My market booth

 I dreamed about this new way to set up my space at the market. I have a canopy and have always had the long table in the back with the 2 smaller tables on either side. So people would have to walk inside to see things. The soap is always on the bigger table, since I have so much soap. Then the salves on the medium size table and felted things on the smaller one. So sales haven't been that good the past month. This is the new set up. I love it! And I sold a lot yesterday. Don't know if this is why, but I think it helped so much. People don't have to actually come inside now. The bigger table is sort of katy-corner with the other 2 tables tiered at the other side. All the other vendors liked it. I do too. And I can always flip it around  too.

I love this little wicker laundry basket I found at Michael's. It's perfect for wool dryer balls. And I found this pumpkin table cloth at a thrift store a few years ago. So cute for fall.

And all the soaps go on this bigger table. I just love making soap. I have so many ideas for more soaps floating around in my head right now.  I used the milk crates for height in the back which ads more to the table. I just love it. I need a farm sign now to hang  in the back. I might try to make one. There is a quilting class Oct.4th I think and I may just quilt a farm sign instead of the baby quilt. That'll make me thread up my brand new machine.(So sorry for another horrible blurry picture. But you can see what the soap table looks like anyway.)

I really do think this new way made a big difference in sales yesterday. I sold a lot of soap and some dryer balls and a pumpkin. But about 5:30, this lady came by and just fell in love with all my wool things. She ended up buying all my pretty dryer balls that were decorated real cute, several pumpkins and the set of sheep I had made last week! Over $100 worth of wool items! AND, she's not using the dryer balls in her dryer. She said they were too pretty to hide in a dryer. She has a better idea for them. I just love her! I told her she just made my deposit for the JC Folk School class on beginner spinning I want to go to in Nov. She was happy she could help out.

I just love fall. Just a perfect time of year. Do any of you who read my blog go to farmer's markets? What do you look for when you go? What draws you to certain booths? I would love to hear what you think. I know some of you are vendors too. I'd love to see pictures of your booths.

Knitting

Last Saturday, I went to another knitting class. A friend has a camp not too far from me and is wanting to start a school to teach things like knitting, quilting, crochet, sewing. Hopefully a soap class too.

I can knit the basic stitch already. I have knit a few prayer shawls and scarves. Even made a hat a few years back. But I tend to forget things if I don't keep doing it.

This was a class on knitting a hat. For a baby. But I got big yarn. So this will be a hat for a big person. Or I may just keep it for me.

I really learned a lot of different stitches. Or whatever it's called. This hat is more like a sampler. It has 6 different stitches. Can't remember them all. But the girl who taught the class made this pattern. It's going to look good when it's finished.  Just not so good right now. But you can see all the different types of knitting here. This is half way done. Then I start over with the knit stitch. So fun! And I am actually following a pattern. When it's done, but not sewn together, I have to wet it and tack it down to shape it. Or stretch it. I'll get it done at Mrs. T's, I hope.

Today, after spending most of it with my mom, I came home and made jewelweed-plantain salve. I had to remelt it because it wasn't solid enough. Had to add more bees wax. I hope it sets up tonight.

I also made several more batts from Adele's wool. Finished picking it to be ready to card.

And I found some alum in Lafayette at this little country grocery store. I figured they would have some. So I got all 7 little bottles of it. I now need to look up how to dye fiber with natural dyes. And find a whole day to do it.

And I hope I am able to get into this beginner spinning class at the John Campbell Folk School in N. Carolina Nov. 14-16. I REALLY want to go to this. And they have classes in sock making, natural dyeing, soap making, knitting... So many classes I want to take. I need to learn so much.

I also bought a bottle of red wine with a citrus flavor to make some soap with. I saw someone's wine soap on-line in a soap forum and it's beautiful. So I'll try it. Also want to make soap with yogurt too. My friend Sarah, who has Jersey cows, makes the best yogurt. So got some from her today. Now I need some good organic peaches. I want to make a peaches and cream soap. Doesn't that sound good?

And want to make some more soap with green colors. I made a lime-patchouli yesterday, now wish I had waited. I got some parsley flakes. Someone said they grind them and add to their soap and it's the prettiest color green. That would have been perfect for lime soap. I can always make more! I love making soap.

More garden shots...

Sunday, I was washing the dogs. I saw the alpaca boys standing behind me, not moving. I realized they were waiting for me to spray them with the hose. They love that! So between washing and rinsing the dogs, I'd spray the alpacas down. I love to multi-task, don't you?

                                                   Some pictures of the garden flowers.

                       1 of the rows of kale, growing so fast. I can't wait for some good kale now.

I just thought this was so pretty. I love all the colors of the produce and flowers. These will probably be the last of the zinnias. The okra is still bearing. We had some for dinner last night.