Matahina Forest, Whakatane

1020 days ago

Just for laughs!

Robert Anderson from

"Sometimes you might feel like no one's there for you, but you know who's always there for you?
Laundry.
Laundry will always be there for you."

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1021 days ago

Learn basic everyday digital skills

Kanorau Digital

Have you got a mobile phone or tablet? Not sure how to work the thing? Let us help you with that.

Our short course will give you the skills to stay digitally connected to your friends and whānau.

• A variety of day and class times to choose from
• Learn with an experienced tutor
• … View more
Have you got a mobile phone or tablet? Not sure how to work the thing? Let us help you with that.

Our short course will give you the skills to stay digitally connected to your friends and whānau.

• A variety of day and class times to choose from
• Learn with an experienced tutor
• No fees

Call us on 0800 KANORAU (526 672) or visit our website.
Find out more

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1022 days ago

What Are the Basic Styles of Fabric for Curtains & Upholstery?

Robert Anderson from

There are five different styles/category of fabric that form the foundation for the vast array of curtain and upholstery fabrics you see on the market today. Each fabric style outlined below has its own unique characteristics and are produced using different techniques. Some of these fabric … View moreThere are five different styles/category of fabric that form the foundation for the vast array of curtain and upholstery fabrics you see on the market today. Each fabric style outlined below has its own unique characteristics and are produced using different techniques. Some of these fabric types will be well known to you like plain and printed fabrics, while others less so.

You may be wondering why cotton and linen for example are not included here – this is because they are a type of composition that falls within one of these categories below.
Here we give you a high-level overview of the styles of fabrics available to you for your home interior or commercial interior project.

PLAIN: Plain fabrics are characterised by simple weaves and textures not showing any complex design.
Simple weaves are for instance – hopsacks, twills, herringbones and satins. Common fabric compositions used for plain fabrics include natural fibres (cotton, linen) as well as synthetic fibres (polyester, acrylic, etc.)

Plain interior fabrics take on a simple and paired back aesthetic. Ideal for a minimalist décor, you can complement plain fabrics with more textured and tactile textiles for added interest to your home décor.

PRINTED: Printing is the process of applying coloured designs and patterns to a woven textile. One or more colours are applied to the fabric in specific parts only, using thickened dyes to prevent the colour from spreading beyond the limits of the pattern or design. In quality printed fabrics, the colour is bonded with the fibre so as to resist loss of dye from washing and friction (crocking). Printing is an ancient textile manufacturing technique of which there are five print production methods you can use:

Burn Out Printing: A process which uses chemicals, rather than colour, to burn out or dissolve away one fibre in a fabric. The purpose is to achieve a sheer design on a solid or opaque fabric. The chemicals used during production can make this fabric sensitive to ultraviolet degradation when hung in direct sunlight.

Digital Printing: Rapidly becoming a popular and commercially viable printing method due to its flexibility, precision and consistency. With this new printing technique it is now possible to print any design, even with photographic detail, onto fabric. There are no restrictions in the amount of colour that can be used.

Engraved Roller Printing: The printing method used for the majority of fabrics worldwide. The colours are printed directly onto the fabric. There must be one roller for each colour used in the print. The more colours used, the better the print definition and depth of colour. The number of colours used is printed on the left hand selvedge of a fabric along with the brand.



Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

1022 days ago

Free recruitment service finds perfect match

Competenz

After years of searching for a new recruit for their business, Auckland engineering firm Stainless Machinings turned to Competenz’s free job matching service to find them an ideal candidate. In the space of a few short months, school leaver Stuart Martin joined the company.

“We’d been … View more
After years of searching for a new recruit for their business, Auckland engineering firm Stainless Machinings turned to Competenz’s free job matching service to find them an ideal candidate. In the space of a few short months, school leaver Stuart Martin joined the company.

“We’d been trying to recruit a young person for a couple of years, says Stainless Machinings owner Brian Lawry. “Competenz provided us with an excellent service and took all the hard work out of finding someone."

Read the full story here
List a job

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1024 days ago

Warm welcome to Climate Insights

Neighbourly

We're very excited to announce Climate Insights as our new Neighbourly partner.

Climate insights is looking forward to supporting the Neighbourly community, helping kiwis protect their homes against climate change and live better within their communities. Climate Insights use science-based… View more
We're very excited to announce Climate Insights as our new Neighbourly partner.

Climate insights is looking forward to supporting the Neighbourly community, helping kiwis protect their homes against climate change and live better within their communities. Climate Insights use science-based information to provide tools and guidance as we strive to become more sustainable and resilient. 

Please join us in welcoming Climate Insights and stay tuned for localised climate information, tools and much more!
Learn more

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1025 days ago

Looking for some cooking inspiration?

Stuff

Look no further! Join Sam Mannering on Thursday the 23rd of September and cook your dinner along with him.

What’s on the menu? Sam is going to teach you how to make curry from scratch, and for dessert, a tarte tatin.

Get in quick because seats are limited!
Register now

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1026 days ago

Do you have questions about your spring garden?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Dear neighbours,

As part of Stuff’s Life & Style Live Chat series, NZ Gardener editor Jo McCarroll and Jack Hobbs, manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens, are back with their expert spring gardening tips, advice and plant problem-solving. If you have a question for the gardening experts, … View more
Dear neighbours,

As part of Stuff’s Life & Style Live Chat series, NZ Gardener editor Jo McCarroll and Jack Hobbs, manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens, are back with their expert spring gardening tips, advice and plant problem-solving. If you have a question for the gardening experts, you can submit it (now, or during the chat) at the link below. Then tune in today, Sept 17, at 3pm.

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1027 days ago

Things to Consider When Exploring Blind & Curtain Ideas

Robert Anderson from

Hoping to buy blinds or curtains but feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the choices? You might walk into a store with great curtain ideas but it’s easy to lose focus when you see all the options on the shelves.
Did you know that blinds and curtains can be energy efficient? Did you know there are… View more
Hoping to buy blinds or curtains but feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the choices? You might walk into a store with great curtain ideas but it’s easy to lose focus when you see all the options on the shelves.
Did you know that blinds and curtains can be energy efficient? Did you know there are more types of blinds that the typical shutters? There’s so much to consider!

To help you narrow down your options, here are some tips to pick the right blinds and curtains that work best for you:

1. Colour
Your choice of colour will be among the main priorities when choosing the ideal blinds or window curtains. Getting the wrong colour can ruin the aesthetic value of the whole room.
The wrong colours on the wrong windows can also lead to quick degradation. If you use strong colours like blood red on windows where the sun shines often, the colours could fade quickly. Go around this by choosing blinds or curtains with nude or neutral light colours, ensuring they’ll still look good even after fading a bit.

2. Measurements
Your second step is to make sure you get the right measurements. The general rule of thumb is that your blinds or curtain panels should be longer and wider than your windows. Drapes should go down to the floor.

If you want to make your windows and walls look bigger than they are, include a few inches above the window. Hanging your curtains 4-5 inches above the window frame creates an illusion of length.


3. Material
Blinds come in all shapes and sizes. Generic blinds like shutters or slats use aluminium or wood. Sheers use glass and these are great if you want to filter out light and striking glares in the room.

Curtains, on the other hand, come in too many options. Most use cotton, wool, silk, and linen. Thicker curtain fabric is great if you want to control temperature and prevent bright light from seeping into the room. Lighter fabric is better when you want to keep the airflow circulating.

Material choice will also affect your budget. It goes without saying that the stronger and more functional materials will cost more.

4. Style
Getting the right fabric, right measurements, and the right colour won’t do you much good if the style of the blinds or curtains doesn’t click with your personal preferences.

There are a lot of stylistic blinds and curtain ideas to choose from. Do you want to stick with plain colours and a sleek design for a modern look? Will you go for deep colours, embroidery, and frills for a Victorian or Edwardian aesthetic?

Blinds can be boring, white with no style at all, or as unique as vertical sheers using rotating glass materials.

5. Ease of Use
Generic blinds are easy to use; you have one line to pull to open or shut the blinds and another line to rotate the individual panels. Cheap curtains require you to pull them open by hand and then tie them manually but you may find a few affordable choices with their own rope.

In short, make sure you check if the curtains and blinds are easy to use. You don’t want to spend more time than you have to only to open your window and look outside.

6. Safety for Kids and Pets
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

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1028 days ago

Noticed anything different?

Neighbourly.co.nz

It's te wiki o te reo Māori, and to celebrate this awesome initiative, we've given our logo a little update.

'Haporitanga' means 'the many principles and actions of being a community' and we think it's a great way to express what Neighbourly is.

Are you … View more
It's te wiki o te reo Māori, and to celebrate this awesome initiative, we've given our logo a little update.

'Haporitanga' means 'the many principles and actions of being a community' and we think it's a great way to express what Neighbourly is.

Are you keen to dive straight into te wiki? Here's a video by our mates at Stuff showing five te reo words that every person from across the motu (country) needs to know.

For more coverage on Māori language week, click the 'See more' button below.

Ngā manaakitanga!
See more

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1030 days ago

All About Curtain & Upholstery Fabrics

Robert Anderson from

There are five different styles/category of fabric that form the foundation for the vast array of curtain and upholstery fabrics you see on the market today. Each fabric style outlined below has its own unique characteristics and are produced using different techniques. Some of these fabric types … View moreThere are five different styles/category of fabric that form the foundation for the vast array of curtain and upholstery fabrics you see on the market today. Each fabric style outlined below has its own unique characteristics and are produced using different techniques. Some of these fabric types will be well known to you like plain and printed fabrics, while others less so.

You may be wondering why cotton and linen for example are not included here – this is because they are a type of composition that falls within one of these categories below.

Here we give you a high-level overview of the styles of fabrics available to you for your home interior or commercial interior project.

PLAIN
Plain fabrics are characterised by simple weaves and textures not showing any complex design.
Simple weaves are for instance – hopsacks, twills, herringbones and satins. Common fabric compositions used for plain fabrics include natural fibres (cotton, linen) as well as synthetic fibres (polyester, acrylic, etc.)

Plain interior fabrics take on a simple and paired back aesthetic. Ideal for a minimalist décor, you can complement plain fabrics with more textured and tactile textiles for added interest to your home décor.

PRINTED
Printing is the process of applying coloured designs and patterns to a woven textile. One or more colours are applied to the fabric in specific parts only, using thickened dyes to prevent the colour from spreading beyond the limits of the pattern or design. In quality printed fabrics, the colour is bonded with the fibre so as to resist loss of dye from washing and friction (crocking). Printing is an ancient textile manufacturing technique of which there are five print production methods you can use:

Burn Out Printing:
A process which uses chemicals, rather than colour, to burn out or dissolve away one fibre in a fabric. The purpose is to achieve a sheer design on a solid or opaque fabric. The chemicals used during production can make this fabric sensitive to ultraviolet degradation when hung in direct sunlight.

Digital Printing:
Rapidly becoming a popular and commercially viable printing method due to its flexibility, precision and consistency. With this new printing technique it is now possible to print any design, even with photographic detail, onto fabric. There are no restrictions in the amount of colour that can be used.

Engraved Roller Printing:
The printing method used for the majority of fabrics worldwide. The colours are printed directly onto the fabric. There must be one roller for each colour used in the print. The more colours used, the better the print definition and depth of colour. The number of colours used is printed on the left hand selvedge of a fabric along with the brand.

Hand Block Printing:

The oldest form of printing. Print designs are created by transferring dyestuffs onto fabric with the help of wooden, linoleum, or copper blocks. Artisans hand craft individual blocks to carry each different colour in a design and perfectly match block placement to create the all-over design.

Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

1032 days ago

Get your financial life in order with MoneyIQ

Angela Quigan Reporter from Stuff

Hey neighbours, is it time to get your finances in order? If lockdown has focused your mind on the state of your bank account, we’re here to help.

Stuff has launched MoneyIQ, an eight-week email course that will give you all the basics you need to get your money sorted and start working towards … View more
Hey neighbours, is it time to get your finances in order? If lockdown has focused your mind on the state of your bank account, we’re here to help.

Stuff has launched MoneyIQ, an eight-week email course that will give you all the basics you need to get your money sorted and start working towards a brighter, richer future. You can sign up for free here.

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1033 days ago

Remya's Special Ryman Journey

Bob Owens Retirement Village

Remya, the Special Care Unit Coordinator at Bob Owens Village tells us about her journey with Ryman.

Read about her story below.

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1034 days ago

Biggest Ever Online Bed Sale

Beds 4 U

If you’re tired of waking up sore from your old bed’s lack of support, it might be time to upgrade your mattress. When you shop locally, you support an entire community, not just a business! Hence we urge you to shop and support local businesses like us so we can grow together as a community.
View more
If you’re tired of waking up sore from your old bed’s lack of support, it might be time to upgrade your mattress. When you shop locally, you support an entire community, not just a business! Hence we urge you to shop and support local businesses like us so we can grow together as a community.

While we're asking you to support us, we would like to give back to the community with an exclusive offer of UP TO 60% Off With Free Delivery on our incredible range of NZ Made beds and mattresses!

Check out our limited-time specials online or contact your local Beds4U Store Now!

Bring back your dream sleep, With Beds4U's Biggest Online Bed Sale
Shop now

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1035 days ago

It's the simple things...

Neighbourly.co.nz

Hey neighbours,

Wrapped up in our bubbles - it's certainly been a tough few weeks. With our daily routines challenged, we were able to slow down and enjoy the better things in life. That's why we want you be a part of the Neighbourly joy movement and share the simple things that make … View more
Hey neighbours,

Wrapped up in our bubbles - it's certainly been a tough few weeks. With our daily routines challenged, we were able to slow down and enjoy the better things in life. That's why we want you be a part of the Neighbourly joy movement and share the simple things that make you happy.

Share a photo or story with your neighbours and you could be in to win Good Joe Coffee and Best Ugly Bagels (or bagels for your whole street!).
Share now!

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