By JULIET ROWAN
Margaret Parkes took one look at the copper kettle in a florist shop window and knew she had to have it.
But with four young mouths to feed money was tight for her and husband Reg, so Reg suggested to Margaret that he have a go at making her
a copper kettle himself.
That was several decades ago and the beginning of the 67-year-old retired plumber's love affair with the metal - and of a copper handicrafts business that has seen the Te Awamutu couple travelling the country for almost 20 years.
The Parkes were among the 125 stallholders at Dunkleys Great NZ Craft Show, held at Auckland Showgrounds at the weekend.
About 6000 people attended the three-day show, a drop of 1000 from last year that organisers attributed to the fact Anzac Day fell on a Sunday rather than a weekday.
Like many of the other stallholders, the Parkes are veterans of the craft-show circuit.
Since 1987, they have attended more than 160 shows in New Zealand's two main islands.
Despite the fall in visitor numbers to the show, government statistics reveal a healthy appetite for craft in New Zealand.
According to the report titled A Measure of Culture, 869,000 people bought some form of handmade craft in the year ending June 2001.
Women were more likely than men to buy craft objects, with 38 per cent of women and 24 per cent of men making purchases in the preceding 12 months, the report said.
People were three times as likely to buy craft than art.
Judith Barnes, who is a regular visitor to craft shows and admits being "a craft-world shopaholic", said she likes the shows because of the unique items on sale.
"You can find unusual gifts," said the Massey 55-year-old.
Debbie Read of Ardmore also likes the fact the stalls offer something slightly different. "It's stuff you don't see everyday."
Show director Kim Dunkley said despite increasing competition from shopping malls, craft would always have a market in New Zealand.
"You'll always have a hardcore that are really into following it."
By JULIET ROWAN
Margaret Parkes took one look at the copper kettle in a florist shop window and knew she had to have it.
But with four young mouths to feed money was tight for her and husband Reg, so Reg suggested to Margaret that he have a go at making her
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