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Taking Time to Live Well
Oh, it's been a bit of a drizzly summer, hasn't it? Luckily, Christine Wisnieski from Design for Mankind is here to save us from the rainy-day blues with her printed umbrella DIY.
You can use whatever colours and shapes you fancy, put personally we're big fans of Christine's day-glo orange / on-trend geometrics combo! After all, if the skies are grey, what's better than a little shocking neon to brighten things up? Check out Design for Mankind to see how she did it!
Hands up who's got a jar of pesto in their fridge? We've definitely guilty of this one. Pesto is one of those things which is SO good home-made that we're not sure why we buy it. Plus, it's incredibly easy to make - seriously, it's barely more complicated than opening the jar!
We were chuffed to find this pesto recipe post on Love & Lemons, in which foodie blogger Jeanine has provided us with a whole load of alternative pesto recipes . Mix up your basil with roasted red pepper, swap pine nuts for walnuts or add some honey or balsamic vinegar to shift the sweet / sour balance. Pop over to Love & Lemons to find out more!
Did you enjoy finding out about Why Trees Matter in our Simple Things sampler? Now we've discovered this fascinating infographic from the David Suzuki Foundation all about the effects of nature on our health.
We always knew that a little of the great outdoors helped brighten our days, but we had no idea that it could make it physical difference to our wellbeing. The Big Disconnect infographic also reveals some shocking information about how society interacts with nature in the modern world.
You'll probably have spotted that we've only shared a little bit with you, so click to see the whole thing!
Today, we thought we'd take a little break from our Simple Things magazine excitement to let you know about another fab launch.
Cupcakes and Cashmere is now not only the title of one of our favourite blogs, but it's also the title of a fabulous book! Creator Emily Schuman's first book promises more of what she does best on her blog - cute and quirky fashion, unique interiors ideas and chilled out entertaining.
Have a rifle inside and hear what Emily's thoughts on the Cupcakes and Cashmere blog. Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom to see her simple ideas for home-made cards, too - we love.
This week's Wordless Wednesdays is a little different - we're sharing with you our fabulous launch cover in all its glory. Now you'll know what to look our for in shops next week!
In case you were wondering, here's a little bit about what to expect...
The Simple Things is a brand new mag from the creators of Mollie Makes (that'll be the UK's best selling handmade title. Ahem.) and it's hitting UK shops on September 6. You can look inside The Simple Things sampler to see what it's all about.
We've got a fab pre-launch subscription offer which lets you try 3 issues for £5 (bargain), or if you're feeling lucky, enter our competition to win a year's subscription to The Simple Things.
We love to hear from you, so check us out over on our Facebook and Twitter and tell us what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caUKu5TbpRQ The last of our Simple Things videos!
Watch all the way to the end and you'll get to see what you've all been waiting for ... a sneaky peek of our first cover! What do you all think?
http://youtu.be/3MBFv1suPrY Have you been liking our little Simple Things videos so far? This is the last one before you all get to see our fabulous launch cover! Make sure you check back tomorrow ...
Also, keep an eye on facebook because we'll be launching our competition to win a year's subscription to The Simple Things very soon!
http://youtu.be/5I_5olQZI_A The video countdown to The Simple Things magazine launch continues - hope you're as excited as we are!
Loads of you have been sharing your own simple pleasures with us. Some of our favourites so far? Cloud watching, kneading bread dough, and the pop of the toaster on a Sunday morning (thanks, facebookers).
What simple thing puts a smile on your face? Keep your ideas coming over on Facebook or on Twitter- we love to hear from you!
http://youtu.be/c9lqgTfGUwk We love the smell of freshly baked bread. Share your simple pleasure with us below!
http://youtu.be/BCxspUxpQsA Whether it's fresh sheets, that hour in the morning before everyone gets up or the smell of summer rain on the hot streets, we all have something we love, our simple thing.
What's yours?
Tell us at over at Facebook or on Twitter and find out how to win a year's subscription to The Simple Things.
Sometimes we want a room revamp when are purses are feeling a little empty. Luckily, we've discovered that all that's really needed to turn the plainest cushion into a thing of beauty is a little imagination and few craft supplies. Join us as we round up three of the best crafty cushion customising ideas ...
1. Print it
Grab some fabric paint or a marker and get back in touch with your artistic side. We love this dotty cushion design from Hello Milky on Etsy, which uses neon fabric paint to tap into this summer's trend for all things hi-vis. You don't just have to stick to circles either - those are designer-maker Jess' fun star cushions in our cover pic.
If you have something to get off your chest, use a stencil to scribble out your message, like Wit & Whistle's stencilled cushion tutorial. Take a tip from blogger Amanda and draft out your design in pencil first to avoid any spelling disasters!
2. Get colourful
Adding a pop of colour is a really easy way to inject some life into a neutral design. Made in Oxford has mixed up simple applique and contrast stitching in their adorable elephant cushions.
Alternatively, nip down to your local fabric shop to sift through their cute buttons and trims. And remember, if your cushion is plain you can get away with being a little crazy with your trims! Check out Bentley Bicycles' bright pom pom trim and coconut shell button combo if you don't believe us.
3. Add another dimension
If you want a total revamp, its time to crack out the sewing machine and add a little texture. Pay homage to the blooms in your back yard with a rose cushion from Burlap and Blue or go girlie with Say Yes to Hoboken's oversized bow pillow. We especially love that both bloggers have opted for a neutral fabric and decided to let the shape do all the talking.
There's something wonderfully homely and comforting about jam made from scratch. Plums are at their best this month so now's the ideal time to boil up a batch of sticky plum jam.
Blogger Yossy from Apt 2b baking has provided us with two plum jam recipes - one for small sugar plums, and a spiced plum jam flavoured with vanilla, cardamom and cinnamon.
If you feel a little odd about using such Christmassy spices in the middle of August, remind yourself that your jam will last well into December and beyond, when there is not a plum in sight. Sometimes a little forward planning pays off!
We've just unearthed this braided rug tutorial on A Beautiful Mess and we're itching to get plaiting. This DIY requires no sewing whatsoever, just a little patience and a big scrap fabric stash (check, and check!).
It may not be rug weather at the moment, but we thought we'd give you a little heads up on this one as it looks like it's going to take a little time. We love Elsie's bright colour choices and the fact she's mixed up plain fabric with gingham for a laid back, shabby chic effect.
Having three young boys has taught Emma Bradshaw the kind of resourcefulness we can only dream of. Her blog, Bradshaw & Sons, is full of ideas for outdoor activities to get children out of the house and exploring.
One of our faves is an animal print trail. Emma's idea combines a little exploring, a little crafting and a touch of detective work - perhaps the perfect formula for a kids day out? It's perfect for British summertime and the prints will show up even better after a bit of rain.
Pop over to Bradshaw & Sons to find out more, then take a tip from Emma, kit your kids out in some wellies and prepare to get muddy.
What an unexpected and sweet idea from Magnolia Electric. Dainty glass bottles filled with posies of flowers and strung up from tree branches.
Everything about this arrangement is a little off-kilter, but somehow it works really well. We think this would be a beautiful decoration idea for an outdoor wedding. What do you think?
Back in the day, Delia taught us How to Cook. A little later Nigella shared her expertise on How to Eat. Now, Paul Hollywood's helping us all learn How to Bake.
One of our top two Great British Bake Off judges (sorry Paul, but we really, really love Mary Berry) has brought out a new cook book to help us all master the art of perfect home baking. The son of a baker, Paul's natural expertise is clear for all to see. If this book helps us produce a loaf of bread that's half as good as his, we'll be well chuffed, basically.
From Found, Now Home.
The avid DIY-ers at Young House Love are busy filling their home with handmade projects. Our latest favourite is this office shelving DIY.
Using thin, grooved beams, Sherry and John have created a display area which can be switched and shifted around whenever they feel like it. We like to think of it like a giant scrapbook mood-board, perfect for crafty workspaces. Click over to Young House Love to see how they did it.
All different types of lettuce hit their peak in the balmy summer months, ready to coincide with the days when we're craving a crunchy, crispy salad. Don't you love it when mother nature does that? We've rounded up our top lettuce recipes for you to enjoy.
Proving first off that lettuce can be the star of the dish, is this garlic scape dressing recipe from The First Mess. Blogger Laura thinks a dressing can make or break a salad, and this is her fave (psst... don't worry if you don't have any garlic scapes, regular cloves will do just as well).
Once you've mastered a top-notch dressing, you can go crazy with the extras. If you're having trouble awakening your inner Jamie Oliver, check out Emma's five favourite summer salads on A Beautiful Mess for some inspiration.
Next we've got something a little different. Sprouted Kitchen's rustic goats' cheese pizza is scattered with a generous handful of dressed lettuce once it's out of the oven. A thin, crispy base and crunchy salad leaves make this pizza light, fresh and perfect for summer evenings.
Finally (and you'll notice we're getting gradually less and less healthy here), we couldn't have a lettuce round-up without featuring everyone's top sandwich, the BLT.
You'd be right in thinking you don't strictly need a BLT recipe - the acronym pretty much covers everything. However, if you're interested in elevating the already-mighty sandwich to something even more special, click over to Not Without Salt. A touch of slow roasting, a spoonful of basil and ... oh, we'll let Blogger Ashley share the rest. We can't wait any longer, we're off to make one.
P.S. Click to check out the rest of our vegetable of the month posts!
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.