A warm welcome to all our new readers this month - we hope you’ll find plenty to entertain you. It’s been a particularly busy month here, just when we thought we could hibernate for the winter. Tess and Lauren have been out and about rounding up plenty of great money-saving products, so watch out for them in coming issues of the magazine.

If you hear of an event that would interest other newsletter subscribers, send the details to myhome@expresspublications.com.au

Cheers,
Sue

FRECKLES
www.freckles.com.au
20-70% offer for July only
Don’t miss this opportunity to buy selected children’s bed linen at crazy prices as they make way for the new spring range. And if you’re in Sydney, drop into the Randwick store before it relocates to get amazing prices on discontinued items and floor stock

TOUCH INTERIORS, COMPLETE PAD
www.completepad.com.au
For July only, get an extra 10% off the impressive range of affordable feature lamps. Call in to the store at Gunshot Alley, Suakin Drive, Mosman 2088, phone (02) 9969 0555 or
check out the never-to-be-repeated clearance range and great specials through their online shop.

HARBOURTOWN SHOPPING OUTLET, GOLD COAST
The prices are always great at Harbourtown, and there’s such a wide range of products to choose. This month you’ll save even more with sales at the following stores.
Red Vanilla Outlet: July Clearance Sale Now On!
Great reductions on Red Vanilla and Mikasa, including up to a further 40% OFF glassware!
Done Art and Design Outlet: Further 30% OFF already reduced prices!
Specialising in Ken Done designed clothing and accessories.

Want to know a Secret?

You might have heard that ‘Mr Big’, Carrie Bradshaw’s heartthrob from Sex and the City – aka Chris Noth – was in town recently to help launch the new LG Secret mobile phone at a star-studded event in Sydney. My Home joined the fun, and what a night it was!

Entrance to the party was literally through a hole in the wall then along a cleverly disguised alleyway to the secret venue, which turned out to be the State Theatre, barely recognisable in its nightclub garb. There was music – blues by Steve Clisby and co early on and Carl Risely fronting a big band later in the evening – there were cocktails and canapes, and illuminated dancers behind glass panels. And there were celebrities everywhere.

Chris Noth and Jennifer Hawkins

My vote for glamour went to Jennifer Hawkins, who always looks superb. I didn’t get to ask Mr Big about his decorating tastes, or even to look him in the eye, but he was certainly a charmer even from a distance.

So much excitement for a new mobile phone – was it justified? Well, this ultra-slim 5 megapixel camera phone with video and recording and playback is so much more than just a phone. In fact, it’s a complete photo-editing, movie-making, entertainment and word processing machine and the handset is loaded with a Google package to surf the Internet, log into email, use Google Maps and watch YouTube videos. Check it out soon at soon to Optus, 3 and Vodafone or visit the LG Secret website
www.lge.com.au.

Strap on your high heels, pour a Manhattan – and join the girls for that final season all over again. One very lucky reader – and perhaps her friends – will win a DVD with all the episodes of the last series of Sex and the City. For your chance to win, simply tell us, in 25 words or less, where you would go on a date with Mr Big?

Entries close July 28, 2008.

Click here to enter

*See terms & conditions below

GET SMART
Home automation systems are becoming more popular with owners and renovators

If you think there’s nothing like a cuppa to iron out the day’s rough spots, you’ll get a kick out of the range from Bag Ladies Tea – even the name is a little irreverent fun.

Rebecca from Culinaris – the Wollongong company that created Bag Ladies Tea – says “Our tea bag is best served up hot, with a dash of humour and a little light-hearted sisterhood.”
High-quality tea from Ceylon, beautifully presented in brightly decorated tins, each tea bag contains a different insightful and humorous quote about the pleasures, trials and tribulations of being a woman. Here’s a sample of quotes from the various packs:

GIRLFRIENDS - a lovely celebration of sisterhood and friendship. "A woman is like a tea bag. You don't know her strength until she is in hot water," Nancy Reagan.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - a great alternative to a birthday card with witty messages plus delicious high-quality tea. "Well-behaved women rarely make history."

WELL HELLO 40'S - a unique and tailored gift for that special birthday. "Age is an issue of mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

Thanks to Culinaris and Bag Ladies Tea, we have two fabulous gift packs for readers to win. Simply tell us, in 25 words or less, if you could share a cuppa with anyone – living or dead, real or fictional – who would you choose, and why? 

Entries close July 28, 2008.

Click here to enter

For more information on Bag Ladies Tea, go to www.culinarius.com.au or phone (02) 4228 1800

*See terms & conditions below

Wollongong Best Western Hotel

We were in for a very pleasant surprise when we made our way down the coast to check out the new Best Western Hotel at Wollongong the day of its official opening by State member Noreen Hay and Federal Minister for Tourism Matt Brown, both keen supporters of the region.

Located close to Wollongong station – forget about driving! – it’s the perfect long-stay accommodation for businesspeople and families. There are no rooms as such – they’re all spacious suites with one or two bedrooms, some with ensuites. And they all have a fully equipped kitchen and generous living area as well as a balcony.

From the attractive rooftop area we watched as a group of skydivers made their descent with the escarpment in the background, and then made our way to the balcony to gaze out at the ocean.
We gave it top marks for comfort and style.

For more information v isit wollongong.bestwestern.com.au

IN BLOOM

Colour was the key when Fiona Lyda, of Spence & Lyda, decorated this Sydney apartment. The excitement is contagious and visitors are often left buzzing, especially if they appreciate decor that’s big on fun and pleasure. Learn the story behind the pictures as we go behind-the-scenes with Fiona in the latest issue of My Home – on sale now at your newsagent.

And Fiona’s top tip? She says if you’re keen to put more colour into your interior, go with your instincts: “Work with shades that actually resonate with you,” she recommends.

Read more about this Dream Home

Energy consumption is a top priority for Australian families and it’s projected to grow by more than 50 per cent in the next 15 years – enough to make us all concerned. Now here’s a guide to help you make your home healthier and more comfortable with stylish ideas that will save you money through reduced household energy expenses. And Your Home Renovator's Guide is absolutely free and available in PDF form from www.yourhome.gov.au  It is an essential for anyone wishing to make a positive impact on the planet.

Also recently released is Your Home Technical Manual, a more detailed publication for builders and renovators, which provides smart design ideas for new homes as well as cost-effective sustainable home improvements. It is virtually a bible for green renovations and can be purchased online for $49.50 from www.yourhome.gov.au

Thanks to Your Home and the Australian government, we have two copies of Your Home Technical Manual, valued at $49.50 each, to give away. Simply tell us, in 25 words or less, your top tip for saving energy.

Entries close July 28, 2008.

Click here to enter

*See terms & conditions below

From eyesore to centre of attention

An inner-city home with its fireplace still intact – and in working order – is a rare find these days with most having been lost in successive renovations over the decades. Luckily for the owners of this home, little had been touched when they bought the place and in doing it up they were determined not only to retain the fire, but to make a feature of it.

First they consulted well-known mosaic artist Marion Shapiro to design and create a hearth and inset panel featuring variations on the ancient Star of Virgona – a nod to the Macedonian heritage of one of the owners. Marion drew up designs and selected handmade tiles in a range of colours and materials to capture the fiery effect of a glowing sun.

Painstakingly, she fitted them together to produce the stunning result.
With the mosaics in place, it was obvious a more exciting finish was called on the timber mantle and surrounds. A phone call to Adicolor at Arncliffe in Sydney’s south summoned Massimiliano Marcioni with a batch of samples and plenty of great ideas. The owners were impressed by his background in Italian painted finishes and professional expertise and decided to go all out with a finish suitable named ‘desire luxury’, which has a gold base and a colour known as DT21 – you’ll get the idea from our pics.

The owners are more than happy and their fireplace is the topic of conversation whenever they entertain. They’re even thinking of more innovative paint effects – so watch this space.

Darian Design
(02) 9940 0101

Adicolor
(02) 9599 6993

Would you like to share a makeover story? Send an email to us at myhome@expresspublications.com.au giving us brief details and clear photos of the work.

The fireplace before its makeover

The masked-up hearth panel, complete with mosaic, gets an undercoat.

Massimiliano carefully applies the second layer.

Only the hearth piece to be inserted.

TWO TO WIN
Pocomo ginger jars
from Whiteport

Thanks to Whiteport, two lucky readers will each win a fabulous Pocomo ginger jar.  Stunningly simple, this great-looking ginger jar is the perfect finishing touch to any mantlepiece or console. Use it as a decorator piece or for storing those smaller, loose items. For your chance to win, tell us in 25 words or less where you would place the jar in your home.

Entries close July 28, 2008.

Click here to enter

For more information on the extensive Whiteport  range of home decor, gifts and accessories – all  themed around a stylish white palette – visit www.whiteport.com.au. 

Add the finishing touch to your home with the new Soft as Soap Designer Range. Combining trendy design with gorgeous fragrances, this liquid handwash range keeps hands soft, smooth and smelling fabulous, while enhancing the look of the kitchen or bathroom. In three fantastic varieties – Fresh Splash, White Flower and Summer Breeze – it’s perfect for bringing a touch of luxury to any room.

Thanks to Colgate-Palmolive, you have the chance to win one of 15 Designer Range packs – containing all three handwashes.

To enter, simply tell us in 25 words or less why you need the new Soft as Soap Designer Range.

Entries close July 28, 2008.

Click here to enter

For more information on Soft as Soap, call Colgate-Palmolive’s Consumer Information Service on 1800 802 307.

*See terms & conditions below

6 PACKS TO GIVE AWAY
TOTAL PRIZE VALUE $2,640

Yes, Father’s Day is fast approaching and you can’t go past this fantastic gift for your dad. FASTWAX Waterless Formulation is a high-performance cleaning wax that’s designed to clean and wax your car without water! It can also remove grease, dirt and marks from motorbikes, trucks, boats, caravans and more – simply spray on, rub in and shine off for fast, clean results. Not only is FASTWAX intended to save time, but – because it works without water – you can help conserve our precious resources as well!

Thanks to FASTWAX, six lucky people will win a fabulous Father’s Day pack containing three cans of FASTWAX cleaning solution, two packs of three microfibre cloths, a four-pack FASTWAX waterless detail system consisting of cleaning wax, touchless trim and shine, general-purpose cleaner and carpet and upholstery cleaner, plus a microfibre jacket, t-shirt, cap and lanyard all delivered in two environmentally friendly reusable shopping bags – each pack worth $420.

To enter, simply tell us in 25 words or less why you want to win this FASTWAX pack for your dad.

Entries close August 11, 2008.

Click here to enter

For more information on FASTWAX, go to www.fw1.com.au or call 1300 764 241.

*See terms & conditions below

Information on how to enter forms part of the conditions of entry. The competition is open to Australian residents only. Employees of Express Publications, prize providers and their subsidiaries and families are not eligible to enter. Participants are restricted to one entry only. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable for cash. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The competition starts Monday, July 14, 2008, and closes midnight Monday, July 28, 2008. Winners will be judged by a panel appointed by My Home and notified by email. In entering this competition, you agree to all the terms and conditions contained herein, including the transfer of all information provided by you to our affiliated and related companies and partners for promotional purposes, unless advised otherwise in writing. The promoter is Express Publications, 2 Stanley St, Silverwater NSW 2128. All entries become the property of Express Publications.

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