Creative Fibre Festival- Day One 21 April 2006

Highlights of day one.

Woman passed out in front of my stall and got a blood nose

Freaked Dutch man out by the way I paint upside down. However he later returned with his wife and took my card as he wants a pendant of his daughter's horse

Angora selling slowly as spinners have had bad experiences with crap fibre in past but Irene says the alpaca breeders had the same problem a few years ago and had to re educate the public. A few ex rabbit owners stopped by to chat.

A lady says she used to have an angora farm and still has wire cages. Would I like them? She lives locally. Seemed serendipitous since I have been trying to replace a couple of banks of cages for the past year.

Only have two cat brooches left!

Painted a donkey pendant which sold before I finished (lady paid and is picking it up later). It's going to the US.

Painted a British blue cat brooch which has sold before spraying it so lady is picking it up tomorrow.

A girl fell in love with the alpaca pendant and put it aside. She lives in Otane and is opening a shop and wants to stock my stuff

The owner of the Alpaca Centre in Geraldine, Sth Island bought a cat brooch and a Burmese cat pendant. Asks would I design alpaca cards and they'll sell them in their business. Wants to stock my jewelry and any of my artwork that has alpacas on them. Gave me a photo and is bringing more today

Got several requests to paint people's pets- nearly all my business cards taken. One lady is local and wants me to do a larger painting of her pet poodles.

People kept coming back throughout the day to see how I was progressing with my painting and were even bringing their friends so felt a bit like a panda on display! It helped bring people in and passed the day for me.

Asked the convener if I could bring some of my small cat paintings from the exhibition and she said yes.

Had to go to the Craftsman (shop in Napier that stocks my cards and jewelry) and pick up the remaining three brooches and six pendants I had there to shore up my stock.

Richard and Diane (sister in law) picked me up at four (Irene was minding my stall for the last half hour). When we got home the mailman had left a big packet at the back door. Had a hell of a job opening it and Di and Rich had a giggle until I pulled out a framed certificate. I have graduated from my journalism course with distinction and now have a diploma (Level Four University). That was the highlight of my day!