The Simple Things

Taking time to live well
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Taking Time to Live Well

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Make | A Sardine Tin Diorama

David Parker March 21, 2026

Illustration by Christina Carpenter

You will need:

An empty, washed sardine can with no sharp edges; coloured paper; hot glue gun; self-adhesive foam strips; scissors; fabric scraps; string; pompoms and other decorative items; small toys (such as dolls house furniture or farm animals).

To make

1 Cut your paper and fabric to the size of your tin and stick in using glue and self-adhesive foam pieces to build up 3D layers into a scene – perhaps you might like to make a seaside, farmyard or floral scene.

2 At the front of the scene, glue in your people, animals or whatever ‘toys’ you are furnishing your diorama with. Dinosaurs in a jungle look pretty cool.

3 If you want to hang your diorama on a wall, glue a tiny piece of wire to the back as a hook and hang on a Command clip. Or simply pop on a shelf somewhere surprising where guests can peek into your tiny scene.

This project is from our March issue’s Almanac pages, which features seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do each month.

Buy this month's The Simple Things -buy, download or subscribe

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Illustration by Christina Carpenter

Make | A Chalk Board Serving Tray

Iona Bower June 23, 2024

Serve nibbles in style in the garden with this simple project

You’ll need:
A thin plank of stained and treated wood from a hardware store (around 200mm wide) cut to your desired length
Chalkbboard paint
Brush
Masking tape
T-bar cupboard handles (180mm) with fixings
Chalk pen

To make:
1. Give the plank a quick rub down and then, using masking tape, tape off a ‘frame’ around the edge of the plank.

2. Paint the middle area with two or three layers of the chalkboard paint and leave to dry thoroughly after each layer.

3. Peel off the masking tape and attach the handles to either end using a screwdriver.

4. Write the names of your cheeses, charcuterie or other snacks on the chalkboard area, next to the respective food items, as takes your fancy. Or simply have a doodle as you nibble.

This is just one of the ideas to mark the month from our ‘Almanac’ pages. Read more things to note and notice, plan and do in our July issue.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

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Featured
 APRIL ISSUE   Buy  ,   download  or  subscribe   Pre-order a copy of  our new Homebird bookazine   Buy  Flourish Volume 4 , our wellbeing bookazine Order our  our new Celebrations Anthology   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Listen to  our
Feb 27, 2026
Feb 27, 2026

APRIL ISSUE

Buy, download or subscribe

Pre-order a copy of our new Homebird bookazine

Buy Flourish Volume 4, our wellbeing bookazine
Order our our new Celebrations Anthology

See the sample of our latest issue here

Listen to our podcast – Small Ways to Live Well

Feb 27, 2026
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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