Victor Meldrew is alive and well

Hubby and I had a lovely day yesterday at the Grainger Market Art & Craft Fair. The fair is held on the second Saturday of each month and this was our second visit their as stallholders. We sold lots of lovely items (it was much better than last week's fair!) - decorative scarves, woolly scarves, Christmas decorations, brooches and corsages - nothing was a 'big seller' so I guess people like to have the choice of different things on a stall.

The stallholders are moved around each month so it's a chance to meet and chat to new people as you're waiting for customers to stop and peruse your wares. We met some lovely people - both stallholders and customers, and people who just came to have a look and a chat. It's great to hear what 'the general public' think of your stall, and about the fair in general. We spoke to few visitors who were in Newcastle for the weekend and they all thought the fair was a great place to buy their Christmas gifts; they really seemed to enjoy the chance to buy handmade items rather than the usual mass-produced shop bought goods.

As well as all the nice comments, we did have a few raised eyebrows or rude comments from peole who obviously think stallholders are deaf. "£24 for a scarf? I don't believe it!" was one succint comment from a female 'Victor Meldrew'. Some people don't seem to realise that, yes, a ball of yarn might only cost £3 but you have to add on all the time that you've spent knitting it as well (plus the cost of your stall, insurance, packaging, transport, etc. etc.). I was dying to shout at them, "I'm trying to run a business not a charity!" but hubby wouldn't let me (he's the more diplomatic one in our marriage!)

The comments by the rude people were wiped out by one sweet elderly lady though. We chatted for a few minutes about life in general, and then she chose my Pistachio Scarf as she was a 'lady who loved green'. As I was wrapping up her purchase she gave hubby £20 (the scarf was £18) and told him to keep the change - "Buy her a Christmas drink" she whispered. Now how lovely was that?