We do shows too!

As well as regular markets the stall also visits several shows every year, so if you can't make it to Fakenham, Diss or Sheringham to buy fab fashion jewellery & scarves, keep an eye on the site and see what shows are coming up near you.

First up this year is Stradsett Park Vintage Rally on 2nd & 3rd May, then we are at Old Buckenham Airshow on Sunday 27th June, Heveningham Country Fair is next up on Sunday 11th July.

All of the above events are a great day out so be sure to visit us. Visit www.myjewellerystall.com for even more pictures and information on the jewellery & scarves we sell. Some are available to buy through the site via Ebay.

Come and see us soon!

A day at Diss

Was good to be out again today at Diss Market after missing Fakenham yesterday (big guilt but black ice - no way.)

Got lots of sympathy from regulars about how bad the weather has been this winter. It's nice that people who don't have to come out to the stall in this weather do anyway and spare the time for a friendly chat. As much as it's good to sell, it's also nice to see people and have a laugh.

The flower stall was busy selling gorgeous bouquets of red roses ready for Valentine's day and making sure not a bloke got past the stall without being reminded of the event!

Diss Market has such a lovely atmosphere and lots of really good stalls, well just like all the other markets really but if you are in town on a Friday make sure you check them out. Today there were buskers in town which helps create a vibrancy small town High Streets so badly need in these tough times.

If you do visit, make sure you get a hotdog or some chips - thoroughly recommend them both!

Lots of lovely jewellery on the stall so check it out at Fakenham Auction Site Market Thurs, Diss Market Friday (next to the flower stall), Sheringham Market Saturday (Wed too from end March.)

PS. Whoever keeps leaving comments on this blog in Chinese, please do it in English, cos haven't got a clue what you are saying!

Norwich Market

I have just read Joyce Dunbar's book on Norwich Market cover to cover. If you want a true taste of market life this is it. All the characters you meet, an inside view of trader's lives, the customer's, the history, the dark side and the valuable social contribution every market makes within its community.

http://www.joycedunbar.com/non_fiction.html



I laughed out loud at some of the comments, they are so true!

Norwich Market has a rich and very long history, it started in Tombland and moved to the centre of the city when the castle was built. It is also the largest six day market in England. We are very proud of our markets here in Norfolk and Norwich Market is the true heart of our county.

Joyce Dunbar set up a story telling stall on Norwich Market several years ago just as the Forum was being built and many characters of the market visited to tell their stories. Really it was a story gathering stall with a fire place mural to boot.

Her experiences mirror my own in that some of the traders are more than willing to impart information while others keep themselves to themselves.

If you want to find out more about another world, deep in the fabric of our history and social lives, this is should fascinate you as much as it did me, even though I am now an 'insider' so to speak!

Markets in London

I just found a great site showing a map of London Markets to visit. London has a huge number of markets spread across the City providing a huge array of goods and produce.

Spitalfields Market, Camden Market and Petticoat Lane are the most famous but there are many others too.

If you are visiting London in the near future or already live there check this site out - it's well worth a visit!

http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/markets.htm

Reasons to shop at Markets

Baby, it's cold outside but traders have warm hearts!

Get rid of that flu bug, cold and winter blues with a good dose of shopping therapy outside in the fresh air.

Being outside is proven to lift your mood (providing it's dry, not blowing a gale and not below freezing.)

Markets are economically friendly - a great place to find affordable goods when the pennies are being pinched.

Let's not forget they are environmentally friendly too! Few traders use electricity, we don't travel during rush hours and rarely travel for more than an hour to get to market. We don't pollute the air (except with the odd blue joke!)

Markets are the social hub of many rural towns and provide great atmosphere in larger cities. All ages gather for a chat on market day.

Markets are the oldest and most traditional way to shop. Many big businesses have been founded on markets. Famous former market traders include Philip Green, Alan Sugar, Fay Weldon worked on a market along with many others. It's the savvy way to learn to sell.

Recession is a time to return to our roots. As many big stores are closing and we are losing independent shops on a daily basis, it is proving a sad and difficult time for many. Let's keep markets alive by supporting them.

Markets are cool (in winter they are very cool), so give your local one a try!

Back to work - muscle issues!

For the section of the population who return to work tomorrow, you have my fullest sympathy. For those who carried on working throughout the festive break you at least don't have the body/mental shock of getting back into routine.

I started back at work last Friday at Diss Market. It was bitterly cold, damp and traders were few. In fact when I turned up it looked like it was only going to be the flower stall and myself standing. In truth, although I had been concerned about the early start after all the wonderful lazy lie ins for nearly two weeks, I awoke eager and ready to go and turned up even earlier than usual.

"What are you doing here?" Shrieked a lady who often drops in for a chat.

"Well it's my job, I've got to earn money (ha ha), this is what I do and that is why I'm here." I yelled this back good naturedly careful to leave any sarcasm out.

It was an awesomely boring day and if it hadn't been for the great couple who run the flower stall keeping me intermittently warm with their heater and chatter, it would have been pretty lonely too despite the welcome company of a few regulars.

Yesterday at Sheringham market it was equally cold but not as damp so a little more bearable. Realising I was getting a bit hunched in reaction to the cold, I did a few lively exercises which warmed up my feet a bit (my new snowboots are good but the icyness was permeating even through them to my toes.)

Later that evening after a nice hot bath I curled up on the sofa dozing in front of Oliver Twist dreaming of the teenage crush I'd once had on Oliver Reed. 'Lord I'm getting old' I thought 'it's around eight thirty on a Saturday night and I'm already half asleep with a belly full of spaghetti bolgonese, and drowsy with a couple of glasses of red wine!'

The dozing didn't last long, suddenly a fizzing numbness gripped my left leg. Pins and needles had attacked with great force. Groaning I tried to stand up but not having any feeling at all in the leg, fell straight back onto the sofa. My partner ignored me and carried on watching Oliver Reed trying to be horrible Bill Sikes yet still managing to be totally gorgeous. I tried again until I managed to shake some life back into it and staggered into the kitchen to make tea.

Half an hour later I gave up the fight against unconsciousness and went to bed where my arm started to emulate the leg. How come circulation ceased after all the preventative exercise I did? These were my last thoughts as I disappeared into the land of nod.

I woke late only to do that shrug, yawn thing which immediately produced a painful muscle cramp in my shoulder. Two days back out in the fresh air and I'm a wreck already! So much for a restorative break.

I wish everyone else better luck with their return to work. (and my sympathies to those who no longer have a job to go to - try taking up a career as a masseuse, I need you!)

Market Characters

While markets harbour zillions of different characters, market traders fall into their own special categories. Most markets have at least one of the following.


Mr Boastful has always had a good day regardless of any negative factors every trader encounters on a regular basis. He will happily tell you exactly how well he did last Wednesday when every other trader who was present at the self same market knows jolly well it was a hopeless day. ‘I know the others were struggling, but I had my best day this month.’ (Then gives outlandish figure!)

Mr Boastful used to have a stall three times as big as it is now but then he realised he could take just as much if not more by downsizing. Am sure Freud would have something to say about the constant referrals to size of frontage (these means the length of the stall.)

Then there is the Moaner. Markets aren’t what they used to be (true but the same could be said of all retail at the moment). The Moaner always ends up next to someone he or she doesn’t like, who talks too much, too little or has nothing to say of any importance. The Moaner nearly always starts late and finishes early and then complains about the lack of business.

The Story Teller is always full of beans and has a different tale for every day of the week. If there isn’t an imaginative story to tell then there is a smutty joke or two. Sometimes the stories are almost true but the elaborations are so entertaining, who cares?

The Loner rarely converses with anyone this is either due to acute shyness or a complete lack of interest in participating with others. Market trading is a strange occupation for anyone who isn’t keen on interaction but it happens. It is hard to know if The Loner even passes the time of day with customers.

The Know It All can hold court for hours. If you see the same customer trapped for hours on his or her stall you will know they are being treated to a lengthy session of ‘putting the world to rights’. The Know It All is always first in line to help The Newcomer (see below.) The Know It All has been a trader for a hundred years and you can't tell them anything (and they don't listen much anyhow.)

The Wide Boy has done a great deal on the goods spread out before him; he bought the whole container ‘for a song.’ He always has a product before it hits the stores and will ‘make a killing’ then switch to something new. You won’t see Wide Boy at the same market every week as he works in circuits.

The Newcomer turns up earlier than anyone else looking anxious to get a pitch. Their stall bars are all shiny and new and they try to look like they know what they are doing and usually fail miserably. Everyone ignores The Newcomer.

The Pitcher is never popular as he attracts punters away from other stalls purely by volume of noise. Constantly reiterating the same sales pitch they drive their neighbours to distraction.

I've already mentioned The Flibbertigibbet in a previous post so check that one out for details!