Questions , Questions , Questions .

With Pixel Housie well under way we posed some questions to a Finalist !

Name ? Claire

Occupation ? Administration

Town of Residence and one good thing about it ? Southland - progressive province

What would you advise a Visitor to NZ are 3 'must do' things and why ? (1) go south [ignore the travel agents' suggestions! They'll love you !] to see our unique scenery; (2) visit pristine Stewart Island if possible, it is the countries third island after all; (3) investigate visiting "non-tourist" places because they are where real New Zealanders exist

Rugby or Soccer or ? Netball . Netball ?

Favourite beach in NZ ? Curio Bay

Best Kiwi town to visit and why ? Cromwell, Central Otago, because it is less tourist-oriented, more affordable, brilliant climate and very close to other attractions

North or South Island ? South Island

Whats wrong with the other one ? Not sure, I haven't really explored it properly! Very diplomatic that .

Worst Kiwi film of all time ? Has there been a bad one? Mmmm !

And the best ? If you believed Invercargill's hype, "The World's Fastest Indian" [have some personal reservations there]

Hamish Carter or Sarah Ulmer or ? Either of them is a good role model

For a good night out - Pub , Club or Restaurant ? Restaurant

Recommend one of each from anywhere in NZ to us ? Restaurant, Invercargill's "Village Green"; not into pubs or clubs. Hey ' Village Green '(if you read this) i reckon a good
vintage on the house is in order for Claire .

Thanks for that Claire .

Big writing for big news !!

Today we have launched a new internet concept called Housieonlyinnz.
We wont bore you with the rules or instructions here as suffice to say you will find all you need to know on the Play Housieonlyinnz page.
However we will tell you that its innovative , its new , and its a very good opportunity to make some lucky Kiwi slightly richer than they may currently be.

Go on - take a look !

BreakScore - It's a good game !
We thought with it being Christmas when people need original ideas that it would be a good time to speak to the man behind BreakScore .

Name? Matt Taylor

Occupation ? Independent Board Game Creator (BreakScore) and Publisher.

Can you briefly explain BreakScore ? Brief Breakscore explanation: Every BreakScore® board game set contains THREE game versions to suit all age groups.1. BreakScore®. The classic table-top board game loved by young and old alike.2. BreakScore® Champ-Play. The acclaimed competitive version of the classic board game.3. Break-Away™. The fast race n' chase board game for kids big and small. Number 3 for us then !

A lot of our friends (not me of course ) have a short attention span Matt so would they pick it up quickly ? Yes … BreakScore® is easy to learn and absorbing to master! Think of learning to play as a process not unlike tying shoelaces or riding a pushbike - simple when you know how!


What age group would enjoy it the most ? Difficult to say exactly as all three games cut across generational divides …… they can even be played by ‘oldies’ with lively minds! …. otherwise Break-Away™ 6 years plus, the classic game of BreakScore® 10 years plus, BreakScore® Champ-Play maybe 14 years plus. Put us against some 6 year olds and we might be in with a chance .
Then again probably not !

How did you come up with the idea ? Through hard work and determination. Being a reasonably competitive games player from way back I was after a game that combined counting, calculation and cunning with the elements of skill and chance, and board play interaction. I built in rewards for players who take ‘calculated’ risks to beat the odds and to avoid repetition added further random aspects through ‘boomer’ and ‘zouch’ card play.

Why the name Breakscore ? Two reasons. BreakScore® is a term used in the game to describe the number of points being scored in a turn and because it was original, I was able to trademark it.

How many boxes have you sold and how much will we pay if we want to buy it ? BreakScore® is now into it’s 5th edition …… a total of 13,000 games have been produced thus far which is a fair feat ….. Within NZ the game has a RRP of $49.90 P&P included, overseas orders cost more due to added delivery costs. Matt you're being modest . 13,000 is actually Fantastic !!

How do we get Breakscore ? By visiting http://www.breakscore.com

In what country do they play it the most ? New Zealand, Australia, USA and the UK …… in that order.

Do you know of any famous faces that have played your game ? I do but I am loathe to breach their privacy other than to say one is a distinguished knight of the realm and the other a former
gee gee .

Who would you most like to see play it and why ? Families and friends from present and future generations who enjoy having good fun with others.

Lots of boardgames around at Christmas Matt so why should we buy Breakscore ? Because this is a board game loaded with excitement and fun, a game here you're always in with a chance, and a game that can be played socially as well as competitively! This is a board game where remarkable things can and DO happen ... what a blast to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on your last roll of the dice, or play of the cards! BreakScore® makes a great gift, not least because it will stand the test of time and be enjoyed year after year.

Is Monopoly on your Christmas list this year ? No and neither is Yahtzee! ….. Been there done that.

The Jewel Beetle in Nelsons Crown ?

a somewhat contrived yet catchy header !

Name ? Jewel Beetle (studio of Allison Judge and Yvon Smits)

Occupation ? Manufacturing jeweller and designer

What is Jewel Beetle and where do we find you ? Jewel Beetle is the name of our gallery and studio, we're located on Trafalgar St, Nelson's main shopping street on the first floor next to Whitcoulls.

Why the name Jewel Beetle ? We were struggling to come up with a business name and asked a friend of ours who is a poet to help us, she came up with "jewel beetle." It instantly gave us a logo and a brand to work with. There are over 12,000 different species of jewel beetles worldwide and our logo is an australian beetle (unfortunately there were no native NZ bugs to chose from!) Mmm and i thought those creepy crawlies in the bathroom were from here . You learn something everyday !

Whats your cheapest piece and your most expensive ? At the moment the cheapest piece is a small silver twist charm at $29 and the most expensive is a 18ct seahorse broach with a tahitian mabe pearl and diamonds at $2,699.00 . Please don't show my wife that last one !

What countries do your gemstones originate from ? All over, Australia, South Africa, Madagascar, Sri Lanka .

Ever drop an expensive gem through a crack in the floor type scenario ? It happens often! We spend alot of time on our hands and knees looking for them. They show up in the most unusual places, the soles of your shoes, the turn ups of your trousers and once in my cleavage!!

Who would you most like to see in your shop and and why ? The Sultan of Brunei with his big fat cheque book! Or if he can't make it maybe Richard Branson could give me a few business tips?


People tend to think that one Jewellery shop is much the same as another - why should we come to you ? Well thats definetely not true and maybe if you climbed the stairs you'd see why! There is so much mass produced and cheaply made jewellery available now, it really is affecting the traditional craft of goldsmithing. But if you want something special and unique that is going to stand the test of time then you really have to have it made. We are finding that a lot of people are starting to appreciate our designs and the fact that they can't be found in every high street store.

Whats your favourite item of Jewellery ? It changes often! What i enjoy making is different to what I enjoy wearing. We have recently made a new collection of black pearl jewellery, one particular silver necklace in that collection is my favourite at the moment.

My colleague thinks ' Diamonds really are a girls best friend ' (too much money) whilst another says ' paste ' (glad i'm not hs wife) - Any thoughts ? Diamonds are over-rated! Probably the world biggest conspiracy, they are as common as sugar but have been cleverly marketed over the years. They are great to work with because of their hardness but there are many other rare gemstones I find more appealing, Natural star sapphires for instance.

Are we likely to see your work adorning anybody well known ? Well when I worked in London years ago for a designer, I certainly knew of several famous clients we had done work for, Cher, Tom Hanks to name a couple. But unfortunately New Zealand is a totally different scene. I'm still waiting for my lucky break here....we're a well kept secret!

Ingenuity @ Kiwi Tubs .

Ever ready to support original ideas we thought it would be fun to chat to the inventor of Kiwi Tubs .

Name ? Steve August.

Occupation ? Physiotherapist but also keen amateur part-time inventor and tub-maker.

What is Kiwitub and where do we find you ? Kiwitub is the New Zealand alternative to the spa pool. It's a hot tub system which has no chemicals, electricity, or moving parts; uses just fresh water or seawater; can be rolled, lifted, or floated; heats up in an hour or more; runs on gas or firewood. There's a good website with great photo gallery at kiwitub.com .Nice plug there Steve!

Why did you start up Kiwitub ? I was too mean to buy a spa pool for the bach. Also get itchy skin from the chemicals, nasty, fizzy American things that they are, yess Precious.

What's the strangest place you have ever seen or put one of your tubs ? 6,000 feet (2,000m) up the Remarkables, on a frozen lake in winter. We drove it up on a snow groomer off the skifield below, put it beside the hole cut in the ice (and the ice was 1.2m thick) and the SCUBA divers got in to warm up. Skinny dipping from the lake to the tub, it felt like your whole body was attacked by needles.

How many tubs have you sold ? To date (October 2006) we've sold 66 complete tubs plus another 12 burners on their own, not bad for 18 months part-time with interruptions.

Who would you most like to see in one of your tubs and why ? Helena Bonham Carter, the thinking man's crumpet from 'Room with a View' and 'Fight Club.' If you have to ask why, you haven't seen the movies or are dead.

All the onlyinnz staff bathe daily (probably) so why should we order a tub from you ? Well we can fit up to 6 people in the Tub (you are using the others as furniture), so it becomes the difference between sculling a beer on your own and sipping champagne with friends while working out whose foot is that?

What's your favourite time to sit in the tub and what's the best drink to accompany it? That's really difficult! Options are (1) when it's snowing, with mulled wine; (2) when the stars are out, with really chilled Sauvignon Blanc; or (3) when it's blazingly hot and the tub's cool like a plunge pool, with cold beer (Emerson's or Tuatara Pilsener) and a book. Mmmm: say (1).

Ever shower ? Only before tubbing. Yep we believe you Steve !

Ever wondered about the people behind the ads ?

Billi Tees perhaps ?

Well, wonder no more !

Name ? Billi Richmond

Occupation ? Director/ and all sorts of jobs

What is Billi Tees ? We are 100% NZ made tees and clothing with twist, and a love for everything New Zealand.

Where did you get the concept from ? Making tees for friends and poking fun at their hometowns...

Whats the stangest thing you've been asked for ? A tee for Ophir, O for Orrsome

How many Billi Tees have you sold ? Don't know!! Somewhere in the thousands..?

Who would you most like to see in a Billi Tee ? Helen Clark! No, how about the Newsreaders on a Friday for casual friday..?? It ain't gonna happen..

Why should i wear a Billi Tees ? Because if you are a Kiwi they are part of you!

Whats your favourite Billi Tee ? The Gore tee.

Another Week that Was
highlighted by the Black Ferns winning the Womens Rugby World Cup by beating Engand 24-17 in Edmonton,Canada. Congratulations to all concerned !
No highlight but the Knights went down (yet again) 1-0 to a Terry Butcher led Sydney, that's three defeats on the bounce, so much for early season promise !
The week in mens rugby provided a couple of trouncings - Aucklands 48-7 victory over Otago and Tasmans 56-15 win over Northland , not to mention the first Thursday night game which saw Southland defeat Taranaki 20-17.
The rest of New Zealand enjoyed New Zealand Fashion week which saw top models turning out from around the world, well perhaps a few from Oz that were not otherwise booked and were over here anyway. Apparently it was a huge success and the reverberations will be felt around the fashion world at least as far as Christchurch.
In politics, what has now become the normal round of harping about the other parties moral failings continued and we all fell asleep .
And finally, just to show what fair minded people Kiwis are - the annual Marsden Fund (never heard of it before? neither had we) caused controversy this week by handing $6 million of its $38 million giveway to 9 of their own panelists. Any chance of getting us on next years panel ?