• Sandra Kaminski's magical Christmas

    Floral artist Sandra Kaminski is virtually my neighbour (she lives two streets away) and I’ve loved entering the magical world this passionate woman inhabits. Sandra’s creative eye can see the decorative potential in almost anything and since meeting her I have been looking at the most mundane objects with new ... More

  • Decorating vintage style

    Sometimes I think it would be nice to have more than one house, with each one decorated in a very different style. Part of me loves sleek white minimalism (impossible with kids, let me warn you) and another part loves lots of black and silver, à la Art Deco. The ... More

  • Joy Bell's home

    Artist Joy Bell lives in the past and does so very joyfully indeed. The only obvious modern intruders in her tiny Victorian home north of Auckland are a TV, washing machine, CD player, a couple of kitchen appliances – and of course, electricity and hot and cold running water. Apart ... More

This week on Around the house

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Walk in progress - Weekly people review 2011

The young Christchurch promotions model determined to walk again after tragically losing her legs in the February earthquake is still coping with the ongoing complications ... More

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Over the Teacups

My four-year-old grandson was at the supermarket with his mother when he exclaimed, “You’re buying something, Mummy, auntie is buying something – I want to buy something!” Mum replied, “You have to be big, have a wife, have a job, then you can buy things.” He replied, “I have a wife – Maia,” meaning his four-year-old friend. Mum said, “What about a job?” Master Four replied, “My job is having a wife!”

Robyn, Whangarei

Water you want?

I was in the car and asking Master Three what he wanted for Christmas. He said he was going to ask Santa for a water pistol. “And Nanny,” he added, “I’m going to ask for some water for our paddling pool.” Now that could be interesting!

Julie, by email

Bee gone

Master Three had his first bee sting recently. The incident broke his heart, but after many cuddles he came right. Later he said, “I never want to see another bee again. I don’t like bees any more, I only like flies.”

Gaileen, by email

Fraud with worry

My daughter warned me that “old people are being taken for a ride,” and that I shouldn’t engage in conversation with phone sales people. To this, Master Five piped up, “Nana can’t go on that ride, she’s old.”

Joseph’s Nana, Hamilton

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