What a day at the market 🎪
It all actually started the day before, when we fully packed the car because we were heading out with the caravan to start off 🚐 Having everything loaded early made things so much easier. After a great night of sleep (fortunately it was not too hot 😴), we jumped out of bed at 7:30. Just a few last minute items like the thermos of hot tea, my phone, and the power bank, and at 9:15 we hit the road 📍 Luckily our destination was only about 2 km from the campsite.
It is always a surprise where you end up at these events. We were told in advance that spots would be raffled off 🎟️ So it was a guessing game whether we would end up inside, outside, in the shade, or in the back. In the end, my spot right against the back wall turned out completely fine! I had plenty of space and I think I was very visible to everyone walking by. The tables were only €5 each, so I grabbed two to give everything a nice display 🪑
My expectations for the day were so different though. The marketing beforehand looked amazing and made it seem like a huge festival 📣 I was picturing a massive event packed with busy stalls, live music, and food trucks serving delicious Surinamese snacks. In reality, it turned out to be the very first time the Reggae BEATZ Charity Foundation put on their World Heart & Hand Market, so there were definitely some little problems 🥁 It was a very small local event. Perfect for the lovely local craft ladies (mean no disrespect at all!), but just a bit too small for what I do.
The turnout was honestly a bit of a disappointment 😔 If 50 people showed up all day, I think that is a generous estimate, mostly local residents and family members.
And then came lunchtime with those food trucks nowhere in sight 🍜 The only main food option available was Bami (definitely not my favorite 🍧), though an ice cream stand opened later. To top it off, there was no coffee or tea provided for the stallholders, so I was extremely lucky that I brought my own thermos of tea along! Fortunately I brought a bag of M&Ms with me 🍫 Even better, my sweet market neighbor came to the rescue with a simple cheese sandwich 🥪🧀
Despite the quiet crowd, the day completely flew by because I met Ursula 🌟 She is a 70 year old woman with the looks of a 50 year old and the energy of a 30 year old ⚡ We hit it off so well that she is even coming to visit me in Zeeland sometime 🌾
To keep myself busy during the quiet hours at the stall, I started working on a new intricate drawing ✍️ I worked on it during the market yesterday and completely finished it today 🎨
Right at the very last minute, I managed to sell a calendar 🗓️ Though that mathematically canceled itself out because I also donated one for their raffle today. But the absolute highlight was selling Caspertje, one of my very first cat eyes 🐱
On my husband's advice, I had put together a special box filled with older drawings, watercolors, and various mandalas priced between €10 and €25. I only asked €10 for Caspertje, which I honestly think was way too cheap for it, but it still feels special knowing a piece from the early days found a lovely new home 🎨
When doing the math at the end of the day, my total profit came to €8.50 after subtracting the calendar 💶 Add in the campsite costs (€59 for two nights) plus gas, and I definitely lost money on this trip 📉 But at the end of the day, I do this for the fun of it, the experience, and the wonderful people I meet along the way ❤️
Sometimes market days do not turn out the way you expect, but you just have to laugh, enjoy the new friendships, and chalk it up to another rich experience 😋
Have you ever been to an event that turned out completely different than you imagined ?💭
With all my love🩷
Arty by Esther
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Het was een bijzondere dag. Mooie positieve sfeer.
Dankbaar voor de enthousiaste van jou en iedereen lieve groet
Reggae BEATZ Charity Foundation.