hanakrafts @ MAAD Pyjamas market on 5 August 2016 August 10, 2016 13:30
Hubby and I have been back in Singapore for a couple of weeks now, and we've been enjoying lots of quality time with dearly-missed family and friends. I was also thinking that I should do some hanakrafts-related work while I'm back too, like teaching courses or selling at markets, so I signed up for the MAAD Pyjamas market, which happened last Friday! It's a monthly market for locally-made goods held at the Red Dot Design Museum. It was the first time that I'd ever sold in person in Singapore, so I was pretty excited! As usual I told myself not to have too many expectations--as long as I sold enough to cover the participation fee, I should be happy with myself. (Trust me, this really helps to quell the nervousness.) My aim was just to put myself out there and to introduce hanakrafts to a wider audience back home.
This was my booth! This time round I used more baskets to display my items, and I also plucked up the courage to use my banner. Haha! When I was selling in Gore, I already had the banner, but it was such a small event I felt hesitant to use it. Also, because money envelopes are more commonly used in SG, they were the highlight of my display.
The crowd at the market was huge. The event was from 5pm till midnight, and from 6 till 1030pm, there was a constant stream of people passing through, which was great! My booth was indoors and sort of en route to the exit, so we had a good catchment of people. What did people gravitate towards? The hand-bound notebooks and, as expected, the premium origami envelopes! I also received some custom orders for cards and notebooks, as well as some possible wholesale offers (!!!) which I would need to mull over.
The best part about selling while back home is having family to help! Heheheh. I recruited my mum and younger bro, and big bro also dropped by after work. Dad fetched us after the event as well. Because of all their help hubby and I could take breaks, have our meals properly and take a look at the other stalls too!
I was also really touched by the support of other family members and friends who came all the way to say hi and to buy my items! I am always reminded of how blessed I am to have people in my life who really love the things that I make and who are constantly showing their support for my work. It really means so much to me and I hope they know that =)
Another thing that really amazed me was the close-knit community of SG makers. Everyone who had a stall there was friendly and supportive, and we were all visiting each other and sharing about our work. I met jewellery makers, pottery artists, and even fellow book-binders who were all so passionate about their handmade businesses. It's amazing being a part of this homegrown handmade community and I think we should all be really proud of what we do. If you like our work, do show your support for us! It really means so much =)