Showing posts with label Farmers Market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Farmers Market. Show all posts

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Yes - I’m still making kitty cat toys!


I can’t believe we’ve been doing this since 2012.  It all started with my daughter Sofie making a couple of toys for our own cat.  I was selling my Bits Of Fiber items at a Farmers Market in The Plains at the time and told her she should take some of those toys and try to sell them.  And selling we did!  I also had her set up her own Etsy shop which we named MauveMoose.  Funny thing is that for a while she wanted to change it to MauveMice or MauveMouse but we had invested into the MauveMoose name with business cards etc so we decided to keep it as MauveMoose.  Anyways, we thought we were nuts for taking our first large wholesale order of 475 strawberry catnip toys until we ended up making 5400, yup you are reading correctly ... 5 4 0 0 cat toys we made ... by hand!! We did use the sewing machine to stitch them but the cutting, filling, stuffing and sewing them once filled was all done by hand.  We did ask a couple of friends to help us out with that order.  But that was the end of the large wholesale orders.  Me working full time, running my other Etsy shop, Bits of Fiber,  Sofie going to school etc we decided to focus on just the retail part of the business.  As time moves on, life moves on ... a lot has happened since 2012.  My dear husband passed away, I sold and purchased another house, moved to a totally different part of Virginia and I’m planning on retiring by 2021.  I’m looking forward to chapter #3 of my life that I hope will be filled with lots and lots of new projects, new people and new adventures and no need to panic ... I’ll continue making cat toys in between.  











Friday, December 28, 2012

What's your New Year's resolution?

So I want to make a couple more treasuries for this challenge on one of the Etsy teams I'm on.  It has to be related to New Years so this one I made with food in mind.  So many people have dieting as one of their New Year resolutions.  I've never been on a diet but I try to always eat the right foods.  Growing up in Belgium I visited the Farmers Market every Thursday morning.  Most of the time I purchased a certain pastry which you can't find here in the US.  It's called cremekoek.  They are a square pastry consisting of a very light almost puff pastry type dough and is filled with a yellow custard.  You can get them with either powdered sugar on top or a layer of chocolate. Yummmmm!!  Now I'm craving one!!  My daughter fell in love with them as well so every time we're in Belgium we have to have our cremekoeken.  I have a recipe to make them but they never turn out tasting like the ones from Belgium.   Anyways, here is the treasury I made.  If you click on the different pictures it will take you to an individual shop which has even more cool stuff to offer then what you see here so check it out.  And no, I do not get paid for you clicking on the pictures of these treasuries.  Thanks for looking!


Sunday, May 6, 2012

Farmers Market and Cupcakes!

We are off to be at the Farmers Market in The Plains.  We are open from 10 till 3 pm every Sunday.  Lots of different items for sale from different Vendors.  All the items for sale are grown or made by the vendors attending.  My daughter baked some cupcakes for this week's event so head on over for a pleasant outing on a gorgeous day!  

See you at the Market!

For location and direction see info on the left in pink. 

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Yes! I'll be back at the Farmers Market starting tomorrow!

 Well this came kinda unexpected I must say.  I had planned on going back to having a stall at the Farmers Market at the Archwood Green Barns in The Plains this season.  But then we got the news from Belgium, mom has breast cancer and needs surgery.  So I stopped making plans to going back to the barn and made plans to be with my mom.  In the meantime, 2 surgeries behind us and two trips to Belgium I'm home again thinking I missed out on getting a stall for the upcoming season since the first market is tomorrow and I just got back from Belgium last weekend.  But then today I received a message that one of the vendors decided not to take part and a stall was up for grabs!  Now I thought about it for a couple of minutes ... not sure if I could pull this off.  I still had all my boxes with everything I need for the market ready to go sitting in the basement.  I did need to price all the items I made this past year but my kid could help me doing that.  Now 9 hours later I'm exhausted but I got everything ready to go!  Tomorrow I'll be back at the green barn selling my stuff.  I'm so excited!  I think my stall is the 3rd one on the right side as you come walking through the front entrance of the barn.   Originally I had started planning on how to set up the stall this time, a bit different from what I have done in the past but of course none of that has taken place at this point since this was a last minute decision made today.   Anyway do come and visit us!   If you can't make it tomorrow there are plenty of Sundays ahead. 


The market is located in Northern Virginia. Just 8 miles west of Haymarket, on Route 245 exit 31, right off I-66, it's close enough for a day trip!   Roam the stalls of an old horse barn looking for the right treasure.  Ask all the questions you like....the people selling the product are the ones who made it!  We are producer only, and proud of it! 

Weather doesn't have to play a factor we are an indoor market with some outdoor vendors as well.  The variety of wonderful items will keep you coming back!   Baked goods, goat cheese, fresh meats and frozen are all available for the perfect meal. Don't forget the fruits and vegetables, cheesecakes, flowers, bamboo, gourds, quilted specialties and other arts and crafts to browse through and enjoy!   Bring the family and spend some time together at the barn!.  


         See you there on Sunday!
Location
Rt. 245 and I-66, Exit 31
The Plains, VA 20198

When and Where  

(April-November)
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Last Sunday in April through the 2nd Sunday in November. Open the first 2 Sundays in December for the Christmas on the Farm Show.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

The Market and getting interviewed!



Had a great first market at the Archwood Green Barn in THe Plains today. A big "thanks" to my new and returning customers for making my day.

Then I had pictures taken and interviewed by a reporter from the Fauquier Times Democrat newspaper, how exciting is that! I was busy needle felting a new scarf when he came by and asked if he could take pictures while I was busily felting away. Needless to say it was a great morale boost for me and made my day even better.

Been working on some new items for the market and my Etsy shop. Made a couple brooch flowers, one I put on the kid's hat I had made and another one just by itself. The brown brooch sold today so I'll be making more of them. Here are a couple pictures I took with my phone so they are not the best. Thanks for dropping by and reading my blog.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

New Violin Girl and The Farmers Market - Sunday April 26th, 2009 in The Plains, Virginia



Well I finally finished this violin girl. She will be on her way to Belgium late next week. I made her for one of my school teachers from way back when. Kinda strange how in one way it seems like only yesterday I was in her classroom and on the other hand it seemed so long ago I can barely remember what she looked like.

This Sunday, April 26th, 2009 will be the first Farmers Market at the Archwood Green Barns in The Plains, Virginia. The market runs from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. I will have my stall in the main barn so if you need something to do this weekend please come by and visit me. I have lots more items for sale then what's listed in my on-line shops on Etsy and Art fire so come and check it out. There will be many local farmers and other artisans as well.

Look for the big green barn located at the intersection of I-66 (exit 31) & Rt. 245 in The Plains, Virginia.


Thursday, March 12, 2009

Pretty soon at the Farmers Market in The Plains!



Went to the meeting at the Archwood Green Barns in The Plains yesterday to find out all about becoming a vendor at their Sunday markets starting the end of April. Great meeting and a great bunch of people. I'm so excited about being able to set up my booth and start selling all my felted items. Not sure how I will handle having enough to sell on a weekly basis but I'm sure I'll manage somehow. Of course if I don't sell much I won't have to worry about that part! Come to find out that Robert Duvall (the actor) owns and lives on a farm in The Plains. I don't think he'll be purchasing any of my baby booties anytime soon, but then again ... maybe he has some grandkids he needs to buy something for. Hey, it never hurts to dream you know. Talking about kids ... mine decided to sew up some pillows for her room and I must say she did a great job. She wouldn't let me take any pictures of them yet, not until they are completely finished mum!