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Make: Giant paper flower

Lottie Storey May 3, 2017

This huge, decorative bloom is a sunflower you can enjoy all year

YOU WILL NEED:
Assorted colours of tissue paper
Scissors
Fuzzy pipe cleaners

1 Carefully stack approximately 12 sheets of tissue paper, lining up all the edges carefully. The flower pictured uses four yellow sheets for the centre, these are stacked on top, then two or three white and then six sheets of orange. (To make smaller versions, just omit the inside yellow pieces and use fewer sheets, cut smaller, for the outer petals.)

2 Start to fold all sheets over at the same time in 5cm folds. Now fold back the other way, and repeat accordion-style until you have folded all the paper.

3 Unfold all the paper carefully and take out the yellow paper that will be used for the centre of the flower. Fold the yellow paper back in pleats, then fold the folded paper in half widthways. Trim off half of the unfolded ends.

4 Make 5cm-long cuts into the trimmed edge of the folded yellow paper.

5 Now fold the white and orange sheets back up together and fold in half widthways. Trim the unfolded edges together with a rounded edge for your petals. If you find them too thick to trim all together, do half at a time.

6 Carefully unfold all of your papers, place them back in their original stacked order and then fold them back up all together in the concertina style.

7 Fold this in half and wrap a pipe cleaner through the centre of the folded tissue paper. Twist to secure.

8 Starting with one side of the yellow paper, gently pull out and fluff up one piece of the tissue. Separate each piece as you work through the layers of the tissue paper. Be careful not to pull too hard on the papers as they rip easily.

9 Continue on the other side, gently separating and pulling up each piece of tissue paper and fluffing it until you have a full flower shape.

Adapted from Decorate for a Party by Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring (Jacqui Small) 

 

More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017

More making projects:

Featured
Lanyard & Key Fob.jpg
Jun 1, 2025
Project | Make a Scrap fabric Key Fob
Jun 1, 2025
Jun 1, 2025
TEA COSY JUMPER.jpg
Jan 25, 2025
How to | Make a Tea Cosy from an Old Jumper
Jan 25, 2025
Jan 25, 2025
Wellbeing.jpg
Feb 11, 2024
Make | Kitchen Face Masks
Feb 11, 2024
Feb 11, 2024
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

In Making Tags issue 59, may, Make project, papercraft, flowers, school holiday ideas
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SIM59.ESCAPEOPENER_GettyImages-155490879_jwret (1).jpg

A could-do list for May

Lottie Storey May 2, 2017

Things you might want to do this month (no pressure!)

  • Grow something from seed and watch it flourish
  • Skip breakfast one morning and pack a picnic brunch
  • Do something old in a new way
  • Stop the pacing in your mind by going for a walk
  • Take a break from the media
  • Use a long weekend to have a ‘do-nothing’ day
  • Play an instrument or sing a song
  • Write down any good news you hear, see or read this month 

What would you add? Come over and tell us on Facebook or Twitter. 

More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017

More could-do lists:

Featured
Could do Feb.JPG
Jan 29, 2022
February | A Could-do List
Jan 29, 2022
Jan 29, 2022
Could do list.JPG
Dec 31, 2021
January | Could-do lists
Dec 31, 2021
Dec 31, 2021
Dec Could Do.JPG
Nov 20, 2021
A Could-Do List for December
Nov 20, 2021
Nov 20, 2021
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

In Living, Magazine Tags issue 59, may, could do
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Image: Calum MacAulay/Unsplash

Image: Calum MacAulay/Unsplash

Think: Two mindful exercises to remind yourself what's truly important

Lottie Storey April 27, 2017

Why is it that we are so hard on ourselves - and other women? In their new book – WE: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere (Thorsons) – Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel explore how we can transform criticism into compassion. Turn to page 38 of May's The Simple Things for more from Gillian and Jennifer, or try these two mindful exercises:

BEING IMPERFECTLY PERFECT
If we don’t embrace our so-called imperfections then how can we expect anyone else to?

  • If you feel yourself becoming afraid that you’re not measuring up to contemporary notions of what women are expected to be, remind yourself that they are unrealistic so instead of trying harder, do the opposite.
  • If you’re ashamed of your singing voice, sing out loud. If you worry about your weight, wear something tight. If you wear foundation because you fear your skin tone is too uneven, try not wearing it at all.
  • Do whatever it takes to remind yourself and those around you that you are real. You’re not a cut-out from a magazine, so don’t erase those parts of yourself that don’t fit the image. Show the world that you are perfect just the way you are.


GAINING PERSPECTIVE
This exercise will connect you to that which really gives your life meaning.

1 Have your journal ready and then centre yourself by taking five deep breaths in and five slightly longer breaths out. Close your eyes and imagine you are a much older version of yourself, coming to the end of your life. Look back at your time and ask this older you what has really mattered. What are you glad to have experienced, and what do you care about most?

2 Open your eyes and write down what the older you has to say. Stay in this future state with your wiser self until you feel she has given you all you need to know.

3 Now close your eyes again and allow yourself to time travel back to today. Centre yourself in the present. Take a look at what you wrote down and think about how you spend your time now.

How much of your energy is focused on the things on your list? How many of the items on your list have to do with looks, achievements and material possessions? How many are about relationships and love? If you keep this list in mind you’ll find that the awareness it gives you will gently result in your priorities starting to shift.

 

More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017

More Mindfulness:

Featured
istock brain fog.jpg
Feb 6, 2022
Brain fog | And how to beat it
Feb 6, 2022
Feb 6, 2022
Feb 14, 2019
Think: Love mindfully
Feb 14, 2019
Feb 14, 2019
SIM79.LEAPINGHARE_LH-MIBA_MindfulBaking CVR (1).jpg
Dec 19, 2018
Reader offer | Baking for sharing
Dec 19, 2018
Dec 19, 2018
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Think Tags mindfulness, think, wisdom, mindful, issue 59, may
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Home Truths: Brunch

Lottie Storey April 27, 2017

The boom in restaurants serving brunch is unstoppable and, while the joys of going out for this most leisurely meal are not to be sniffed at, hosting brunch at home is even better and costs a great deal less. Not only do you handpick your guests (no rowdy people or ill-behaved kids on neighbouring tables), but you can collapse on the sofa with the papers afterwards.

Brunch feels very modern but the term was first coined in an 1895 feature in British magazine Hunter’s Weekly, which described the meal as “cheerful, sociable... it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” All of which is as true today. 

The great advantage of this hybrid meal is that it is easy to assemble and doesn’t involve fancy cooking, table-laying and general showing-off like a dinner party might. It’s an easy-like-Sunday-morning affair, laden with everyone’s favourite carbs (Bagels! Toast! Waffles! Muffins!), eggs cooked in various ways and lashings of juice and Bloody Marys. It’s unhurried, unpretentious and the antidote to weekend hangovers. The king of meals. We love it.

How to brunch

As this is the most laidback meal there is, there are no rules. But a few pointers might help make yours even more chilled, so here you go:

  • Don’t even think of doing anything else: brunch is long and leisurely and will easily expand to fill the entire day.
  • Ask your guests to bring something: extra pastries, smoked salmon, juice and coffee will always be demolished.
  • Have a few post-brunch activities up your sleeve. A gentle stroll around your neighbourhood or a rowdy karaoke session are good options.
  • Hold your brunch late-morning on a Sunday to give you time to prepare and the hungover, time for a lie-in.
  • Have a pile of Sunday papers for those who aren’t feeling chatty.
  • Start a brunch club and take it in turns to host. Although this could add a certain competitive element...

Turn to page 114 of May's The Simple Things for more of our look at Brunch.

Some brunch-ready recipes:

Featured
spring frittata.jpg
Mar 2, 2019
Brunch: a potted history
Mar 2, 2019
Mar 2, 2019
Mar 7, 2017
Recipe: Kedgeree
Mar 7, 2017
Mar 7, 2017
Aug 26, 2016
Three recipes: Symmetry breakfasts by Michael Zee
Aug 26, 2016
Aug 26, 2016
Apr 13, 2016
Cake recipe: Cardamom banana bread
Apr 13, 2016
Apr 13, 2016
Aug 31, 2015
Recipe: Spanish Tomato Toast
Aug 31, 2015
Aug 31, 2015
homemade-nutella-the-simple-things.png
Apr 6, 2015
Recipe: Homemade 'Nutella'
Apr 6, 2015
Apr 6, 2015
Recipe: Shakshuka
Sep 4, 2014
Recipe: Shakshuka
Sep 4, 2014
Sep 4, 2014
Yoghurt for breakfast
May 9, 2014
Yoghurt for breakfast
May 9, 2014
May 9, 2014
Recipe: Fluffy blueberry pancakes for Father's Day
Jun 10, 2013
Recipe: Fluffy blueberry pancakes for Father's Day
Jun 10, 2013
Jun 10, 2013
Indulge in some brioche French toast
May 20, 2012
Indulge in some brioche French toast
May 20, 2012
May 20, 2012

More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Nest Tags brunch, issue 59, may, home truths
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Reader offer: 20% off at White Stuff

Lottie Storey April 27, 2017

Just around the corner... Bank holidays conjure thoughts of summer and sun-filled days off. All the excuse you need to treat your wardrobe with our White Stuff discount

Why let the reality of a British summer get in the way of a wardrobe update? The promise of fine weather, getting outdoors – or even abroad – is our cue to don lighter fabrics, shorter lengths and embrace a bit of seasonal colour.

The new summer collection from White Stuff covers the shift from spring to summer seamlessly. There are great staples, covetable holiday buys and summer-friendly separates you can take anywhere from park to picnic to party. Throw-on-and-go jumpsuits, embroidered jackets and leather tote bags are all on our wishlist.

Get 20% off your summer wardrobe*

To celebrate the launch of their new summer collection, White Stuff has teamed up with The Simple Things to bring you this brilliant offer on all fashion and accessories, in shops or online. To save 20%, simply take your copy of May's The Simple Things to your local White Stuff shop or visit whitestuff.com/thesimplethings.

Terms and conditions:
*This 20% reduction is valid in White Stuff shops and online at whitestuff.com until 26 May 2017. The offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or in White Stuff outlet shops and concessions. Offer applies to full-price items only and excludes selected footwear. Offer cannot be used to buy gift cards and charity items. Prices correct at time of printing.

 

Enter our competitions:

Featured
gtc competition.png
Sep 19, 2018
Competition | Win £500 to spend at Garden Trading
Sep 19, 2018
Sep 19, 2018

More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Reader offer Tags reader offer, sponsored, issue 59, may, fashion, style
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Flourish: May cover reveal

Lottie Storey April 26, 2017

Plants need only four things to flourish – light, soil, nutrients and water. Our own list of needs seems more complex but it is actually much the same. The light-filled days of late spring lift our mood; getting our hands dirty while planting and sowing is earthily satisfying; while food and drink is nourishing and there’s a joy in sharing it. Learning from nature is an ancient idea – and one that works when we take the time to understand it. 

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017
May 16, 2017
Recipe: Rhubarb & sweet cicely shrub with Aperol
May 16, 2017
May 16, 2017
May 12, 2017
Escape: Get walking
May 12, 2017
May 12, 2017
May 11, 2017
Escape: A very British safari
May 11, 2017
May 11, 2017
May 10, 2017
Recipe: Ricotta and tomato tart
May 10, 2017
May 10, 2017
May 9, 2017
Reader offer: 20% off at Beefayre
May 9, 2017
May 9, 2017
May 8, 2017
Make: Vanilla linen spray
May 8, 2017
May 8, 2017
May 7, 2017
Gin is the tonic
May 7, 2017
May 7, 2017
May 5, 2017
Nest: Lilac
May 5, 2017
May 5, 2017
May 4, 2017
Cake in the house: Lemon olive oil cake
May 4, 2017
May 4, 2017
May 3, 2017
Make: Giant paper flower
May 3, 2017
May 3, 2017
SIM59.ESCAPEOPENER_GettyImages-155490879_jwret (1).jpg
May 2, 2017
A could-do list for May
May 2, 2017
May 2, 2017
Apr 27, 2017
Think: Two mindful exercises to remind yourself what's truly important
Apr 27, 2017
Apr 27, 2017
Apr 27, 2017
Home Truths: Brunch
Apr 27, 2017
Apr 27, 2017
Apr 27, 2017
Reader offer: 20% off at White Stuff
Apr 27, 2017
Apr 27, 2017
Apr 26, 2017
Flourish: May cover reveal
Apr 26, 2017
Apr 26, 2017
Apr 19, 2017
Growing: Edible perennials plan
Apr 19, 2017
Apr 19, 2017
Apr 17, 2017
Win a holiday for four worth £2700!
Apr 17, 2017
Apr 17, 2017
Apr 16, 2017
Listen: Floral playlist
Apr 16, 2017
Apr 16, 2017

Buy back issues, subscribe or try our sister mag, Oh Comely

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

In Magazine Tags issue 59, may, cover reveal
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When it rains, look for rainbows. When it's dark, look for stars

Lottie Storey April 25, 2017
In Magazine Tags back cover, issue 36, june
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Escape: Rainy day adventures

Lottie Storey April 24, 2017

A rainy walk with friends or family feels somehow enlivening, as if you’re defying the weather, having fun and making memories... even when water gets in your wellies

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”
Lake District fellwalking legend Alfred Wainwright (originally from a Norwegian adage)

Feel the rain on your skin, see it drip through a hazel leaf funnel onto the forest floor. Touch the bark of a gnarled, rough oak or a smooth, grey beech trunk made dark by running water. Run your fingers over a velvety bracket fungus. As the sun comes out from behind a cloud, find a clearing and hold your face to the sky. A free dose of Vitamin D, courtesy of spring.

Hear the squelch and suck of wellies in gloopy mud, splash through a puddle, or linger on a bridge over a babbling brook. Hush up a little and you’ll notice birdsong all around, maybe a woodpecker at work. If the wind picks up, the branches creak and groan in an arboreal conversation that makes you believe in magical creatures. Big kid or little kid, climb a tree and feel the breeze whistle through the branches around you.

Turn to page 24 of April's The Simple Things for more of our April Showers ideas.

 

More from the April issue:

Featured
Apr 2, 2021
Recipe: Hot Cross Bun Cakes
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 6, 2019
Recipe: Wild garlic soup
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 24, 2017
Escape: Rainy day adventures
Apr 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017

More adventures:

Featured
Camping Alamy.jpeg
May 17, 2025
Outdoors | Camping Truths
May 17, 2025
May 17, 2025
Guernsey The Grandmother, a neolithic statue at St Martins church, is often bedecked with floral tributes..jpeg
May 6, 2025
Folklore | Guernsey Superstitions
May 6, 2025
May 6, 2025
Brocante.jpeg
May 3, 2025
How to | Brocante Successfully
May 3, 2025
May 3, 2025
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Buy, download or subscribe

See the sample of our latest issue here

Order our new Celebrations Anthology

Pre-order a copy of Flourish 4, our new wellbeing bookazine 

Listen to our podcast – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

In Escape Tags issue 58, april, escape, april showers, rain, walks, school holiday ideas
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Illustration: RACHEL WARNE 

Illustration: RACHEL WARNE 

Growing: Edible perennials plan

Lottie Storey April 19, 2017

Even if your garden is really tiny, it can still produce an abundance of delicious food. All you need is a planter and a plan.

We’ve all been there; you get lots of seeds you fancy but are not sure when, where or how to plant them, so you just stick them in soil, water, and hope for the best. If you don’t succeed, it can be hard to work out why.

Some plants grow well together, others don’t. Some crops will need other plants to give them shelter and support to grow to their best, others prefer open space and to be left alone to get on with it.

With natural planting, you create a diverse pocket of wildlife in an urban space and one that will provide rich tastes, colours and textures.

If you follow the simple planting plans on page 105 of May's The Simple Things, you’ll realise how easy growing your own food can be. They are designed for 1 sq m raised beds but are scaleable and feature plants that work well together, as nature intended. If you don’t like a particular vegetable then replace it with something similar that likes the same conditions. The plans allow you to grow several crops at different heights, each of which provide symbiotic benefits, resulting in more food. This means less watering, no digging, few weeds and no chemicals. Result! 

Below is a plan for edible perennials. 

PLAN 4

Perennial possibilities

If you don’t have a lot of time, or just think that growing annuals is a bit of a waste of energy, then you could grow plants that keep going for years and years, and indeed only get better over time.

 

Plot make-up

·      At least 4-6 hours of full sun

·      Water every other day

·      1-2 hours a week of your time

·      Eating your veg within 25-30 days

 

Plants you’ll be growing

 

 

A word of advice…

Consider using a portion of your plot for perennial crops, which live for a long time so you’ll only need to plant them once to get harvests for many years. They’ll also need less watering once they’re established, as they will develop more extensive root systems than annual or biennial crops. Some of these vegetables, such as the artichokes and asparagus, will actually need a few years to establish before you can harvest them, but after that they will go on and on. Others, cavolo nero and rainbow chard, for example, should provide you with a crop within a season, but they are perennial so they should see you through many years. Fruit trees, like a delicious apple or pear, are a good perennial choice as they keep producing year after year. I'd suggest either going with rhubarb or a dwarf fruit tree. Even if you don’t have a lot of space you can grow these – choose a dwarf tree, place it in any container and it will fruit for you. Other fruit, such as strawberries, are perennial too and won’t need much attention either.

 

Taken from The City Grower by Matt Franks (Kyle Books) 

More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017

More veg growing ideas:

Featured
Gathering cider.jpeg
Sep 13, 2025
Tipple | Warm Apple Cider with Lemon & Rosemary
Sep 13, 2025
Sep 13, 2025
Allotment Shed.jpg
May 14, 2024
Outdoors | Allotment Sheds
May 14, 2024
May 14, 2024
Rainbow Carrot & Beetroot Tart.jpg
Feb 7, 2023
Recipe | Rainbow Carrot & Beetroot Tart
Feb 7, 2023
Feb 7, 2023
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Growing Tags issue 59, may, allotment, vegetables, growing, gardening
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Think: Discover your dosha

Lottie Storey April 18, 2017

In September's The Simple Things we meet Sebastian Pole, herbalist, tea-maker and co-founder of Pukka who turned his fascination with herbs into one of the biggest do-you-good cuppa brands, learning a few life lessons along the way. Read the interview on page 32. 

Try Pukka’s quiz to discover your dosha, designed to help you understand more about yourself, what’s good for you and what’s not. It's an amazing way to find out more about who you are and provides tips for your own personal health and happiness – including ways in which you can sleep better.

The theory behind the quiz comes from ancient wisdom that has passed down for centuries in India, through a system known as Ayurveda, which actually means ‘the art of living wisely’.

To start you have to find out what your ‘dosha’ or body-mind type is, you’ll then be able to know what helps you thrive the most; what foods to eat, what exercises are best for you and what relationship types of other body/mind types suit you best. It even gives an insight into how each different type typically responds to the need for sleep. In essence, it brings you special insight about your health, informing your choices and decisions that you make everyday.

Following the wisdom of Ayurveda there are said to be three constitutional types; “wind (vata), fire (pitta) and water (kapha). They destroy or maintain the body, according to whether they are sick or healthy.”

We all want to be healthy so that we have the best chance to enjoy and fulfil our potential in life. But excellent health seems to be such a complicated subject that it is not always easy to know how to achieve this holy grail. Although at first it might appear an alien concept, understanding your constitutional dosha goes a long way in helping you to realise your perfect health.

In Ayurveda your personal constitution is known as prakriti, which means ‘nature’, as in your inherent genetic type. Ayurveda teaches us how to find out what our constitution is by observing who we are and how we feel. And this lesson is a very simple and enriching one. As you learn what your real nature is you can live a truly authentic life – a life that suits you and allows your health to flourish.

This quiz will give you an example of your current state of health. The result you get after the test gives you an idea about how balanced your health is at the moment. You will probably be a mix of each of the dosha but it is likely that one will dominate. You have to be something. Each of the dosha have some advantages and some disadvantages. By following the recommendations appropriate for your constitution, Ayurveda can help you fulfill your potential and to be really comfortable in who you are.

So, if you feel inspired, run through the quiz questions to determine your Ayurvedic constitution...and Pukka will send you some life-changing insights every now and then that will add clarity and colour to your life.

 

To discover your dosha, head to the Pukka site to take the quiz...

 

More from the September issue:

Featured
Apr 18, 2017
Think: Discover your dosha
Apr 18, 2017
Apr 18, 2017
Sep 18, 2016
Enjoy the little things, one day you'll remember they were the big things
Sep 18, 2016
Sep 18, 2016
Sep 17, 2016
Nest: The poetry of paint names
Sep 17, 2016
Sep 17, 2016

More Wisdom posts:

Featured
Dara.jpeg
Sep 28, 2021
Generation green | Dara McAnulty
Sep 28, 2021
Sep 28, 2021
winter walk.jpg
Feb 9, 2019
How to: do winter walks well
Feb 9, 2019
Feb 9, 2019
Aug 11, 2017
Wisdom: Nell Gifford of Gifford's Circus
Aug 11, 2017
Aug 11, 2017
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Wellbeing, Think Tags issue 51, september, herbs, tea, quiz, wisdom
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Win a holiday for four worth £2700!

Lottie Storey April 17, 2017

Breathe in the fresh air and explore the mountains above Lake Lucerne, courtesy of Inntravel. 

The refreshingly laid-back village of Engelberg lies in William Tell country in the heart of Switzerland. With snow-capped, 3,000-metre-high peaks towering above sparkling lakes, gushing streams and green meadows filled with chirring grasshoppers, it’s the sort of place that fills you with a tingle of excitement. We have teamed up with Inntravel to offer you the chance to win a week away with your family exploring the mountains surrounding Engelberg. The winner will stay in the village at the friendly three-star Hotel Edelweiss, where families with children of all ages are made to feel instantly at home.

There’s so much to see and do. The village has an open-air swimming pool with amazing views as well as an indoor pool. There’s a traditional dairy where you can watch cheese being made and the nearby historic town of Lucerne has a superb transport museum to captivate all ages. But, with such stunning mountain scenery on your doorstep, this is a place to get back to nature and enjoy the great outdoors, be it walking along a wonderful botanical trail around a lake, mountain biking, kayaking or admiring the simply jaw-dropping views from the Titlis Glacier.

Let Inntravel’s expert guide notes show you the way. You won’t be disappointed.

HOW TO ENTER

 

Enter now!

The prize is for a family of up to four* and includes seven nights’ half-board accommodation and return P&O Ferries Dover-Calais crossing for car and passengers. 
Valid for dates between 17 June and 30 September. Closing date: 1 June 2017. 
Find full terms and conditions at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

* Prize is valid for no more than two adults and at least one child. Find full terms and conditions online.

 

More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017

More competitions:

Featured
gtc competition.png
Sep 19, 2018
Competition | Win £500 to spend at Garden Trading
Sep 19, 2018
Sep 19, 2018
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Competition Tags issue 59, may, holiday, inntravel
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Listen: Floral playlist

Lottie Storey April 16, 2017

Time to come into the garden and frolic among the flowers.

Listen to our floral songs playlist now

More playlists from The Simple Things:

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More from the May issue:

Featured
May 29, 2017
Recipe | Smoked trout, cucumber and coconut salad with dosa
May 29, 2017
May 29, 2017
May 27, 2017
Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
May 26, 2017
Recipe | Picnic Pies
May 26, 2017
May 26, 2017
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Think Tags issue 59, may, playlist, spotify, listen
1 Comment

Good things come in small packages

Lottie Storey April 14, 2017

More from the April issue:

Featured
Apr 2, 2021
Recipe: Hot Cross Bun Cakes
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 6, 2019
Recipe: Wild garlic soup
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 24, 2017
Escape: Rainy day adventures
Apr 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017

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Mar 24, 2021
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Mar 24, 2021
Mar 24, 2021
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Feb 23, 2021
February | a final thought
Feb 23, 2021
Feb 23, 2021
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Jan 27, 2021
January | a final thought
Jan 27, 2021
Jan 27, 2021
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Magazine Tags issue 58, april, back cover, chalkboard
Comment
Photography & styling: Viviane Perenyi

Photography & styling: Viviane Perenyi

Recipe: Hot cross carrot salad

Lottie Storey April 13, 2017

This salad nods to its bun namesake with fruit and spice. Try it for Easter

Hot cross carrot salad

Serves 6
190g sultanas
30ml gin
Juice of 2 oranges
2 tbsp olive oil
4 bunches baby carrots, peeled and sliced into 1cm rounds
11⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for garnish
2 tbsp honey
Zest of 1 lemon
125g pistachios, lightly crushed
1 handful chervil, leaves picked for the yogurt dressing
6 cardamon pods
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
375ml Greek yogurt
1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt

1 Place sultanas in a bowl with gin and orange juice. Allow to soak for at least 30 mins. Drain excess liquid.
2 Toast cardamom pods, fennel seeds and cumin in a dry pan. After toasting the cardamon pods, break them open, remove the seeds and discard the shell. Grind the spices using a pestle and mortar until a fine powder. Place yogurt in a bowl, mix in spices and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
3 Blanch carrots in a pot of salted boiling water for 2 mins. Drain and set aside to dry.
4 Heat the olive oil in a shallow frying pan and cook the blanched carrots over a medium heat for 2–3 mins. Add cinnamon and fry for a minute longer. Add honey and allow the carrots to caramelise. Season with salt to taste and set aside to cool.
5 Toss carrots, sultanas and lemon zest together. Divide carrot mix onto individual serving plates and spoon over a cross of yogurt dressing. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and scatter over crushed pistachios and chervil.

From the April issue:

Featured
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May 6, 2018
Make | Herbal tea bags
May 6, 2018
May 6, 2018
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View the sampler here

In Eating Tags salad, carrot, issue 58, april, easter
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Illustration: Geraldine Sy/Good Illustration

Illustration: Geraldine Sy/Good Illustration

Escape: The modern pilgrimage

Lottie Storey April 12, 2017

Modern pilgrims quietly travel on foot to places with meaning or significance. You may have been on a pilgrimage without even knowing it. All it takes is to walk purposefully towards a place that means something to you. 

All over the world, different religions have taken up pilgrimages: Muslims head to Mecca, Christians to Santiago de Compostela, Hindus walk the length of the Ganges. Whereas modern pilgrimages don’t require a belief in God, they can follow the paths of these earlier pilgrims to a cathedral, chapel or shrine, and appreciate these places for the holy spaces they are.

What is considered sacred today, however, is much broader. Many ancient sites exert a powerful pull and have the additional benefit of being in the landscape, often in out-of-the-way and lovely places. Journey to a long barrow on the crest of a hill, a standing stone overlooking a bay, or a stone circle in the heart of a wheat field, and chances are that you will experience something profound and steadying. As philosopher and writer Alain de Botton puts it: “Certain places, perhaps because of their remoteness, vastness, chaotic energy, haunting melancholy, exert a capacity to salve the wounded parts of us.”

Five British pilgrimage sites

Join other wayfarers at these ancient and sacred places. 

Stonehenge and Avebury stone circles, Wiltshire
Solstice gatherings of druids at the UK’s most famous stone circle are well known, but at other times of the year it’s impossible to get close to the megaliths. Better to head to nearby Avebury for more convenient stone-hugging. 

Bardsey Island, Wales
Bardsey was a major pilgrimage destination in medieval times, and is still a destination for anyone seeking a spiritual place. 

Walsingham, Norfolk
Following a vision of the Virgin Mary, a rich widow called Richeldis de Faverches built a shrine here in the 11th century. The site has remained significant for Roman Catholics, and still attracts 100,000 pilgrims a year. 

Iona, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
Iona has been a centre of spirituality since Saint Columba established a monastery here in AD653. It now attracts visitors on religious and secular retreats. 

Glastonbury Tor, Somerset
Glastonbury attracts both Christians and non-believers. The town may be full of crystal shops but up on the Tor, it’s all about the view and King Arthur.

Turn to page 74 of April’s The Simple Things for more on Clare Gogerty’s look at modern pilgrimages.

More from the April issue:

Featured
Apr 2, 2021
Recipe: Hot Cross Bun Cakes
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 6, 2019
Recipe: Wild garlic soup
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 24, 2017
Escape: Rainy day adventures
Apr 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017

More Escape inspiration: 

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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Escape Tags escape, issue 58, april, outing
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Photography: Tara Fisher

Photography: Tara Fisher

Cake in the house: Unbelievably dark and delicious chocolate cake

Lottie Storey April 10, 2017

This wonderful celebration cake also works ‘dressed down’ without its sugary decorations, leaving the hints of cinnamon and sea salt to do the talking

UNBELIEVABLY DARK AND DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE

For the cake:
380g butter
380g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
380g caster sugar
2 small pinches ground cinnamon
Several large pinches of salt
200g plain flour
6 eggs

For a crazy celebration topping:
4 Mars bars
100ml whole milk
3 tbsp golden syrup
90g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
500ml double cream
3 Flakes, chopped into 2cm lengths
2 packets of Rolos
1 large packet of peanut M&Ms (optional) 
Edible glitter, as many colours as possible

1 Preheat oven to 190C/Fan 170C/375F and butter and line the base of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment.
2 Melt the butter in a medium pan over a low heat, then stir in the chocolate, being careful not to burn it. When the mixture becomes a smooth, velvety consistency, add the sugar, cinnamon and salt.
3 Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat and slowly sift in the flour, stirring to combine. In a separate bowl beat the eggs, then beat into the chocolate mixture a little at a time until fully incorporated.
4 Pour into the prepared tins and bake in the oven for 30–40 mins until the outside is dark and delicious looking and a skewer comes out just clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 15 mins before turning out to cool on wire racks.
5 To make the topping, chop up the Mars bars and melt with the milk, syrup, dark chocolate and 50ml of the double cream. In a separate bowl whip the rest of the cream until it just holds its shape.
6 Sandwich the cooled cakes together with the whipped cream and pour over the Mars bar sauce. Scatter the various chocolates and glitter over the surface of the cake in a higgledy-piggledy fashion, involving as many over-excited little helpers as you dare.

Recipe from Home Cook by Thomasina Miers (Faber).

More from the April issue:

Featured
Apr 2, 2021
Recipe: Hot Cross Bun Cakes
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 6, 2019
Recipe: Wild garlic soup
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 24, 2017
Escape: Rainy day adventures
Apr 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017

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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Eating Tags issue 58, april, cake in the house, cake recipe, chocolate, school holiday ideas
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Illustration: Anke Weckmann

Illustration: Anke Weckmann

Think: Calm in a jiffy

Lottie Storey April 7, 2017

Quick fixes and inner peace may seem unlikely bedfellows - but there are simple tools you can use to feel more serene

Wouldn’t it be great to be more patient, unruffled and at ease? To be able to hold onto that sense of contentment and serenity that comes over you when you experience a gorgeous sunset, a walk in the woods or a restful soak in a bath. Yet those moments of peace tend to quickly evaporate and anxiety, ever present in the background, finds a way to creep back to the surface. The good news is that becoming more serene doesn’t have to mean changing your lifestyle completely or hours of meditation or yoga. It can be as simple as practising some easy calming techniques that you can call upon in stressful circumstances or when you’re just feeling a bit ruffled. Have a go at the following micro-practices, find out what works for you and use them whenever you need an extra dose of calm.

Feed your good wolf

You may have heard the old Native American parable about the two wolves fighting inside of us all. There’s the wolf of fear and hate and the wolf of love and compassion, and whichever wolf we feed will win the fight. Most people are incredibly hard on themselves both in their thoughts (self-criticism) and behaviour (destructive and self-sabotaging). Yet if we are kind and compassionate to ourselves and feed our good wolf, we develop the ability to have compassion for others.

Try the 4-7-8 breath

This is an ancient breathing technique that restores and recalibrates the central nervous system. The combination of a short inhale followed by a twice-as-long exhale has an immediate effect on the parasympathetic nervous system, putting the brakes on your stress response.
1 Inhale to the count of 4.
2 Hold your breath to the count of 7.
3 Exhale through your mouth as if blowing through a straw to the count of 8.
4 Repeat cycle twice more.
5 Do three cycles in the morning and the evening for a calmer, less reactive disposition.

Consult your inner wise woman

Imagine if you could consult your future self for advice or counsel? Perhaps your 98-year-old self, even now, has some wisdom to impart to you.
1 Close your eyes and imagine yourself at the age of 98.
2 Formulate a question or a concern that you’d like to ask your inner wise woman.
3 Imagine your older, wiser self conversing with your current self – you could even have her write you a letter if that makes it easier.
4 See if a wider perspective shifts your current perception of what’s going on today.

Turn to page 86 of April's The Simple Things for more suggestions, including how to embrace change, giving morning thanks, armchair travel, sitting in child’s pose, carrying a talisman, 
and the butterfly hug technique.


Taken from The Little Book of Inner Peace: Simple Practices for Less Angst, More Calm by Ashley Davis Bush (Octopus)

 

More from the April issue:

Featured
Apr 2, 2021
Recipe: Hot Cross Bun Cakes
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 6, 2019
Recipe: Wild garlic soup
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 24, 2017
Escape: Rainy day adventures
Apr 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017

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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Think, Wellbeing Tags meditation, calm, think, wellbeing, issue 58, april
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Image: Stocksy

Image: Stocksy

Nest: Tulips

Lottie Storey April 6, 2017

A bunch of spring tulips bought from a pavement flower seller and wrapped in brown paper is one of the most gratifying of purchases.

Bring them home, snip a little off the stems, plunge into a tall, upright vase and suddenly spring has arrived in the kitchen. Buy blooms with tight buds and enjoy watching them as they open and even grow a little. If you want to keep stems upright, place in a vase that covers at least half their height, but we can’t help thinking that the sinuous movement of the stems as they twist towards the light is all part of their charm.

 

More from the April issue:

Featured
Apr 2, 2021
Recipe: Hot Cross Bun Cakes
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 6, 2019
Recipe: Wild garlic soup
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 24, 2017
Escape: Rainy day adventures
Apr 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017

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Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

In Nest Tags issue 58, april, flowers, floral, nest
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Photography: Erika Raxworthy from House of Plants (Frances Lincoln) 

Photography: Erika Raxworthy from House of Plants (Frances Lincoln) 

Home truths: Houseplants

Lottie Storey April 5, 2017

Maybe it's our love for all things Scandi that kickstarted the houseplant revival. The Danes and Swedes have always appreciated the power of plants in the home, whereas we lost sight of it in the 80s when too many parched spider plants expired on windowsills. Or perhaps it’s because we now spend between 80–90% of our time indoors, and hanker for a link to nature, however slender.

Whatever the reason, a potted plant does us good both mentally and physically, and is a cheap way of enlivening a room. Try one of these five lovely house plants:

1. ALOE VERA (Barbados aloe): a very undemanding desert plant, above, with sharp spiky leaves and tubular flowers. Can withstand both direct sunlight and damp and humid conditions. 

2. CHINESE MONEY PLANT (Pilea peperomiodes): can be tricky to find but worth the search. Its lily-pad shaped leaves on long stems have a white spot in their centre. 

3. MONEY PLANT (Crassula ovata): a bringer of fortune. It needs little attention but is happiest in direct light.

4. PURPLELEAF FALSE SHAMROCK (Oxalis triangularis subsp. papilionacea): each stem has three butterfly-shaped leaves that fold up at night. Pretty pink flowers in spring.

5. STRING OF BEADS (Senecio rowleyanus): trails prettily from a hanging planter. It looks delicate but is hardy and requires infrequent watering.

Turn to page 118 of April's The Simple Things for more on the wonderful world of houseplants, including planters, displaying your plants, terrariums, airplants and house plant accessories.

 

More from the April issue:

Featured
Apr 2, 2021
Recipe: Hot Cross Bun Cakes
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 6, 2019
Recipe: Wild garlic soup
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 24, 2017
Escape: Rainy day adventures
Apr 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017

More Home truths inspiration:

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Apr 27, 2017
Home Truths: Brunch
Apr 27, 2017
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Apr 5, 2017
Home truths: Houseplants
Apr 5, 2017
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Nov 14, 2016
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Nov 14, 2016
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

In Nest Tags issue 58, april, plants, House plants, nest, home truths
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Reader offer: National Art Pass for £10

Lottie Storey April 4, 2017

We’ve teamed up with Art Fund to offer The Simple Things readers a special offer: a three-month National Art Pass for £10. 

From Cardiff Castle and Kensington Palace to the V&A and Tate Modern – the National Art Pass gives you free entry to over 240 museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK as well as 50% off entry to major exhibitions.

National Art Pass also gives you discount in a number of museum shops and cafes. Life is sweet with coffee and cake, and sweeter still with a National Art Pass discount.

An annual National Art Pass costs £65 but The Simple Things readers can now take advantage of a special trial offer: a three-month National Art Pass for just £10.

To start your three month trial, simply visit artfund.org/thesimplethings

 

More from the April issue:

Featured
Apr 2, 2021
Recipe: Hot Cross Bun Cakes
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 2, 2021
Apr 6, 2019
Recipe: Wild garlic soup
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 24, 2017
Escape: Rainy day adventures
Apr 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017

Enter our competitions:

Featured
gtc competition.png
Sep 19, 2018
Competition | Win £500 to spend at Garden Trading
Sep 19, 2018
Sep 19, 2018
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

In Sponsored post Tags issue 58, april, reader offer, art
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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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