This past Saturday I was one of the vendors at the Brooklyn Flea, which takes place every weekend in Fort Green and Dumbo. It was a gorgeous first warm day of spring, and New Yorkers came out in droves. It was prime people watching as well as sun worshiping. I saw many carrying cool looking old things under their arms. The lines for food snaked through the market. Many hung out on the school steps and socialized. Kids were everywhere.
I think a lot of shoppers were surprised to see me there. One woman asked me where did all this ceramics come from, and when I told her I make it, her eyebrows shot up. Because it is technically a "flea" market, most don't expect handmade new things there. Everyone is looking for a bargain, and as one British gentleman told me, my price for one cup was beyond his budget. I liked his accent, though.
At the same time I met so many wonderful people and received many compliments. Over a hundred people took my card. One customer, who lives in the neighborhood, saw me in the morning, and then after looking up my website, came back in the afternoon and purchased two bowls. She told me she thought of me as she was gardening and had to come back.
I also had super nice neighbors: Deb from Bon Bon Oiseau, whose necklaces I adore, on one side, and Ashley and Jim selling great old finds on the other. They cheered me and helped me throughout the day. My best sellers were the small bowls and the dessert bowls, which I will bring more of when I come again in May. I saw old friends, met new ones, and got a little bit of a tan. I'm bummed that I forgot my camera, Alec and I rushed out of the house in the morning to set up, but there will be a next time.
