Our Life

Looking for Light

Expect high interest rates to stay for some months yet, but there is light at the end of the tunnel as inflation comes under control,says Mortgage Adviser and Owner of Loan Market Paramount, Nathan Miglani.

Competition in a Property Sale

Resident real estate expert Keith MacDonald from Harcourts Grenadier Real Estate provides some advice when it comes to navigating competition in a property sale.

On The Shelf – Feb/Mar 2023

Whether you are beachside, poolside or enjoying some screen-free time in the campground, our team of reviewers (Lucinda Diack, Norma Geddes and Belinda O’Keefe) have some great books to keep you busy. Happy reading.

Solving The Cost of Learning Crisis with KidsCan

KidsCan is a frontline charity tackling child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand. Founder and CEO Julie Chapman, who is guest speaker at this year’s Zonta Ashburton International Women’s Day Breakfast, says more children than ever will need help with food and other essentials so they don’t miss out on learning this year.

How to update a tired lampshade with Resene

If you’ve got a tired old lampshade, don’t throw it out – upcycle it in a few easy steps! Resene testpots are great for this project and with a huge range of colours it’s easy to find the perfect colour scheme to suit your house. Penny Newton from Crafty Girl Life Hacks shows us how.

Kid’s Reading Corner Feb/Mar

Sara Shand from Emma's at Oxford is in the hot seat to share her top picks for kids’ and young adult titles. Happy reading!

Literacy Matters

Our country used to be celebrated as a leader in the teaching of reading. Our standards of literacy were high, we could write in proper sentences, our handwriting was neat and we could spell. So what went wrong? Cheryl Doig explores.

His gallery is a Gypsy Caravan, he is possibly a gypsy himself, but Blair Somerville is far from lost in the world of fantastical art.

Life in Aotearoa is celebrated in a bach and matching tiny house on the Horowhenua coast.

Approaching a century old, the Iona lies high and dry on the eastern bank of the Whanganui River. Her working days may be behind her, but this beautiful fishing boat is far from washed up.

Seven years ago, David and Jennifer Rodrigue were townies, dreaming of the country. Today, they produce award-winning boutique cheeses and share their lives with a herd of happy princesses.

Light up your backyard with these glowing orbs of twine.

Burlington Village’s much-anticipated Pavilion combines a glamorous aesthetic with the hallmarks of every Qestral retirement facility.

It’s no secret plants contain potent compounds for good health and skincare. But this skin-loving ingredient, derived from a native shrub, has remained hush-hush until only recently.

Kid’s Reading Corner Dec/Jan

With so many great kids’ and young adult titles out there, it helps to have a recommendation from the experts. Here are this month’s top picks from Telling Tales: Scorpio Children’s Books . Reviewed by Rebecca Jones.

Transforming an old, cold home into one with a much greener footprint is a slow but satisfying, cost-effective DIY project.

To Stage or Not to Stage

Home staging is often an under-considered option but can take a sale from good, to exceptional. Local expert Keith MacDonald shares his knowledge about the value of staging your home for sale and creating a strong first impression.

A New Strategy for Changing Forecast?

Fresh insights from an acclaimed economist demonstrate the need for a fluid strategy, says award-winning Mortgage Adviser and Owner of Loan Market Paramount , Nathan Miglani.

On a Mission with Craig Fairhall

They’ve been part of the international sporting landscape for years. However, sports chaplains are a relatively youthful addition to the New Zealand scene, only arriving on our shores in 2011 when international teams brought their chaplains to the Rugby World Cup. Nonetheless, Sports Chaplaincy is a growing service within New Zealand and Reverend Craig Fairhall, sports-mad minister, is making a holistic difference in Canterbury.

Colour Thy Timber with Resene

As we head outdoors for summer many of us look to freshen up our exterior with a new look, or an update on the current. Resene colour consultant Brooke Calvert shares some expert advice when it comes to what not to forget – your deck!

Beeswax wraps are a great alternative to clingwrap to cover food and keep it fresh. They can be made at home easily using wax chips, pine rosin and a few household tools.

Delivering positive health outcomes is a wider social issue and not one that can be solved by doctors alone.

These two houseplant devotees find calmness and joy from decorating their spaces with flora.

Turn an ordinary pot into a whimsical wonderland for fairies — children will love it.

Can you grow and process good alternatives to wheat flour? Homesteader Rebecca Stewart shares the results of her tests, using only homegrown and foraged ingredients.

Auckland’s Kawakawa Bay is home to a growing collection of notable classics.

How to make a Colourful Corkboard with Resene

We know Resene paints are great for transforming our walls, but their testpots are also perfect for craft projects. Penny Newton from Crafty Girl Life Hacks (and latitude’s own digital marketing guru) shows us how to give a corkboard a new lease of life and transform it into a colourful edition to your home.

Accentuate the Positive

Award-winning Mortgage Adviser and Owner of Loan Market Paramount , Nathan Miglani looks at the upsides of the current market.

Coming Full Circle – Preloved Clothing

Here’s a riddle and it’s no giggle. What is catastrophic when it’s fast and linear? Good when it’s slow and even better when it goes around in circles? It is the industry that puts clothes on our backs and pockets our cash with the seduction of what’s new, cheap and in fashion. Something has to change.

What Makes a Great Agent?

An experienced real estate professional can be invaluable in helping guide you through a property sale. Finding the perfect real estate agent is about finding a balance between knowledge, experience and communication. Local expert Keith MacDonald provides an insight.

Calming Your Mind

Practising bite-size mindfulness consistently can help you to slow down, calm your mind and body, be more present and be grateful for what you do have in life, not what you don’t have. Health is about mental fitness as well, not just physical fitness. Wellbeing expert Ella Sidey explains.

Craft a pretty spring wreath from bendy stems.

Put your herbs on display with this pretty (and easy-to-make) three-tier planter.

When a rare Mustang, based in Florida, catches the eye of an Auckland woman, she moves heaven and earth to park up the pony at home.