Her "reflective art" is all breakable and had it been in her Heathcote workshop, it would have been destroyed. Instead, it was on the road to Dunedin, safe and sound.
Her house and workshop are near the entrance tunnel to Lyttelton, close to the epicentre.
"It's all a bit trashed."
As it was, the damage meant she would not be able to fulfil some of the orders for her work as she would have to spend time trying to put her workshop to rights.
Having her sister missing for seven hours after the earthquake had just reinforced what all Cantabrians had come to know.
"All this is just things - that is what we've all learnt from this. We have to keep going on."
She was enjoying her visit to Dunedin more than normal as it meant easy access to water and electricity.
"You don't know what a luxury a shower is."
Fellow Canterbury stall-holder Ralph James, the home show co-ordinator for DVS, said the company's workshop was only two blocks from the destroyed CTV building. It had received broken windows and damage inside, but nothing like its neighbour.
"It's nice to have the break here."
Home Show co-ordinator George Owen said they had let all their Christchurch stall holders know they did not have to attend and would be refunded their entrance fee but only three took that opportunity.
