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Bring your furry friend’s face along on your next big trip

<p>Devoted pet lovers around the world are no stranger to the struggle of setting out on their next adventure without their faithful companions at their side.</p> <p>And while it can help to set a paw-fect portrait as a phone wallpaper to check in everytime the distance feels too much, it isn’t always enough - especially when you’re used to seeing their sweet little faces every single day. </p> <p>Luckily, the people over at July have come up with a solution in ‘Petsonalisation’. It’s something sure to set tails wagging, offering pet parents the exciting opportunity to have their best friend’s face on their suitcase and travel accessories. </p> <p>Forget limiting yourself to lettered monograms, all customers have to do is upload their desired pet pic, and then July will do the hard part for them - illustrating the image, and personalising the luggage, tags, bottles, kits, and notebooks on offer with the friendliest of faces.</p> <p>“People love their pets, and often pets are the ones you leave behind when you’re off travelling. We wanted to create a way for all travellers to be able to take their pets with them, no matter the journey,” July’s Richard Li explained.</p> <p>“Our personalisation offering has always been unique,” July’s Athan Didaskalou added. “We know that for something to be truly personal the offering needed to be diverse and inclusive. Multiple fonts, colours, emojis, and languages. In a world-first, I am excited to extend our personalisation service once more to include the most loveable beings in people’s lives: their pets.</p> <p>“We’re a customer-centric business and our products are derived from what people want, with over 50% of orders already opting for personalisation. Your suitcase stands out even more on a luggage carousel and is less likely to be mistaken for someone else’s bag when it’s got your initials on it.</p> <p>“A lot of people would love to be able to take their dog or cat on holiday with them, but with cost and customs, that’s just not an option. We like to think this is our way of enabling our customers to bring their pets on their travel adventures.”</p> <p>Since launching in 2019 with their Carry On suitcase, July have progressed in leaps and bounds, now offering <a href="https://july.com/au/shop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an entire suite of travel products</a> - from luggage to backpacks, bottles, phone cases, notebooks, and various other travel accessories. </p> <p>And now, the code ‘Petsonalisation’ can be applied for up to two pets per product on all of July’s luggage and accessories until April 25th - at $25 for accessories, and $65 for luggage.</p> <p>While dates are limited for July’s pet offering, they’re no stranger to personalisation, and have been offering enthusiastic customers the chance to create truly unique items since 2019. </p> <p>Their efforts are no small feat either, with shoppers able to “personalise up to five characters with 11 different font styles and 28 colours to choose from, even adding emojis”. And for those worried that they may not be limited in what they can write, July have an answer - they’re one of a limited number of companies worldwide, and the only one in Australia, to offer “personalised Chinese characters and additional Latin based languages such as French and Spanish for monogramming.”</p> <p>There’s no stress when it comes to having it sent your way either - as anyone in Australia or New Zealand is aware, postage costs can be half the battle - as with orders over $100, July offer free shipping.</p> <p>So, if you want to show the world your best pet friend, it’s time to hop on over to check out July’s range before April 25th, and <a href="https://july.com/au/pet-personalisation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get their face put front and centre</a>!</p> <p><em>Images: July [supplied]</em></p>

International Travel

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Take your pet wherever you go with pet-sonalised luggage

<p dir="ltr">With the world opening up again and more of us making travel plans, it’s the prime time to exchange your long-serving luggage for something new.</p> <p dir="ltr">To make it stand out from the hundreds of other suitcases and bags your fellow travellers are using, getting your belongings personalised is a smart idea - and now you can do so with the help of your pet.</p> <p dir="ltr">July, which creates sustainable suitcases, bags, and other accessories that can withstand the sometimes rough and tumble nature of travel, now offers a world-first service that allows you to personalise your luggage with your pet’s face.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since travelling often means leaving our furry friends at home or in a kennel, July’s service enables you to bring them with you on your next holiday.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-62855824-7fff-d500-c3fa-fc8547a7e5cb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Having trialled the service on July’s water bottle and the Carry Me mini case, the process of getting pet-sonalised items is easy - and the results couldn’t be cuter.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/july-pets1.png" alt="" width="847" height="434" /></p> <p dir="ltr">You can add up to two pets to your item, requiring a high-resolution, bright image of them (preferably a full frontal showing their face).</p> <p dir="ltr">Once you have submitted your photo and order, the July team’s illustrator will transform your photo into the design to be featured on your item.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-18e3c3cb-7fff-06e8-e39b-fc36b4b4ec4b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The final result is a high-quality artistic rendition of your beloved pet, featured on the corner of items such as the Carry Me case and in the centre of the water bottle.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/toby-july.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The image I sent of my cat Toby (left) was transformed into a cute design featured on the case and water bottle. Images: Author</em></p> <p dir="ltr">As for the items themselves, the water bottle boasts a soft, matte exterior, the capacity to keep liquids cold for 24 hours and hot for 12, and even fits in cup holders.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, the Carry Me case is quite robust and stain resistant (even after I spilled coffee on it while commuting), with pockets on each side and the option to have it open completely flat or more like a purse thanks to a detachable lining. The option to carry it on its own or with a strap offers nice flexibility, and it’s large enough to fit a phone and notebook (or your sunglasses, wallet or purse) and other miscellaneous items that you’ll need on the go.</p> <p dir="ltr">While I have yet to travel with my Carry Me case, it has become my go-to purse for day trips and going out.</p> <p dir="ltr">Not only is the pet personalisation an adorable option for your own luggage, it can make for a sweet, personal gift for the pet parents in your life.</p> <p dir="ltr">Until December 11, July is offering free personalisation of its range of luggage and accessories - a service usually costing $25 - with orders guaranteed to arrive just in time for Christmas.</p> <p dir="ltr">To see the full range of July’s products, head <a href="https://july.com/au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-09fd5b2f-7fff-27bb-e15d-30354c5da3ef"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Supplied</em></p>

Family & Pets

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8 budget-friendly ways to personalise your rental home

<p>If you're one of the many who are living in a rented home or apartment, it can feel like an impossible task to personalise your home without upsetting your landlord or your wallet.</p> <p>Don't let rental restrictions stop you from creating a home that feels like yours. Here are eight affordable ideas to help you create your dream home.</p> <p><strong>1. Faux finishes </strong></p> <p>Auckland-based renter, Andrea Warmington, didn't let living in a rental stop her from creating a stylish home. </p> <p>"Sheet vinyl is an affordable way to change your floors; I bought "Cajou Oak" vinyl from Bunnings for my kitchen and bathroom," Warmington said. "It's not even stuck down - once cut to fit, it sits on top of your existing floors without slipping."</p> <p>Want to cover a plain benchtop? Invest in removable contact paper or add a rustic touch to your home by covering an ugly bench with large chopping boards. Not only is this incredibly practical when it comes time to cook, but it can also easily be moved from house to house. </p> <p><strong>2. Lean instead of hang </strong></p> <p>Leaning art against a wall can look chic and easy to move to a new location if you ever feel like redecorating.</p> <p>For art-lovers who are renting but still want to show off their collection, simply leaning art against a wall is a chic and easy way to display their favourite pieces without having to put any nails in the wall.</p> <p>"It doesn't matter if you can't hang it up; I bought some long, low bookshelves for my living room that serve double-duty as a shelf for displaying framed prints and posters."</p> <p>Bonus: this rental-hack makes it easier to move your art to a new location (without having to worry about precisely lining up the piece on the wall) if you ever feel like redecorating. </p> <p><strong>3. Invest in nice things </strong></p> <p>You don't need to wait until you move into your dream home to invest in beautiful furniture.</p> <p>Warmington decided to invest in her dream couch to make her plain Mt Eden rental feel like a home soon after she moved in. However, she said great furniture doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.</p> <p>"I bought the wooden buffet in my living room for $80 on Trade Me, then painted it using an Indian inlay stencil set."</p> <p><strong>4. Inject colour </strong></p> <p>Add colour to your home without painting the walls by either investing in brightly coloured decor or sprucing up some of your pre-exisitng pieces with some DIY. </p> <p>"I spruced up some bamboo baskets with orange paint and painted the frame of an old mirror bright pink," Warmington said. "You could also paint your furniture; the teal, orange and gold cabinet in my living room was once a utilitarian grey."</p> <p><strong>5. Go Green</strong></p> <p>Indoor plants can bring life to even the dreariest of rentals. They purify the air, add texture and are a great way to add greenery to your home if you don't have access to a garden. </p> <p><strong>6. Soften things up </strong></p> <p>You don't need to put up with the awful, old curtains that have probably been hanging in your rental house for the past 10 years. </p> <p>"I swapped the plain curtains in my living room and bedroom for some delicately-patterned linen curtains," Warmington said.</p> <p>What should you do with the original curtains? Take a leaf out of Warmington's book and save yourself from having to replace them by "carefully storing the original curtains so they can be put back when I move out". </p> <p><strong>7. Rug up </strong></p> <p>A simple way to add warmth to your home, as well as showcasing your personality and design tastes, is by investing in rugs.</p> <p>With a wide variety of rugs on the market that cater to all tastes and budgets, this addition to the home can be as practical as it is stylish. </p> <p><strong>8. Decals instead of wallpaper </strong></p> <p>Want to bring some excitement to your walls without worrying about casing any damage? Decals are a great solution that is both stylish and easily removable. </p> <p>Feeling crafty? Julie Stuart, the founder of Clever Poppy, created a chic and affordable DIY feature wall in her daughter's nursery by using washi tape. </p> <p><em>Written by Natalia Didovich. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p>

Home & Garden

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Turn cookie cutters into personalised Christmas decorations

<p>Christmas is coming. While it's still early days, getting a head start on your preparation means you can enjoy a relatively stress-free lead up to December 25. Here's a great idea for decorations that also make excellent gifts.</p><p>Make these with the grandchildren, give them out as gifts or simply grab a glass of wine and enjoy getting crafty and making something truly money-can’t-buy. We show you how to give your favourite family photographs pride of place on this year’s tree.</p><p>You could also use patterned paper stock or use up bits of old Christmas wrapping paper instead of using photos.</p><p><strong>What you’ll need</strong></p><ul><li>Aluminum cookie cutters</li><li>Color-photocopy pictures</li><li>Card&nbsp;stock</li><li>Heavy book</li><li>Scissors</li><li>White&nbsp;craft glue</li><li>Needle</li><li>Ribbon</li><li>Silver beads</li></ul><p><strong>Instructions </strong></p><p>1. Assemble your photos and cookie cutters and see which cutters fit which pictures best.</p><p>2. Glue the photo (or Christmas wrapping paper) to a piece of card using a thin film of white craft glue.</p><p>3. Carefully brush the sharp edge of the cookie cutter with glue and place over the photo. Put your heavy book on top and wait at least two hours for the glue to dry.</p><p>4. Cut the excess photo from around the edge of the cookie cutter.</p><p>5. Thread a length of ribbon through your needle and poke between the top of the photo and the cookie cutter, then tie the ribbon around the cutter leaving enough to hang on the tree.</p><p>6. Thread a silver bead over the ribbon and push it down so it’s on top of the cookie cutter to give it a sleek finish!</p><p>Photo credit (small image):&nbsp;Honeybear Lane</p>

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