We had the party at the weekend, the one with 20 eleven year olds making a pizza as a competition and what comes with eleven year old parties?  Yes, you guessed it, balloons.  Loads and loads of balloons and no we can’t doing anything normal in our house so out comes the compressor to blow the balloons up.  Smart aren’t we, not so smart though when we picked it back up off the floor and realised we had managed to put black grease marks over my carpet.  Stink.

So my very clever Mother suggested I try Cavalier Bremworth Carpet Stain Remover, so I picked some up today at the supermarket and to be fair I wasn’t overly confident as the marks were quite bad.

But I have good news, it worked and worked really well.  The stains are completely gone and what’s even better it was a walk in the park.  Follow the instructions which is spray it on, wait till it dries white and vacuum off, it’s as easy as that.

Pick up a can when you are next at the supermarket as it’s really handy to have, you never know when you are going to need it.  To be fair I haven’t tried it on red wine stains and aren’t keen to test it either for the sake of research but should I get a stain by accident then I’ll keep you posted.  There is also a wet stain remover but I haven’t tried that one, if it’s as good as the Dry Stain Remover then that will be worth having on hand in case of emergencies as well.

It’s a four out of five for me as I haven’t done the red wine stain test.

Available:All supermarkets                         Price:$8.28                                             

It may seem silly to you but I always find it exciting at this time of the year when the Ezibuy Catalogue arrives in the mail.  For two reasons really, one being that it signals the start of warmer weather with all the beach and Summer things in it and two there is always that smattering of Xmas gifts, to gently remind you that we are getting closer to the guy with the big white beard paying us all a visit sometime soon.

You see Xmas is my most favourite time of the year, it’s the worlds biggest excuse to shop and shop I do.  This year it’s going to be about being organised, starting early to make the most of the good deals, which therefore means not buying presents at the last minute and hopefully this leads to spending less.  I’m going to run with that theory and am starting now.

So flicking through the Ezibuy Catalogue there are some really cool gift ideas:

I just love the kids ‘Cape Cod’ chairs for $79.95

There is the adult version of the ‘Cape Cod’ Chair as well for $139.95 which is a very good price, given I paid double that for the ones I bought.

The beach towels are really great gifts also at $29.95, the oversized Bean Bags and the beach beds look like a good idea.

But my favourite would have to be the Flip Flop Duvets for the beach house, the girls would love them.

There is 24 pages of a Christmas Preview, just to really get you in the mood for the up coming silly season.

So keep an eye out for the catalogue, not to mention my Xmas List and if you haven’t done so already get your pen and paper out and have a think on who you have to buy for.  This is the year to be organised and make good buying decisions, I’ve discovered it reduces my end of year stress drastically and helps the bank balance as well.

  

I was very generously taken to the House + Home Show held at the TSB Arena in Wellington on the weekend.   It would be fair to say I was excited about the prospect of looking at what is ‘new and cool’ for the home.  It would also be fair to say that I couldn’t have been more disappointed.

We went late on Saturday afternoon which you would expect to have been crowded with all those who were finished with Saturday sport and wanted some chill out time, but no.  It was very empty and really so was the whole Show.  If you are in the planning process for building you may have found it useful,  but when you really were just looking for those little extras it was hopeless.  It really lacked those products that they normally demonstrate and are only to be found at Home Show.  I am the Shopping Queen after all and love new, cool gadgets.  But alas, came home with nothing but the program.

I was with two other friends and they both felt the same and got nothing out of it either.  I don’t know if it’s a sign of the times and companies are holding back from these Shows right now, whatever it is, it wasn’t worth the trip.  You would be better off doing some research yourself and then visiting them directly.

I am glad I didn’t pay for my ticket, even if it was only $9.00  I still would have felt ripped off.  It was lovely to have been taken though, thanks Bridget.

Price:entry fee $9.00

My Christmas List for 2008 is here. I hope that there is something amongst the list that is a great idea for someone special. It could be inspirational or just simply I want one of those for me so I will put it on my list for Santa.  Happy Shopping.

Cuddle Buddy for children is a must have, it’s become the ‘I can’t go to bed without it’ thing for the girls.  It is great for in the car travelling, on a plane and also to cuddles up to at night.  It is also used for injury rehabilitation, but really it’s just an all round great gift.

Available:www.cuddlebuddies.co.nz                                         Price:$30.00

This site has the biggest range and at good price. You may also find them at a stall in your local mall in the build up to Christmas.

Indoor/Outdoor Beanbag I just love this as a gift, I bought them for family a couple of years ago and they are fun.  The best part about them is their versatility in being able to use them inside and out.  They also have this year a new take on it as in the Kids Bean Chair.

Available: Ezibuy                                                                   Price:$59.95 Style 8QZ 32551 for the big one and $39.95 for the Kids one Style 8QZ 40053

Gingerbread House Kit this is a great way to keep the kids amused in the holidays and encourages their creativity while building it.

Available:Living & Giving

Price:$39.95  or you can choose one at Ezibuy which are $29.95  Style 8QZ 40164

Australian House and Garden Magazine Subscription as this is probably the best Home magazine on the market - you can’t go wrong with this as a gift subscription for Christmas.

Available: www.magshop.co.au                                                                         Price:$59.95 (Australian)      12 month subscription(12 issues)

Save $23.45 (Aus) + shipping which will be calculated at time of purchase

www.magshop.co.nz is a great place to buy magazines subscriptions, their titles include Next Magazine which you can save 35%, Boat which you can save 35% and many more.

There is just about every title you can think of here and when stuck for a gift, this is the gift that keeps on giving.

Available: www.magshop.co.nz

Kikki.K is one of my most favourite stores, it really appeals to me every time I make that desperate attempt to be more organised.  The products are just lovely, fantastic for helping to organise your life.   My all time best buy here would be the Family Calendar which helps us busy people to keep everyone on track with where they are supposed to be.  Anything from here is a great Xmas gift.

Available: Kikki.K stores   www.kikki-k.com.au  (they deliver worldwide) or their shops are all over Australia, in Newmarket and at Queensgate, Lower Hutt.

Mecca is another of one of my Favourite spots to shop at, located in Kirkcaldie and Stains in Wellington.  The staff there are just lovely and you wont walk away empty handed as there is 30 exclusive brands to choose a gift from.  Everything  they stock is lovely and would be a “wow, that’s a cool gift” for that someone special.

Available: Kirkcaldie and Stains

O’s Big Book of Happiness - it’s doom and gloom everywhere at the moment, so why not fly in the face of that and say no, I am going to be inspired and not depressed about my life.  O’s Big Book of Happiness is put together from the O magazine and interviews she has done with famous people.  Love her or hate her, you can’t deny there is something inspiring that makes us all want to live a great life.

The Best of the O Magazine, Wisdom, Wit, Interviews, and Inspiration

Available:  Bookstores                                           Price:$52.95

The Big Game Company has a range of games and leisure equipment. The giant size versions of games such as snakes and ladders, chess and pick up sticks are especially cool.

Available: www.thebiggamecompany.co.nz              Prices from $49.95 up

Logitech Harmony 525 Universal Remote Control is a great way to simplify your TV life. Now you can have one remote control that controls all your Audio Visual gear including SKY decoders. The big plus with the Logitech Harmony is how easy it is to set it up. You install software on your computer and plug the remote into the USB port. The computer software allows you to configure all the functions just as you want them. It is far easier than using complex combinations of buttons on the remote for programming.

Available: Dick Smith Electronics                            Price: $99.00

Seedling New Zealand is a niche market producer providing high quality, experience driven products for young people. They have a huge range of neatly packaged quality gifts for children. In a world of mass produced toys that either fail to hold the child’s interest for long or break as soon as they get them out of the packet. The Seedling gift sets provide good old-fashioned experiences for children with products such as: Homemade Paper Greeting Card Kit, Become a Sushi Shefu (Chef),  Multi Medium Collage Set, Outdoor Explorer kit, The Worm Farm Kit and many more.

Available: throughout New Zealand or www.seedling.co.nz   Price: Varies

Remote Control Drinks Cooler is an ingenious battery operated ice bucket that is capable of moving up to twelve bottles of beer. The RC Drinks Cooler features four sure-grip wheels exclusively intended to speed up the delivery of cold drinks to thirsty barbeque goers.  This is a really cool site with lots of other great ideas, so check it out.

Available: www.iwantthat.co.nz                        Price: $189.95

When you have to buy for a person who has everything a great idea is to buy them an experience. The Waiheke Wine Festival is held each year at Waitangi weekend and combines great wine and good music to form the perfect day out. Buying tickets for a specific event is better than an experience vouchers because they are more likely to be used as the date has been set.

Available: www.ticketek.co.nz                         Price: $65.00 Adult, under 13 Free

For those that are serious about the Weather, this is the ultimate Weather Station. It has a wireless connection between the outdoor measurement device and the touch screen display inside. Plug it in to the USB port on your computer to download the data so you can display graphs over time of rain fall, wind speed, temperature etc.  Its not cheap but it is packed with features.

Available: www.ferrit.co.nz               Price: $449.00

  Christmas Countdown: 8 weeks to Christmas, have you started your shopping yet?  My Christmas list is coming soon, so keep checking for that.

Don’t forget these are the last few days to register this month for my giveaways, the trip to Horribin and Hodge Day Spa and Hello Dolly products.  Email your friends and get them to sign up for my newsletter and you will all go into the draw for these great prizes.  Competition finishes on Friday.

So with Christmas fast approaching I popped into a new store recently opened in Wellington called Corso De’ Fiori, which is located on Thorndon Quay where Wade House used to be.  It is filled with great Christmas gift ideas, fabulous decorations and lots of really cool things for you and your home.  I made my list and when I have all my gift buying done for Christmas I will have to go back and have another look.  It’s hard to justify buying anything for me at this time of the year, but there was definitely lots there I really liked.  I am also going back to get a couple of Christmas presents and I bought some Christmas decorations.

I do have to say though and forgive me for being cynical but there was quite a few things I recognised from last year when it was Wade House, so it did make me wonder if they have bought some of the old Wade House stock.  I could be wrong, but it’s all very lovely and definitely worth a visit.

Available at:  Woolstore Centre, 258 Thorndon Quay, Wellington       (04) 473 7075

The Foundation, 8 George Street, Newmarket, Auckland    (09) 307 9166

  The Revolution is here and it is very exciting.  The Warehouse have partnered up with two of New Zealand’s leading designers to bring you a whole new range of homeware.  Peter Reid and Graham Dickie owners of the famed stores, Republic Home have put together a range called Republic Revolution to be sold in selected Warehouse stores throughout New Zealand.

Their philosophy is ‘good style never goes out of fashion, a stylish home need not cost the earth and striking design is not just for those who have big budgets,’ hence Republic Revolution was formed.

This marriage of a kind has resulted in the designers travelling to China, Japan and more recently to London and the US to source product for the range and if what’s in their catalogue is anything to go buy, we are all in for a treat.  Whether it’s in the dining room, bedroom or bathroom they have something you will like for your home. 

There are two ranges called Cosmopolitan which has a focus of big city sophistication and style, where as the Lodge range has more of a nature slant to it with bold animal prints and is rustic inspired.

The product on a whole seems to be very stylish and there is without a doubt something worth having a look at if not for your home , then you are bound to find great gift ideas for others.  The ranges are very reasonably priced.

I like this concept and think it is definitely worth looking at for a number of reasons.  I believe that you don’t always have to spend the earth in order to have stylish things and that some of the basic things we use everyday need not cost the earth.  Spending your money on your wow pieces is far more important, as that is often what gets noticed.

Republic Revolution is available exclusively at selected Warehouse stores form 20 May.  If you would like to know which store near you is stocking the product go to www.thewarehouse.co.nz and search under Republic Revolution, there is a detailed list of all stores carrying the range.

Check this out before you go to more expensive stores. Lets face it with costs rising the way they are, we need all the help we can get.

Available at:  selected Warehouse store                                   Price:varies

  I feel I need to start today with an apology because lately all I seem to do is find fault with a lot of our magazines currently on sale in NZ.  But in my defence some of them at the moment are just plain rubbish.   Magazines are my thing, I can’t help but buy them.  I love to look at the pictures, see what’s new, they are so much easier to just pick up and put down than a book when you are busy.

So I was really pleased to see that on sale this weekend is the May issue of NZ House and Garden magazine and splashed across the front cover is ‘Our fresh new look’.  Yes is all I can say.  I have been complaining about this magazine for such a long time, they have been ’so last year’ for ages.  As you can imagine I was very excited, someone there has heard my complaining, they have finally decided to have a change.

Damn they have got it wrong again.  Really, is this as good as it gets? If so, then it’s definitely time for a change at the top.   Michal McKay is the Editorial Director of the magazine and she couldn’t be more out of touch with New Zealanders if she tried.  After seeing her own uninspiring home a few issues back, I fast realised we were fighting a loosing battle with her and she needs to go.

Ok so what’s wrong with it, well where do I start.  I found that there are too many sections and they seem to just merge into each other.  Each section should start on a right hand page when there is this much information, it makes it easier for us to follow.  What I did find was the advertising, advertising, some advertising and more advertising.  They must be making so much money out of the advertising, that the magazine should be free.  Half the time I thought the ad belonged to an article.

The homes they have in this issue are not overly inspirational and are definitely more unusual than inspiring.  It’s more of a showcase of how different New Zealand is than helpful.  The sections they have aren’t exactly exciting either, they are what’s instore, art deco, focus (still not sure what this is) and architectural icon, just to name a few.

They also have a page on ‘my favourite room’ - this month is James Griffin and all I see is a big mess with a guy standing there without all of his shirt tucked in??  I don’t get why we need to see this.

As you can see I am annoyed and very disappointed and could go on for ages.  So to sum up, this is definitely not a reference for you to use for your home and really this mag would, in my eyes, now fall into the arty type publication more than anything else these days.

What a pity, it has been such an icon for home design for many years.  Try out their website, it’s much more useful and free.

Available: supermarkets, dairies, booksellers etc                          Price:$8.90

It is with great sadness that I visited Wade House today for what will be one of the last times, as most of you will know we were all  informed last weekend on www.stuff.co.nz that Wade House is now in receivership.  For us Wellingtonians we really aren’t spoilt for choice when it comes to furniture and accessories for your home, so this is a big blow for us in Wellington.

Wade House closing down not only comes as a big shock to us all, it’s also mixed with sadness that one of our great stores will no longer be there. 

Wade House is located along Thorndon Quay and really is in the heart of all the furniture retailers for Wellington, interestingly enough it is now the second store to not survive in that location.

All this aside,  they now have a SALE on which is worth visiting for one last time.

There is 20-30% off everything in the store, there are some great accessories worth checking out and also 40% off all linen.  All furniture has between 20-30% off and 50% off Christmas decorations.

So go check it out, you might get lucky and pick up a couple of bargains. 

Farewell Wade House and I wish the owners some rest and all the best for their next adventure in life.

  I just love the new ‘Royale Pet Range’ by Freedom and haven’t been able to resist buying just about everything ready for the impending new arrival into our house around March next year. Now you may say that’s a bit early isn’t it? Shouldn’t you be Christmas shopping and not spending money on something you don’t need right now?

And yes you would be 100% correct in assuming I have better things to do than buy accessories for a pet we don’t even have, but we are getting one I promise, really I do. Well I hope so anyway. I have placed an order for one next year, we just don’t have him yet.

It is all so cute! The bed for starters is great because it’s black, sensible choice for a doggie daybed, black doggie jumper, which once again is a sensible choice, see a pattern emerging of very sensible things to buy your pet. How can you resist? How could I? Have I justified my impulsive purchase to you yet? Well think about this then.

What great gifts they make for all your friends who have dogs and cats. The bowls are in a choice of two different sizes and are very stylish. As for the bling collar how can you go wrong buying that for someone who has a pet. It’s the ultimate gift for those who have everything, you know the hard to buy for ones at Christmas. If they have a pet, this could be your answer.

We do however have to be a little bit sensible and not get to carried away as to what friend would appreciate this as a present. For example the friend who has the Pitbull or Rottweiler, it could be a bit of a stretch. However the Dalmation could maybe pull it off.

The range consists of small and larger bowls, doggie jumpers which come in two different sizes, one of the best bling collars I’ve seen, not to mention the fantastic daybed for all you animal lovers.

A very stylish range for very stylish people.

Available: Freedom Furniture

Price: range form $14.95 to $99.00

  A magazine subscription is always a great gift for anyone and especially for those who have everything! As with most magazine subscriptions there are fortnightly or monthly options and you can buy six months or a one year subscription - so it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

I have been an avid buyer for years of magazines and books about your home, interior design or anything related to how we live. I have taken to buying the Australian House and Garden Magazine due to the lack of good magazines here.

I recently picked up a copy of Your Home and Garden Magazine and was very impressed. I know they have been going through a re-vamp over the last year or so and I can say that it has paid off.

The layout is great, the articles are easy to read and the houses they are now profiling seem to be of a much better quality than in previous years. There is a reference section at the back of the magazine on ‘where to buy it’ so if you see something you like you know where to get it! The food section is done by Julie Biuso, with easy to follow recipes and lots of other really helpful information on gardening, planning that perfect Christmas day and much more.

Now is a very good time to buy subscriptions as they are offering really good deals before Christmas - offer ends December 21, 2007.

The December issue is particularly good with a Christmas theme. It has recipes, great gift ideas, not to mention you get to see some really beautiful homes all decorated for Christmas. I have given this 3.5 stars because I still don’t think it’s as good as the Australian House and Garden Magazine, but is still worth reading.

Hot tip: A gift subscription is really a great gift but only if the magazine suits the person you are giving it too.

Product: Your Home and Garden Magazine

Price: Christmas special $44.00(12issues) Save 50%

Available: www.magshop.co.nz or 0800 624 746 and quote M712YHGX