Our Life

The art and science of making good gin
There’s a ‘ginaissance’ going on, with craft distilleries popping up around New Zealand, but it takes more than bit of this and a bit of that to make the ‘it’ drink.

Your go-to guide to freezing fresh produce
Freezing your favourite summer produce is a simple, fast, and economical way (if you do it right) to preserve the best in your crops.

How to give old furniture a fresh new life
Transforming a pre-loved item destined for landfill takes patience. But breathing new life into a tired object can be immensely satisfying.

8 tiny homes around the country
Dreaming of living in a tiny home? From refurnished boats in Whanganui to views of the Auckland skyline, the space is small but the ideas are bigger than ever.

DIY: How to build a fruit and veggie rack
Build a storage rack for your autumn harvest and preserves.

The Hastings couple led by the nose for high spirits
Two former winemakers are creating gin and other spirits, capturing the essence of the region in which they live.

Why this Kiwi film-maker visited México and never left
The vibrant spontaneity of a city where a circus troupe might suddenly appear amid the colourful buildings appealed to the creative spirit of this film-maker. So she relocated to Mexico's San Miguel de Allende— and never left.

Explore this bright-but-basic bach at Punakaiki
A couple of legal high-flyers and their twin girls are now enjoying a slower way of life in a basic-but-beloved bach on the West Coast.

Lynda Hallinan’s Blog: The liberation of dried-flowers
Before the tanks run dry in summer, this land-lover raids her cottage-style picking garden for buds, blooms and seedheads to hang in her dried-flower hut.

This family turns its 30-tonne feijoa harvest into liquid gold
Love them or loathe them, Lothlorien Winery’s founders believe their beloved feijoas have a budding future as more people grow to love them here and abroad – starting with their sparkling feijoa wines.

From news junkie to a radio newsreader
She never expected to be a radio newsreader, nor the voice of a mobile network. But these days Mary-Jane Tomasi is broadcast far and wide.

This Wānaka couple finds purpose in the mountains
Helping people to find their “why” is the life purpose of a Wānaka-based couple who find answers in the mountains.

A wee hut on a 1400ha farm in north Canterbury
This couple has built a first-rate life among the drylands of north Canterbury, spiced up — as if it were needed — with classic cars and a cottage with a view that rolls on forever.

Wisdom from a couple with a certified organic block
After almost 30 years on their block, this Ohoka couple are brimming with wisdom for wannabe block owners.

Why you should consider letting your lawn go wild
Life's too short to be fussy over a lawn, it's time to let nature take its course.

This bike-lover rides away the mid-life blues
Originally designed in late-1950s communist Czechoslovakia, the Czeta was rebranded to NZeta when it reached Aotearoa. One, now meticulously restored, helped this bike-lover through a mid-life crisis.

10+ tips and tricks to creating a great outdoor space
The newest 'room' of your house could be right outside your door. Here's what to think about when you're creating the ultimate outdoor space.

What you need to know about inflammation
Sometimes termed “the fire within”, inflammation is often insidious, causing damage where it can’t be seen. One doctor is on a mission to help people understand that the lifestyle choices they make now will almost certainly affect their health later.

6 hands-on projects for sprucing up the garden
There's never a better time to add affordable improvements to the garden.

Why Joanna Wickham is letting nature reclaim her property
A ballad of birdsong, rushing water and rustling kauri caused this photographer to swap the crowded streets of inner-city Auckland for the gravel roads of Donnellys Crossing.

How this Pāpāmoa dad became king of the sandcastle
A nostalgic summer activity reaches new heights in the hands of a Bay of Plenty performance artist.

Whangamata business owner can work 20 days in a row over summer
Boutique owner Karan Gregory has an eye for business based on experience earned, not learned.

A fabric upcycler Sarah Lancaster's cute tiny house
A sewing teacher with a superhero-like enthusiasm for saving the planet packs a heap of personality into her tiny house.

Retro caravan called Roxanne restored to heyday looks
Summer holidays for a Hamilton family mean a beach on the wild Waikato west coast with a small dog called Rosie and a retro caravan called Roxanne.

4 signs you need for your farmers' market stand
A good sign is the very first part of your sales strategy. An effective one will catch people's eye as they get within 10m or so of your stand.

Explore this cute-as-a-button tiny home in Burkes Pass
Marie Pourcel wakes each morning to goats bleating outside her tiny home in Burkes Pass. It feels like a million miles from the apartment and office job she left behind in France’s fourth-largest city.

A block owner's guide to summer sleepouts
If you want extra beds for summer guests, a simple sleepout may be the ideal solution.

3 easy plant-based oils to make at home
Specialty oils are expensive to buy. Most people assume they’re difficult to make, but it’s possible to do it yourself.

Creative ways with succulents
Succulents are a beautiful business plan if you enjoy some simple DIY and a little creativity.

How this Auckland man makes a litter(al) difference
A walker recovering from illness took the chance to clean up his local area. Both are now in good health.



