Our Story started mid-year 2021 when Sam received noticed that the Paper Mill he had been working at for 21 years was closing in July, making him redundant. Although this was not unexpected, it was still a shock.

Sam wanted to do something at home to generate an income and laser cutting caught his eye. It was then that we purchased our first laser - The Emblaser 2. The Emblazing Laser Work name was born from this small, yet mighty machine. We produced our very first set of earrings and by September we had settled on a of range of Māori inspired earrings. We were so excited. We developed a cheese platter as well and thought we were ready to take on the world.

Although we lived in Rotorua at the time, due to Covid restrictions on markets, we had to travel outside of Rotorua to be involved in the market scene. We set out to be part of the Whakatane Sunday Market. We were so well received by the community that it quickly became 'our market of choice'. We still try to get back to Whakatane once a month to stay connected.

As part of a ten year plan with the likely-hood of the closing of the Tasman Mill, Sam and I devised an exit strategy which saw us purchase land in Tolaga Bay. We developed the land with two B'n'B studios with the intention of building our forever home and using the studios as potential income. With Sam's redundancy we were able to realise this dream six years ahead of plan. We are now currently living permanently in Tolaga Bay (Ūawa).

Since arriving to the Tairawhiti region both Sam and I have decided to expand our knowledge and pursue further learning in Toi Māori (Māori Arts). Because of a long-standing interest in wood and wood products, Sam took up whakairo (carving),  which has been a passion for more than three decades. I have always had an interest in art, and Toi Māori allows me to learn about kowhaiwhai patterns, their meanings and develop my artistic skills. This has elevated our design and range that are coming through as new products.

Our whakaaro (vision) is to make Māori inspired products that are accessible to all New Zealanders. We use contemporary materials and methods which allow us to keep our costs as low as practical. You can buy from us directly at local markets or through our website.

Sam and I hope to travel New Zealand attending markets, meeting communities and sharing our experience, as we start on this new and exciting journey.