homestyle's blog

Thanks to the lovely team at Earthwise, in our most recent email newsletter we had some of their fabulous home cleaning products to giveaway. Made in New Zealand, the Earthwise Home Range is made using natural and organic ingredients to create naturally powerful and kind cleaning products for the home environment.

We had five Earthwise packs to giveaway, each valued at $50! And all you had to do to go in the draw, was email in with your eco-friendly home ideas. We had a great response and wanted to share the top 5 winning ideas with you. 

1. Fill the rooms of your house with vases containing herbs and flowers which provide scent and repel insects, thus avoiding the need to buy chemical air freshners or insect spray. - Anita, Auckland 

2. White Vinegar is the answer to all our prayers, mixed with water for windows and with baking soda for toilet cleaning. White Vinegar is the MAGIC ingredient. - Nalda, Cromwell

3. A full freezer uses less energy to keep cold than a half full one, so always double up quantities when cooking casseroles and you will halve not only your efforts but cooking and freezing energy use. - Yvette, Hamilton

4. I have windsurfed for 30 years and worn out a lot of sails. Each sail has 4-6 fibreglass battens (poles) which make excellent plant stakes - and that is what happens when the sails reach the end of their lives. - Bruce, Wellington

5. We always reuse any bath water to water our plants! - Millie, Auckland

Congratulations to all our winners! Sign up to our email newsletter now to be kept up-to-date with homestyle happenings and to ensure you don't miss out on web-exclusive competitions and stories.  

A selection of Dollop Puddings including their to die for Chocolate Molten Pots.

With the lovely ladies from Dollop Puddings taking the dessert world by storm in Auckland, we were excited to join forces with them for our current food story. Check out the full feature in our April/May issue on sale now. 

Further to our artist profile on the work of Lester Hall (as seen on p.27 of our current Feb/Mar'11 issue), Soraya Nicholas continues with a Q&A on his work and what it means to be a New Zealander...

What inspires you?

Our history and the human foibles that have created it, and finding clear windows to look through into our future; really good ink and beautiful paper; the sea and sailing on it.

What are you currently working on?

A six part series of my stamp based prints. I have a book in mind about my experience in life as a Pakeha male from the 50s. I need the artworks as illustrations!

What does being a New Zealander mean to you? And how have you explored that concept in your past works?

Being a New Zealander means I am born into a secular, democratic meritocracy. I have a freedom as an individual that few in the past have enjoyed. To keep these freedoms we must each, on an individual basis, take some responsibility for the upkeep of our integrity in these regards. My Hories and Whities artworks were about who we have been and the track we took to get here. Through the use of a diary page format I was able to ask questions as a viewer of our history, not a student of it. The diary page is by nature somewhat hidden and secret. The format gave me permission to ask politically incorrect questions I wanted an answer too.

Is there anywhere our readers can go to view your work?

My website and in person at The Poi Room in Auckland, Soul in Hamilton and Kina in New Plymouth.

With homestyle’s Christchurch office bang in the middle of a number of damaged buildings with unknown futures, this important project immediately grabbed our attention.

BEFORE AFTER: Let’s build a better Canterbury is an exhibition and discussion series initiated by the New Zealand Institute of Architects and implemented by architects from the Canterbury region in response to the issues raised by the 4 September Canterbury Earthquake.

From 12 February to 20 March 2011 the Christchurch Art Gallery will be host to a public exhibition providing a forum to discuss and debate the way forward from these events. Structured around five key areas: Environmental Planning; Urban Design; Heritage and Character; Residential; and Transport and Infrastructure, the project seeks to engage with the public to discuss how to create successful built environments.

The exhibition will be accompanied by public discussions with invited speakers to engage the people of Canterbury in mapping new directions for the region, creating an opportunity for Canterbury to generate fresh and innovative ideas.

Have a look at the site, join the mailing list, and come along to the exhibition and associated events. Help make sure your region avoids ‘cheap and nasty’ rebuilding, and sites that were once home to character buildings don’t just become car parks.

Discussion Dates:

Environmental Planning: Thursday 17 February, 6pm

Urban Design: Thursday 24 February, 6pm

Heritage and Character: Thursday 3 March, 6pm

Residential: Thursday 10 March, 6pm

Transport and Infrastructure: Tuesday 15 March, 6pm

Drawing from a collective mind - Lecture by Ian Athfield: Thursday 31 March, 6pm

In a bid to raise money for the Breast Cancer Cure Trust, Kiwi fashion designer Trelise Cooper has dreamed up the Retro Caravan which is currently touring camp-grounds around the country. Evoking memories of summer holidays, the 1960's caravan has been restored to its former glory with over a thousand hours of donated work. From a new paint job to an interior re-fit the caravan comes complete with planter boxes and matching retro bicycle! The caravan will be auctioned off in the fading days of summer. 

The interior of the carvan features a striking custom-made floor from Cork Concepts reminiscent of days-gone-by. 

View Trelise Cooper's TV3 news interview and take an online tour of the caravan here. 

Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? Launched at the end of October Not Socks Gifts will have you covered. The unique New Zealand online gift inspiration service brings together fresh, thoughtful and handpicked ideas across a wide range of selected NZ online retailers. 

"We asked hundreds of Kiwi's to tell us some of the worst gifts they'd ever received and socks topped the list. That's why we thought it fitting to call ourselves 'Not Socks' Gifts," explains Jude Burnside, Founder of Not Socks Gifts. 

Inspired by the number of people who were having a hard time coming up with unique ideas or were struggling with where to find great gifts, the team behind the scenes have been blown away. "We got our thinking cap on and came up with the idea of becoming an online dating site for gifts - pulling together gifts, providing background information about each of them, sorting the gifts to that potential buyers could quickly find their perfect match, and then introducing them to the appropriate retailer," adds Jude.

The website is a great reference point for all that is new in gifts and online stores no matter what the occasion! Click here to begin your gift inspiration journey. 

Following on from our feature on Colleen Pugh and her art label Dear Colleen, in our Dec/Jan issue we talk to her further about her quirky and innovative designs. 

Throughout their working relationship, Shaz Dixon and Shann Whittaker have joined forces on many small projects, but it wasn't until earlier this year that they under-took a large scale collaboration with stunning results. "We had always wanted to work together," shares Shaz. "And so when the stamp collection idea came about, it only seemed natural. With Shann being in wholesale with Tantrum Design and my retail outlet, Style Direct, it was a great combination of ideas."

Taking cues from stamps collected over the years, a homeware range emerged featuring iconic flora and fauna. "There are tea-towels, napkins, wood blocks and of course cushions," describes Shann. "It's very New Zealand orientated and this was done with the aim that it would sit perfectly in any home in NZ or act as a great gift for those overseas." explains Shaz. 

In line with the homeware range, limited edition NZ Canvas Artworks were created. "The entire range was about appreciating the artistic side of a stamp and the work that would have gone into creating each one. Building on this, the canvas artworks were about stamps being appreciated as a piece of ART, rather than just as part of a postmark," shares Shaz. 

With Shaz and Shann's shared passion for New Zealand design and production, their graphic stamp collection pieces are set to take the market by storm; plus the affordable nature of this contemporary range makes it the perfect christmas gift idea!  

Working with New Zealand designers and artists daily in her role at Clever Bastards, cover homeowner Michelle and husband Brent have a stunning home overflowing with exceptional examples of Kiwi-made talent. Renovating their Auckland home to capitalise on the surrounding garden views, Michelle and Brent provided us with an exceptional backdrop for our Dec/Jan cover. The perfect choice for our Alfresco Living special! From recipes to design ideas to outdoor room products we have you covered for entertaining and living outdoors this summer. Enjoy.

Photographed by Thomas Law

This issue is not to be missed; on sale nationwide Monday 29 November.

Hitting the stands this month, Linden Leaves are doing something for the boy's with their latest range, RUGBY. Supported by former All Black Justin Marshall this all natural and New Zealand made range, is dedicated to men and their unique skin needs. From Soap On A Rope to Thermal Muscle Soak, there is nothing flowery about this skincare range! 

Plus every soap sold between now and November 2011 will see $2 donated to the Movember cause - raising money for men's health.

For more from Linden Leaves and to view the complete range click here.