The Rugby World Cup is fading to a distant, though pleasant, memory for many of us. however, one member of the Live Wires team has a lasting souvenir of the All Blacks' win. Our own Tracy Harris, seen on the left here with two of her friends before the match, won a replica of the Bledisloe Cup when she partied in the fan zone.Congratulations, Tracy... read more

We are delighted to announce the winner of our mystery weekend for two, the prize in the winter draw for customers spending $1,000 or more in June and July with Live Wires. She is Jo Harris, of Unity Books in Auckland. She is delighted with her win and looking forward to a well-deserved break. Congratulations, Jo!

Iko Iko in Wellington have taken delivery of the fabulous gifts from Wild and Wolf's Scrabble range. We think their window looks very cool!

As the sun shines on Wellington today, it's hard to believe that a week ago we were marvelling at the snow. Here are some pics of the staff at Live Wires HQ making the most of the unusually wintry weather.

Live Wires is delighted to announce the arrival of a new series of cards from one of our most prolific and popular artists, Clare Reilly. Her many fans will be delighted to see her trademark native birds placed within a variety of settings featuring both native and exotic plants. These beautiful and versatile cards have a fresh, new look but are bo... read more

Are you a retailer needing inspiration for Father's Day gifts? Look no further than our Snowden Flood Sports Mugs from ECP. Everyone knows that Kiwis are crazy for sport and a good quality mug is always a welcome gift. These are porcelain, in colourful designs and cover a range of sports. Available now! 

Our dynamic Paula is set to return from New York, where she has had many adventures. Upmarket eateries have featured prominently on her agenda, so it is not surprising that one of the more interesting stories to emerge from her visit took place on the terrace of a restaurant. Paula and husband Greg had noticed a well-dressed woman arrive carrying a... read more

Former Live Wires sales rep Chrissie McLay is now in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, preparing to take up a post teaching English. She is settling into her new flat and scouring the local markets. She has sent these lovely pics.

For just over a year now, Live Wires has been abuzz with the anticipation of a certain person's departure for a holiday in North America. Now Paula,our dynamic packing room team leader and resident design guru, has landed in Vancouver. She is really excited to be in this lovely city. We'll keep you posted with her news and great pics.

Live Wires' customers are enthusiastic about a new range of products from a company called Remember, based in Germany. What sets these products apart is originality, and quality of design. The choices are varied, from stationery, wrap, table napkins and trays to clever waste paper baskets and stools fashioned from sturdy but stylish cardboard. Ther... read more

Live Wires' Director, Helen Harvey, and her 2I/C Kate Faulks embarked last Saturday on their annual visit to the USA. This year, they visit the Trade Fair in Atlanta.Watch this spot for news of their travels.

We are thrilled to announce that Patch Pops from Santoro are on their way to our warehouse. They are cardboard sculptures which come flat-packed in cellophane in nine great designs. When you give a Patch Pop, you give both the fun of assembling it and the joy of a lasting, decorative memento.The Patch Pop range includes designs with a 'stuffed toy'... read more

1 July is the day we farewell two important members of the Live wires team. Josefa Moynihan and Chrissie McClay.Jo has been with the company for nine years, a period of rapid growth and change for Live Wires. A champion packer and checker of orders, Jo has an encyclopedic knowledge of postal and freight information. She also loads the new images of... read more

We are so proud of Paula Garratt, the human dynamo in charge of our warehouse! Paula loves a challenge and has amazing determination. Last weekend, with others from her gym, she completed a gruelling, six-hour bike ride covering the equivalent of 160 kilometres. It was an indoor simulation of the ride around Lake Taupo, including all those hills. W... read more

As the recent exhibition of Crown Lynn ceramics in Wellington proved, there continues to be a huge amount of interest in the tableware and vases so familiar to survivors of the 1960's and now much admired by a new generation. Jane Galloway of Palm Prints has captured the essence of these icons of kiwiana in a series of cardswhich is  a tribute... read more

In association with Solander Gallery in Wellington, Live Wires has published a series of eight cards featuring the works of contemporary New Zealand artists. The styles are diverse as the artists who have contributed their work, but all of these cards will satisfy those searching for quality of design and a point of difference.

This month sees the publication of three cards featuring works by New Zealand artist Paul Hartigan. He describes himself as both "an artist and an urban archaeologist of sorts, an addicted and dedicated visual historian." Collecting the neighbourhood image has been his life's passion. Paul responds to the familiar signs and symbols that make up our... read more

Exciting new cards from Jane Galloway of Palm Prints have just arrived in our warehouse. They feature beautiful designs inspired by traditional Samoan siapo, which is tapa cloth made from the bark of the mulberry tree. Jane has captured the effect of  dyes produced from aged clay and tree sap, rubbed over carved wooden blocks, giving these car... read more

Retro themes in stationery and gifts continue to be strong in 2011, as unsettled times create nostalgia for a more peaceful past. That old family favourite of the fifties and sixties, Scrabble, has been morphed by those clever people at Wild and Wolf into a range of desirable mugs, tea towels, pencils in tins and fridge magnets. This range has alre... read more

We have spotted some of our favourite Sanderson wrap from Museums & Galleries being used to create stylish storage in Homestyle magazine's New Zealand edition for February / March 2011. It's not surprising that it works so well in this kind of application, as it is, of course, a classic wallpaper. We love the idea of using these inspirational w... read more

St Valentine's Day is one of those occasions that call for an appropriate card and it seems to be growing in popularity from year to year. Valentine orders will soon be going out to our customers. If you have not ordered enough cards, or suspect that you might need a top up, do consider the cards on offer from Roger La Borde. There are many heart-t... read more

We are back in full swing after a refreshing summer break and looking ahead to the major events of the year. Preparations are under way for the Auckland Fair, which will be held from Sunday, 6 March until Tuesday 8 March in 2011.This is an important opportunity for our trade customers to view the staggering range of new products on offer from Live ... read more

Live Wires will be closed from Wednesday 23 December 2010 until Monday 10 January 2011, so we are unable to respond to website enquiries during this period.We would like to take this opportunity to offer every good wish to you all for a safe and happy festive season and a prosperous year ahead.

The Resene Colorshop in Hastings has got into the spirit of Christmas with a beautiful tree and a window featuring stickers of Santa and his sleigh.It looks great, guys! Does anyone else have pics they want to share of Christmas window stickers? We would love to see them.

Today is  Red Mug day at Live Wires! We are all celebrating the long-awaited arrival of Keep Calm and Carry On Mugs by wearing something red to tone with the product in question. Not wanting to keep any of our customers waiting for a moment longer than was necessary, we have unpacked and dispatched over 1,000 mugs today. The motto worked as we... read more

I love the Christmas window stickers from Nouvelles Images. They are so easy to apply to windows or mirrors and make everything look festive in just a few moments. After creating a cool Christmas look in my own home, I gave a set to friends who have a shop. They were so excited and couldn't wait to apply the stickers in their window. The stickers w... read more

We are really excited about the arrival in our warehouse of New Zealand Diorama cards. They are the brain-child of artist and designer Garth Frost, who has created six designs to delight the eye. Each is a miniature artwork depicting a New Zealand scene with native flora in the foreground. The cards open and fold, giving an intriguing three-dimensi... read more

Those of us who are chronologically advantaged will recall the great Maidenform advertising campaign for bra sales. Created by Kitty D'Alessio, it ran from 1949 until 1969, so a whole generation of women grew up with the familiar slogan ' I dreamed ...in my Maidenform bra'. Those days are evoked by Dutch publishers Catch, who have produced cards ba... read more

To the dedicated student, Spring can mean only one thing - EXAMS! The nail-biting tension of the exam room is captured beautifully in Catch Publishing's NC2035, one of their 'Life isn't always black and white' range. Catch have quirky, retro cards for every occasion. Check them out!

Nouvelles Images have the perfect cards for spring birthdays, weddings and babies. The fresh, bright images reflect the joys of the season while the branded Nouvelles Images cello wraps and jewel-coloured envelopes give these French cards a very classy finish. Vive le printemps!

Thanks to Anita from Acquisitions in the City Mall in Christchurch, for this photo showing their window display the week before the 'Big One' hit. The 'Keep Calm and Carry On Message' is certainly appropriate given the events which have unfolded since. Spooky, possums!

Our Thoughts Go Out to Our Customers in CanterburyWe would like our customers in the Canterbury region to know that you are very much in our thoughts in the wake of Saturday's massive earthquake. We are saddened by the huge scale of the destruction around you and can only imagine how 'surreal' it must all feel - to quote our rep in your area, Penny... read more

As the days get longer, it is definitely time to think about preparations for Christmas. This year, Live Wires brings you something new - packs of New Zealand cards. There are four packs to choose from, each containing 8 cards in 4 different designs.From the Turnbull Library, we bring you cards from kiwi Christmases past. They prove that the appeal... read more

To coincide with celebrating 25 years in business, Roger la Borde has launched a fabulous, new-look website. At www.rogerlaborde.com, you will see their exciting new ranges. You can view collections of cards by your favourite artists,or check out the stationery, photo albums and travel accessories on offer. If you are lucky enough to be going to th... read more

If you have some gaps in your ranges of Father's Day cards, but are not sure of selling through so close to 5 September, how about ordering some more generic cards that are also ideal for male birthdays or even new babies? Check out our black and white ranges from Catch and Nouvelles Images, or the photo-caption cards from Cath Tate. We think CTDF5... read more

Big Jims' Garden Centre in Devon Road, New Plymouth has won the Yates Garden Retailer of the Year Award. Special qualities of Jim's singled out by the judges are colour-coordinated displays and immaculate presentation, complemented by clear signs.Live Wires' Taranaki rep, Janine Lundt, passed on the good news to us. She tells us that owners Vince N... read more

Roger la Borde are celebrating 25 years in business this year. During that time, they have helped innumerable people to mark special occasions with distinctive cards. There is something for everyone in their collection, as these cards illustrate.Jungle Furry is a collection of cards for children, featuring sweetly depicted wild animals.Printed fron... read more

August brings daffodils, longer days and of course, the Auckland Gift Fair. Live Wires will once again be in the familiar surroundings of Hall 3, Stand 3196, but we promise plenty of delightful surprises amongst the gifts and cards on offer in our customary spot. Here's a sneak preview of our offerings for the coming season.From Punch Studio we hav... read more

A visit to the Nouvelles Images website reveals some cool ideas for making the most of stickers for decorating and proves that they are not just for walls.We love the way stickers for kitchens, HOSE 006,  have been used to make a very cool, pop art tray. The very popular HOST 53 Forest Friends has been combined with a wall clock to add a touch... read more

 Tena koutou katoa!Time to celebrate all things Maori this week. Where would art and design in this country be without our unique indigenous heritage? Here are some lovely New Zealand cards that illustrate this point.Ka kite ano!

 We love David Howell from Museums and Galleries. He passes on a constant supply of funny and/or cute clips from the internet. Today's cute clip features some interesting visitors to a North American garden.See it at http://www.wimp.com/babymoose. Thanks, David!

Life is such a strange mix of joys and sorrows. We began this blog full of good cheer, but will take some time today to think about sadder times.A sympathy card can be very difficult to choose, but we have probably all experienced receiving a card that was truly comforting in the worst of times. Many people prefer to write their own expressions of ... read more

 It's the turn of francophiles everywhere today to celebrate Bastille Day. Despite some stormy political events in our recent past, New Zealanders adore French food, French fashion, France itself and, of course, French style.Here at Live Wires, French-inspired products are always hot sellers. Whether it's the beautiful Paris Travel or Paris Ne... read more

 It's just as well there is no shortage of greeting cards at Live Wires as we celebrate the fourth staff birthday in a week. Today is the turn of Lucy, our logistics whizz and expert on all things Chinese.It is fun to try using other languages, but beware the perils of Google translations! One staff member thought she had written 'Happy Birthd... read more

 Today, as wind and rain pound on the warehouse windows, the interior has been transformed into an aquatic paradise in honour of today's birthday girl, Jenny N, who is celebrating the Big 50. Jenny keeps tropical fish - hence the theme - and we were like stunned and thrilled mullets when she arrived dressed in a sequinned dress reminiscent of ... read more

The gloom of winter has descended on us here in Petone, but spirits are high as we celebrate four staff birthdays in the space of a week. read more

The response of fans to the All Whites' success at the World Cup is proving that Kiwis can be just as excited about the 'beautiful game' as the one played with an oval ball. Combine this trend with the current nostalgia for memorabilia from the twentieth century, and the fabulous Charles Buchan products from Wild and Wolf a... read more

Live Wires’ Newsletter for JuneWinter has arrived with a vengeance all over the country. We all know that cold, wet weather can make it difficult to coax customers out to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of retail therapy. However, the good news is that Live Wires has plenty of wonderful products to keep winter sales healthy. ImaginoteOne of our most... read more

Live Wires’ Newsletter for MayChristmas in May                                                                           With a quarter of 2010 now behind us, w... read more

Live Wires’ Newsletter for April 2010What a great event the Autumn Gift Fair in Auckland turned out to be! The Live Wires stand was master-minded in Wellington by our designer, Paula Garratt. It was assembled in Auckland by a team of reps, (including our wunderkind of displays, Heidi Geldard), and workers from HQ. The red carpet clearly indica... read more

Live Wires’ Newsletter for MarchOur big news this month is the fabulous array of new products we have put together for the Gift Fair in Auckland. If you are reading this before going to the fair, or if you are unable to attend, here is a sneaky peek at some of the very desirable goodies on offer.From Blueprint comes a range of practical and stylish... read more

Live Wires’ Newsletter for FebruaryWhat’s New?January has been a very busy month at Live Wires. With large shipments having arrived from the UK and the USA, there is plenty of stock on hand to fill shelves emptied by the Christmas rush. Valentine cards have flown out and it is now time to think ahead to Easter, (Easter Sunday is 4 April this year),... read more

What's New for 2010?We have been planning ahead for the New Year, so there are plenty of new products on hand with which you will be able to tempt your customers over the summer months. We know that Valentine and wedding cards figure prominently in sales at this time. Here’s a taste of what’s in store.Cartolina is our new Canadian supplier, dedicat... read more

Here it is – our final installment for 2009! We bring you news of another great new product and information about arrangements for the end of the year which may affect you.Firstly, we want to share our excitement about Ecojot, a beautiful range of 100% recycled paper products designed in Canada for the ecology-conscious consumer. What makes Ecojot ... read more

Live Wires’ Newsletter for NovemberIt’s Time for Some Good News!If you have been a little cautious with your ordering for Christmas, you may be finding a few gaps on your shelves as the economic recovery gains momentum. The good news is that Live Wires can still provide you with a comprehensive range of gift ideas, from small but worthwhile stockin... read more

The Forecast for Christmas is Fine!September has ended with the brightest economic forecast we have had in some time, which bodes well for us all as Christmas approaches. Here at Live Wires HQ, we have been working hard to ensure that calendars and Christmas orders go out quickly and efficiently. We also have on hand a huge range of stationery item... read more

Spring Fair If you have not already made plans to attend the Spring Fair in Auckland, (Sunday, 30 August – Monday 1 September), do give it some serious thought! It’s your chance to see new products displayed in a readily accessible way, which makes selection so easy. Live Wires promises plenty of new lines to make your trip worthwhile. We appr... read more

Newsletter for June What inspires someone to start up a company such as Live Wires? Some twenty years ago, Helen Harvey, a Geography graduate, was teaching at Wellington High School with colleague Jane Webster, when Jane received a communication from her London–based daughter. It was an intriguing card produced by a company called Roger la Borde. A... read more

Hello Again from Live Wires As always, the purpose of our monthly newsletter is to keep you, the retailer, informed about products and services we can provide for you. So with customer relations in mind, this month we begin a series of profiles of Live Wires’ staff, starting with the person you are most likely to have spoken to other than your rep... read more

Live Wires News – July 2009    Spring Fair As the year passes the halfway mark, our thoughts are already turning to spring, which of course is time for the Spring Gift Fair in Auckland. This year it is earlier than usual, running from Sunday, 30 August through to Tuesday 1 September. As always,it will be a chance for our trade custo... read more

Our big news this month is that most of our reps are now using PDA’s to record orders. Though the change-over has taken a great deal of planning and caused some minor teething problems, it is already proving to be a huge advance. We strive constantly to maintain high standards of service to our customers and PDA’s provide some real advantages in te... read more

March is always an exciting month here at Live Wires, bringing as it does the opportunity to show off the cream of our products for the year at the Autumn Gift Fair in Auckland. Helen and Jenny have recently returned from the Birmingham Fair, where they found an inspiring abundance of new cards, stationery and gifts. (This was despite dismal foreca... read more