Ooh I know I shouldn’t have and the big problem I have is that if I fess to all of you what I’ve done then my husband reads this too.  I’ve told him not to, that reading my posts isn’t good for his health but he wont listen, “If you read what I buy then it will just upset you, so you just shouldn’t”.  But he still does.

You see when I tell you all what exciting new things I have found lately, he knows too.  But it’s ok because to help you all out, I will take one for the team.

Now this particular great find of mine is a double whammy, whilst it’s a tale of a great find, it’s also a tale of great loss.  My loss in fact and yes I do wish I was talking about weight, but instead it’s my GHDs.  I bought a pair of them about five years ago and they were lovely.  Didn’t get much better really, did a great job and, given I only used them about 4 times, were in a pretty much near new condition.

Here’s a hot tip, straighteners don’t work on fine hair.  Not a lot of point of straightening fine hair it only makes you look like you have a whole pile less.  So in the cupboard they stayed.

So, what’s the problem?

Well I lost them, can’t find them, disappeared, gone for forever and yes, you guessed it, I have no clue where they went.  Now the problem is that I have a daughter that has the most beautiful thick hair, which she would like to have straightened on a regular basis and no straighteners.

I do want to say in my defence that I have resisted this temptation before now to replace them.  Lets face it, GHD have brought out Gold ones, Black ones with swirls on them and lots more.  But their latest range really got me.  Oh my stars they are gorgeous.

Their latest limited edition rainbow coloured collection are to die for.  My daughters are going to love them.

There is Purple Indulgence, my choice, Red lust, Blue Serenity and Green with Envy.  We all know these are the best on the market, so I am sure the colour makes them even better.

In store now, don’t miss out as they are for a limited time only.

How did I go with justifying them?  Think I will get away with it at home?  Wish me luck.

Available:  Selected Hair Salons

Price:  $369.00  but I did hunt around on the web and found them for $339.48 (8% off) on

www.hairproductsonline.co.nz

  I couldn’t help it, saw it in the shop.  Got it home and then thought oh I so hope hope this doesn’t turn out to be a fizzer of a present for Christmas.  I bought, in my infinite wisdom a cupcake maker for my nine year old daughter for Christmas.

Now I can hear you saying why on earth would you bother with a cupcake maker when you can just put them in the oven.  Even my husband looked at me as if I had finally gone mad.

“Excellent another appliance we now have to find room for, wouldn’t buying her a cupcake tray be easier and cheaper”

Ah so to all you that think he’s right, wrong.  Its fantastic and will most likely turn out to be a very useful kitchen appliance.    So why is it so great?

To start with, it was multicoloured and a fun design, not like the normal appliances you can buy.  It can make big or small cupcakes, has a non stick surface and they are ready in  minutes. 

I knew she would like it because it was right up her alley of things she likes to do, but you always think they look good on the box, do they actually work ok.

Well we had our first taste of ‘Cupcakes by Maddy” at the beach at Christmas and they are fantastic.  Seriously they were so nice I wanted more and everyone else was also very surprised as to how good they were.

It has a ceramic centre and you just lift the lid spray inside to stop the sticking, put mixture in and close the lid.  Ten minutes you have perfect cupcakes, all cooked.  Even my Mum who is an amazing baker was impressed.  The best part is if they can follow a recipe on their own then they can do the whole process by themselves.

Now this gets a 5 out of 5 and you know that’s high for me, but this truly is a great product. Oh and did I mention its a piece of cake to clean.

Available: Briscoes, Moore Wilsons, Bond & Bond, Noel Lemming            Price:$129.00

  One of my highlights during all the Christmas rush last year would have to have been the Christmas parties that I was invited too and without doubt I know which one was the best.  Tucked away down the end of a road at the bottom of Ngaio Gorge, is headquarters  for Vision Media Systems and can I say they throw fantastic parties.

As I walked into their building it was like entering a private nightclub, it was amazing.  Up the front was the huge stage with a band, on two separate walls were massive big screens which had crowd scenes on them and then there was the casino tables if you were feeling lucky.   I didn’t know which direction to go in.

But I have to say I had the most fun when Elvis made his stage appearance and they said he was dead. He is most certainly alive and well and lives in Wellington.  Elvis rocked the roof off and Viva Las Vegas was born again.  The dancing girls dressed up in these incredible costumes which just added to the whole atmosphere, but it really did help that Elvis had made this personal appearance especially for Visions Media Systems.

I was really impressed with how professional the stage show was and could quite happily have carried on till the next day with them.  Have I also mentioned how fantastic I am at singing in a noisy room.  Who knew I was that good.

Needless to say the best party to be held in Wellington had to finally come to an end.

I hope they don’t forget to invite me again this year.

In the meantime if you need anything to do with the hireage of AV Gear, helping you to make your party fabulous, DJ’s, staging you name it,  these guys can do it.  Why didn’t I know them when I was trying to plan my last big party.  They will be on speed dial for this year’s one.  Have a look at their website.

And don’t forget they have Elvis’s phone number and can hook you up.

Check them out on http://www.visionmediasystems.co.nz

PHONE:0800 Audio Visual
(0800 28346 847)
+64 4 473 8120               Fax: +64 4 473 8117

ADDRESS:
Unit 2, 13 School Road
Kaiwharawhara
Wellington
New Zealand

POSTAL ADDRESS:

PHONE:
0800 Audio Visual
(0800 28346 847)
+64 4 473 8120

   In the last minute rush to Christmas if you are still hunting for that Wow gift,  check this site out.  It’s called Montgomery Road and has some great products for some of those hard to buy for people, or if you are just simply looking to upstage everyone else with fantastic pressies at Christmas.

Montgomery Road searches the globe for high quality electronic equipment and retails them for very competitive prices.

One of their products is the Nu Dolphin swimmer MP3 player, yes you did read that correctly, an MP3 player you can swim with.  Now that is cool.  It’s 100% waterproof and is designed especially for swimming, using in the spa and other water sports.  Doing those lengths in the pool  just got a whole pile more interesting.

Another great gift idea is the Ez’ech Music Showcase, which is a waterproof iPod speaker case.  Just pop your iPod into the Showcase and boggie your day away.   The Showcase is waterproof to depth of 1 metre or up to 30 minutes, it floats in water and doesn’t corrode or rust.  It has a clear, shatter-proof body, bumper guards and a big sound.  I can just see myself parked up on my lounger, with a good book and listening to my sounds on my Ez’ech Music Showcase.  Bring on the holidays.

So go and check this site out, I love the products they sell and you might just find that special gift you were looking for.

Available at:www.montgomeryroad.com                  Price:depends on which product

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

  We know they don’t ask for directions and pretend to know exactly where they are going.  It can be hours before they admit to having no clue to where they are and half the time they find it purely by accident.  Going somewhere with a man can be really frustrating.

So what would you say if I told you I can take all the guesswork out of trying to find somewhere new, or somewhere you have been before but maybe get there faster.  How about you have an unplanned detour and aren’t sure where it will have you end up.

Well if all this sounds too good to be true, I am happy to say it’s as good as it says it is.  I am talking about Satellite Navigation and the Garmin Nuvi 310 to be exact.  I bought this for my husband as he travels regularly and often has to attend meetings in other cities and I bought this one especially for it’s size, small.  He can carry it round in his laptop bag.

Like most electronic gadgets these days it has heaps of features you will probably never use like bluetooth hands free for your phone, MP3 player and Audio Book. The hands free is pretty hopeless and who needs another MP3 player or an Audio Book. The main thing is that it does its core job, navigation, very well.

One thing people don’t often think about when they purchase a Sat Nav is that the data (maps and points of interest) held in the device when they buy it, will get out of date. The manufactures usually offer some sort of update service where you can get updates to load on your Sat Nav. Some offer them for free but others ask you to pay for them. But few do them more often than once a year. The best thing about purchasing a Garmin device is that Garmin are one of the only manufacturers who have third party mapping tools available. This has allowed a group of smart kiwis to create “The New Zealand Open GPS Maps Project” which provides free Map and Points of Interest (POI) updates for Garmin Mapping GPSs (Sat Nav). The project is based around a forum where users report issues or bugs and regional mappers pick up the reports and make changes to the source maps. Usually within 24 - 48 hours a revised version of the map is available for download.

You can find the “The New Zealand Open GPS Maps Project” at http://www.gwprojects.org/gps

Rating: 3.5 (used with The New Zealand Open GPS Maps Project data, 4.5)

Price: $472.17 from www.ferrit.co.nz

  Can I say the nothing wakes you up faster in the morning than getting hit in the chin by a retracting hairdryer cord? I found this out during current testing of a new hairdryer which has the latest and greatest technology from Vidal Sasson, including a retractable cord.

It is great for travelling, very easy to store in drawers when you aren’t using it and is ionic, which was essential. The only thing is you do have to be careful when retracting the cord. What is Ionic and why do you want and Ionic hairdryer? The claim is that they dry hair in up to half the time of conventional professional hairdryers. Create a shinier and more protected finish in less time and with no static. It is also claimed to help repair chemically treated dry or badly damaged hair.

So with all this in mind, what do I think? Well the product is still in the evaluation stage and I will update you in a few months time. But so far so good. Given that my last hairdryer cost three times as much and had none of the features this one has, it looks promising, plus its Ionic!

The drier is readily available from Farmers stores, so that’s also a big plus.

I do like the retractable cord, it is neat and tidy to store and travel with. Once you master the viciousness with how the cord retracts, you will be fine.

Hot tip when retracting the cord, hold the dryer in one hand and the cord in the other so when it goes back in it won’t hit you in the chin like it did to me.

So stay tuned for an update in a few months.

Rating: 3.5

Price: $49.95

Available: Farmers Stores