitors.
I had Christmas accessories, bookmarks, jewellery, fabric-covered buttons and even some new little Circle Buttons that carry a message of kindness and encouragement.
There was also a treasure hunt for the children, complete with a little colouring card they could take home and enjoy later.
And then there was the weather.
Now, I know rain is important, particularly when you live in regional Victoria. We certainly don't want to complain about getting some.
But could it perhaps have waited until after the fete?
As the rain arrived, so did the challenges.
Julie once again came to our rescue, this time lending us an umbrella so we could walk back from the car park.
Naturally, my own jacket and umbrella were sitting safely in the little car I normally drive.
The one I'd left at home.
You really couldn't make it up!
And just when you think you're safely undercover, you discover that the air vent in the roof of your market tent is also quite effective at letting rain in.
Perfect when you're surrounded by handmade fabric accessories!
But despite the weather, there were some genuinely lovely moments.
There was the surprise on one customer's face when she discovered I make the double-ended bauble-style button hair ties many of us remember wearing as children.
There was the lady looking for Christmas clips to keep those little wispy bits of hair out of her face in the humid weather. I loved being able to help her find something practical that was also a little festive.
And there were the children.
One hundred and two children collected their treasure from my stall, each receiving a little colouring card they could work on later.
Watching their faces as they found their treasure was one of my favourite parts of the day.
Those little interactions are what you miss when most of your business happens behind a computer screen.
It's one thing to make something, photograph it and put it on a website. It's another thing entirely to see someone pick it up, smile and appreciate what you've created.
And then there were the other stallholders.
When the weather refuses to cooperate, there's a certain camaraderie that develops. Everyone is dealing with the same challenges, checking on one another, lending things and helping where they can.
Julie's kindness was a perfect example of that.
Of course, as the rain continued, there came a point when we simply had to pack up.
All those carefully arranged displays, all the stock I'd spent so long sorting and organising, suddenly had to be bundled back into the car.
Wet products, wet packaging, wet equipment.
Everything went in wherever it would fit.
And I spent the drive home hoping I wouldn't need to brake too hard, because I really didn't need everything shifting around and creating an even bigger mess!
I was disappointed.
Disappointed for the school, which had put so much effort into organising the fete.
Disappointed for myself, because I'd been looking forward to returning to markets and sharing my handmade creations.
And worried about how much of my stock might have been damaged.
But getting home wasn't the end of the day.
Everything had to come back out again.
Our outdoor table became a drying station, with towels spread across it and handmade accessories laid out so I could check them, let them dry and eventually pack them back into their containers.
Thankfully, most of my handmade stock survived.
The one casualty was my collection of $5 mystery bags.
I'd put them together using older products and items whose packaging wasn't quite right, adding a colouring page and a lolly to create a little surprise for someone to enjoy.
Unfortunately, the bags were soaked beyond saving, so into the recycling they went.
Disappointing? Absolutely.
But I was grateful that the rest of my stock could be saved, even if it meant another round of sorting, drying and repacking.
And then came Monday morning.
The moment my feet touched the floor, I remembered another little detail about market days.
They hurt!
All that standing, lifting, carrying, bending, rearranging displays and generally fluffing about had certainly caught up with me.
It's funny how you forget that part when you're excited about getting back into something.
Looking back, the day brought a whole mixture of emotions.
Excitement, disappointment, frustration, worry, gratitude and a fair bit of laughter.
Would I have preferred sunshine, dry stock and a leisurely pack-up?
Absolutely!
But I'm also glad I went.
Because between the rain, the forgotten equipment and the soggy trip home, I was reminded of something I'd missed.
Meeting people.
Seeing their faces when they discover something I've made.
Helping someone find just the right little accessory.
Watching children enjoy something simple.
And being part of a community where people look after each other, even when things aren't going to plan.
Not every market will be a financial success. Not every day will go smoothly. And sometimes the amount of work involved makes you wonder why you signed up in the first place.
But success isn't always measured by how much money goes into the cash box.
Sometimes it's measured in conversations, kindness, smiles and the reminder that something you've made with your own two hands can brighten somebody else's day.
And sometimes it's simply about turning up, giving something another go and remembering why you started.
Be real, not perfect. Be Kind. Be Brave. Be Yourself.
Even when it's raining.
A little glimpse of The Lake School Fete. Handmade treasures, Christmas creations, 102 happy treasure hunters and plenty of memories made, despite the rain!