How to | Make Cyanotype Art

Sun prints, or cyanotypes, are a simple and effective way of creating art using the sun. You can buy kits online or from craft stores, that will come with instructions but here’s a quick guide to how to get started.

1. Take a piece of heavy duty paper. It’s going to get washed with the solutions so it needs to be able to withstand that. Sometimes the paper will come ready prepared; with other kits you will need to mix equal parts of the two solutions they give you, paint it on the paper and leave it to dry completely. Once you are practised at it, you can use fabric, too.

2. Once your paper is ready to use, place your objects on it and arrange them. You can print with any objects you like but flowers, leaves and branches with interesting silhouettes look really effective. Plants like fern are great as they have a delicate pattern for the sun to pick out. 

3. When you’re happy with your composition, weigh it down with something transparent like a piece of glass. The glass from inside a picture frame is ideal. Put the whole thing outside and let the sun do its work. 

4. Your paper will turn blueish then a grey colour, which is when you’ll know it's done. How long it takes will depend on how sunny it is. You can do cyanotypes even on a cloudy day - it will just take around 15 minutes then, whereas in strong sunlight it may only take a minute or two. 

5. Take a washing up bowl or in-tray - anything that the paper will fit into easily, fill with cold water and place the paper in it. The blue colour will deepen as it washes. Remove after a few seconds and hang somewhere to dry completely. The colour will continue to deepen during the drying process.

6. Frame your print and feel very pleased with yourself. 

If you’re feeling inspired, you can meet cyanotype artist, Mandy Barker, and see some of her work (also pictured above) in our August issue in our feature Out of the Blue. For more information about Mandy’s work and to buy the book, visit mandy-barker.com. Photography copyright: Mandy Barker

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Playlist | The write stuff

In our September 2025 TREASURE issue, we find out why writing by hand is so good for us. And we’ve celebrated by creating a playlist all about writing.
You can have a listen to it here.
Have a browse of all our playlists.

Competition | Win one of eight Eco Warrior bundles

Enter our competition for a chance to get your hands on one of eight innovative starter sets,
each worth up to £25

Keeping the whole family clean can feel like a challenge at the best of times, especially if you want to move towards a plastic-free bathroom. Luckily, the launch of Little Soap Company’s Eco Warrior range in 2019 has made that much easier, saving more than two million bottles to date. Its functional bars – including ones for shampoo, shaving, body wash, facial cleansing, exfoliating, a men’s range and new bars for babies and children – are specially formulated to replace an unnecessary plastic bottle, tub, pot or tube. 

In 2022, the company was granted a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation for its Eco Warrior range. And it’s been establishing its place in bathrooms, with the brand saying that it sells a single Eco Warrior bar every 23 seconds. As well as being cruelty-free and suitable for vegans, each bar is also free from detergents, SLS, sulphates and parabens for a gentle but effective cleansing experience.

Want to discover the range for yourself? We’re giving you the chance to win one of eight Eco Warrior Family Intro Bundles (worth up to £25 each). This naturally sourced and nourishing set includes something for all the family, including the Eco Warrior Shampoo Bar, Sensitive Facial Bar, All Over Body Bar, Baby & Child Relaxing Bedtime Hair & Body Bar, and Men’s All Over Body Bar.

Kind to your skin, hair, wallet, and the planet? Now that’s something we can get excited about.
Available in supermarkets and online at littlesoapcompany.co.uk

How to enter

For your chance to win an Eco Warrior Family Intro Bundle, worth up to £25, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 10 October 2025.

Q: In which year was the Little Soap Company’s Eco Warrior range launched?

Terms & conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 10 October 2025. Eight winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Subject to availability. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

Sponsored Post | Breaks from the Humdrum

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Le Boat

Be the captain of your own adventure and discover the UK and Scotland from a different perspective this autumn. With Le Boat’s boating holidays, everyone gets a waterside view. Whether with family, friends, or as a couple, you’re on the water for more than a holiday; you’re creating lasting memories, while exploring at your own pace. Never been on a boating holiday before? No matter, now’s the ideal time to enjoy a last-minute autumn staycation with no licence or experience required.

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Beach Retreats

If you long to escape to the sea, Beach Retreats has a wide selection of properties dotted along the Cornish coastline. Downderlin (above), in Downderry, has sea views and a large garden that rolls directly onto the beach. Sleeping seven and welcoming dogs, you can stroll along the seawall, paddle in the shallows, or find a sunny spot for an afternoon laze. With wonderful eateries close by, Downderry is great for surfing, or you could simply enjoy the many bays just waiting to be discovered.

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Feather Down

Dive into autumn at Feather Down Farms – an unforgettable off-grid family escape. Spend crisp afternoons crunching through fallen leaves, meeting farm animals, and wandering golden woodlands. Evenings bring cosy cuddles by the campfire with s’mores and hot chocolates for the whole family. Discover Feather Down Farms’ October Warmer package, and book today to make memories that will warm you long after autumn fades.

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Who's Who | Punch and Judy

In case it’s a while since you sat in front of a stripy tent and some puppets, we’ve put together a reminder of who’s who in the story of Punch and Judy. That’s the way to do it!

Mr Punch

Motivation: To shirk babysitting responsibilities and consume sausages left in his care.

Catchphrase: “That’s the way to do it!”

Fun fact: Mr Punch originates from the Italian 16th-century Commedia dell’Arte, in which he was a marionette called Pulcinella. 

Mrs Punch (Judy)

Motivation: To find two minutes’ peace, while leaving her feckless husband in charge of her precious baby. As you do.

Catchphrase: “Oh Mr Punch! You are a nasty, nasty and WICKED man!”

Fun fact: Judy was originally known as ‘Joan’ in early versions of the play.

Toby the Dog

Motivation: To cause havoc and eat sausages (if the crocodile has not got there first).

Catchphrase: “Bow Wow Wow!”

Fun fact: Until animal welfare sensibly stepped in, Toby was sometimes played by a real dog in Punch and Judy shows.

The Crocodile

Character motivation: To steal the sausages from Mr Punch and devour them in one bite. 

Catchphrase: SNAP SNAP!

Fun fact: No one is entirely sure why the crocodile was written in but it might be to do with the Victorians’ fascination with exotic animals. 

The Policeman

Character motivation: To lay down the law wearing a very tall hat.

Catchphrase: Ello ello ello. What ‘ave we got ‘ere then?

Fun fact: Originally the police officer was a ‘beadle’, a sort of religious Community Support Officer. 

The Ghost

Character motivation: To teach Punch a lesson. In most versions, there is a slapstick tussle and Mr Punch is the victor.

Catchphrase: “I hAVe CoMe tO haAAAUUUUuunnNt yOOOOoooOOU Mr pUuuunncCCHh!”

Fun fact: The ghost sometimes appears as the Devil, and ghost story writer, MR James cites the Ghost in Punch and Judy as his earliest inspiration.

Joey the Clown

Character motivation: A friend to Mr Punch, but one who likes to outwit him and make the audience laugh by doing so. Also wants his sausages looked after by him.

Catchphrase: “Has anybody seen Mr Punch and my sausages? (Cue: He’s behiiiiiiiinnd yoooooouuuu).”

Fun fact: Joey is named for the famous Victorian clown, Joseph Grimaldi. 

The String of Sausages

Motivation: To be eaten by the clown, the crocodile or the dog, rather than by Mr Punch. We like to think the string of sausages has a moral motivation here. 

Catchphrase: Not applicable. He’s the strong silent type.

Fun fact: The sausages usually belong to Joey the Clown, who entrusts their safety to Mr Punch, against all good sense, frankly. The sausages’ arrival in the cast of Punch and Judy is probably related to a plotline from one of clown Joseph Grimaldi’s acts. 

If you’d like to find out more about Punch and Judy and how it’s growing and changing for modern audiences, don’t miss our Modern Eccentrics pages in our August issue, in which we meet some real life Punch and Judy people.
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Project | Make a Belfast Sink Pond

Illustration by Cristina Carpenter

Create a bit of a kitchen sink drama for local watery wildlife.

You’ll need: an old Belfast sink (if you can’t get one, any large tub or a washing-up bowl will work);

some pond liner; large rocks; a plank of untreated wood; smaller rocks; gravel; a few pond plants

To make:

1 Locate your sink on even ground, somewhere where it’ll get some sun but not too much. Line it

with pond liner unless you’re sure that it’s watertight.

2 Create a ramp at one side using the plank (or rocks) to help smaller creatures climb in and out

easily. Add some large rocks in the sink where the plank joins it to help them get into the water.

3 Add smaller rocks around the other edges of the sink and then add gravel to cover the bottom of the pond. Fill with rainwater from a water butt.

4 Plant your pond plants in the gravel – miniature water lily and spearwort are good. Go for a mix of floating and upright plants.

5 Open your pond for business and wait for the flurry of aquatic Trip Advisor reviews to ‘flood’ in.

This back garden project is taken from our Almanac pages which has seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do every month.

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Recipe | Fig & Goat's Cheese Filo Bundles

Photography by Kym Grimshaw

It’s the crunch of the filo pastry that’s worth paying attention to – and, of course, the peppery fig, cheese and walnut filling. Eat them al fresco so that any crumbs can be left for the birds.

Makes 12

You will need

12 large figs

250g soft goat’s cheese

4 tsp black peppercorns

100g walnuts, chopped

12 large filo pastry sheets

100g butter, melted

Handful chives

To make

1 Preheat your oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6 and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2 Remove the stems from the figs and score a deep cross in the top of each one, cutting about two-thirds of the way down. Gently squeeze the base of each fig to open them up slightly.

3 Remove the rind from the goat’s cheese and grind the black pepper. Mix together with the walnuts before dividing the mixture evenly between the figs. Try to get it as deeply into the fig as you can before squeezing the sides back up around it.

4 Divide each filo sheet into four and stack them up, sandwiched with a light layer of melted butter. On each stack, place a fig in the centre and then gather the pastry up around the sides of the fig, pressing to keep each one together.

5 Transfer the bundles to the baking trays and bake for 12-15 mins, or until the bundles are golden brown.

6 Allow to cool for 5 mins before scattering with the chives and serving while still warm.

While you wait…

While the filo bundles are in the oven, here’s a little mini project to keep your creative mind busy.

Fig leaves may get overshadowed by the fruit but they’re beautiful in their own right. Here, they take centre stage in a printmaking project that anyone can try. They make lovely labels for fig jam, too.

You will need:

Water-based acrylic paint

Palette or dish

Paint brushes or sponges

Fig leaves

Newspaper or scrap paper

Thick paper or card

How to make

1 Squeeze a little paint onto your palette. Using a paint brush or sponge, gently daub a fig leaf with paint until you have fully covered the stems and veins well.

2 Do a test print by placing the leaf paint-side down onto some newspaper or scrap paper. Place another piece of newspaper or scrap paper over the top side of the leaf and then press hard enough that the paint transfers from the leaf to the paper. Remove the top sheet and peel away the leaf. If the details of the leaf are lost, try using less paint or lighter pressure. If the print looks faint, increase the amount of paint or press more firmly.

3 Once you’re happy with the end result, begin printing onto your paper or card. Leave to dry thoroughly. These prints work beautifully as labels for the blackberry and fig leaf jam. Simply make a small hole in one corner, write onto the plain side, and attach to the jar with twine or string.

The recipe and project above are both taken from our August issue’s ‘Kitchen Therapy’ feature, which focuses on seasonal makes as well as making the most of simple kitchen tasks. The recipes and ideas are by Lottie Storey and the photography is by Kym Grimshaw.

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History | Spilling the Tea

Illustration by Josefina Schargorodsky

Gossip may seem like a modern phenomenon but, and don’t tell anyone else we told you this, it’s actually a much earlier form of social bonding

You might think of celebrity magazines, scurrilous internet rumours and hastily typed texts when you think about gossip, but in fact it’s so old, experts believe it to be related to the grooming we see primates take part in. Biological anthropologist, Robin Dunbar, argues that language has evolved directly from social grooming and that gossip is an important stage of this evolution. 

Before you worry too much about what chimps might be saying about you behind your back, however, here’s an interesting fact about (evolved) human gossip: the earliest recorded piece of gossip takes the form of a cuneiform tablet from 1,500 BCE Mesopotamia, which discusses a mayor who had an affair with a married woman. Some things never seem to change, gossip least of all. 

And since gossip is firstly - here to stay and secondly - clearly a vital part of being human, we’d like to share with you a few ways to gossip well from our feature, ‘Have you heard…’ from our August issue:

• Sharing happy news or praise helps to strengthen relationships and makes you feel good whereas repeating negative rumours can easily cause damage.

• Positive gossip will serve the good of the listener or group rather than just the gossiper. Consider if it’s information that others will find helpful and not just entertaining.

• Avoid workplace gossip unless you’re sharing a valid concern about someone. Office gossip has been proven to create a stressful working environment and can be detrimental to your job.

• Don’t talk negatively about mutual friends unless it comes from a place of concern. Friendships involve a bond of trust and it’s in your interest to uphold that.

• Before you share something about somebody (regardless of whether it’s good or bad), ask yourself if you think they would want you to be telling their story.

• Seek out harmless gossip with a podcast. Try Kelsey McKinney’s Normal Gossip, Katherine Ryan: Telling Everybody Everything, or The Rest Is Entertainment.

You can read the rest of the feature by Rebecca Frank in our August issue. But keep it to yourself, ok? 
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Tipple | Strawberry & Mint Lemonade Cocktail

Fruity and refreshing, just what’s needed as the sun sinks below the horizon

Serves 6

175g caster sugar

Small handful mint leaves, washed

400g strawberries, hulled and

quartered

200ml freshly squeezed lemon

juice (4-5 lemons)

Ice

Small measure of gin or vodka

per person (optional)

Strawberries, lemon slices and

mint leaves, to garnish

1 Gently bring the sugar, 1 litre of water and the mint leaves to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mint to infuse and the sugar syrup to cool.

2 Meanwhile, purée the strawberries in a blender and, if you’d prefern a smooth purée, strain it through a fine sieve to remove any seeds.

3 Combine the strawberry purée and sugar syrup in a large jug, add the lemon juice, and stir to combine.

4 To serve, pop a couple of ice cubes in each glass and pour the fruity cocktail over – you can also add gin or vodka for an alcoholic version. Garnish with strawberries, lemon slices and/or mint leaves.

Bartender’s note: This also works well with watermelon flesh or peaches.

This tipple is just one of the ideas from our August issue’s ‘Gathering’ feature, which this month is a picnic on the beach at sundown. The recipes are by Catherine Frawley and the photography is by Lisa James.

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Traditions | The Magic of Wells

Seeking water is a wonderful way to spend a warm day. But if you visit a well you might just find a little magic, too…

Wells have been a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of years, with those visiting them hoping to be healed, inspired or perhaps just hoping to indulge in a bit of magic. There are wells of many varieties all over the country so there’s sure to be one near you if you hope to make a little pilgrimage of your own. Here are a few traditional activities you could try at a well…

• Make a wish
Coins and pins have long been thrown into wells, to represent a secret desire or longing. To avoid leaving any trace of your visit, instead soak an item in the well water and make your wish.

• Tell the future
Young women with romantic worries headed to wells to throw in small objects, often stones, then contemplated the bubbles that surfaced. Each one represented a year to wait until they were married.

• Seek healing
Before modern medicine, the sick and injured were drawn to wells by tales of miracles. Treatment could involve drinking from it, walking around it several times or making an offering. Today, think of its effect as the soothing, spiritual kind of healing, rather than more grandiose claims of cures.

• Dream a dream
As a well can be seen as a liminal place – a portal between the earthly realm and the ‘other’ world – it’s an obvious place to tap into our own hidden depths, our subconscious. Historically, a way to access dreams was by sleeping beside certain wells.

You can read more about why wells are magical places in our August issues, where we have an extract from Clare Gogerty’s book, The Water Remedy: Folklore, Ritual And Wisdom (Calon).

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Competition | Win a Magical Unique Hideaways Escape

Win a £500 voucher for a unique getaway in the UK

Are you seeking a special getaway in a magical location? At Unique Hideaways, you’ll find a luxury collection of glamping retreats beckoning with dream escapes in beautiful spots across the UK. Simply enter our competition for your chance to win a £500 voucher to spend on your hideaway of choice…

Wild escapism and unique moments

Promising luxury comforts while life settles into a relaxed rhythm with nature, glamping with Unique Hideaways takes you to an enchanting haven in which to unwind. From leafy corners of the forest to salt-kissed clifftops, each hideaway resides in nature and is crafted for wild yet luxurious escapism.

Select your dream spot across hidden corners of the UK and fill your days in ways that speak to the soul. Be it moments enveloped in a cloud-soft duvet and the crisp pages of a book, reclining on a private deck under dappled sunlight with a glass in hand, or tracing trails past rolling oceans and wildflower fields, inspiration awaits at every turn.

Hideaways for every season

From the blooms of spring and golden sun of summer to the auburn hues of autumn and the frost-cloaked scenes of winter, adventure awaits throughout the year with Unique Hideaways.

Discover floating houseboats moored on private banks, treehouses with alfresco bathtubs, and quiet country cabins warmed by wood burners and framed by rolling fields… Just perfect for romantic breaks, dog-friendly sojourns, and getaways with family and friends, each one paints an idyllic portrait to let your mind and feet run wild and free.

How to enter

 To enter just click on the button below and answer the following question:

Q: What is the value of the Unique Hideaways voucher you could win?

T&Cs

The comp closes at 11.59pm on 30 Sept 2025. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries and notified soon after. Subject to availability. The winner is responsible for transport to and from the property. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p129 and online at: icebergpress.co.uk/comprules. Vouchers are subject to standard terms & conditions. Please ignore and report any fake accounts claiming to be Unique Hideaways. Any accounts that contact you other than marketing@uniquehideaways.com are spam.

Gardening | Make a Veg Bed Posy

You don’t need to grow cutting flowers to be able to step outside and put together a pretty posy - the vegetable garden also has plenty to offer for an unusual bouquet

The pioneering florist Constance Spry would often use vegetation not generally thought of as ‘flowers’ in her arrangements: brambles and bindweed featured, as did various plants from the veg garden. So next time you’re picking for a posy, perhaps try the veg bed instead.

Try using:
• Chard and/or kale leaves
• Pea and/or climbing bean foliage and flowers
• Herb flowers and foliage, such as dill, fennel, oregano/ marjoram, rosemary and chives
• Red cabbage leaves
• Nasturtiums
• Fruit tree and shrub branches (in blossom, leaf or fruit)
• Globe artichokes and cardoons
• Sweet potato foliage
• Carrot flowers (leave some roots unharvested to flower the following year)

This idea for a veg bed posy came from our August issue feature, ‘Beautiful Veg’ which is all about letting your edible plot shine. You can read more from page 94.

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How to | Haggle

Whether you’re at a local boot sale or a French brocante, there’s a fine art to talking your way into a bargain. Here are a few tricks to help

1 Be friendly

A smile and a pleasant demeanour go a long way. Aim for affable rather than smarmy though - you don’t want them praying that you’ll just leave. Try to strike up a bit of a relationship before you start haggling; a bit of chat about the weather, whether they’re at the event regularly, the quality of the coffee… You’re trying to find some common ground, something to agree about. That way, when you start bargaining it’s harder to say ‘no’ to you.

2 But play it cool

Don’t be too interested in the item you want - definitely no hugging it to your chest and saying you love it! That just tells them to drive the price up. Peruse the other wares, ask some questions about them, maybe even buy something else, and then open the discussion on the item you really want almost as an afterthought, so you have the element of surprise. 

3 Look for flaws

Have a good look at the item and see if there’s any reason why you might reasonably ask for a discount. Is it missing a piece? Not in its original box? Has a small stain? Politely point that out to the vendor and ask what their best price would be.

4 Know the market

It always helps to have some idea of what you might pay for the item elsewhere. Modern technology can help you here as you can look up similar items on eBay or see if they’re going free on sites like Freegle. If you can find it cheaper elsewhere you have a great bargaining chip. 

5 Know your upper price and start low

Have in mind what the maxium is you’re willing to pay and then start low enough to leave room for some haggling. So if you’re willing to pay £10 start at £5. They might offer it to you for £15. You laugh heartily and say you’ll go as far as £7. Hopefully they then bite your hand off or offer it to you for £10 and you pretend they’re absolutely taking you to the cleaner’s, taking food from your children’s mouths etc etc… but then accept graciously. 

6 Buy in bulk

Most sellers, particularly at car boots, just really want to get rid of their stuff. They might have had a clear out at home and want more space or they might be small business owners who simply want to make room in their storage facility for new stock. Either way, if you’re offering to take more than one thing off their hands, that sweetens the deal for them. Here’s the sneaky trick though… Link the sale of the thing you want less to the thing you REALLY want. So you want their lovely (but expensive) cake plates and you quite like the huge fruit bowl and set of napkins, too. Tell them you like the cake plates but can’t really afford them at that price. Would they consider 50% off if you’re also buying the fruit bowl and napkins? Then they feel that they’re about to lose three sales rather than one if they say no. 

7 Walk away (but leave ‘the door’ open)

This is a master negotiator trick. Claim you aren’t really sure. You might need to consult your partner or call your daughter and check if she actually wants the said item… Then say you might pop back when you’ve done that and go for a little walk. You need nerves of steel for this and to accept it’s possible someone else will snap it up while you’re gone, but it’s a great way to put the seller on the back foot. They think they’ve probably lost the sale and when you saunter back they might be more likely to take an offer.

So here’s the clever bit… You return and tell them you’ve spoken to your daughter/partner/financial adviser and you have permission to spend up to x amount on the item. You might have to hardball it if they say ‘no’ and claim you just don’t have the authority to pay more but often at this point they’ll say ‘Oh go on then’. 

8 Time it well

Turning up early definitely means you’ll see the best stuff, but it’s the latecomers that will get the real bargains. So sweep the event for the things you definitely don’t want to miss out on early, then go off for a leisurely lunch etc and pop back half an hour before it ends. At that point, the vendors will be thinking with dread about having to pack everything back up again and are much more likely to want to strike a deal with someone willing to take things off their hands. 

Once you’ve become adept at haggling for a bargain at boot sales, fetes, jumble sales and more, don’t forget that there are no rules about where you can haggle; you don’t have to be standing in a Souk. Try it in shops and department stores - just ask a supervisor if there’s any flexibility on price or if there might be a sale coming up. Online sales are particularly ripe for discounts - use the ‘chat’ feature or phone their sales line and say you want to shop around or that you’ve been offered a better deal elsewhere and they’ll often come up with an offer. 

Love hunting for a bargain? You can read more about the joys of car boot sales in our feature Fill Your Boots in our July issue, an extract from Raucous Invention: The Joy of Making by Mark Hearld. Published by Thames & Hudson. Photography: Mark Hearld

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Learn | A Sea Shanty

Next time you hear a group of salty sea dogs burst into song, you’ll be able to join in!

In our July issue, we met the all-female shanty singers, Femmes de la Mer (pictured above) and we’ve been humming shanties ever since. Just so we’re all prepared the next time there’s a coastal singalong, we thought we’d learn a sea shanty ourselves, and you’re welcome to join us.

Blow The Man Down is a traditional shanty dating to the 1860s. It’s thought to be about an accident at sea during which the lives of the sailors were put in jeopardy by sudden gales. You can listen to the song here, and then sing along with the lyrics below. Anyone with an accordion is most welcome, too!

Blow The Man Down

Come, all you young fellows who follow the sea (to me!)
(Wey hey, blow the man down)
And pray pay attention and listen to me
(Gimme some time to blow the man down)

I'm a deep water sailor just in from Hong Kong (to me!)
(Wey hey, blow the man down)
If you buy me a drink, then I'll sing you a song (yeah)
(Gimme some time to blow the man down)

Blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
Wey hey, blow the man down
Blow him right back into Liverpool town
Gimme some time to blow the man down

There's tinkers and tailors and soldiers and all (to me!)
(Wey hey, blow the man down)
They all ship for sailors on board the Black Ball
(Gimme some time to blow the man down)

You'll see those poor devils, how they will all scoot
(Wey hey, blow the man down)
Assisted along by the toe of a boot
(Gimme some time to blow the man down)

Blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
Wey hey, blow the man down
Blow him right back into Liverpool town
Gimme some time to blow the man down

It's starboard and larboard on deck they will sprawl (to me!)
(Wey hey, blow the man down)
For kickin' Jack Williams commands the Black Ball
(Gimme some time to blow the man down)

Lay aft now, ya lubbers, lay aft now, I say (to me!)
(Wey hey, blow the man down)
I'll none of yer dodges on my ship today (whoo)
(Gimme some time to blow the man down)

Blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
Wey hey, blow the man down
Blow him right back into Liverpool town
Gimme some time to blow the man down

So I'll give you fair warning before we belay (to me!)
(Wey hey, blow the man down)
Don't ever take heed of what chantymen say (no)
(Gimme some time to blow the man down)

Blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
Wey hey, blow the man down
Blow him right back into Liverpool town
Gimme some time to blow the man down

Learn more about singing shanties with Femmes de la Mer in our July issue, which is on sale now. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

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Playlist | Everybody's Talkin’

Our playlist for our August RIPPLE issue is inspired by our feature on why a bit of gossip can be good for you.
You can take a listen here, and order yourself a copy of the issue here.
We compile a playlist for each issue of The Simple Things, have a browse of them on Spotify.

The Joy Of | Window Watching

People watching is always a pleasure, but it’s particularly enjoyable done from the comfort of your own home, through your very own window

There’s a pleasant comfort in seeing the neighbours unpacking shopping, fetching in a parcel or weeding the front garden from your window-watching position. Nosy it may be (we’ll happily own that) but it also makes you feel part of a community. There goes Susan on her bike off to work. One gust and that packed lunch in her pannier will be gone… Isn’t that a new postie? Hope she sticks around until Christmas - she looks a sensible sort. What are those workmen digging up NOW? Surely there can’t be a square inch of tarmac they’ve not messed with this year… 

And it’s not just people that are worth taking a seat at the window for. As well as seeing folk you recognise (and, much more interestingly, folk you don’t) a seat at the window might give you a glimpse of wildlife - whether a neighbourhood fox, inquisitive squirrel or flock of birds making their way back to warmer climes. A window onto wildlife is like a TV nature documentary that never stops. 

Perhaps you’re a weather watcher, monitoring the approach of enough blue sky for a pair of sailor’s trousers. Or commenting that it’s ‘black over Bill’s mother’s’. Or maybe you simply like to cloud watch, seeing dragons and castles come and go. 

Window watching is a way of marking the day. The keen joggers, off before breakfast, the school run parents hustling children and cardboard models of Stonehenge down the pavement, the older residents keen to get to the supermarket before the queues, the delivery van drivers, to-ing and fro-ing all day, the toddlers scooting back from playgroup, the dog-walkers off to the park, the evening commuters eager to get home again… All of life is out there, framed by your window, hour by hour. 

As well as making you feel part of a community, a window view takes you out of your small world and into the world of others, literally broadening your horizons. 

And if your view doesn’t offer quite enough for you, the magic of technology means you can always visit someone else’s. You could lose hours on WindowSwap (https://www.window-swap.com/Window), clicking ‘open a window somewhere in the world’ and looking through a window in Cambodia, St Petersburg, Montreal, Melbourne… And you can share your own window view there, too. We warn you - it’s dreadfully addictive for window-watchers.

Why not pull back the curtain right now, see what your view is, and make another link with the world?

In our July ‘Fruit’ issue, our ‘My Place’ pages are all about rooms with a view, and we’ve picked out some beautiful windows for you to gaze out of, including the sea view above by Zia Mattocks. The issue is in shops now.

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More windows and views…

More from our July issue…

Competition | Win a UK Boating Break

Enter our competition and you could soon be enjoying a short boating break – worth up to £1,500 – to explore the UK countryside from a new perspective

How much do you know about Britain’s canals? Boating holidays bring a whole new perspective
to the UK countryside, giving you access to waterside towns and villages, a quieter way to travel and a whole lot of wildlife along the way. A real departure from the every day, it can feel like a big deal, but with ABC Boat Hire you can dip your toe in with a short boating break.

Giving you the opportunity to explore the UK’s best inland waterways and to adopt a slower pace of life, a boating holiday is an idea worth getting on board with. All ABC boats come with comfortable berths and modern amenities – including on-board Wi-Fi. With almost 200 boats, 15 start points* and over 1,500 miles of waterways to explore, it’s time to start planning your best holiday yet.

If this has floated your boat, then we have a short break with ABC Boat Hire to be won, worth up to £1,500. One lucky reader of The Simple Things can pick a route from selected start bases throughout England or Wales, and bring up to seven guests on your eight-berth boat. The prize is for either a three-night weekend break or a four-night midweek escape. All you need to do is start planning your next adventure…

For more, visit abcboathire.com or follow on Instagram: @abcboathire

How to enter

For your chance to win a short boating break with ABC Boat Hire, worth up to £1,500, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the question below by the closing date of 10 September 2025. The winner must be able to take their prize before 31 October 2026.

Q. How many ‘start points’ are there to choose from on your boating holiday?

Terms & conditions

T&Cs: The comp closes at 11.59pm on 10 Sept 2025. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries and notified soon after. The prize is a self-drive, self-catering, canal boat holiday with ABC Boat Hire for up to eight people. *Excludes Gailey, March and Falkirk locations. Subject to availability. The winner is responsible for transport to and from the start point. Prize must be taken before 31 Oct 2026. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p129 and online at: icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

How to | Fold a Paper Boat

Set sail on a local pond or even a puddle with these easy instructions

This paper boat technique is a bit of a classic but we’ve used step-by-step instructions from instructables.com where you can find pictures to help, if you like.

You will need: A piece of A4 paper. A paper folding tool for making your creases nice and crisp is useful but a ruler will do just as well.

1. Put your A4 paper in front of you, portrait style and fold up from the top to the bottom to fold it in half, leaving the ‘open’ end facing you.

2. Fold each top corner down diagonally to make the sails. 

3. Take the flap at the bottom of the paper and fold it up against the bottom of the 2 folded triangles. Take the corners of the rectangle that are sticking out over the triangle and wrap these parts of the paper around the edges of the triangle. Crease them so that they stay wrapped around the edge of the triangle.Flip the paper over and repeat Steps 1 and 2.

4. Pick up the triangle, then use your fingers to open up the bottom of the triangle. Pull the paper apart gently until it pops into a square shape. Make sure the bottom corners of the triangle fold over each other and become the bottom corner of a diamond.

5. Arrange your paper so that the bottom points of the diamond can fold upward. Fold up 1 corner, aligning it with the top corner. Then, flip the paper over and do the same thing to the other side.

6. As before, pick up the triangle, then open up the bottom of your new triangle with your fingers. Crease the paper along its edges so that it stays in a square shape.

7. Pull out the triangles to release your boat. Start at the top of the diamond and gently pull the two sides apart so that the seam running down the middle of the diamond expands. Crease the bottom of the folded-out sides to make the boat a bit stronger.

More from our blog…

More fun with paper…

Make | Citrus Slice Garden Coasters

These bright and zesty coasters will brighten your summer garden table and can be made in a couple of hours

You’ll need: Cotton cord of 5 or 6mm thick (you can use cotton washing line or macramé cord). You’ll want about a metre for each coaster; hot glue gun, scissors; sticky-backed cork (from craft shops); fabric paint in yellow, orange and green.

To make:

1 Cut about a metre of your cord, cutting both ends on an angle so they sit neatly.

2 Apply hot glue to the cord and begin coiling it, adding more glue and sticking as you go. Keep going until you have a coil the size you want – about 10–15cm diameter.

3 Once dry, paint the outer coil or two in yellow for your lemon slice. Paint six triangles with spaces between each forming a circle (like pizza slices). Repeat with the green and orange for the orange and lime coasters.

4 When dry, remove the backing from your cork pieces and stick to the underside of each coaster then trim the cork edges.

5 Take your coasters into the garden with a jug of lemonade and invite friends over to admire the fruits of your labour.

This mini project is from our July ‘almanac’ pages which feature seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do each month.

More mini projects for summer…

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Recipe | Seeded Grissini

Photography by Kym Grimshaw

Rolling stretchy dough gives a connection to your cooking – really feel the breadsticks take shape under your hands and let go of any idea of perfection. Let them be imperfectly wonky. If you’ve never made breadsticks from scratch before, you’ll be surprised by how easy and delicious they are.

Makes 16-20 breadsticks

250g bread flour

1 tsp instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

1 tsp fine salt

60ml olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

2-3 tbsp seeds (poppy seeds, sesame or chia seeds)

1 Combine the bread flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Pour in 135ml lukewarm water and the olive oil, then mix until you have a dough.

2 On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for two mins, or until it’s smooth, elastic and easy to work with.

3 Place on a 30cm x 20cm baking tray which has been lined with baking paper and flatten the dough into a rectangle that fills the tray.

4 Brush the dough with a little olive oil and sprinkle over the seeds. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour.

5 When ready, preheat the oven to 205C/Fan 185C/Gas 6. Once the dough has risen, use a pizza cutter to slice it lengthways into strips – around 1.5cm wide. You should get about 16-20 breadsticks.

6 Transfer each strip to one of two lined baking sheets, gently stretching each strip until they are a little longer but not too thin.

7 Bake for 15-20 mins, checking they don’t catch or burn, the transfer to a wire rack to cool.

This recipe is from our Kitchen Therapy feature in the June issue of The Simple Things, called ‘Take It Outside’ - a collection of recipes and projects that can all be done (at least partially) en plein air, including Pavlova with Berries & Rose Petal Cream, Blossom Ice Cubes, Lemon Possets, Whipped Feta Dip with Hot Honey & Crudites and Almond Presse. The recipes are by Lottie Storey and the photography by Kym Grimshaw.

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More homemade snacks…

More from our June issue…