Have you ever felt absolutely thrilled and just a tiny bit disappointed about something? This happened to me a few weeks ago when I went to Art On The Line in Hong Kong hoping to see a piece of my artwork hanging "on the line".

Art On The Line is a fabulous art exhibition and charity sale which is organised annually by the American Women's Association. Female artists, based both locally in Hong Kong and overseas, donate art which the lucky exhibition visitors can buy, with proceeds from the event being used to support charities in Hong Kong as well as education and scholarship grants.

I first discovered it in August when I was asked if I'd like to donate a piece of my art. I remember feeling really excited by the idea of exhibiting, but also incredibly nervous about it. And what would I submit? Most of my original pieces were on scraps of paper in keeping with my preferences for recycling and reusing wherever possible.

But the exhibition was months away so I had plenty of time to think about it. Time ticking, months passing...suddenly it's January and the submission date is just weeks away - aaaggghhh! What am I going to paint?

Thinking, thinking, thinking...what do I love, what inspires me, what sparks my imagination? The moon. I've always been fascinated by the moon and the night sky more generally. As a kid, I was lucky enough to grow up in the countryside where curtains weren't necessary - and most months (when it wasn't too cloudy) I got to lie in bed and stare at the beauty and magnificence of the full moon.

Decision made...watercolours out...painting done...artwork submitted...day of the exhibition arrives...

The evening got underway at 6.30 and I arrived just before 6.45. I was excited to see my art hanging amid all the other fabulous pieces and was looking forward to snapping a few pics. A tour around the room and I can't see it. But that's OK because more pieces are being put up throughout the evening as others are sold. Five or six more tours around the room and I've still not spotted it. Hmmm.

As it was getting towards the end of the evening it was time to find out if it was still out the back waiting to go up on the line. Nope. Everything was out...so it must already have sold!

I was flabbergasted. It must have sold in the first 10 to 15 minutes of the exhibition before I arrived. WOW!!! Totally amazing, utterly brilliant - I was absolutely thrilled! But at the same time there was a smidgeon of disappointment at the back of my mind. I really was hoping to see it hanging up so I could get a photo - there will only ever be one first time that my art is part of an exhibition. Thankfully I managed to find a photo on line - my moon really was there at the start of the night

I'm going to treasure this day for the rest of my life - and I smile whenever I think about it. Any smiley face moments you'd like to share? Let me know in the comments

And if you're interested in commissioning an original piece of art for your wall, contact me here.