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. As the two ‘chalkies’ mused about why such cards were not available in this country, the idea came to them that they might fill a significant gap in the market by importing them. They became, in Jane’s immortal words, ‘refugees from teaching’, building up an enviable portfolio of suppliers from the UK, Europe,the USA and Australia. Later, they were also to print their own ranges of New Zealand cards so familiar now to us all. It is, perhaps, Helen’s keen interest in the art scene, which has given her an eye for artists and works suited to the Live Wires look. The Bright Sparks range has been her brainchild in recent months, so the launch of these cards in Australia in June 2009 is a satisfying achievement.
When Jane retired almost a year ago, Helen became the sole director of the company. She is a human dynamo who makes the most of every waking moment. An active sportswoman, she enjoys tennis, walking, cycling, golf and also that great armchair sport, watching the rugby. She is a self-confessed culture vulture who loves film, books and the cinema. Helen has three adult children and loves to travel to exotic destinations with her husband, Roger. She also enjoys visiting Live Wires’ customers, so she may well call in on you in the coming months.
A company which has been a cornerstone of this business for many years now is
Museums and Galleries. This quintessentially English company supplies cards and stationery derived from treasure houses such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Its products reflect a range of themes and eras, from the intricate beauty of Wedgwood florals through to the classics of 20th century pop art. Currently in the warehouse we have a wide selection of M&G cards and notelets, (such as the lovely Wedgwood designs illustrated here), along with some gloriously luxurious wrap. We are sure your customers will also love the writing sets from Museums and Galleries, since winter is such a good time to sit indoors, reflect and catch up on one’s correspondence. As always with this company, the ranges include older, well-loved items as well as brand new product. Your rep will be delighted to show you our M&G range. MGERB207780
Now a word or two about another English company, The Little Dog Laughed. You will of course be familiar with their charming cards and stationery, all based around dog and cat themes. Many of you have also discovered The Little Dog Really Likes, an offshoot company with some fresh and zany ideas. The Blatant Lies series is going down a treat, as are the Scratchables, billed as the ‘gift and greetings scratchcard’. The idea is that the recipient reads the list of three prizes on the card, then scratches one of the choices to find out what he or she has won. On this cute Father’s Day card, for example, Dad could win:
1. An uninterrupted, lazy lie-in
2. Your car cleaned inside and out
RLSCT16 3. Royal treatment for the day
There are more treats in store from this up-and-coming company. Meanwhile, we have some special offers to cheer up the winter months. You can make serious savings on selected ranges from Waste Not Paper, Wooster & Prince, Museums & Galleries, Quote, Lalo, Roger la Borde, IPOPS, Palm Prints and all of the Nouvelles Images ‘HOBE’ range. Contact your rep for details.
Best wishes for the month of June from
All at Live Wires
Live wires NZ Ltd
PO Box 38528
Wellington Mail Centre
Wellington 5045
Phone (04) 576 - 0055
Fax (04) 576 – 0369
sales@livewires.co.nz
www.livewires.co.nz
Here’s how to contact our wonderful reps:
Auckland / North Auckland Heidi Geldard 021 626 441
Auckland / Coromandel / Hamilton Chrissie McLay 021 241 1225
Bay of Plenty /Gisborne / Hawkes Bay Bridget Wildman 027 253 3779
Taranaki Janine Lundt 021 135 5911
Greater Wellington Sue Harris 027 436 1242
South Island Penny Derrett 021 316 575