Are you building your own home or have you just finished? We're keen to hear from you
The Sunday Star-Times is investigating the rising number of consents made for home builds.
Perhaps you're a first-time home owner who has opted to build, rather than buy pre-existing, or maybe you're seasoned home owners who have taken the first step to create your own dream home.
We'd love to hear from you about the challenges involved in building, and why you've opted to take that route. Any interviewees would need to be willing to be identified and photographed in a news story.
Please email kelly.dennett@stuff.co.nz.
Fair play
Whether it’s a playhouse, she shed or teenager’s sleepout, a stencil-painted floor in Resene Clockwork Orange will elevate it from meh to wow. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.
Would you like a free copy of our February 2025 issue?
Kia ora neighbours. We give away free copies to readers whose recipes are used in our magazine. We're still on the hunt for tomato recipes, so send your family's favourite way to use up your homegrown harvest, to: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. If we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of the mag