2058 days ago

DIY with a touch of Marmite

Kylie Klein Nixon Reporter from Homed

I loved chatting with Timaru craftsman Duncan Cottle about his beautiful work on this ceiling rose. He sculpted, molded and cast the whole thing by hand, with just trial and error to guide him. How cool is that? I found it so inspiring. Chatting to him made me want to give it a go myself. I reckon I might start with something a little simpler first, however. Those Acanthus leaves look so good... but also quite difficult! Maybe an art deco rose, to match my 30s house? Anyway, I'd love to hear from anyone else whose created something lovely for their homes from scratch. Drop me a line and let me know what DIY magic you've been up to!

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More messages from your neighbours
7 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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18 hours ago

Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?

What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?

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If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
  • 31.9% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
    31.9% Complete
  • 68.1% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
    68.1% Complete
191 votes
5 days ago

Poll: Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? ☕

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Wellington’s identity is built on its cafe culture, but with costs climbing, that culture is under pressure. We’ve seen the headlines about recent closures, and it’s a tough pill to swallow along with a $6+ coffee.

We all want our favourite spots to stay open, but we also have to balance our own budgets ⚖️

We want to know: How are you handling the "coffee math" in 2026? Are you still heading to your local for a chat and a caffeine fix, or has the cost of living changed your habits?

Keen to read more about "coffee math"? The Post has you covered.

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Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? ☕
  • 46.4% I avoid spending money on coffee
    46.4% Complete
  • 44.1% I still indulge at my local cafe
    44.1% Complete
  • 9.5% Irrelevant - coffee is not for me
    9.5% Complete
263 votes