I can honestly say we have ‘water views’!  With all the rain pouring down at present, I was in need of some colour in my life. These pics from The Style Files was just the tonic for today.  Could you imagine standing right in among those Tulips just soaking up the prettiness.  Bliss!

While Miss 2 is still waking for her warm water in the middle of the night, I have a Thermos beside my bed so I don’t have to stand and wait in the kitchen for warm water from the tap.   While it works – it is HUGE and I just need something small.  So this great bottle by the company S’well looks perfect.

Holding a half litre, it keep things cold or hot and being insulated means there is no water running down the side and onto tables or magazines.    It fits a cup holder and there’s no nasty metal taste, plus not using plastic water bottles saves the planet. You can purchase it for US$35 (about NZ$45) plus $US10 shipping.

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A perfect addition to anyone’s back yard if they own a modern home and want their dog’s to look the same.  This is quite cool, mostly because of the view they get from inside.  The Cubix by German company Best Friend’s Home, comes in three sizes to suit any dog up to a St Bernard – plus, they ship worldwide.  Pricing starts at about NZ$3000.00 for a small version.

While it’s all sunshine and swimmers (swimsuits) down-under right now, I thought something for the folks at the top of the world would be nice.

Blunt Umbrellas are ‘kiwi’ (NZ) made and have no sharp edges to poke eyes out;  are super tensioned so they keep their curve and don’t make a fool of you in those windy conditions. Oh, and if you are also down-under, we used an XL version as a sun umbrella dug into the sand at the beach for the littlies – and we didn’t mind them playing and running around it one little bit!  NZ$99 for a regular or $110 for the XL.  They are available online, and they ship worldwide.

Where have I been!  Just hanging with the kids and enjoying summer.  Although I have a list longer than my arm that I want to write about, the priority has been family and teaching.  But, here is a little something that I would love in my Christmas stocking for 2011.

I have a bike lock but don’t use it as we’re usually at the park – but when we park outside the cafe, the ‘Ivy’ cable lock by Sono Mocci would be perfect to keep all our bikes safe.  As far as I know, it’s not in production yet but this lovely lock would sell like hot cakes!  It was shortlisted in Designboom’s ‘Seoul Cycle Design Competition 2010‘ and to find out more about the design, click on over right here.

How cool and gorgeous is this canoe.  Each summer we try to kayak (not long distances) with the kids, around Pukawa on Lake Taupo, but how much better would it be to take the kids around the bays in a clear boat!  I know Master 6 would love it.   There is enough room for two people and it weighs only 18kgs (about the same as my 6 year old).  Made from the same polycarbonate used in production of bullet proof glass, it comes with two seats,  and a retractable skeg system which makes it easier to paddle long distances.

It costs only US$1475 plus US$175 for shipping within the US (NZ$2180).  I’ve added it to my wish list, so now to find someone who has room in their shipping container for one.

I really love this courtyard surrounded by the winding path to the spa….very earthy but still contemporary. The water would need to be a whole lot clearer before I climbed in though. These images are from the Jeffery Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture portfolio, where there are some great pictures to inspire your backyard design.

If I could have a rug in my dream yoga studio – this would be it.  Right in the reception area, just spreading the joy to all those who walk through the door.  Liora Manne is the lady who designed it using a process called Lamontage – it is antimicrobial and 100% acrylic plus it can be used indoors or out.  Take a look at her range of gorgeous rugs here and gallery here.  Swoon!

Update:  if you would like one shipped directly from their factory in China to Australia or NZ, you can get a 2-metre version for about US$1000 plus only US$100 shipping – that’s instead of it going back to the US and having it shipped from there.

UK company Purlfrost has a large selection of window film for many applications; Decorative, Stained, Reflective and even a kids range.  My favourite would have to be their Stained Glass range that can be applied anywhere.  When the sun shines on it, it would show the best colour onto the wall and ground. Great for a yoga room.

You can apply it easily yourself and they have an installation guide online.  Purlfrost will happily ship worldwide, just contact them first and advise what you are intending to order.

We have a bunch of boat sheds on the Orakei basin looking rather dilapidated and in need of a good spruce up, so when I spied these over at Inhabitat, I thought they would be a fantastic replacement.

The Crib prefab can be used anywhere – from your backyard, to a spot on the water to house the boat and chill-out upstairs. It’s inspired by the traditional American architecture of corn cribs, a common farm building used to store and dry corn. The smallest is 175 sq feet upstairs with an ideal garage style front opening (for those water views). Then there’s the additional 125 sq feet of exterior deck space. The larger of the two has 250 sq ft upstairs!. Of course, it’s only in the US, which would make these super exey to ship out and there are no prices on the website. And I should not forget to add, the Orakei boatsheds are privately owned – so perhaps the owners are happy with them just as they are.

Auckland has hills, many many hills, and after coughing up a lung riding up a hill to get Master 6 from school (his scooter in the front basket) with Miss 1 on the back and drinks all round, I was exhausted. I have a slightly rusty ladies bike from Giant, which is great on the flat, but oh so heavy on the hills.

So I decided I wanted the lightest bike possible for the school run, and went searching. Unfortunately, Mr Bohaute had to burst my bubble and give me a price guide on carbon fibre, which means it’s never going to happen…..but oh my, why haven’t they put this bike into production.

The Momo Design City Bike is gorgeous – made of titanium and carbon, the City Bike features a belt-driven Nexus 8 speed drivetrain, and received a silver designation in the Eurobike Awards 2007.  No price, but we know it would be ridiculous. Bummer… I think city bikes should be the lightest, and nice and cheap, considering we are hauling around so much gear.

What a great idea this is.  The water meter lets you know how much water is used in the yard, or just cleaning the car.

It is a spray nozzle with an integrated water meter and has 4 spray settings.  The ‘Save a Drop’ Hoze Nozzle can be purchased right here for NZ$33 plus shipping.  The only problem is I am not sure if it fits our hose thread.  Perhaps worth an email to them to check.

Now winter has arrived, it’s skiing time again, so I went hunting to find property in the ski area of Queenstown in New Zealand.  This beauty sits on 3.2 hectares of land, and has wide views of Coronet Peak ski-field, the Crown Range, the Shotover River and The Remarkables mountain range.  Wow, those alps will have snow all over them now.

I love the amount of land to run around on with family and friends on those crisp clear days, and no one would get sick of that view. Plus, the living areas look really inviting after those long days on the hill.   Click here to see more of the property or to contact the real estate agent.

Sometimes we all like a little music while we’re out and about, and not just through your earphones.  This Card Speaker by IDEA International is no bigger than a credit card and as thick as a pack of chewing gum.

It comes in either black or silver, with a mirror-polished back, and includes a protective carrying case, a 3.5 mm connection plug, and a USB battery charge cable. The speaker has an operating time of approximately five hours on a two-hour charge.  You can buy it right here for NZ$105 and they ship all over, but you need to email them for a shipping price.

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I can’t tell you much about this house as I don’t speak spanish and the website is well..spanish.   It is in Gandario, Galicia, Spain and the architect is Carlos Quintáns.  It’s a stunningly simple home blending the new form with old stone – striking and visible from inside the home.  In one of the photos, I love how the wooden floor vents are not in metal, but are seamless with the wooden flooring.  Of course the glass across the entire front is always a winner for me, and check out the view!

via [Materialicious]

Another planter I like is this Nature Planter by Design Night.  The shape reminds me of a Lotus flower and I can just imagine a messy lot of Ranunculus spilling out of the holes….perfect for an entrance way.  The pity is it’s super pricey at US$375 (NZ$530) – add shipping down-under and you may as well buy a return ticket to the States!  Now someone just needs to make a knock-off plastic version for $24.95 from the Plastic Store (am I allowed to say that?).

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My sister emailed the image of this pool and I had to share it with y’all.  First, even having a back yard like that would be awesome..secondly, being able to afford the pool…even better!

More and more we are wanting an eco friendly approach to our living environment, and this pool is just the thing if you want something natural.  This Biotop pool in Chadd’s Ford, PA in the USA has separate water gardens, and nutrient friendly plants keeping the pool clean and chemical free.   These pools are self-cleaning mini environments that rely on plants from their “regeneration zones,” or water gardens/ponds, to filter impurities and excess nutrients back into the swimming area.   Skimmers and pumps circulate the water through the zones, and apparently you get all this for not much more than a regular swimming pool.  For more information on the pool above, click here. Can’t say I like the idea of frogs and dragonflies close by while I try to relax in the pool!

I have always been a fan of the Bullet Planters, but these are even better.  Pad in Los Angeles are behind these Pods Planters which were only unveiled at the Dwell On Design show in Los Angeles last month.   You can buy them here for NZ$238 each(ouch) and they ship internationally – just email for prices.  They come in six colours, with stands in two heights and can be used indoors or out as they are aluminium with an exterior grade powder-coated finish.  I would love a colourful set of five for herbs but the cost would blow my mind….will have to stick to the packaged supermarket herbs for now.

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I love receiving circulars in the mail.  When we moved into our rental the first thing I did was remove the ‘No circulars’ sign on the mailbox.  While browsing through one I spied the company Cedarlands.  Based in Auckland, NZ, they make and distribute a great range of sheds, cabins, carports and even greenhouses. What caught my eye was the modern carport, as many NZ homes have little or no garaging. Wouldn’t these look great with a modern reno and keep all the Auckland rain off you!  The company does not have a website (what the…!!) but here is a link to contact them and browse through a few images of what they have available. 

Do you need to add an extra room without renovating, or a little temporary home for the bach site?  Based in Auckland, NZ, Mobile Habitats have a full range of portable accommodation solutions, with some offering kitchen and bathroom facilities.  Because they are portable, you do not need a permit, with prices starting at about $10k to purchase. Or if you only need a temporary space solution, they even rent them starting at NZ$58 per week. Go take a look at their website for more info…they come in cool colours and are super mod looking.