Our Life

Marlborough-based artist Nicolas Dillon’s coffee-table book of drawings and paintings of New Zealand birds represents his lifetime love affair with the natural world.

Book reviewer Hayley McLarin’s round-up includes a plant-based cookbook, a story of a man and his rescue cat, and an economist’s take on global loneliness.

Turn your old tools into a decorative garden gate.

Lisa Scott has always been afraid of heights or, to be more precise, falling. Now she’s attempting to overcome that fear.

This paper kiwi is an easy origami project for beginners and kids. Make one to celebrate the Bird of the Year competition.

Add a splash of colour to the dinner table with these simple tricks for tie dyeing and shibori napkins. They are an easy homemade present to make.

Two Waitaki families farming in partnership for more than 50 years have developed a bird-loving business out of a crop sown on a wing and a prayer.

Clothing has an enormous impact on the environment and, very often, an effect on the people who make it. When purchasing, remember these Rs ‒ reduce, recycle, resale, repair, repurpose and even rent.

This garden-lover’s pet project sees a rundown barn turned into a room of her own.

Sleep accounts for one-quarter to one-third of the human lifespan. Yet what exactly happens during it is not known, and its biological purpose remains one of life’s great mysteries.

The Brilliance of Höglund Glass

Based in the creative hub of Nelson, the Höglund family share their love of glassblowing and the legacy of Höglund Art Glass Studio.With a desire to incorporate expansive outdoor living areas and a swimming pool into the design of their new home, these North Canterbury homeowners and their designer were forced to think outside the box to achieve what they wanted.

Toy-tastic at The Toy Collector

With a desire to incorporate expansive outdoor living areas and a swimming pool into the design of their new home, these North Canterbury homeowners and their designer were forced to think outside the box to achieve what they wanted.

What’s really going on in the property market?

Houses are selling fast, median prices are heading up; it sure feels like a buoyant market out there, but does that mean we’ve avoided a COVID-19 downturn in the property market?

What are you imagining?

Educationalists Dr Chris Jansen and Dr Cheryl Doig dive deep and ask us to think about what the impact of COVID-19 will be on our education system in the future.

Outdoor Perfection with Mitre 10 MEGA

Ideally your outdoor furniture should be as relaxing as it is functional, which in turn makes the perfect setting for entertaining family and friends, or even as your own personal haven. Mitre 10 MEGA offers some advice.

Grow Your Wealth with Forest Enterprises

Investors are re-evaluating their portfolios in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Some may be heading for the hills! Perhaps that’s exactly what they should do.

Stand Tall with Te Ao Marama

High on the Port Hills above Christchurch is a place that offers hope to children and families in need of support, Te Ao Marama.

A Recipe for Resilience with Hummingly

Two women who have worked extensively in disaster recovery around the world share some tools for getting through COVID-19.

Serving Through The Grapevine with 27Seconds

Subtle, young and sweet; an apt description of the 27seconds wine label and the spirit behind it. Since 2017, Alanna and Pete Chapman have been cultivating a quality range of wine for the Canterbury community, with 100 per cent of the profits from their toils going to a global cause.

Get Those Legs Out with Transform Clinic

Varicose veins are swollen and twisted veins that you can see just under the surface of the skin. They most often occur in the legs and can cause pain, blood clots, skin ulcers and various other problems. But they are easier and quicker to repair than you might think!

Summer Colours with Resene

Deep cocoas, silvered sages, ruby reds and deep sea blues are some of the glorious tones that will join us this summer. Whether you embrace the heat or seek sanctuary from the summer sun, there are a variety of beautiful colours to suit your home.

A traditional signwriter carves a new niche for himself after technology turns his industry upside-down.

Turn three old pallets into a useful mobile table for entertaining.

3 golden rules for getting started at a farmer’s market

Experienced stallholder Jono Walker shares his tips for beginners.

An ambitious duo hopes to change the world with affordably priced personal-care products packaged without plastic.

Book reviewer Hayley McClarin sees whether this crime thriller Girl in the Mirror lives up to the hype and also reviews, The Jacaranda House, by Deborah Challinor and Tim Saunders’  This Farming Life.

A beauty therapist loves her new rural life while keeping up her work for a good cause.

You don't need any artistic skill to upcycle homewares with chalk paint and decorative adhesive transfers, as Lynda Hallinan discovers.

Our country’s most decorated soldier, Charles Upham, is the subject of a biography by one of our country’s most decorated cartoonists, Tom Scott.

A Southland photographer has repurposed her former possession-driven life to become a conscious consumer in a small eco-home.

A world-class springboard diver is not only relishing a second chance at her athletic career but also hoping her tiny-homes business will have a big impact on the planet.

Listen up: three perfect-for-bedtime podcasts guaranteed to put you to sleep

Editor Kate Coughlan suggests three perfect-for-bedtime podcasts guaranteed to put you to sleep.

Spring doesn't always have to be about cleaning. Put some pep back into your kitchen or garden with these fun projects.

Use whatever fabric you have on hand to make these two personalised face masks.